How to Avoid Accidents When the Car Breaks Down

Vehicle breakdowns are inevitable in everyone's life. What can be prevented, however, is creating a collision if the car breaks down on a busy freeway or intersection. Whether in Provo, Utah or anywhere else, certain precautions must be taken immediately after a breakdown. It could be the only thing to prevent an auto accident. 

The first step to take is to move to safety. Many a lawyer would suggest to never get out of the car in the middle of a busy road—that is when an auto accident results in a pedestrian death. If the car starts to make weird noises or lurch, pull into an emergency lane and then inspect the damage. 

However, if the car simply stops in the middle of a packed highway in Provo or somewhere else, the only thing to do is turn on the emergency hazards and call for help. Every lawyer would agree that getting out of the car is much more dangerous than remaining inside of it. 

Turning on the hazards could warn other vehicles to stop before they run into the back of the broken down car. It may not always prevent an auto accident from occurring, but there is not much else to do in this situation. 

If hazard lights don't seem like enough, get prepared ahead of time by carrying flags, flares or reflective triangles in your car. That way oncoming traffic will be more likely to see the car and police can find your location on a busy Provo highway easier. 

Always immediately call the police. For the sake of a lawyer getting the right info and to keep your car safe if other vehicles are converging, always remain aware of environmental surroundings at all times. That way it will be easier to relay your location to the police, whether in a city intersection or on a Provo highway. 

It is a good idea, however, to be prepared for a long wait. Sometimes the police cannot immediately get to a specific location in order to help. To be prepared, keep an emergency preparedness kit in your car that includes jumper cables, a canned instant tire inflator, heavy rope, warm clothing for winter breakdowns and a first aid kit. 

An auto accident may at times be unavoidable, but if these items are already in the car, it could decrease the damage. Although these situations are scary to think about, it is better to be prepared than not. If you do find yourself in an accident at the fault of someone else, call a personal injury lawyer. 

Shauna  Holdaway is a legal writer reporter for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Robert J Debry.