If you drive any car long enough, at some point it’s bound to break down on the road. It may be as simple as running out of gas or getting a flat tire, or perhaps the oil pressure or temperature light will indicate you need to pull over. Whatever the cause of the problem, handling an auto emergency on the road is something every driver should know how to do.
Properly handling an auto emergency does require a bit of forethought. You cannot predict when it’s going to happen, but you can have a plan in place for if or when it does occur.

Below are some tips that can help you stay cool and composed when handling an auto emergency.

• Have supplies. Keep a small flashlight in your car and either flares or reflective warning triangles in the trunk. During cold weather, pack some additional coats or blankets.
• Pull off the road, if at all possible. You want to get as far off the road as you can while still remaining on fairly level ground. If you cannot get your car off the road, you need to consider whether you can safely get yourself off the road and out of traffic.
• Make your car visible. Turn on the hazard lights and utilize those flares or triangles if you can do so safely.
• Call for help. It’s perfectly acceptable to dial 9-1-1 when handling an auto emergency.
• Stay in your car unless the situation dictates otherwise. Your most immediate danger is possibly getting hit by another car. It’s much better to have someone hit your car, even with you in it, than for them to hit you directly.
• Be wary of good Samaritans. They almost certainly mean well, but if you’re on a lonely road with no witnesses, it would be safer to wait for the authorities that you called to arrive.

Of course, you’re much less likely to break down when driving a well-maintained, low-mileage lease vehicle. To see about upgrading your car with a lease transfer, contact the experts at Swapalease.com.

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