What to Do if Your Car Breaks Down On a Highway

Posted by at 25 April 2018, at 16 : 28 PM

What to Do if Your Car Breaks Down On a Highway

It is a moment of dread that all drivers hope they can avoid. You are in the middle of a busy highway, and suddenly, your car starts to make some noises to suggest that everything isn’t right. What do you do? Even if this has never happened to your before, it makes sense that you prepare for the eventuality that it will at some point during your driving life. So, let’s take a look at the actions that you need to take.

Don’t Panic

The first thing to remember is not to panic. Of course, this is a highly stressful experience, but you don’t want to make any wrong moves. Gently and smoothly take your foot off the accelerator – and remember not to break suddenly. When the opportunity presents itself, move your car over to the breakdown line or the side of the road. Make sure that you signal your intentions to the drivers in front of you so that they know exactly what is going on.

Make Your Car Visible

The next step to take is to ensure that your car is visible. Put on the hazard lights to show other road users that they need to steer clear. If you are carrying them in your trunk, you should put some reflective triangles or cones behind your vehicle. If you don’t have them, now is the time to think about investing in some!

Assess the Damage

It may be quite apparent what is causing the issue – you could have a flat tyre for example. If it is possible, you could set to work repairing it as you normally would. But if it is unsafe, you should avoid putting yourself in harm’s way.

Get Professional Help

If it is obvious that you can’t repair the fault yourself or it is too dangerous to do so, you should seek to get some professional help. Don’t attempt to flag down other vehicles as this could prove to be very dangerous indeed. Raise the hood of your car so that it is obvious to repair vans and towing vehicles that you are the one in need of support. Rather than standing behind or next to your vehicle, you should get yourself into a safe area.

Stay Close to Your Vehicle

Since most people have smartphones and reception is widely available, you should be able to call for help without too much difficulty. When it arrives, you want to be nearby to your vehicle so that you can explain exactly what has gone wrong. Any information that you can give can help to identify the source of the problem and possibly get your vehicle up and running there and then.

After The Fact

If your vehicle needs further repairs after the initial breakdown, you should have these completed as soon as possible. Depending on what exactly needs to be repaired, you should contact relevant specialists to have these completed with the utmost care and attention.

For example, if your brakes are the issue, you can find Brakes Shop Locations that will have specialists in brakes repairs.

If you are unlucky enough to break down on a highway or another busy road, these are the steps that you should follow to ensure that you stay safe and your vehicle has the best chance of being repaired successfully.

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