Driving a car comes with some risks attached, and one of those risks is that it could break down on any journey you make. Of course, the newer the car and the better it’s taken care of, the less likely it is to have a problem, but it’s wise not to take anything for granted and to learn what you’re meant to do if your Car Breaks down so that if it does happen, you’re prepared. With that in mind, keep reading to find out more.

Stay Calm

Suddenly breaking down, especially if you’re on a busy road or you’re trying to get to somewhere important, is always going to be upsetting and stressful, but letting those emotions get hold of you isn’t going to help, and it’s far better to stay Calm. It might be hard, but focus on your breathing or run through the things you’ll need to do next in your head, and it should help. 

Once you’re calm and the car is in a safe place, it’s time to assess the situation – can you see what’s wrong? Is there a warning light telling you what the issue is? If there is, you’ll know what to do next, but even if there isn’t, don’t worry – you can still get help. 

No matter what, turn on your hazard lights so other people know there’s an issue, and put some other warning devices out if you’ve got them (warning triangles are a great example). 

Call For Help

Whether you know what the problem is or not, if you don’t know how to fix the issue, you’ll need to get some help, and that’s a priority. If you’ve got Roadside Assistance already, that’s the best call to make, even if you might feel like talking to a friend or loved one to help you. Get the experts involved first, and then you can contact anyone else, but there’s no point in delaying getting help. 

If you’re not part of a roadside assistance scheme, you can often still contact one of them, and they’ll come out to you, although you’ll have to pay them (and ideally, you’ll have an emergency fund for exactly that). Even so, that’s better than being stranded and hoping help will come to you, especially if you’re not in a safe place. 

Wait In The Car

There can be some confusion about whether it’s best to wait in your car while help is on the wait or to move far away from it. What should you do? Well, if you’re in an unsafe place where you could be in danger (for example, if your car broke down in the middle of the road and you can’t move it, or even if you’re on the hard shoulder of a motorway), it’s best to get out of the car and put some distance between you and it. 

However, most of the time, it’s better to stay in your vehicle as the car itself is a way to protect yourself, especially if you’re in something like a 4×4 Skoda Yeti. Lock the doors, and if someone approaches the vehicle to help you, don’t open the doors – roll down the windows instead.