When your car breaks down while you are driving, it can be very scary. There are many people who do not know what to do and often end up causing an accident because they do not handle the breakdown properly. The following guide walks you through the steps to take to make sure that you can get your car out of the way of traffic and to a mechanic as quickly and safely as possible.

Pull as Far Over as You Can

As soon as you start feeling that there is something wrong with your car, you should start making your way to the right lane. You need to be able to easily pull over when the car suddenly shuts off. If you can feel the car start to sputter, pull, or slow down, it is a good sign that you need to start pulling over.

Turn on Your Hazard Lights

Look for a small button with a bright orange triangle on it near your steering wheel or on the dash of your car. This button will turn on your hazard lights. Depress the button so that the lights flash. Do not turn them off until the car can be towed away.

Contact a Tow Truck

Some people think that they can leave their car broken down on the side of the road for days on end without anything happening to it, but that is not the case. A car that is abandoned on the side of the road can be towed by the county and you could end up having to pay for the tow, storage fees, and impound fees. It is best to hire a tow truck to come and tow your car for you instead. The driver needs to know what kind of vehicle you have so that they can send the right truck to tow it. Lowered vehicles need to be towed by a flatbed truck rather than a normal tow truck.

Once the tow truck arrives, you need to know where you plan to have the vehicle towed to. Talk to local mechanics while you are waiting for the auto towing service to find out which one will be able to work on your car the soonest. You will have to pay for every mile that the car is towed so be sure to choose a mechanic that is located near the site where your car has broken down so that you can pay as little for the tow as possible.