Volume 44, Issue 6. Today is
How to survive a broken down car
Breaking down in the middle of nowhere can be a pretty stressful and scary situation.
Having the right numbers of tow companies to call and knowing what to do in common situations, makes breaking down seem not all that bad.There are 62 towing companies in the Valley.
A Bargain Tow and Transport will hook up the car for $45 and charges $2.50 per mile. They are located in Mesa and very helpful.
Another company in Mesa is A Quality Towing. They will hook up the car for $50 and charge $2 per mile.
AJ McKay Auto Towing and Repair will charge a flat rate of $250.There are two other options besides calling a towing company. If a student has an AAA membership then they just call them and AAA will do the rest of the work.
If a student isn’t a member of AAA they can sign up for a basic membership of $67 for the whole year.
The membership includes towing services, a jumpstart and battery replacement services, up to $50 in lock smith charges, they will install an inflated spare tire, emergency fuel services (this is for the student that tries to see how far their car will go on empty), and they will remove a vehicle that is stuck.
Another company besides AAA is found on the web. It is called Live It Up. Live It Up offers similar services plus travel discounts.The rate for one year is $99.99 or students can pay a monthly rate of $12.99.
Before leaving on a road trip students should be prepared incase something happens.
According to Live It Up, before leaving, make sure that there is a fully charged cell phone, a pen or pencil and paper, the vehicles operating manual, emergency service information, signal flares, flashlight with batteries, bottled water, a blanket, jumper cables, tire pressure gauge, and vehicle jack.
If the vehicle does break down, students need to know their location.When driving along the freeway, look at mile markers and exit numbers.
Also, make sure to get out of traffic and alert other drivers. Students should remain in their vehicle until help has arrived.
If students get a tire blowout, they need to grip the wheel firmly and move to the shoulder.
Don’t slam on the brakes for it could result in more damage.
Turn the emergency flashers on and when all four wheels are off the pavement break lightly until the car comes to a stop.
If possible raise the hood and tie something white to the antenna so other cars can see you.
Don’t stand behind or next to the vehicle.Finally, only change the tire if there isn’t any danger in doing so.
If students feel like the traffic is too close or they aren’t safe, remain in the car and call for help.
The next time students plan on a road trip, it’s better to be prepared than to ruin the trip with a little car trouble.
Items to include in the car before a roadtrip: • fully charged cell phone
• pen or pencil with paper
• vehicle’s operating manual
• emergency service info
• signal flares
• flashlight with batteries
• bottled water
• a blanket
• jumper cables
• tire pressure gauge
• vehicle jack