Breaking down on a road or motorway can be a scary situation. You must take adequate measures to ensure the safety of everyone in your vehicle and even those who are on the road. The following tips will help you increase everyone safety and deal with the situation more efficiently.
If your vehicle breaks down, you should evaluate your situation before deciding what to do.
First Steps
You should look for a safe place near your vehicle. If you cannot find one, you should remain in your vehicle. If you don’t have Access Tools or don’t know how to check for faults and fix them, the first thing you should do is to look for signposts or landmarks and get help.
If your vehicle causes obstruction on the road, make sure to place hazard warning systems 40-50 yards behind it. Make sure that the emergency warning lights are switched on.
If you are in an isolated area or in the dark, stay in your vehicle after implementing the above-mentioned safety measures. Usually, roadside recovery/emergency responders will give priority to the more vulnerable motorists to prevent any kind of distress.
If your vehicle has broken down on safer roads, especially if you are not on motorways, it can be safer to check for faults. Many times you may be able to fix the problem yourself without the help of a recovery vehicle. But this should be done only when you are safe from oncoming traffic.
Tips
It is recommended to follow these tips when you are in such a situation:
- You should immediately pull over and switch on your emergency lights.
- If possible, always move your vehicle off the road immediately.
- Always have a reflective jacket in your vehicle. In case of an emergency, you should put it on.
- If there is a risk of your vehicle getting hit by others, you should immediately get all the passengers out.
- If you see that it’s safe to check or repair the vehicle, you should place warning triangles 40 to 50 yards behind your vehicle.
- Never stand between the oncoming traffic and your vehicle.
If you cannot fix the vehicle, you should get help from breakdown assistance. Make sure to provide them a detailed description of the problem so that they can come well prepared.
Follow these tips and you will be able to handle the situation more effectively and safely.
