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Roadside Assistance: What to Do When Your Car Breaks Down

When your car breaks down as you're driving, your first instinct is usually to panic, but doing so could make the situation even more dangerous. Instead, you should follow a specific set of steps to ensure your safety, the safety of others, and the safety of your vehicle during an emergency.

Turn on Your Hazard Lights and Pull Over

The very first thing you should do, even before trying to pull over, is to turn on your hazard lights. This lets other drivers know that you're having an issue and gives them the chance to slow down and give you space to maneuver. As soon as it's safe, pull over. Use the right shoulder or lane if possible. Once you're in a safe position, keep your hazard lights on and set your emergency break.

Be Aware of Your Surroundings

It's probably tempting to jump out of the car as quickly as possible to see what's wrong, but all that does is create more danger. Be sure to triple-check your surroundings before opening the door and exiting the vehicle. Even if the coast is clear, go with your gut feeling. If you think you should wait in the car, do just that. The exception is if your engine is smoking, you smell gas, or there is some other indication a fire may happen.

Call for Help

After getting your bearing after your car has broken down, you need call for help. If you are in danger you should call 911 first and foremost. If you are not in a life threatening or an emergency situation then the best thing you can do is call a roadside service company like Sheffield Towing Service who specializes in vehicle towing in Big Lake.

Set Up Flares and Pop the Hood

Keep flares or cautionary triangles in your car to alert other drivers of the situation. Set one about 10 feet from your vehicle and the other a couple hundred feet away if you can. Popping the hood also alerts people to the situation and makes it easier for a tow truck to find you. Once you've done this, get back into the car if it's safe, or stand in the safest place you can find if it's not.

After you've gotten yourself into a safe position and called for help, wait for that help to arrive. Don't try to fix the car yourself to avoid injuring yourself or making the vehicle's problem worse. Following these steps will ensure your safety and that of your vehicle.

Author: Lizzie Weakley