You hear a strange noise coming from your car, so you turn your music down, hoping not to hear anything, but inevitably you do. You turn your music back up and try to pretend like you never heard anything, but ultimately, you know something’s wrong. So, what should you do in this unfortunate scenario where you find your car breaking down?
The best thing to do is heed the warning of your car and try not to pretend that what you heard was nothing. If you stop at the first sign of problems, then you will not only avoid further damaging your car but also give yourself an opportunity to find a safe place to stop.
Here are five steps to follow when you do break down.
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Make Sure You’re Safe
The most important thing when you break down is ensuring you, your passengers, and other motorists are safe. Breaking down in the wrong place can be quite dangerous, so make sure you are alert to danger.
If you can’t make it to a service station, then make sure you pull as far off the road as possible. Hard shoulders are there to protect you, but it’s always a good idea to be as far off the road as possible.
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Leave Your Hazard Lights On
When you’re stopped beside a busy road, other motorists will close on you extremely quickly, so it’s essential to warn them of your presence by leaving your hazard lights on. Doing so gives passing cars time to change lanes and give you extra space if need be.
Keeping your hazard lights on is a simple tip, but it’s easily forgotten when you’re in a rush.
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Keep Away from the Moving Traffic
It’s tempting to think that staying in your car is the safest place to be, but in most cases, it’s not.
If it’s possible to exit your vehicle safely, then you should look to find a safe place to the side of the road to stand while you await rescue. It might not be as comfortable as your car, but it’s generally a lot safer to stand away from the moving traffic.
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Call a Mobile Mechanic
The quickest way to get your car back on the road is to call a mobile mechanic like Stouch Auto and Mechanical, a specialist Brisbane Mobile Mechanics. An experienced mechanic will do their best to get you back on the road as quickly as possible and give you the best advice on fixing your car.
Getting an expert mechanic on the job will put your mind at ease and help ensure you don’t have another break down any time soon!
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Stay Visible
The best thing to do is to try and remain visible at all times. If you’ve got a high visibility jacket in your car, then that’s a great help. So long as other motorists can see you, your chances of being involved in an incident are much reduced.
Breaking down can be a dangerous event, but the more you follow the steps, the more you can reduce the risk.
