When you drive regularly or over long distances all sorts of roadside emergencies can occur, such as experiencing a flat tire or a breakdown that leaves you unable to drive the vehicle any further. This article will show you how to cope with these situations, regardless of the situation it is important that you remain calm and consider your safety.
Check down below for the things that you should do:
* The most important thing when dealing with a roadside emergency is to get off the road as fast as possible. Pull over in such a way that it doesn’t interfere with other traffic and road users. If you have a flat tyre, you may as well drive your vehicle very slowly until it is safe for you to pull over or if you know of any workshop is in the vicinity, go to that and make sure you put your hazard lights on and drive there cautiously.
* If your intention is to change the tyre on your own or try to fix the vehicle on your own, then pulling over and exiting the car with caution is advisable. If the road is a motorway or very busy, you may want to exit through the passenger side door and then address the problem that your vehicle confronts you with.
* When a roadside emergency happens at night, you should make your vehicle visible by leaving the headlights on and turning on the hazard lights, in some countries it is law to carry a triangle that can be displayed a few metres behind the vehicle too.
* If your roadside emergency can not be handled by you alone, call someone for help using the special phones situated on the side of the motorway these phones help the operator to pinpoint your location and you should use them even if you have a mobile with you.
* It may be that in any of these roadside emergency situations some strangers pulling over and offer you their help. If you are suspicious about the nature of that help, then you should politely thank them saying that you wait for someone to come.
These are the main things you need to do when you experience a roadside emergency. It is a good idea to take out some kind of breakdown insurance but even if you have breakdown cover it is advisable that whenever you are set to go on a long drive, you have an emergency kit in your vehicle these kits can be of a great help in this kind of situation.
The emergency kit should include a phone, fire extinguisher, first-aid kit, tyre gauge, foam sealant, lug wrench, warning signals and a flash light. Depending on the weather you might want to consider taking some blankets and a shovel too. Every single item in this emergency kit can prove helpful, depending of course on the roadside emergency that you are confronted with.