1. The best way to be prepared is to purchase a set of high-quality jumper cables that reach roughly 25 feet. Make sure they are of a heavy gauge and well-insulated. Store them in a dry place that's easy to access, preferably your trunk.

2. Turn off both cars and put them in park or neutral. You'll also want to get the cars close with the hoods facing each other, but make sure they are not touching.

3. Put one red clip on the positive terminal of your battery (the dead car). This will be marked with a "POS" or "+" sign and it will be red.

4. Attach the other red clip to the positive terminal of the other car (the jumper car).

5. Attach the corresponding black clip to the negative terminal of the jumper car's battery. The negative terminal is marked "NEG" or "-" and is black.

6. Attach the final black clip to an unpainted metal surface of the dead car that isn't near the battery. (This includes a metal strut that holds open the hood, a nut, bolt, or other part.) This will ground the connection.

7. Start the jumper car and let it run for a few minutes.

8. Finally, try to start your dead car.