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Having a car break down can be incredibly scary, confusing, and frustrating. Moreover, it can also be a safety issue if your vehicle is on the road. You can prepare, minimize stress, and maintain calm by following some guidelines in mind and being ready for breakdowns before they happen. Here are 7 such important tips to handle car breakdown and keep you safe.

1. Don’t panic!

This is one of the most important tip to handle car breakdown situation. Yes, it’s always easier said than done, but panicking can cause your judgment to go wrong and during the initial moments of a breakdown, it’s very much important to not lose your cool and be in control of the car. It’s important to internally realize that the cars breakdown and it’s not your fault. One of the first things that comes to mind is the trust you have placed on your car brand and feel betrayed. Know that it’s okay to have this breakdown as a warning that you haven’t got into any damage to you or a third party.

2. Pull off the road

At the first sign of a breakdown, you should gently and smoothly take your foot off the accelerator. You should never brake hard or suddenly as it can cause much more trouble. After slowing down, you can carefully bring your car towards the side lane or the free side of the road. Again here, do not try to show any hand signs while you are trying to pull off the road as your vehicle might already need all your attention. While identifying a proper area to stop your vehicle, ensure that you do check the vehicles right behind you and sides.

3. Turn on your hard/emergency lights

If you had a breakdown on a road with moving traffic, the next most important thing to do is to turn your hazard light on, in order to warn other drivers of your car’s troubled state. You can also switch on your fog lights if the climate conditions are unfavorable and you can keep on until the help arrives. If none of these works, keeping a cloth on the vehicle or placing a fluorescent triangle on top of your car shall help.

4. Stay in your vehicle

If you’re on a highway or a crowded road, it’s always recommended that you avoid getting out of the car to look at the damage or fix the mechanical problem. If you need to get out of the car, get your car first to a safe place and make sure the road is completely clear before you open the door. Even if it’s safe to do so, make sure only the driver or one of the passengers gets out of the car. If you have kids, ensure that they are in the car. If you cannot keep your car’s air condition working, do not slide the windows down immediately but let the vehicle slowly adjust to the air around and let the outside air in. It’s also advisable to wait for help from the sources you have tried rather than randomly allowing anyone to check your vehicle and move your fellow passengers.

5. Be visible

If you are at a place where you must take help from other cars passing by, ensure that you’re seen as someone looking for help. Once you are safely out of the car, you can take efforts to be visible among the traffic and to the other drivers passing by. In order to alert other drivers, you can prop up your hood, set up flares or triangles behind your car, and let them know that they should proceed with caution.

6. Call for help

You can dial the helpline number of your particular area or use an app to get a tow truck, mechanic, or roadside assistance to help you out. If your car insurance has roadside assistance, you may reach out to them to see if they’ll be quick to reach your location. In case you are in an emergency situation and are confused regarding whom to call, you can always dial the emergency number or the local police station for proper assistance. If you’re not in danger, do not call your family immediately as hearing a car breakdown might worry them about your security. You can always get the situation under control and call to inform.

7. Take a roadside assistance plan

If your primary car insurance policy does not cover roadside assistance and breakdowns, you can always include it as an add-on if you wish for hassle-free assistance for your breakdowns and other unexpected car issues.

Some roadside assistance insurance plans offer alternate vehicles for you to drive home while your vehicle gets repaired or pay you a certain amount until your car is repaired. When you’re picking up your roadside assistance, ensure that they offer 24/7 roadside assistance and have presence in most locations of your choice. Most roadside assistance plans cover towing services, battery jumpstart, getting the vehicle fixed on spot, refuelling and flat tyre repairing.

Emergencies on the road are unpredictable and can have a negative impact on your smooth life. Though these cannot be avoided totally, you can insure yourself by minimizing the impact it has on your life by picking a good roadside assistance insurance plan.

Understanding the significance of insurance policies for your car, policyhouse.com strives to find the best car insurance in UAE for you. Since our inception, we prioritize customer needs before anything and constantly endeavors in improving our services each day.

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