It’s never a bad idea to be prepared for misfortune in your life, and driving can be a major source of frustration and worry all throughout your life. Whether it’s something small like running low on gas or something more worrying such as breaking down in the middle of the highway, you need to ensure that you’re prepared for these worrying driving situation.
Brakes Failing
Losing control of your brakes is a scary driving situation but here’s what you can do. First, put your car into a lower gear if applicable then keep hitting the brakes. The most common issue would be that the brakes have worn out so they need to be pumped a few times to get them working again. If that’s not working and you don’t show any sign of slowing down, then try and move into the right-hand lane or away from other drivers and attempt to pull up on your emergency break in one swift motion. Be prepared to slide especially if the roads are wet. If that doesn’t work or you can’t maneuver yourself, hit your emergency lights and try to slow yourself down with a stationary object such as a lamp post or slide into an object such as a railing to slow yourself down. It’s going to be bumpy and you’re going to damage your car, but it’s better than colliding with someone else. Let this be a lesson that you should always check your brakes whenever you do car maintenance.
Stolen Car Keys
You walk to your car after a great night out (and you didn’t drink any alcohol so you won’t be getting a DUI!) only to find that someone from the club has snatched your keys. You fear going back inside the club to check because the thief might sneak out and take your car, but you need to deal with this situation as soon as possible. First, take out your phone and get in touch with anyone in the club that might have picked up your keys or may have spotted them. Ask them to speak with security to see if anyone has reported a lost set of car keys. If you get nothing, then get in touch with a local locksmith and call them out to your location. You’ll usually get a fast response from a 24/7 auto locksmith no matter what time of day it is, and you’ll be back on the road shortly. Once you get back, change your car locks and use a steering wheel lock or wheel clamp in the meantime to secure your vehicle.
Car Bursting Into Flames
If you’re driving your fancy new Alfa Romeo and it suddenly catches fire, then your first instinct might be to check what the problem is so you can rescue your new vehicle. Sadly, you need to learn to give it up and hope that your insurance policy covers it because trying to put out the fire yourself is the most dangerous thing you could do. Instead, turn on your emergency lights and then pull over somewhere safe. Use your car horn if necessary to quickly move between lanes so you can get to someplace safe. Immediately shut off the engine and then exit the vehicle. Do not let anyone return to the vehicle to take the personal belongings because the car fire or smoke could get worse. Stay well away then move away from the vehicle so you don’t inhale the toxic fumes. Call emergency services and get a fire truck on the scene to put out the fire and alert bystanders and oncoming traffic. Do not, under any circumstances, try to open your hood or put out the fire yourself. Opening the hood exposes your engine components to more oxygen which could enlarge the flames and make the situation worse.