What To Do When Your Car Breaks Down
If you can make it through life without suffering at least one auto breakdown, you are special. No matter how safe of a driver you are, certain things can cause a car to stop working. It is often out of your control, leaving you stranded with a machine that simply will not work.
When this happens, what should you do? Here are some simple steps to follow when your car breaks down:
Turn on your hazard lights
All cars come equipped with hazard lights that can be activated at the touch of a button. You may use them to ‘blink’ at the car behind you if they let you in, as a nice way of saying thanks. But, their true purpose is to light up and warn other road users of a hazard. Turn yours on the moment your car breaks down, ensuring people know something is wrong, so they can be more cautious.
Try to get to a safe place
If possible, try to move your car to a safe place, preferably off the road. Most highways will have a little section on the side for you to pull over and park your car. It means you don’t risk other motorists driving into you or causing other accidents. Most of the time, when a car breaks down, you can still maneuver it to the side, even if you’re rolling it a bit in neutral. It’s rare for a car to just instantly break and come to a stop! So, get your vehicle out of the way, keeping yourself and others safe.
Make yourself noticeable
Turning the hazard lights on can definitely help your vehicle be noticeable. But, you should also have other things in your trunk to add to this. It’s highly advised that you have a hi-vis vest in your car, along with a warning triangle. Put the vest on and place the triangle near your car to give further alerts that you’ve broken down. Again, this prevents further incidents - but it can also encourage other motorists to stop and provide assistance if they’re feeling nice!
Call your breakdown service provider
Once everything is set up and you feel safe, call your breakdown service provider. If you don’t have one, the next best thing is to call a towing company. You can find one by simply Googling ‘towing near me’, and then picking the best option. Either way, you should soon be joined by someone who can tow your car and take it to safety. From here, you will work on getting your car fixed or figuring out if it can be fixed. If not, you’ll have to start an immediate search for a new car!
Follow these steps to ensure you and other car drivers stay safe when you break down. Also, always exit your car on the side that’s not opening to the road - especially if you’re on a busy highway. Car breakdowns are very common, and they can happen for so many reasons. You might need a minor fix to prevent further issues, or you could need a brand new car altogether.