Whether driving around town or taking a road trip, you should always be prepared to handle any emergencies that arise. These emergencies might occur unexpectedly and may happen at a place without a mechanic (or tire shop) nearby. Perhaps the first step for preparation is to subscribe to a roadside assistance service such as AAA, but it can be helpful to be prepared in case you’re outside your cell phone’s coverage area, or there are other circumstances that would prevent a truck from getting to you.

Flat Tire

Punctures are among the usual road emergencies motorists around the world experience. Whether the tire is slowly losing air or blows out on the freeway, the most important thing to have in your mind is to remain calm. Beyond that, you can make your life easier by learning how to replace a flat tire. Park the car a risk-free distance from traffic, turn on the hazard lights, then apply the brakes and chocks to your wheels. Get out with the jack to lift your car, remove the flat tire, and replace it. Tighten the nuts after lowering the car, and your vehicle is set.

Overheating Engine

A car engine is an efficient machine, and with the right coolant levels, it will continue to perform optimally. Still, the engine might overheat when the cooling system is leaking. If your radiator leaks, the car engine won’t cool efficiently. The engine will overheat, and if it worsens, the engine can seize up and cause bigger issues.

Dead Battery

One thing you need to understand about road emergencies is that they might occur unexpectedly and anytime. If you keep your air conditioning, headlights, or radio on with the engine off, your car battery will likely die. Have the car battery checked and periodically. Additionally, jumper cables will come in handy if you ever get stuck in such a situation. Look for a vehicle with a charged battery, but both cars in neutral. The next thing you need to do is attach the red clips on the battery’s positive terminal and the other clip to your battery. Place one of the black ends to your battery negative terminal, then place the other end to the other car’s metal surface.

Cracked Windshield

Your car’s windshield protects you from sleet, rain, storms, dust, and wind. Despite being very protective, your windshield is made of glass, thus fragile by nature. Ensure it’s covered as you park because it might crack and eventually break. Avoid parking in places with falling objects which might hit your screen, consider covered garages or sheds.

Running Out of Gas

This one is pretty simple: Keep an eye on your fuel gauge to avoid running out of gas. In the event, you do run out of gas, and you don’t have roadside assistance, try calling a friend or the local police; in a rural area, an officer may be able to help you arrange for a local company to bring you enough gas to get to the next gas station.

Locked Out of the Car

This may not look like an emergency, but it might be very hectic. Ideally, you’ll prevent this from happening by always keeping your keys in your pocket (unless you have an old-fashioned keyed ignition). If you don’t have roadside assistance, try calling a local mobile locksmith. If you have accidentally locked a child or animal in the car, call 911 before you do anything else.

Car Accident

If you ever get caught in a car accident, the first step must be to check for injuries and call 911 immediately if you find any. After the call, turn on your phone’s GPS to pinpoint the location. You may also record the other vehicle damages, skid marks, and weather conditions. Also, locate and record the witnesses’ information, such as an address, name, and phone number. You then require to contact a trustworthy towing firm to recover your car and take it home or to a repair shop.

How to Pay for Emergency Repairs

Sometimes, you just don’t have the budget for emergency auto repairs. It’s more common than you may think. Some ways to pay for these unforeseen expenses are dipping into your savings, using credit cards, getting an emergency loan, or selling something you may not want to part with online. If you’re low on options and you don’t have credit cards, there are companies that do bad credit loans with customers. There’s almost always a way to get the money you need for a car repair.

Ronda Maynard