Don’t Get Stuck Without Supplies: Prepare Your Car For Breakdowns
Thursday, May 10th, 2012In the event of your car breaking down, are you prepared? Would you be able to sit on the side of the road in good and bad weather? It may not cross your mind that often, but you should take precautionary measures and make sure that you’re ready for the worst case scenario.
First things first: communication. Do you have a way to call a tow-truck or AAA if you’re broken down? For a lot of us, cell phones have made this a moot point. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a back-up plan. There’s a good chance of getting stuck somewhere without a phone signal or your battery dying on you. Keep some quarters in your car in case you have to use a pay phone. Now, you don’t see many pay phones any more, but they definitely come in handy after dark and in big cities. That being said, make sure you take a cell phone on long trips and charge it fully beforehand. If you’re worried that your battery won’t last the whole way there, turn off your phone while you’re driving. This way, you can turn it on in the event of an emergency and you shouldn’t be needing your phone while you’re driving anyway.
Next, make sure you have emergency supplies. A flashlight, jumper cables, and flares are a must. The flashlight will come in handy for looking under the hood at night, especially if you don’t have a hood light. It also might help if you need to cross uneven terrain at night to get to a gas station or shelter. Jumper cables are life-savers in most situations. Low batteries are responsible for most breakdowns, probably more than low gas and blowouts combined. And flares are necessary to let other cars know that there’s been an accident and to stay away.
Also, keep a large blanket in your trunk. This will come in handy if you’re broken down when it’s cold and have to wait on a tow-truck or ride to pick you up. This will also help if you have to stay the night in your car. Hopefully that will never happen, but it’s better to be safe and over prepared than cold and sorry.
Finally, make sure you let someone know when you’re going to show up. This person can alert the authorities if you have car trouble or get in an accident. If you’re not on time and they can’t get ahold of you, they will know something happened and that you need help. You won’t always need this person, but it never hurts to have a contingency plan.
Preparing for emergencies can lessen the impact when you have car trouble or get in an accident. If you require Ventura automotive repair services, however, there are great providers in your area that will get you back on the open road.