No matter how skilled a driver you may consider yourself to be and no matter how confident you may feel behind the wheel, it’s extremely important to still be aware of potential problems that you may face when you’re out on public roads. You could drive perfectly without putting a foot wrong and still find yourself in various different problematic, difficult, or dangerous situations. So, to help prepare yourself and to know what to keep an eye out for, here are some of the most common problems that you may experience when driving a vehicle.
Collisions with Other Drivers
When you take to the roads, you would expect that everyone else operating vehicles up and down the same routes as you should be a good driver. But this isn’t always necessarily the case. There are some people who dare to drive a car without a licence. There are learners taking lessons and tests. There are people who managed to pass their test but are still inexperienced. There may be other drivers who are tired or distracted. You simply do not know who you will be driving alongside, in front of, or behind at any time. So, you may, at some point or another, find yourself in some sort of collision with another driver. This may be a serious accident or it could be a minor accident. What’s most important is that you know what to do should you find yourself in this situation. First, if you are injured and unable to move, you should call for help. If you are able to move, you should leave your vehicle and move to a safe location and then call for help. Check whether other people are injured and seek help for them if they are. Once you have received treatment and are on the road to recovery, you should contact a car crash lawyer. If nobody has been injured, you should collect the details of other people involved for insurance purposes.
Breakdowns
If you have a brand new vehicle, you are relatively unlikely to experience a breakdown, but it’s good to know what to do in a breakdown situation just in case. If you drive an older car or a classic car, breakdowns may occur more frequently in your day to day life. When your vehicle breaks down, you should do your best to guide it to the side of the road. Turn your hazard lights on in order to alert other drivers to the presence of your vehicle and place a warning triangle the correct distance behind your car. Call your breakdown cover or a garage if you do not have breakdown cover. Professionals will then be sent out to tow your car to a safe location or a garage for repair. Do not stay inside your vehicle at any point. Move to the side of the road and remember to stay over reservations or barriers if you are on a motorway.
These are just two situations you may find yourself in as a driver, so it’s important that you familiarise yourself with them as well as learning how to deal with them!
