A roadside emergency could happen to anyone at any time when driving. Whether our car is new or old, we could experience a puncture, breakdown, or an accident. We can’t predict what will happen to us when we’re on the roads, but we can minimise the dangers and improve our safety by following some simple steps.
Be Prepared
This might be the last thing we think about when setting off on a journey, but, in many ways, it should be the first. We ought to ensure our vehicle is equipped with certain equipment that increases our safety and prevents accidents.
We should carry breakdown equipment such as a reflective triangle, flags or even flares. When broken down, place these around your vehicle to warn other road users that there is a problem ahead. We should also turn on our hazard lights.
There are other things we can fit into our car that we should carry round because they will help us in the event of a roadside emergency. These items include jump start cables, tow rope, a jack to lift the vehicle, and of course, don’t forget to ensure your spare tyre is ready and legally roadworthy.
Even if we are a member of a roadside recovery service who can help us, it pays to carry these items around to improve our safety.
Move your Car or Passengers to Safety
A vehicle breakdown can happen to anyone, at any time. It could be in the middle of the city, or a remote country lane. It could be on a busy highway at night, or a residential street in the middle of the day. The most important thing, when it does happen, is to minimise the risk of further harm to yourself or other road users.
Firstly, you must try and find a safe place to stop – and this usually means moving your vehicle to the side of the road. This isn’t always possible – particularly if you’ve been in a collision with another vehicle and your car is immobile.
The next thing is to consider the danger of staying with your vehicle in the event of an emergency. If your car is stuck in the middle of the road, then you should proceed with caution to exit the vehicle and move yourself to the side of the road, out of harm’s way. Never assess damage to your vehicle standing in the middle of the road!
Call for Help
In the event of a roadside emergency, there are two priority numbers to call. If you’ve been in an accident, then always call the police to come and help. Otherwise, if you’ve had a mechanical breakdown or vehicle failure, then you should be calling your 24-hour recovery service. If you are not a member of a service, then you should consider joining one, because you never really know when the next breakdown or accident might occur.
Join LM Recovery for Roadside Emergencies
If you’re interested in learning more about our breakdown services, you can subscribe to our newsletter by leaving your details on the sign-up form on our website.
LM Recovery are based at Unit 3, 638 Merry Street, Motherwell, ML1 4BP and cover the Lanarkshire areas of Motherwell, Airdrie and Glasgow.
You can call us on 01698 269 949 or email us on info@lmrecovery.com.
