What To Do While Waiting For A Tow Service To Arrive
If you breakdown along the side of the road and are waiting for towing services to come and get your car, there are some things you can do to stay safe while you wait. Ensuring you have what you need in the car and following a few safety precautions can make the wait easier and safer for you and your passengers.
General Emergencies
When you breakdown on the road, the first thing most people do is call for towing services, so once the tow truck is on the way, you are stuck waiting. This is an excellent time to get a friend or family member to come to your location and pick you up.
Most towing services are there to take your car, and while some will also give you a ride to the repair shop, not all companies allow the driver to have passengers in the truck. It is a good idea to be prepared and have someone come to get you and give you a ride home or to the shop once the driver picks up your car.
If the wait for the towing service will be a while, having someone with you is safer than sitting on the roadside alone. If it is dark or the weather is bad, it could be extremely dangerous because drivers approaching you may not see you until they are too close to stop.
Set Out Markers
If you have an emergency kit in your car, it is a good idea to put the reflective markers from the kit out behind the vehicle so that drivers are alerted to a vehicle on the side of the road. The first marker should be several feet from the car, then another should be back several feet from the original marker. If there is a third in your kit, distance it away from the second marker.
Place the markers so that other cars do not hit them but can still see them. The markers will help the towing services company find you on the road as well, especially at night, when it is hard to see very far down the road. The markers are typically reflective and triangular, and they are far more effective than people may think.
Move Away From The Car
If you can safely get away from the car, it is a good idea. Stay nearby, but if there is a hill along the road or a guardrail that you can get behind, you will be safer than standing next to the car. If the weather is cold, it may not be safe to wait outside the vehicle, so you may need to stay in it. Make sure the emergency flashers are on so people see the car and don't hit it. Contact a towing service for more information.
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