Imagine a situation where you are driving, and suddenly the car stops midway. The reason behind it could be anything, starting from a flat tire and an overheated engine to transmission failure!
In such situations, the best thing would be to call a towing service and wait for them to arrive. Meanwhile, there are some safety measures to consider while waiting for towing service.
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Here’re the most important safety tips while waiting for towing service:
After being in a factory or building yard, this equipment may become old and obsolete over time. For some, you might have changed several parts or even the entire machinery, leaving you with more scrap.
‘Is scrapping my forklift worth the stress?’ You ask. Well, I can assure you, it’s worth way more than leaving it to rust on the farm.
So, here’s how to scrap your forklift to make more money;
#1 Stay Away From Traffic
One of the first things to do after encountering a car breakdown is to move out of the traffic. Ironically, car breakdowns occur amidst road congestions. In such situations, if you do not move out of traffic, it can trouble both you and other drivers. So, keep this as your first priority! If you are on a motorway, keep your left indicator on and switch to the left lane. Look for any emergency area or hard shoulder and move to the same. You can identify the emergency area as an orange-painted space with blue signs. It also features an SOS symbol. Always move to the left side of both the emergency area and hard shoulder. For extra protection, make sure to go inside a safety barrier with no moving traffic. If you can access safe areas, do not hesitate to move even if it’s dark, cold, or raining.
#2 Stay Inside the Car If Stuck in a Busy Highway
Sometimes you may get stuck in a busy highway or road works with live traffic. In such a case, you may not be able to move in the left-hand lane or emergency area. The best thing to do in such situations is to stay inside your car. Make sure to tighten your seatbelt and lock your car doors. Do not put warning triangles in the middle of the road. Also, do not get out of the car and repair it. That’s completely unsafe! Due to the heavy traffic, you may face car collisions or accidents. Note: You are less likely to face breakdowns if you are travelling at 60 mph on high-speed roads. That’s because, at such speed, you may pass a safe area every 90 seconds.
#3 Turn On the Hazard Lights
Make sure to use the car hazard lights as a warning sign (for other drivers) when stuck in a busy roadway. Besides that, hazard lights also work as a great way to increase visibility during dark or cold days. For additional visibility in the dark and fog, you can use side and fog lights, respectively. It is recommended to keep the hazard lights on even during the day. That way, it will be safe for you and your family to stay inside the car. Hazard lights also make it easier to en route the traffic. It will help the towing servicemen to identify your car. Alternatively, you can also use car hoods, flares, reflectors, or flags to signal help.
#4 Contact a Reliable Vehicle Recovery Company
Make sure to select and call a good car breakdown recovery company. Before hiring them, check for the services they provide. They should offer roadside assistance like a battery or filter replacement, tire or fuel checking, brake operations, etc. Do not trust your car with any random service provider. Look for a company that is experienced and trained in the sector. Avoid companies that take hours to respond, or you may remain stuck for long! Instead, pick a service provider with good customer service that immediately understands your issue and acts accordingly. Always pick a company that provides 24*7 service. Also, do not settle for high charges. Select a serviceman that provides the best assistance at an affordable cost.
#5 Don’t Accept Help from Strangers
This is one of the most important safety tips while waiting for towing service. Amidst the crisis, strangers may offer help to you. While this may seem a good gesture, do not fall for the same. You may encounter both good and bad people while dealing with such problems. Unless they are a family or friend, do not accept help! If you are stuck inside the car in between high traffic, lock the car doors. If someone offers help, roll down the car windows partially and tell them that you have already contacted a serviceman. If they force or attack you, do not hesitate to call the emergency number or even the police. To stay on the safer side, always carry sharps like a knife. Keep other essentials like glass breaker and seatbelt cutter with yourself too.
#6 Keep Your Family Members and Valuables Safe
Make sure to collect all the valuables and keep them in a safe place. This may include your wallet, keys, mobile phones, medications, etc. Also, if you have a child in your car, let them know about the issue. Try to calm them if they panic, and ask them to stay silent unless you get help. Likewise, if you have a pet in the car, strap them nicely to keep them safe. It’s best to keep pets inside the car if you are moving to an emergency area. That’s because if you bring them along, they may panic or run into traffic. However, in case of emergencies, take them with you. Try to keep them away from traffic, behind a safety barrier. It’s recommended to keep a first aid kit in the car to treat the injured (if any).
#7 Keep Your Phone Charged
Your phone is the only way of communicating with the towing company. So, always keep your phone charged. If it’s dead, charge it through portable power banks (if carrying any) or car USB ports. Besides, if the battery is low and you do not have a charger, turn on your phone’s low power or power-saving mode. This will prevent any battery drainage and keep your phone on. Also, avoid using your phone unnecessarily unless the towing company arrives.
So, these were seven safety tips to follow while waiting for towing service. We hope you do not face this situation, but if you do, follow these measures to stay safe.
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