Drivers’ Must-Knows: Ways to deal with unexpected incidents on the road

Drivers’ Must-Knows: Ways to deal with unexpected incidents on the road

Accidents while driving can occur anywhere and anytime. It would therefore be better to get ourselves prepared for unexpected events on the road. Being able to handle the situation in a timely manner will also help prevent unwanted damages. Scroll down to see what you should do!

Tire blowout

Since the wheels play an important part in vehicle control, tire blowout or the tire exploding while you are driving is extremely dangerous and can cause losses in a split second if you are unable to maintain consciousness. If such an incident happens while you are driving at a high speed, you should:

• Stay calm and hold the steering wheel firmly to keep the car stable
• Turn on the emergency lights to warn the cars behind you 
• Slowly lift the accelerator to reduce the speed to a controllable level
• DO NOT step on the brake immediately because it may cause the car to spin or lose control even more
• When the speed has been reduced, shift to a low gear to stop the car
• Keep the car moving and slowly park on the side of the road to avoid accidents
• Keep emergency lights on all the time. If possible, you should set a warning sign at a safe distance behind your car to warn other drivers to be careful of your car and call the emergency services for help

Abnormally overheating engine

The engine is known as the heart of the car. When the engine is overheated, it will result in engine damage and unexpected incidents while driving. If you happen to face an emergency like this, do as follows:

• Turn off the air conditioner and find a parking space
• Open the hood to cool the engine down. However, do not open it if there is hot steam rising from the car as it may be harmful to your skin and eyes
• Wait for the engine and radiator temperature to cool down, then open the radiator cap and check the coolant level. If the coolant appears to be low, add coolant to the proper level.
• Park the car for a while and then start it again. As you start, also check the operation of the radiator cooling fan, leakage in various pipe parts, including the abnormal noise of the engine and cooling system
• Take the car to the nearest service center in order to find the cause of the malfunction and fixed for your safety

Brake failure

Brake failure is one of the top causes of accidents while driving. If your break suddenly fails, do as follows:

• Stay calm and turn on the emergency lights to alert other cars to get away from your car
• Reduce the speed of the car by lifting the accelerator. If it is a manual transmission, do not change gears at once as it may cause the vehicle to lose balance.Then, step on the clutch and gradually reduce the gear instead
• Slowly pull the handbrake to help slow down, DO NOT pull all the way at once
• Park your car in a safe area and contact a service center or emergency service for assistance

Car suddenly dies while driving

Having your car suddenly die while driving is a misfortune that no one ever wants. Don’t worry. This problem can be solved as follows:

• Stay calm and hold the steering wheel firmly
• Gradually slow down the car and move towards the side of the road
• Park the car in a safe area and contact a service center

These unexpected events can cause harm to the vehicle, driver, as well as anyone else on the road. Therefore, to prevent potential accidents, don’t forget to drive carefully and regularly check the condition of your vehicle before driving and at every specified maintenance period.

Lastly, don't forget to take care of your car with high quality products from PTT Lubricants, available today at stores near you!