You’re driving home from work one day when your dashboard suddenly lights up like a Christmas tree and your car starts slowing down. You push the accelerator, but nothing happens. Your engine has died. Fortunately, you’re able to guide your car onto the shoulder as other motorists zoom precariously by. Now what do you do? Getting stranded in a stalled vehicle on the roadside is not only frustrating, it places you at serious risk for getting hit by other drivers. Here’s how to keep your vehicle’s occupants safer until help arrives.
Cars are designed to run on the right mixture of air, fuel and spark. Newer vehicles have onboard computer modules and sensors that warn you when something’s wrong. But if you drive an older vehicle or one with a bad computer chip, there may be no advanced warning before the engine dies. These common mechanical problems can cause a car’s motor to stall:
When your car stops running remember that it can be replaced, but you cannot be. That’s what auto insurance is for, so don’t take chances. Instead, use these safety precautions:
If you’re not wearing reflective clothing, other drivers can’t see you. Don’t exit your vehicle to flag down passing motorists or look under the hood. Instead, turn on the emergency flashers, call for roadside assistance and remain inside your vehicle. A passing police officer may even see your blinking lights and stop to investigate.
Rear-end collisions are the most common type of accidents that stalled vehicles are involved in.
If your vehicle gets hit while you’re sitting in it and you’re not wearing a seatbelt, you could sustain serious injuries. To stay protected, make sure that you and your passengers wear your seatbelts until help arrives. When traveling with a small child, keep them restrained in their car seat if that’s possible.
Even though most drivers don’t carry them, ground reflectors are an essential part of any roadside emergency travel kit. They are yellow or orange triangles that approaching motorists can easily see in all types of weather and light conditions. If you have some ground reflectors with you, get out of your vehicle just long enough to set them up around it.
When your vehicle quits in the middle of traffic or is partially protruding into a lane, it’s always tempting to get out and push it to the side of the road. But that puts you and anyone else who’s pushing in harm’s way. Instead, patiently wait inside your vehicle until roadside assistance arrives. If any impatient motorists honk or yell at you, ignore them. Use this downtime to contact your insurance agent or concerned loved ones.
When your ride’s been damaged in an accident, promptly take it to one of the auto body or glass repair shops featured in the nationwide Carwise referral network. All shops listed on Carwise are I-CAR and ASE-certified, which means they have the high-tech equipment, driver-trusted services and highly trained technicians to restore your vehicle like new again promptly and reliably.
Search your zip code now for a customer-reviewed auto body or glass repair shop nearby: www.carwise.com.
