staying safe while waiting for a tow

When you car breaks down, whether you are in the middle of an intersection, or on a quiet residential street, it can be a stressful experience. Here are some tips for handling car breakdowns in the most effective and safest way possible.

Find a Place to Park

The first thing you need to do is attempt to get the car pulled over to the side of the road if it is still moving. If you're lucky, there is just enough power left to get to the side of the road. If you are on the highway, try to find a right shoulder where you can pull over. If you are in a middle or left lane, do this as quickly as possible, with your hazard lights on. Honk your horn if you need to in order to get to the right shoulder. If you are on a residential street, try to find the nearest parking space or gas station. If this is not available, pull over as far to the right of the road as you can. If your car is completely dead, turn the lights on, put it in neutral, and start to push it toward the side of the road.

Be Cautious When Exiting the Vehicle

Unless you are on a highway, where getting out the vehicle can be dangerous, you will need to get out of the vehicle at some point. Be extremely cautious, looking for signs of danger or cars that might be coming down the road too fast. Pop the hood and kept up, as this is a good way to signal others that your car has broken down. This is also a good way to get the attention of the tow truck driver. When the hood is up, you can try to figure out what is wrong with the vehicle, but be very careful touching anything. If you don't have car experience, don't attempt to do anything under the hood.

Put Out Triangles or Flares

If you have a vehicle preparation kit, you likely have some items that will not only make your car more visible s others don't hit it, but can help get the attention of a tow truck when you contact them. For example, you might find orange reflective triangles, which are set out around your vehicle. You may have flares, which should be placed several feet behind your vehicle. Once you have set these items out, return to your car, lock the door, and call a tow truck.

For towing services, contact a company such as Michael's Towing & Recovery Service.