In a country as vast as Australia, featuring a number of dry arid lands in the form of the Outback, along with a number of nature’s reserves inland, many people often settle in the coastal belts of the country, due to its ideal climate it produces. This has led to an inland area where there are little to no inhabitants and only roads that connect to the inhabited cities of the coast. As a result of low inhabitants inland, travelling can be quite tricky, since long trips could strain your vehicle due to the outside elements. It is bound at some point, but when that happens it is best to follow certain protocols so as to get you out of the situation as soon as possible. Here are just some of the main points;
Pull Over
First thing that you should do if a vehicle failure occurs to you is to make sure you stop the vehicle and run some maintenance checks. However, this may not sound easy to many, as many could panic in the face of such a problem, which in turn would lead to a catastrophic accident, especially if there is some sort of traffic. In other words, if your vehicle is to fail in a switchback road, make sure you switch on your hazard lights to signal other motorists that you have a problem. After this, it is important to stop at the side of the road in a normal manner, away from the traffic or any other obstructions.
Safety First
Especially when going on long trips, it is important to be prepared for all contingencies. In other words, safety should be your top priority at all cost. For this, it would be handy to have a high visibility jacket at hand, along with a hazard triangle. Possessing such equipment, especially if you breakdown in a narrow switchback road, it would help other motorists to clearly see the problem up ahead and make it all the more easier for them to avoid.
Assess the Damage
Once you have done all the necessary precautions to keep you and your car safe from the traffic, it is now time to assess what really went wrong with your vehicle. Looking at any warning lights on the dashboard would help to narrow down the problem, especially with regards to the engine. However, there can be problems where the car computer or warning system cannot really help you with rectifying the problem. Trying to restart the car and hear the engine sound, testing to see if the electronics work and checking tyre pressure are just some of the things that could be done to find and rectify the breakdown.
Call for Emergency
If the breakdown is a severe one, which requires expert hands, there really is no option, but to call for emergency services. What really are emergency services? Well, if you are to breakdown somewhere near Perth, it generally means a team of mechanics would perform a standard towing Perth. This results in getting it indoors, to a safer environment and assessing the damage under the watchful eye of the experts. Calling for emergency, which tows your vehicle to a safer location and examines it is a sure-fire way of rectifying your entire vehicle’s problem.
It is always best to be safe than sorry, especially when partaking in one of those long trips to different states in Australia. Following these protocols would really help you with that safety.