Breakdown Cover Articles

Car Breakdown Advice

The last thing that you want is your car breaking down especially if you are away from home or away from the help of friends and family. If you do find yourself in this unfortunate position then don’t panic or worry, try and remain calm. Read our simple car breakdown advice detailed below to ensure you know what to do following a breakdown and that you are able to cope with the situation with as little stress and inconvenience to yourself as possible.

If your car breaks down when you are on a road regardless whether it is single lane, a dual carriageway or motorway the first thing that you must try and do is to pull the car (you may need to guide the car) off the road. This is important to ensure that you don’t endanger yourself or other road users. If the road doesn’t have a hard-shoulder then pull the car as much off the road as you can. It is then important to switch on your hazard lights to warn over motorists of your cars presence at the side of the road and if the road is poorly lit then we recommend that you also switch your side lights on to ensure visibility of your car and its situation.

You will then need to exit the car and it is essential that you leave the car on the left-hand side, so that you don’t open the car door into any oncoming traffic. You will also need to ensure that any of your passengers do the same. If you have a high visibility jacket in your car this is the time to put it on.

You will then need to move to a secure location with your passengers and if your car broke down at the side of a motorway the best place is to stand up on the road verge which is well out of the way of the traffic. If you have small children with you it will be important to ensure that they stay with you at all times and that no-one returns to the car.

Next if you have a mobile phone available you must call for assistance from your car breakdown service. If you don’t have a mobile phone then you will need to locate the nearest public telephone. If you broke down on the motorway there are emergency phones available along the hard-shoulder. To locate these you will need to follow a set of markers. Make sure that when you call the car breakdown company that you know where you broke down, the car make, registration and any membership details that you may have.

Once this is done you just have to wait for the company to come out. Remember, even if is raining or the weather is awful, don’t venture back into your car however tempting this may seem. This puts you and your passengers in real danger of being killed or seriously injured if your car gets shunted in the back.

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