The conditions in the Outback are often treacherous to the human body if an emergency occurs. Above all other measures, always notify someone of your journey, the route you are taking, when you expect to arrive and when you are departing - this way someone will always know if you are missing or late.
There are a number of spare parts you can take with you on your trip to help you if damage occurs to the vehicle itself, but there are also a number of other things you can do to prepare for and survive such an emergency, including:
* Areas around rock formations often catch water, as do trees - using plastic bags over the branches of non-toxic trees you may catch some water
* Find shelter to protect your body from the elements, which are especially harsh in the Outback
* Food isn't of great importance in a 'survival' situation - unless no one knows you are missing. Searching for food not only uses much needed energy but you can also get easily separated from your vehicle, companions etc
* If there is a salt lake nearby, after it has rained you can use tubing to siphon off the top 3mm which is fresh water
* If you notice numerous animal tracks leading to the one location this may mean there is a waterhole or water source nearby
* It is preferable to eat foods with a high water content as the body will take less to digest it. You can eat animals such as fish, reptiles, bugs, birds etc to sustain yourself until rescue
* Top priority is find water, because while the body can last up to three weeks without food, it will only last 3 days without water
* Try to make your location easy to see, this way search and rescue parties can locate you faster
* Use clothing to minimize your exposure to both hot and cold temperatures
* You can create fire by: using a tiny portion of petrol and light it with a cigarette; using wires from your battery to spark a flame (do this a decent distance away from the vehicle) or using steel wool over the negative terminal of a 6V battery then brush it against the positive terminal to create a flame which can light wood or other material
* You should be able to obtain water from creek bed, even if dry - dig below the surface and you may find water
** Please note this is just a guide and in no way an exhaustive list
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