If you’re like most people, your car probably doesn’t leave the driveway without you checking that it has plenty of gas, your tires are properly inflated, and that you have all of your important belongings in the vehicle with you. You probably also take great care when driving to make sure that you don’t put yourself or others in danger. Unfortunately, these things don’t always account for bad weather or accidents on the road and can cause your trip to take longer than expected while you wait around on the side of the road to be picked up by Roadside Assistance.
Save Your Receipt: Most roadside assistance plans come with a deductible, meaning you’ll have to pay a certain amount before your insurance company starts covering costs. When you save your receipt after each service call, you can reference it when filing a claim and know exactly how much money to deduct from your reimbursement. Otherwise, they might send over an adjuster who arrives at a different price than expected, or even worse: no one shows up at all! Plan to keep all receipts in a safe place—but make sure they are easily accessible should something happen along your travels.
Keep Your Tank at Least Half Full: Not only will you get better mileage if your tank is half full, but if you run out of gas and need assistance on a busy highway or in some other remote location, it’s important to have as much fuel as possible in your vehicle. Don’t rely on any single gauge; check at least two gauges, such as those inside and outside of your car. And if you do run out of gas, pull over to an area where there aren’t large amounts of cars passing by. Also, check for debris clogging your fuel line before asking someone for help. A good pair of needle-nose pliers can be helpful here.
Check Tire Pressure Before Every Trip: Underinflated tires can lead to dangerous, expensive blowouts. The recommended tire pressure is listed on a sticker on your driver’s side doorjamb. Make sure to check them before every trip—the change in temperature and time sitting still can cause pressure to drop by as much as one pound per square inch (PSI). This can be more than enough to compromise your tires and put you in an unsafe situation. For good measure, make it a habit to check them before setting out on any new road trip. It takes just a minute or two but could save you hundreds of dollars.
Carry Jumper Cables: If you have jumper cables, you can jump-start your car if it ever dies. This will let you get to a service station to have your battery recharged or replaced. Be sure that your own cables work before you need them—grab a friend’s car and try it out. If you don’t have jumper cables, don’t wait till you do! Buy them immediately—and make sure that they are in good condition. Check their length; most cars require at least 6 feet of cable. Check their gauge (thickness); thinner is better for longer distances between vehicles. Check their insulation; there should be no exposed metal on any part of the cable. And check their clamps; these should not touch each other when tightened down on bare metal terminals.
Maintain Your Vehicle: Keep your car in tip-top shape and you’ll greatly reduce your chances of getting stranded on a lonely country road. Before heading out on a long road trip, make sure that your vehicle is well-maintained, properly tuned up, and full of gas. Also, check your tires to ensure they have enough tread left—you don’t want to be stuck with flat tires! It’s also important to keep an emergency kit in your trunk at all times. The kit should include tools such as jumper cables, flares or reflectors, spare fuses or light bulbs, a first aid kit, water bottles (for both you and your car), sand, or kitty litter (to provide traction if you get stuck), etc. It should also include things like blankets (for warmth), flashlights with extra batteries, maps of surrounding areas (in case it gets dark while you are still traveling), snacks like granola bars, or trail mix (to keep blood sugar levels stable), etc.
Don’t Let Anyone Else Drive Your Car: In general, it’s always a good idea to keep your car in shape and regularly serviced. Driving is stressful enough; you don’t want to deal with anything more than you have to on top of that. So avoid paying costly roadside assistance fees by making sure that when you turn your car over to someone else, they can handle it responsibly. If your best friend from high school texts asking if he can borrow your BMW for his date tonight, make sure he knows what he’s doing before sending him off with a set of keys. It’s not worth spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on expensive repair bills if something goes wrong.
Use GPS: Use a GPS with built-in maps of the U.S. and Canada, or apps like Google Maps, Apple Maps, Waze, or Here We Go that allow offline use Using your phone as a GPS to get you where you’re going can save you time and money. These apps make it easy to see turn-by-turn directions, which will help you avoid getting lost and using up extra gas from U-turns. If you download maps beforehand, you won’t have to use any data or pay for cellular service (although voice navigation will still be live). Choose one of these five offline navigation apps if you do want to go mobile with your map. (Note: You won’t be able to use Waze without an internet connection.)
Lock Your Car: Lock your doors and roll up windows at rest stops where people could knock on them
If you’re pulling over at a rest stop, make sure to lock your doors and roll up your windows—it may feel like an unnecessary precaution, but it doesn’t hurt to be cautious. Rest areas that aren’t within view of security cameras are more likely to have problems. If there is no option to use a parking lot with a gate and/or surveillance camera, try to select one that is well-lit. If you feel nervous or uneasy about leaving your car in any kind of rest area, you can ask at check-in if there are other options available; sometimes hotels have courtesy shuttles that can take you and drop you off where you need to go.
Turn Off Cruise Control When Going Downhill Or Driving Slowly In Traffic: Cruise control will allow your car to coast in gear, which can be a problem when you are going downhill. Cruise control will keep your speed at whatever setting it is currently set at. If your engine is not able to maintain that speed in a gear that goes up or down steep hills, then cruise control could result in your vehicle rolling back on its own if there isn’t someone behind you and an obstacle like a wall blocking your way. In traffic, drive with one foot on the gas and one foot on the brake; change between gas and brake several times per minute to avoid slowing down too much: Driving in traffic can cause problems if you aren’t paying attention.
Turn Around Instead Of Trying to Wing It Once you Start Down A Road You Can’t Find Again: We’ve all been in that situation, driving down a narrow street we’re not familiar with, only to realize there’s no clear way back. The best thing to do is stop where you are and turn around. It sounds obvious now, but when you’re panicked because you don’t know where you are or how to get back, sometimes it helps to take a deep breath and think clearly before trying to wing it. Plus—did we mention it’s better than getting stuck on a one-way street?
Call Cheap Towing NYC For Towing and Roadside Assistance
Cheap Towing NYC is a trusted roadside assistance provider in New York City and surrounding areas. If you are looking for emergency roadside assistance that is prompt, professional, and respectful of your time and schedule, contact us. We offer same-day service and free estimates. Our towing service is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. You can call or text us at (646) 568 6312 anytime or use our online form to get immediate help with your roadside situation.
