Two Steps to Take to Prepare for a Car Breakdown

No matter how fastidious you are about vehicle maintenance, you will probably have to deal with a car breakdown at some point. Here are two steps that you can take to ensure that you are fully prepared for this situation.

Keep emergency supplies in your car boot at all times

Breakdowns rarely occur in safe locations at convenient times. As such, it's crucial to make sure that you have the supplies you need to stay safe until your roadside assistance service reaches you.

Your supply kit should have clothing items that will protect you from the elements whilst you wait for the tow truck to collect your vehicle. This collection of garments should include warm tops that can be layered over each other and a raincoat.

Additionally, you should include sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat in your kit so that you don't develop heatstroke if your car breaks down on a very hot day. The final garment should be a reflective vest; this will ensure that, if you need to stand on the roadside at night or during a period of heavy fog, other drivers will be able to see you.

Your kit should also contain a reflective triangle, a flashlight (with batteries) and enough bottled water to keep you hydrated for several hours.

These supplies should be kept in your car boot all year round and should be checked for signs of deterioration on a regular basis.

Stow away the contact details of a towing service

One of the most important things you should do to ensure that you are prepared for a car breakdown is to write down the name and number of a towing service on a piece of paper and store this in the glove compartment of your vehicle.

It's not advisable to simply store these contact details on your phone. If your device's battery dies or if the device itself is damaged during the course of the breakdown, you won't be able to access the information you need to get help.

This could be extremely problematic if your vehicle breakdown occurs in a rural, isolated area, where there are very few people around to offer a helping hand.

This situation could also prove quite dangerous if the breakdown happens during a period of bad weather or late at night, as you could end up spending several hours stuck by the side of the road in a vulnerable position until somebody comes along and rescues you.