Being Prepared for a Roadside Emergency

Being Prepared for a Roadside Emergency

Even if you drive safely and follow your vehicle’s maintenance schedule, that doesn’t mean you’ll never find trouble on the road. But with a little preparation, you can handle almost any roadside breakdown.

Here are some tips to help you prepare for the most common types of roadside breakdowns:

– Dead battery. Your kid left a light on in the backseat or a door slightly ajar, and now the engine won’t start. Jump-starting your car is the best way to get back on the road. Always keep a pair of the correct wire size and length jumper cables on hand and always follow the safety instructions. In case your battery dies at night, you might want to consider purchasing a hands-free light, such as the Might-D-Light Rechargeable LED Worklight (might-d-light.com). Flashlights can prove unreliable, not to mention unwieldy while making repairs, but the Might-D-Light’s two rare earth magnets can attach to the underside of the hood or hang from a hook, illuminating the area you need to work.

– Fuel. You were counting on finding another gas station, but one never materialized, and now you’re stuck. Put on your hazard lights and, if possible, push your car to the side of the road. If you have a cell phone, stay in your car and call an emergency or roadside-assistance number. If not, you may need to hike to the nearest filling station. If you’re in a remote area, flag down someone who can help. If you’re in a city or town, walk to the nearest gas station by heading towards lights or the nearest exit.

– Flat tire. Always make sure that your spare tire’s inflated before heading out. If you do need to change a flat, make sure that there’s a safe distance between your body and the edge of the road before removing your spare tire and jack. When it comes to changing tires, either because you have a flat and you are on the side of the road and need an emergency tire change, or you have the luxury of being in a nice garage, an indispensable item is a pry bar. A pry bar, particularly a 14-18” one will allow you to put it underneath the tire and wheel that you are going to mount onto the vehicle and lever it up so that you can maneuver it up into place easily and conveniently with the other hand. There are many pry bars available on the market made by companies such as Tekton, Stanley, Snap On, Mayhew, ANB, Performance Tool, Gear Wrench, and Tech Team. The one we like best is made by Tech Team https://techteamproducts.com/. Their 5 pc. Pry Bar Set https://www.amazon.com/Mechanics-Prybars-Chisel-Angled-Rolling-Head/dp/B07CSBZ4ZM/ref=sr_1_11?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1540409708&sr=1-11&keywords=pry+bar+set has the perfect assortment of pry bars with one that will fit this application perfectly. A hands-free light will prove useful for nighttime repairs.

The Might-D-Light can stand on its own, so you can set it up and then get to work. For added safety, the worklight includes two reflective strips which improve roadside visibility. For more information go to: www.might-d-light.com