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Which Emergencies Should You Prepare For As A Car Owner?


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Car owners have a responsibility to ensure their vehicles are in good condition.

Your safety matters, so it’s important that you manage your car astutely. Many accidents and emergencies on the roads are entirely preventable, so your good practice will help ensure that you get from place to place without incident.

Vehicular safety is not just about you as the driver, either. Fellow road users and passengers in your vehicle are also depending on you to be sensible for their own wellbeing as well, so there’s no room to cut corners here. You must be ready for action, and able to handle every emergency.

Therefore, here are some of the emergencies you should prepare for as a car owner.

Road Collisions
Car crashes are not uncommon, and some are more dangerous than others.

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Luck plays a part here too. BBC News reported on a crash in Hendon involving a lorry and five cars, with one eyewitness claiming that it was “one of the worst” traffic collisions they had seen. However, only four drivers were treated for minor injuries, and the others were miraculously left unscathed. No arrests were made, so sometimes there is not even any fault to be found.

Still, if you’re involved in a road collision, then there are some blanket rules in terms of how you respond to the situation at hand, if you’re able. First, immediately halt your vehicle. Then, flick the switch to activate your blinking hazard lights, as this will inform other road users to steer clear of you, or help you if the situation is dire. Cut your engine next, then check for injuries for all parties concerned. Emergency services should then be called too.

While these situations can be terrifying, it’s important to remember that you still have your agency. For example, it can also be a good idea to stash a first aid kit in your car, and to receive training in its use prior to any misfortune on the road. That way, you can readily tend minor wounds and better trade your panic for proactivity.

Key Complications
Losing or damaging your car keys is a frequent issue with larger ramifications, so preparing to quickly remedy things here is a good idea.

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Refer to the experts when you’re in need of car key repairs or replacement car keys. If you’re in Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield, or Derby, then 3D Autokeys can provide a great service for you, supplying keys, remotes, and fobs in your time of need. They also have the largest stock of auto locksmith parts in the country, so they’re equipped to handle any issue you throw at them. Losing or breaking your keys can be incredibly frustrating, so a quick and affordable service is just the ticket to rectify things here!

If you’re not on top of things here, then at best you will face a delay in your day, and at worse you could well be stranded for a considerable amount of time. Why wait? Securing yourself some spare car keys is quick and easy, and it’s common sense to make a few moves here. You wouldn’t hesitate to get some spare house keys, so follow that same principle when it comes to your vehicle!

It’s also a good idea to just have good practice in taking care of your keys, too. Have a designated storage space for them when they’re not in use, such as in a drawer or on a work surface. It’s also a good idea to place in a discrete location further into your house, in case burglars come snooping. If they’re out of sight, then the chance of theft is greatly reduced!

Flat Tyres
Obvious but essential, flat tyres are the bane of many driver’s lives.

Flat tyres can sometimes be rather hard to spot, particularly if your life is busy and you are focusing on a million things at once. In 2019, a BBC News article reported that a mysterious postman had fixed a flat tyre for a lady, who unfortunately had no idea that the tyre had even gone down. Of course, not everyone will be as lucky as this driver, so it’s important to really perform your own checks to ensure you’re safe on the roads.

By sight, your tyre will look droopier and squishier at the bottom, so a close inspection on occasion is strongly advised. If you want to pump up the tyre back up to the recommended pressure, then this is only a temporary measure. After this, you should try to replace it at the earliest opportunity. It went flat for a reason, and once the tyre is compromised in that fashion, there’s no permanent repair that can be done.

Of course, it’s also possible for a tyre to go flat while driving if punctured by debris somehow. In this scenario, you should be able to feel the difference in the way your car is handling. It may feel like there are more bumps on the road and that there’s more vibration than usual, and you may also hear the difference too, with the smooth hums replaced by grinding sort of sounds. You don’t want the handling of your vehicle to be compromised, so pull over and call the appropriate services.

Faulty Battery

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Tyres aren’t the only part of your car that can go flat – the battery component can too!

It can be tricky trying to diagnose a flat battery. First, make sure the faults don’t lie elsewhere. Faulty key fobs, wheel jams, and tanks empty on fuel can all mascaraed as battery problems at first, so make sure everything is in order where these kinds of things are concerned. Trying to fix a battery when it’s actually in working order can present a whole host of other problems, and you can land yourself in the very situation you were trying to rectify in the first place!

Once you’re certain of the issue, it’s then time to act. Try jumpstarting the battery. For this, you will need another car with a fully charged battery, so hopefully you can flag down a volunteer to pull up alongside you if you’re facing problems during transit. For your own safety, it’s important to do things right here, so consult resources like the AA for an accurate lowdown of what is required when jumpstarting your battery. The slightest mistake can be dangerous, so don’t take any half measures here.

Overheating Engine
Left to their own devices, overheating engines can be incredibly dangerous, and in some instances, fatal.

Some devices overheat and power down automatically to prevent significant damage to the machine. However, cars work a little bit differently, and often require manual intervention. The Lancashire Telegraph reported on a car engine overheating in 2017, with the vehicle in question being completely submerged in flames when fire services arrived. Fortunately, the driver had already parked up and entered their home, despite having smelt smoke before doing so.

Therefore, if you smell any smoke during your transit, it’s essential that you pull over and let your engine cool down. It’s also a good idea to keep some engine coolant handy, so that you can top up the reservoir that’s responsible for keeping the temperatures of your components in check. If all else fails, call a professional service to rectify the issue, and certainly don’t continue driving until things are fixed here.