Essential Guide On What To Do When Car Breaks Down On Vacation

Imagine being on a road trip by yourself, or with friends or family, and your
car happens to break down all of a sudden. To make matters worse,
what if your car breaks down when you’re far from home? Then what?

If you find yourself dealing with an out-of-town breakdown, then don’t panic.
If you’ve prepared yourself ahead of time, then you might have some
idea on what to do. No matter the case, it’s important to keep
these 8 tips in mind the next time you experience an out-of-town car
breakdown.

1. Get To Safety First

A car breaking down is always something to take seriously. Therefore, be
sure to move your vehicle to the right shoulder and away from
oncoming traffic.

2. Alert Oncoming Motorists

Once you’re able to get your vehicle off the road, you must now alert other
motorists by turning on your vehicle’s emergency flashers. This
lets other drivers on the road know that your car has broken down, so
that they can easily avoid you while driving. Or, the signals may
result in another motorist stopping to give you aid.

Plus, you should raise your vehicle's hood to let other motorists know that
you’ve stopped due to a breakdown. Again, anyone who sees this
might possibly stop to help you.

You can also place road flares or orange reflective triangles, starting at 10 feet
from your car, directly behind the left side of your vehicle.
However, take caution while doing this, since other vehicles are (or
might be) passing by on the road. Then, place the second flare or
triangle 100 feet back, lining it up with the middle of the bumper.

3. Look In Your Emergency

It’s important to keep an emergency kit with you at all times, especially
when you’re traveling. Your emergency kit should have the
following:

• An extra charger
• Jumper cables
• First aid
• Non-perishables (food and water), AND
• A game or book (or other fun activity) for you and your party to do, while you wait for assistance
• Warm clothes and or blanket (for colder weather)

4. Stay Safe

Now, be mindful and stay in your vehicle, once you’ve set up the right
signals, and done what you could to get the vehicle started again. If
you must leave your vehicle for anything, make sure to stay clear
from oncoming traffic. Though, it’s best to stay in your vehicle
until help arrives.

5. Call Your Insurance Company

You might have car insurance that gives you roadside assistance when needed.
When calling your insurance company, make sure to tell them:

• Your membership or insurance information
• The exact address of where your vehicle is located (or the nearest cross street or exit number, if on the city streets, freeway, or interstate)
• A phone number where roadside assistance personnel can get in touch with you
• The color, make, and model of your vehicle
• License plate number
• The cause of the breakdown (if applicable), or symptoms
• Any special needs (i.e. medical, the number of passengers, etc.)

The operator that you speak with might also recommend any nearby repair shops, if
you don’t have one in mind. "Be sure to ask for any mechanics
available in the area that you’re in. Plus, you should ask the
operator how long it will take for help to arrive" says Eva Miller, a travel writer at California News Times.

As always, if you feel unsafe where you are, you can call 911 for immediate
assistance.

NOTE: If you don’t have roadside assistance, then don’t panic. If your phone
has Internet, then find the number to the nearest towing company, or
call the non-emergency number for the local police department.

6. Getting Help

Once help arrives, you can choose from a few options, so that you can get back
on the road. Consider the following scenarios:

• If your car problem is an easy fix (i.e. a flat tire, no gas in the tank, etc.), then it won’t take long for roadside assistance to get you back on the road.
• If your car has a mechanical issue, you’ll most likely have to get your vehicle towed to a repair shop, and get it fixed there.

No matter the situation, be sure to look for identifying markers on the
roadside service personnel's vehicle that’s associated with your
insurance company. Also, be sure to ask for identification from the
service representative themselves.

If you don’t have roadside assistance, then don’t hesitate to call a tow truck.
Chances are, you’ll need to take your vehicle to a local mechanic
for repairs, especially if they’re costly issues. When searching
for local mechanics, use your smartphone’s Internet to look up ones
that are near you.

7. Speak To A Mechanic

Once your vehicle is taken to a local mechanic, you’ll need to determine the
following:

• The problem(s) that your car has
• The timeframe of having the car fixed, AND
• How much the mechanic’s services will cost you

However, don’t let the first mechanic you speak to be your only option. If,
for some reason, you aren’t able to negotiate price or timeframe
with the mechanic when it comes to fixing your vehicle, then feel
free to have your car towed to another shop in the area.

8. Book A Room Or Rent A Vehicle

Finally, it’s important to have a plan once you get your vehicle to a repair
shop and wait for it to be fixed. This is where you’ll have to
decide on one of two things: rent a hotel room, or rent a vehicle.
Consider these scenarios:

• Only rent a hotel room, if repairs will last for a few days. OR,
• Rent a vehicle, if repairs are taking longer than a few days.

Many insurance plans or service plans give you a rental car, if your
vehicle is in repairs for a long period of time. Depending on your
situation, you’ll need to consider your options very carefully.

Conclusion

So, now that you know what to do when your car breaks down during your vacation
trip (which we hope doesn’t happen to you), you can play it smart
when it comes to the following:

• Safely addressing your vehicle’s breakdown
• Having the emergency kit with you
• Calling the right people, AND
• Having an alternative plan, when your car is out of commission