As a fiercely independent, intelligent and strong woman, you have got the vast majority of situations in life well-covered. Not a lot fazes you, and you love going out to see the world and enjoy all kinds of adventure, that is why this is a good reading if you ever get stranded on the road.
At the same time, you know that your smarts and intuition will only take you so far if there is some type of emergency while you are on the road. Now that you are in the midst of planning a major road trip, you want the drive to go as smoothly and safely as possible.
Unfortunately, cars can and do breakdown in the middle of Timbuktu, and you definitely don’t want this to happen to your trusty ride. By knowing what to do in this situation, along with some solid pre-planning, a vehicle malfunction will be a figurative minor bump in the road.
For example, the following tips can help you get through—and hopefully prevent—a breakdown in the middle of nowhere:
1. Get Your Car Repair Ducks in a Row
Let’s make one thing very clear: by planning ahead of time, you are not assuming that you will have car trouble on your upcoming trip. Instead, you are being super smart and well-prepared, so on the off chance that there is a situation, you already have it covered. For instance, do some homework prior to leaving and look into used car service contracts that can help reduce the amount of out of pocket costs you will have to pay, should you need a repair.
Start by looking up the plans at ProtectMyCar.com; the company offers Ambassador Maintenance Plans that cover most vehicles, regardless of the year or number of miles. With this type of policy in place you will get a guaranteed 25 to 50 percent off repairs, guaranteed 24/7 roadside assistance, help with flat tires, and rental car reimbursement—those four features alone should put your road tripping mind at serious ease.
2. Prepare a Car Kit
As the National Safety Council notes, every car should have an emergency supply kit in the trunk. Before you leave on your road trip, channel your inner Girl Scout and prepare an amazing kit that will help you out no matter what you encounter on the drive. The kit should include a properly inflated spare tire, wheel wrench and tripod jack, along with jumper cables, a tool kit, first aid kit, plenty of drinking water, reflective triangles, or cheaper traffic cones, and a fire extinguisher.
You should also keep non-perishable foods in the kit such as dried fruits, whole grain crackers and unsalted nuts, along with a compass, and a car charger for your cell phone. Also consider adding a reflective vest to the box; this way, if you have to walk for help other drivers can easily see you. Finally, add in your emergency phone numbers, the name and number of your auto insurance agent, and a trusted towing company into your phone. Speaking of phones, be sure you have one that is equipped with GPS; if it is not, invest in a GPS unit for your car.
3. Know What to Do if the Car Breaks Down
If you are in the middle of nowhere and you start hearing an odd sound coming from your engine or you get a flat tire, the first thing you should do is pull off the side of the road to a safe spot. If you can make it to an open area as opposed to a sharp turn, please do so. Once you realize there is trouble, put on your hazard lights and keep them on until you are back on the road. Next, use the GPS feature on your phone or in-car device to determine exactly where you are.
This way, when you call a towing company for help, you can give them an accurate description of your location. Call the towing company you have saved in your phone; if you have the aforementioned used car service contract, it will probably be your source for a tow and/or roadside assistance. Open the hood of your car to alert other drivers that you are having an issue and place the reflective triangles in the road around your car. Remain calm, sip some water and enjoy some of your snacks until help arrives.
Have a Great and Safe Time
Chances are good you will enjoy your road trip without any breakdowns or issues. But if you do end up with car trouble in the middle of Route 66 or whatever highways and byways you will be on, you definitely have what it takes to get through it, in case you cannot get it resolve by yourself you can visit https://expresstowing.ie/ and request for towing services for help. Do your pre-trip repair planning, get that kit ready and then keep a level head if an emergency does happen. In no time, you’ll be back on the road and heading to your destination.
9 Comments
Thanks for the tips on how to handle a car breakdown in the middle of nowhere. I like your tip to call the towing company that you have saved on your phone. I think it would be smart to make sure that you know a good towing company before you need one to help make the experience less stressful.
Thank you for your tips on what to do if you breakdown in the middle of nowhere. I like how you said that if you a funny noise to pull over to the side of the road as soon as possible. My daughter recently started driving. She will be interested to know that she should get to a safe spot quickly if something goes wrong.
There might be times where I will face situations where my car will break down in the middle of the road. You’re right about saying that I should pull over my car in a safe spot if I feel or hear anything wrong with it. I think it would be useful to hire roadside assistance as well so I can have my car taken to a repair shop as soon as possible.
It’s really smart to have an emergency supply kit in your car in case you break down. That way you won’t be completely helpless. I especially like how you mentioned having a lot of drinking water. That’ll be really helpful if you break down on a hot day.
This is some really good information about getting help on the road. I like that you pointed out that you should stay alerted and make sure you are still visible to other drivers. That does like an important thing to do if you want to stay safe. It would probably be smart to have a towing company picked out before you need one as well, that way, you can get help as soon as possible.
I’m going to go on a long road trip this coming weekend, which is why I’m currently looking for a towing service that may help me out just in case my car breaks down. Thank you for this; I’ll make sure to prepare a kit that includes an inflated spare tire, wheel wrench, and tripod jack. You’re also right about the advantage of downloading a GPS feature on my phone.
Have so much fun!
It’s good to know that I should use the GPS feature on my phone to accurately tell the towing company my location when my car breaks down. As a new car owner, this is an excellent tip for me. I’ll make sure I have the number of a reputable towing company saved on my phone if I have any car problems in the middle of nowhere. Thanks!
It made sense when you said that we should know our exact location before calling a towing company for help, if possible. I want to find a 24-hour towing service in my area since I just moved here for my husband’s work about two weeks ago. Thanks for teaching me these safety tips to follow in case someone in my family has a car breakdown soon.