What Happens If Your Car Breaks Down

If your car breaks down

If your vehicle breaks down, there are a few steps you should follow. As soon as you think that your car has a problem it is best to act immediately. Read the following advice below to make sure that you are properly prepared if you do have a problem.

How to Use a Motorway

Always make yourself seen by putting on your headlights and hazard warning lights. Use the hard shoulder in emergencies if you think you won't be able to make it to the next exit. Park on the far left of the hard shoulder as near as you can to an emergency phone. Emergency phones are spaced every half-mile. If you can't get to the hard shoulder, switch your hazard warning lights on. When there is a safe gap in the traffic, walk over to the hard shoulder. Never stay in your car and always leave your car by the left-hand side and move any passengers away onto the banking or further away if possible. Your animals should be kept securely inside the vehicle. You must only go back to your car if you feel you are at risk from other vehicles.

Once your car has been repaired build up speed on the hard shoulder before pulling out into the traffic. But do keep a look out for any other vehicles parked on the hard shoulder. Never repair the vehicle yourself in such a dangerous position. Walk to the emergency telephone and contact your recovery service - these SOS telephones are free to use. Rescue services can find your location and tell the police about your situation. Most breakdown services promise to get to you as a priority.

Using Other Roads

Put on your hazard warning lights and if you have a reflective jacket and/or a warning triangle, use them to make yourself seen. If possible get out of the traffic and get your car off the road and park it in a safe position so that it doesn't cause an obstruction. Keep your passengers safe and lead them away from your car if you think it could be hit by passing vehicles. It is actually best to stay in your vehicle with the sidelights and heater on. Stay with your vehicle and wait in safety for your recovery service. If you feel you can't repair your car yourself, contact your breakdown service. Find out exactly where you've broken down to help them find you.

Maintaining Your Vehicle

Avoid hitting your wheels against kerbs, especially when you are parking. This can cause the tyre to weaken without showing any damage on the outside. Try to carry spare bulbs for your vehicle and in Europe it is actually compulsory to carry an emergency bulb kit. Keep them in your boot and make sure your manual is there also so that you know how to fit them.

Check your oil level when the engine is cold. Also check your spare tire from time to time because you never know when you might need it. It’s actually an offense to carry a spare that's not roadworthy. You should change your windscreen wiper blades every six months, even if they haven't been used very often. The rubber tends to deteriorate over time.

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Driving on the Motorway

About Driving on the Motorway

Driving on the Motorway

There are less accidents on Motorways than on any other roads. But often there are crashes on the motorway that could have been prevented. If you stick to a few simple motorway rules you can ensure that you don’t contribute to behaviour which could be termed as 'motorway madness'.

Tips on Driving

When driving on wet slippery roads, or if there is poor visibility then you should leave at least a four second gap between you and the vehicle in front. In daylight, switch your headlights on to dipped when visibility is poor. Always use your mirrors and observe lane discipline. Use the left hand lane (slow lane) whenever possible. Lanes two and three are overtaking lanes and not “fast lanes”. Indicate when changing lanes.

Make sure that your vehicle is well maintained, and that you have sufficient fuel and oil, check the tyre pressures and make sure that tyres are in good condition including the spare wheel (you never know when you might need it). Always drive within the speed limit. Concentration and use of mirrors are important on motorways because of higher traffic volumes and the speed of vehicles. Take care when approaching intersections where traffic is joining or merging on the motorway. Always obey motorway signals. These signals warn of dangers ahead: an accident, broken down vehicle, bad weather conditions, flooding or a slippery road surface. Keep your distance from the car in front. When driving on a dry road and in good weather you should leave at least a 2 second gap between your car and the one in front.

Take special notice of the signs that say “Tiredness Kills” take regular breaks at service areas, but never stop on the hard shoulder. If you do feel tired get off the motorway at the next exit. Take care at road works and when approaching them. You must reduce your speed and obey all warning signs. Pass or overtake only on the right hand side unless traffic is moving in queues and the queue on your right is moving more slowly than you are.

It is an offense to move into a lane on your left to overtake and never use the hard shoulder to overtake. Be very careful when joining a motorway, you must give way to all motorway traffic. Slow down in foggy conditions and use your lights. Always keep a sensible distance from the car in front and in very bad fog open your window slightly and turn off any music so you can hear other vehicles.

Breaking Down on the Motorway

If you have to walk to a telephone the arrows on the marker posts point to the nearest telephone. All calls are free and you will be put through to police control who will take all your details. You should use the motorway phones because they provide the operator with your location. If you can’t to use the motorway phones and you use your mobile, you must give an accurate position, the motorway number and the last or next motorway junction number also the number of the nearest marker post will be a great help.

If you break down on the motorway, use your hazard signals or your left indicator and when it is safe to do so, move over to the hard shoulder. Find the nearest emergency phone box. They are normally one mile apart. Park well over to the left on the hard shoulder and lock all your doors apart from the passenger door and use the passenger door to exit your vehicle. When you leave the hard shoulder increase your speed to that of other vehicles and wait for a long safe gap in the traffic. When you have made your call, if weather conditions permit, stand on the embankment because the main danger is from passing traffic.

If an unidentified vehicle pulls up and you are alone in your vehicle get into your car and lock the doors. It is actually against the law for anyone to stop on the motorway and offer help. If anyone does stop, ask them to contact the appropriate emergency service, rather than help you. It is best to keep a warm coat, walking shoes and a blanket in your vehicle.

What is Insured

Breakdown insurance is usually designed to cover the repair cost incurred as a direct result of electrical, mechanical and electronic breakdown. It doesn’t usually cover the repair or replacement of worn out components which have not suffered a breakdown. It does not cover the replacement or repair of components which were faulty or had suffered a breakdown prior to the commencement of the breakdown policy. Breakdown companies hold a list of exclusions so it is advised to read this before taking out a policy.

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Mechanical Breakdown Insurance

About Mechanical Breakdown Cover

Your vehicle can break down at the most inconvenient time leaving you to pay large garage bills. Mechanical breakdown cover can help you and usually covers the cost of mechanical breakdown repairs to your vehicle leaving you to enjoy your motoring. Make sure that there are no hidden catches and no 'wear and tear”, excuses.

You can usually pay the breakdown premium over twelve months and you can sometimes transfer the policy to the new owner if you happen to sell the vehicle.

How Do I Qualify for Breakdown Cover?

Policies usually cover mechanical breakdown on private cars, motorcaravans and motorcycles which are less than ten years old, have less than 100,000 miles on the clock and have been regularly serviced. Some companies have a list of excluded vehicles.

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Car Insurance Types

Car Insurance Types

Third Party Car Insurance

Car Insurance Central would not recommend this type of insurance. It only covers other peoples’ cars and property so if your car gets stolen you will not get anything, spend the extra and get Third Party Fire and Theft and a decent level of cover.

Third Party Fire & Theft Car Insurance

Third Party Fire and Theft is very popular with young drivers and is used to cover cars that aren't really worth very much. Car Insurance Central does not recommend this level of cover for your mint condition Mercedes, but it will be fine for your clapped out Fiesta. This type of insurance is also very good if you are a convicted driver and want to keep the cost of your insurance down.

Fully Comprehensive Car Insurance

Fully Comp Car insurance is the best insurance that you can buy, every insurer has different restrictions and features so check to make sure you know what you can and can't do. Fully comp car insurance doesn't mean that you are covered for everything. Check with your insurance company if you have any special requirements. Protected No Claims Bonus is usually only available if you have over four years of NCB. This doesn't mean you can have as many accidents as you like, you are usually restricted to one and then you start to lose your NCB slowly. Some insurance companies offer over 25s guaranteed NCB.

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Car Insurance and the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act

In 1975, The rehabilitation of offenders Act came into force following Lord Gardiner's report, which stated that a million people in the United Kingdom had a criminal record. This Act set out to protect reformed characters by wiping off criminal convictions after several conviction free years. This Act has changed the way insurance companies look at convicted drivers.

Convicted Drivers

Some car insurance companies offer driving insurance for convicted drivers within the United Kingdom. Lots of insurers still look at convictions, as a serious problem but under the law, spent convictions cannot be taken into account. It is the duty of the insured person to honestly disclose all convictions that are not spent.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act

The 1974 Rehabilitation of Offenders Act enables some criminal convictions to become 'spent' or ignored, after a period of 'rehabilitation'.

Sentences Handed out for Car Offences

The rehabilitation period for some convicted drivers depends on the original sentence given, not the offense that was committed. For a custodial sentence the rehabilitation period is decided on the original sentence given, not the time spent. To all convicted drivers, it takes account of motoring offenses and therefore affects the handling of driving insurance. The general public understands very little about this so it is important to establish the facts. This will avoid repudiation of claims or re-quotes after a non-disclosure. An endorsement on your driving license does not fall within the definition of the act so cannot affect the rehabilitation period. It is unlikely that a person would receive penalty points without a fine, disqualification or a prison sentence.

Example:

If a person was caught speeding and was given three penalty points and a £50 fine in this case it is the fine of £50 that would result in a 5-year rehabilitation period, not the endorsement.

Insurance and Drink Driving

This also applies to drink driving offenses. The license is endorsed for eleven years; but, any rehabilitation period is determined by the punishment (fine, disqualification or imprisonment). Disqualification relating to driving insurance for convicted drivers in United Kingdom. If a person is disqualified from driving or being a company director at the same time as receiving another penalty, the longer rehabilitation period applies.

Example:

If a person is banned for seven years and fined - which takes five years to become spent - the rehabilitation period would be seven years not five years.

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