There are nearly 200,000 roadside emergencies every day in the USA, but not many people know how to handle them when they occur. There are various roadside emergencies that can occur, and we have listed the top 5 most common ones, along with steps you can take to handle them…
- Tire Blowout
Issues with tires are the most common roadside emergencies. If you’re driving and your tire has blown out, stay calm. Hold your steering wheel with a firm grip to avoid your vehicle swerving across the road. Gradually slow down your car until it comes to a stop. Don’t brake abruptly, as this could cause more damage to the tire and wheel and there may be vehicles behind you that aren’t prepared for you to make a sudden stop. Once your vehicle has started to slow down, move over to the side of the road and come to a controlled stop. Once you are in a safe position, call the emergency services so they can come and help you. Or, if you are able to change a tire by yourself, make sure you are in a safe position that doesn’t pose any risks to either you or oncoming traffic while you do so.
- Engine stall
This is a very common issue when on the road and has happened to almost everyone. This can typically be resolved by applying the handbrake and restarting the car, however, in some situations, your car may not restart. When this happens, don’t panic! Your first priority is safety. Make sure you and your car are in a safe position, if you are able to move to the side of the road, slowly make your way out of traffic and turn your hazards on. If you are unable to get to the side of the road, put your hazards on, so oncoming traffic knows you are experiencing some issues. Once you are in a safe position you can try to restart the engine yourself, however, if you cannot get the engine to restart, call for the roadside emergency services to come and help.
- Jammed handbrake
A jammed handbrake can be caused by a few things, including corrosion, rust on the mechanisms or cables, excessive force on the brakes, cold weather, or leaving the brake engaged for too long. If your handbrake has jammed when the weather is particularly cold, wait for your car to warm up a bit and you should be able to release it. If it does not release or has jammed from a mechanical issue, this isn’t so easily fixed, and you should call a roadside emergency service to come and help. Make sure to put your hazards on, so any oncoming traffic knows that you are stuck in that position, and that you are experiencing issues.
- Dead Battery
A dead battery can be caused by a variety of things, from leaving your lights on overnight without realizing, extreme temperatures, faulty alternators, loose battery or corroded connections or simply the battery reaching the end of its lifespan. If you are somewhere with other vehicles and people and you or the other party have jump leads at hand, you can try to jump-start your vehicle. If jump-starting your vehicle fails, this might mean you need to replace the battery, and you should seek out a roadside emergency service.
- Running out of fuel
Don’t worry, we’ve all been there! It’s more common than you think to run out of fuel when driving. You misjudge the distance you have to go and how much fuel you have left and are then left stranded on the road. Running out of fuel can be dangerous, especially if you’re in the dark or on the highway, but we’re here to help! Stay calm and ensure you are stopped in a safe place or close enough to the side of the road as possible. Once you are in a safe position, ensure to put your hazards on to make yourself most visible and call emergency services to come and help. However, if your car is in a safe position to be left and you are within walking distance of a gas station, you can walk to collect a gas can of fuel to fill your car.
No matter what roadside emergency you get into, we are your go to emergency roadside service. Give us a call today, and we will be happy to help!
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