Breaking down can be a worrying thing, let alone on the side of a busy motorway in the middle of rush hour. Whether your vehicle has run out of petrol or in urgent need of repair work, breaking down can occur with any vehicle whether old or new.
To reduce the chances of a potential breakdown in the near future, be sure to regularly service your vehicle. RG Motor Services believe that by servicing your vehicle often, you can discover any fault whether small or large which may endanger the overall health of your car and therefore prevent any potential breakdowns. However, sometimes it’s inevitable that your car will reach a point where it doesn’t work properly anymore and something needs to be repaired.
By following this how-to guide on what to do if you find you have broken down, you can be sure to follow the correct protocol and put your safety first.
If you are driving in the central or right-hand lane of the dual carriageway and your vehicle begins to start splattering, slowly drive your way across to the hard shoulder. Once you have arrived safely on the side of the road, turn your steering wheel to the left before turning the engine off, place the hazard lights on and exit the vehicle on the left-hand side of the car.
If there is a barrier protecting the hard shoulder from the busy road, make sure to keep your passengers and yourself safely behind it. If there is not a barrier but one further up or behind, slowly and safely make your way to the safety of behind the barrier. If there is no barrier to get behind, stand at a fair distant away from the busy road in a Hi-Viz jacket, if you own one.
If you are unable to reach the hard shoulder and you find yourself stuck stranded in the middle lane, don’t attempt to exit the vehicle. The safest thing you can do whilst waiting for the recovery service to arrive and tow you away is to remain inside of your car with your seat belt on and the hazard lights on.
Unless you are fortunate enough to find yourself broken down near or in a car park or garage, do not attempt to repair your car. By trying to fix the fault you are endangering your safety by moving around the vehicle in close proximity to fast moving traffic.
By waiting for a mechanic from a safe distance away from the motorway you can remain safe before being towed away to a location where the mechanic can safely inspect the vehicle and attempt to fix the fault.
If you find yourself on the side of the road, by calling your local breakdown company and letting them know your location, they can be at your side in no time towing you away to a safe location before attempting to repair your vehicle.
You can often get breakdown recovery through your car insurance policy, but some local garages offer breakdown recovery for customers in a certain area. Professional mechanics can come and collect your vehicle and take it to your local Grimsby garage to get fixed.
If you find yourself pulling onto the hard shoulder of the motorway with a splattering or overheating vehicle, by following these 3 steps, you can be sure that you are keeping your safety at the forefront of all your actions.
By pulling your car to the side of the road, waiting for a mechanic instead of attempting to repair any fault and calling your breakdown recovery service, you are able to wait in a safe location until the mechanic arrives and tows you to safety.
RG Motor Services are your local Grimsby garage providing car servicing, MOT testing and garage repairs. To avoid breaking down in your car at any time, we recommend regularly servicing your vehicle so that major repairs aren’t needed. We can help save you money with quality car parts and maintenance. Book online for garage services in the local Grimsby area.
