Our Automotive Blog: Insights and Tips from Metro Wheels & Accessories

While you don't like to think about the possibility of having car trouble, it's something that can occur at any time. Every day, thousands of motorists are stranded on the highway with a dead battery, blown head gasket or worse. Use the following tips to help avoid a mental break down should your car die on the highway:

Pull Over Safely to the Side of the Road

Cars often give out while people are driving them. If your car dies while you’re still behind the wheel, pull over to the side of the road safely. Pull into the shoulder and coast to a location in the road far away from curves. This tip will help you with visibility issues when pulling back onto the road.

Double Check Your Battery

A car battery is often the root of the problem when a car dies. If you have a jumper box or cables, use them to jump start your car. You'll need another car for this process, so you can use your cell phone to call a friend or family member, or you can flag down another motorist.

Before making an attempt to jump start your car, check the battery to see if it's leaking acid. If you notice a significant amount of rust or acid buildup around the top of the battery, you should wait until the tow truck arrives.

Call a Tow Truck

Once you've safely pulled over to the side of the road, one of the first steps you should take is to call a tow truck service like Mike’s Auto Towing. Make sure your cell phone is fully charged because you can't always rely on emergency call boxes.

If you don't have your cell phone or it isn't fully charged, you will need to find a call box. Theses boxes are normally placed a few miles apart, so be prepared for a good walk. If the call box doesn't work, the best thing to do is to wait for help to arrive. Because flagging down motorists can be dangerous, the best thing to do is to hang a piece of white cloth out of your rear window with "need help" written on it.

Even if you're able to jump start your car, calling a tow truck is still a good idea. Many tow truck drivers are mechanics, so they'll be able to tell whether or not your car is safe to drive.

Safety should be at the front of your mind if your car dies while driving on the highway. Make sure to pull over to the side of the road slowly and carefully, and always use your hazard lights to let other drivers know you're in trouble.

Author: Lizzie Weakley