Roadside Breakdown Advice
10th June 2016Be Prepared
You can’t predict breaking down on the road, but you can reduce your chances of a break down and make the experience less stressful by being prepared.
Ensuring that your vehicle is in good condition can help you to prevent unexpected breakdowns and you can do this by making sure that you have it serviced regularly. A car service will check the mechanical condition of your vehicle and can help you to keep on top of any problems before they develop in to anything more serious.
You can also make sure that you are prepared by carrying the following useful items with you:
- An in car charger or a spare mobile phone can help you to contact the emergency services or family if you run in to difficulty on the road.
- Bottled water is useful to have in case your engine overheats and you need to top up your engine coolant.
- A red warning triangle could help you to warn other drivers and help to prevent further accidents on the road.
- Reflective jackets can help ensure that you are seen when in difficulty.
- Spare clothing, including blankets and comfortable walking shoes may come in handy if you break down far from home.
What to Do if You Breakdown
Breaking down on the road is fraught with potential dangers, so it is important that you know what you should do.
Firstly, it is important that you try to keep yourself, your passengers and other road users safe. You should switch on your sidelights and hazard warning lights immediately so that other vehicles can see your vehicle and see you are in difficulty.
When safe, you should then get yourself and your passengers out of the vehicle and situate yourself in a safe location away from the traffic.
If you have a red warning triangle, you should set this up about 50 yards behind your vehicle so that other motorists are warned in time.
Finally, you should phone for assistance from your breakdown cover provider or a local garage.
Motorway Breakdowns
Similarly to breaking down on a road, your priority if you suffer a breakdown on a motorway should be to keep everyone safe, however, your actions will be different.
As soon as you feel that your vehicle is unsafe whilst travelling on the motorway, you must switch your hazard warning lights on and move over to the hard shoulder. When stopping, you should position yourself as close to the left as possible with your wheels turned to the left.
Get all passengers and yourself out of the vehicle, using the left hand doors of the vehicle, and stand on the verge or away from the road. Pets should be left inside the vehicle.
You should then call the emergency services, the Highways Agency and/or your breakdown cover provider. You should inform the police, even if you are not in immediate danger, as your breakdown could pose dangers to other road users.
If you can’t get in to the hard shoulder, or it is closed, you should switch your hazards on and come to a gradual stop. Unless you are sure you can exit your car safely, or staying in your vehicle poses an immediate threat, you must stay inside. From your vehicle, phone the emergency services as soon as possible.
If you have any further queries about what you should do if you breakdown, contact your local Malvern Tyres Group where our trained specialists will be happy to offer information and guidance.
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