It’s an experience that no one wants to have. You’re driving along and realize something’s wrong with your vehicle. It’s breaking down, and you have to decide how to safely navigate yourself out of harm’s way and deal with whatever issue is causing the breakdown. If you’re wondering what to do when your car breaks down, you’ve come to the right place.
At Freedom National, our relationship with our insured drivers starts well before they file their first claim. We want to help you be empowered with knowledge to deal with any situation that might arise on the road, including knowing what to do when your car breaks down.
In this article, we’ll cover all the basics of dealing with a car that breaks down while you’re driving, including:
- Breaking down on the highway
- Getting to safety
- How long you can keep your car on the highway
- How to prevent future breakdowns
Breaking Down on the Highway
The most common scenario we receive questions about is what to do when your car breaks down on the highway. It’s not hard to see why— the prospect of your car failing while you’re moving quickly on a highway packed with other cars is certainly anxiety-inducing.
But by keeping your wits about you and following the right steps, you can put yourself in the best possible position to stay safe, get clear of potential hazards, and figure out what’s happening with your car.
Stay Aware
The first step when your car starts to breakdown on the highway is to stay calm and stay aware. One of the most common causes of accidents is that the driver gets distracted by an issue with their vehicle, and it consumes so much of their attention that they fail to pay attention to what’s happening around them. They suddenly try to pull into another lane to reach the shoulder or take an exit, and slam right into a vehicle they didn’t notice beside them.
When your car starts to break down on the highway, don’t panic. Your first step is to look around you and take stock of other vehicles. If you can safely slow down, then slow down— but not dangerously slow on a major highway where other vehicles aren’t anticipating a much slower vehicle. Put on your hazard lights to draw attention to your reduced speed.
Steer Clear of Traffic
As soon as it’s safe to do so, get yourself clear of other vehicles. Move over to the shoulder if there is one, or take an exit if your car is functioning enough to get that far. The key is to get your vehicle out of the flow of traffic before it stops functioning completely.
Another reminder— don’t simply swing your steering wheel to the side to escape traffic as soon as possible. Make sure you’re always aware of your surroundings and what other vehicles are around you.
Park Safely
One of the most common causes of injury on highways is struck pedestrians or vehicles that are parked and stationary on the side of the road. Experiencing a breakdown can be a stressful experience, and it can make your decision-making abilities less than ideal. When you pull your car to a stop, look around you. Are you far enough off the highway to be safe? Are you blocking any traffic paths? Are you parked just around a turn where a vehicle traveling quickly may not see you? Don’t get so distracted by dealing with your broken down vehicle that you don’t keep yourself safe in the meantime.
Turn On Your Hazards/Increase Visibility
Once you’ve pulled off the road and out of traffic, you’ll want to make yourself and your vehicle as visible as possible. Turn your vehicle’s hazard lights on if you haven’t already, and you may also want to consider putting down flares or reflectors if you have them. This is particularly important if you weren’t able to make it fully off the road and all or part of your vehicle is sticking out in the flow of traffic. Just always remember that your personal safety is your number-one priority. If your car breaks down before you can move completely out of harm’s way, then the next item on our list is your number-one priority.
Decide Whether to Stay in Car or Get Out
This may seem like a minor decision, but it may actually save your life. As always, be aware of your surroundings. If you’ve moved your vehicle off the highway but there’s not much room for pedestrians, you may want to stay in your vehicle to avoid potentially being struck by a passing car. If your vehicle is in harm’s way, get out as soon as it’s safe to do so and move far away from your vehicle. Again, your personal safety is priority one.
Call for Help
Once you and your vehicle are as safe as possible, it’s time to call for help. If you believe you’re in an emergency situation, your first call should be to 9-1-1. This should be your next step if you believe that you, your vehicle, or other vehicles around you are in danger as a result of the breakdown. If you’re on a major highway, calling the authorities is the safest, fastest way to ensure you get the help you need and that no one gets hurt along the way.
If there’s not any immediate danger, you may want to call a loved one who can come find you and pick you up, a tow company to come remove your vehicle and take it to your home or to a mechanic, or your insurance company.
Take Action Early When Possible
The best advice we can give for dealing with what to do when your car breaks down is to take action before a full breakdown happens. That means taking action if your car starts behaving strangely in any way— making unexpected noises, lurching, not driving normally, or otherwise working abnormally. Ignoring these issues can lead to a sudden breakdown, and you’ll wish that you had taken action sooner. This also makes financial sense, as continuing to drive your vehicle when it’s experiencing mechanical issues can make those issues worse, resulting in even more damage and repair costs.
How long can your car stay on the side of the highway?
One question we hear often is: How long can I leave my car on the side of the highway after it breaks down?
Generally, you can expect to leave your vehicle for around 24 hours without major repercussions if it’s broken down and safely out of harm’s way for itself and other vehicles. Use this time to arrange a tow truck or other means of transporting your vehicle off the highway.
How to Prevent Breakdowns
Want to avoid having your vehicle break down on the highway? The best answer for what to do when your car breaks down is to avoid a breakdown in the first place. Here are three tips to help you do exactly that.
Get Regular Maintenance
Maintenance is a hassle. Who wants to go to the mechanic when their car is working normally? But taking your vehicle in for its regularly scheduled maintenance is the best way to catch potential issues early and keep your vehicle operating properly, helping ensure that you don’t have a major issue crop up out of nowhere and cause you to break down.
Address Problems Early
If you notice your engine light is on, your car is making a strange noise, or it’s behaving strangely, don’t wait. Take it to a mechanic right away. One thing we can guarantee is that the problem won’t simply go away. It will either stick around or, more likely, eventually get worse.
When in Doubt, Pull Over
If you’re considering whether you should pull over because something strange is happening with your vehicle, then the answer is always to err on the safe side and pull over. Don’t gamble with your own safety or the safety of others on the highway.
Conclusion
At Freedom National, our mission isn’t just to provide cheap car insurance online for people all over the country. We want to help you become a more informed, safe, and confident driver, and that begins with knowing the secrets to vehicle safety, important insurance facts, and how to navigate the rules and regulations of your state or area.
If you want to learn more, explore our knowledge base for a range of articles to help you expand your car insurance expertise.
If you’re ready to receive a free online quote from Freedom National for vehicle and get coverage in minutes, get started now. Freedom National is one of the most trusted providers of cheap car insurance online in the nation, automatically comparing rates from several major and minor insurers to find you the best possible rate and coverage. We even help people get insured who may have negative events on their driving record, from DUIs to required SR-22s.
Get covered for less today, with Freedom National.
