Knowing the way to handle your car when it breaks down on the roadside is half the battle (the other half which involves getting your car fixed comes up later). The way you react in the event of a car breakdown is usually a matter of how you handle situations that arise in your day to day life. At that time, the decisions that you make have their consequences, and these may either be good or bad. Regardless of the way you react, safety should come first.
Are you ready to handle your car if it breaks down in the middle of nowhere?
The way you respond to a breakdown depends on a number of factors. For instance, getting a break down on the roadside at a residential area is one thing- having it during rush hour in the middle of a busy highway is quite another. All in all, you should always focus your actions on ensuring your safety as well as the safety of your passengers. Below are some of the steps that you should follow when in the event that your vehicle breaks down. You need to exercise extra precaution if the break down happens on a highway or worse yet, where roads intersect.
· Never attempt to get out of your car in the middle of a busy highway or at an intersection to examine the damage on your car. This is a mistake you should never make. You should get move car to the roadside at a place that is safe before you get out of it. In the event that you have been involved in an accident, motion or communicate to the driver of the other car so that he can pull of at a safe place ahead.
· Call your mechanic for help if the damage on your car is too gross such that driving the vehicle is impossible. It is safer to make the call when inside your car. Standing outside your vehicle when there is heavy traffic flowing may not be a good idea.
· Always have some triangles or flares in your car place behind your vehicle once you go on the roadside. This cautions other drivers about the location of vehicle and informs them that the location can be critical. Both flares should be set up behind your vehicle or near it, as long as it’s a safe distance. The recommended distance is usually 200-300 feet behind the vehicle that has broken down. Once you mark the territory, it is quite important to put on to hazard lights.
· If the problem with the vehicle is flat tire, drive the vehicle to the roadside at a safer place where you can safely repair it. This is necessary though it may lead to destroying the wheel while in the process of moving there. After all, your safety is more important and your life is more valuable as compared to the cost of replacing a tire or rim.
· If you have a roadside service provider, call them and ask for assistance. In the absence of this, look for a tow truck for further assistance or better still, call 9-1-1.
Call Fredericksburg Towing at any time: 540-907-4544
