What To Do When Your Car Breaks Down Of course no one ever anticipate that their car is doing to break down when they take it out on the road — unless perhaps you’re the owner of a total clunker. And even then, it seems that cars are always breaking down at the least convenient time possible. So, while you can’t control when your car is going to break down, you can do your best to be prepared for when the time comes. If you’re not sure what supplies to have on hand or what to do when the break down actually happens, we’ve got all the information you need to feel a little more confident about your situation.
Supplies to have on hand There are a few trusty supplies that will make your life a whole lot easier in the case that your car breaks down. For one thing, consider getting insurance that will help you out whenever the unfortunate circumstance strikes. Then, think about the things you’ll need to have with you to make your situation safe and more comfortable. Items to have on hand include:
A physical road map — you may not have service on your phone in the place you break down! A stash of coins to make a phone call — again, you may need to way to a pay phone if your cell phone doesn’t have service in the area A car cell phone charger – for the times you do have service, but run out of phone battery A red warning triangle or flares — you may need to steer cars away from yours if it’s late at night or a thin strip of road An emergency kit with warm clothes, a waterproof jacket, some food with a long expiration date and water — you may end up waiting for help for a while!
What to do when you break down Now that you’ve stocked your car with the necessary supplies, you should be feeling a little more comfortable in the case that you do break down. Still, the situation can be scary and overwhelming. Try to remember the following tips when the car actually does put you in this circumstance:
Get your car as far off the road as possible. On the freeway, this may mean you can only pull off next to the median, but on other roads, you might be able to pull onto another street and park the car. If on the freeway, turn on your hazard lights, and any other safety flares you have with you Next, get out of the car and far away from traffic, if possible Call for help, and then wait in a safe place for them to arrive. If you’re in a safe place, you can stay in your car. If you’re on the freeway, you may want to stand out of the car in the case that another car crashes into yours. After all this is taken care of remember to visit your local Dallas auto body repair shop to get your car fixed. Photo Credit: cocoparisienne