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What to Do When Your Car Breaks Down – a Guide for Young Drivers

April 10th, 2011 Autos gracieoscar

When your car breaks down for the first time, on a main road or in traffic, it’s easy to panic. Here’s what you need to remember to do.

Get your hazard warning lights on as soon as you know there is a problem, and you might need to slow down or stop. If you sense a problem, for example with your engine beginning to fail, or lose power, you need to let other drivers know you’re having a problem, so they can slow down or go around you in case you need to (or can’t avoid) stopping suddenly.
Try to stop in the safest place you can find. Avoid stopping in the middle of a busy road as much as possible, get as far over to the side as you can. Is there a lay-by, or hard shoulder? Try not to stop just after a tight corner either, as drivers won’t be able to see you as well. Keep your hazard lights on too! If you need to push, make sure that it is safe and quiet enough to do so, and that you are clearly visible to other drivers.
Get out of the car and move away from the road. Never sit in the car while you wait for help. Move away and stand on the verge or side of the road – there’s much less chance of you being hit by another driver.
Call your breakdown service. The number should be found on a sticker or something somewhere in the car, if not in your wallet. Try to explain where you are as well as you possibly can, use the road signs and landmarks that you can see around you. If you’re not covered by breakdown recovery, you need to find a recovery service who you can call and agree to pay later – it’s always best to be covered in advance!!
Don’t try to fix anything yourself. Unless you’re very good and experienced at fixing cars, you should try to leave it alone. Have a look and see if you can spot anything wrong, but don’t try to fix it – help is on the way already, don’t make it worse before they get there! Also, remember that the engine will be hot!