Imagine yourself in the middle of nowhere, with no one around, in a far off road, facing a heavy downpour and your car just won’t start. Sounds like a situation best avoided at any cost? If yes, you are not alone since a car breakdown is something that every driver, though skilled with car repair, certainly dreads. As with many situations, prevention is better than cure approach works best here too. That said, it is also essential that you know what to do when your car breaks down especially if you are alone. Let us take a look at some of the solutions.
Don’t Panic
When your car breaks down, the first and foremost thing to do is to ensure that you don’t panic. It is important that you take stock of the situation with a cool head. This will help you identify the cause of a breakdown and determine a possible solution, such as finding somewhere for auto repair in Arvada, or wherever you have ended up, as quickly as possible.
Get your car off the road
This is very important, especially if you are on a highway. If need be, call for help. Once the car is sidelined, put on the emergency brake and turn the steering wheel away from the road.
Ensure you are safe from being hit
Once the car is in a safe spot, either put a white paper or a piece of cloth on the window frame and roll it up. This will alert the drivers passing you by. Another thing you can do is putting the blinkers on. If it is night time, you should put the reflective markers or warning lights six feet away from the back of your car to alert and divert the incoming traffic. You can also turn on the interior light by keeping the door that’s away from the traffic open.
Examine the tyres
Before checking any other parts, check the tyres. It is one of the most common and apparent cause to look out for. A punctured or a damaged tyre can be caused due to reasons such as improper tyre pressure or driving over sharp debris like a nail or broken glass. In this case, inspect the tyre and replace it with a spare one. If you don’t have a spare, ask a local for the nearby tyre shop.
Check the battery
Another common reason for a car breakdown, you should get the battery checked for low power or malfunction. In the case of a weak battery, you can easily get the car jump started with a pair of jumper cables. If you have one, you can seek the help of a car passing by the road. If not, try to find a garage nearby.
Call Road-Side Assistance
When all the above solutions don’t work, road-side assistance is the Good Samaritan you need. Generally speaking, this feature is something that you get along with your car policy. Make sure you have the helpline number at hand. You are entitled to a host of benefits such as on-call assistance, towing, spare key support, flat tyre repair, arranging a mechanic and so on. Some companies even offer accommodation service. With great discounts on offer, online vehicle insurance is the way to go.
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