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COLLISION REPAIR TEMPE DISCUSSES HANDLING CAR BREAK DOWNS LIKE A PRO

With the summer vacation season just around the corner, we have no doubt that our collision repair Tempe customers are preparing to spend their vacation hours escaping the heat. While we recommend taking your vehicle in to be inspected and serviced before heading out for an epic Southwest road trip along Route 66, not every situation can be avoided. In events where you experience some kind of break down, here are a few tips that our collision repair Tempe mechanics have to prevent vehicle situations from becoming worse and potentially dampening your vacation dreams.

DRIVE WITH CAUTION

Collision repair Tempe mechanics say that the first step in handling a break down is to get your car off the road. When you experience a vehicle issue on the freeway or highway, you’re typically left with two options: either to drive to the next exit or pull over immediately. In some areas, such as freeways with tiny or non-existent shoulders or in heavy traffic or sharp curves on the highway, pulling over immediately may not be an option.

In these cases, cautiously proceed to the next exit. Be sure to flip on your hazard lights if you are slowing down. Once you exit the road, pull in somewhere visible yet safe and call for assistance.

PULL OVER

There are some instances where the best option is to pull over immediately, such as when your car gets a flat tire. Our collision repair Tempe experts say that attempting to drive even a few hundred yards to the next exit could be damaging to the rims and more costly to repair.

In these cases, pull over the vehicle immediately and turn on your hazard lights to ensure other drivers can see you. If you are able to exit your vehicle safely, another option is to place a couple of road flares about 15 yards behind your vehicle. This signals drivers and any passing emergency vehicles that you are having car issues.

FINDING RELIABLE SERVICE

When you’re in an unfamiliar county, our collision repair Tempe mechanics suggest taking a few minutes to search for nearby repair shops on your phone. If available, choose one that is accredited with AAA, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), or the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). These can assure you the shop provides quality service that is backed by a trusted agency.

STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE

There are two primary reasons collision repair Tempe experts make this suggestion. The first is for the safety of you and others. Keep in mind that each year approximately 4000 pedestrians are killed in the US and approximately 18% of those fatalities result from people working in the roadway.

The other reason our mechanics suggest staying with the vehicle: roadside service. When your selected roadside service arrives to tow or complete an onsite repair, remember they cannot do this work without the driver present.

MAKE ARRANGEMENTS

In some cases, repairs for your vehicle may take more than a couple of hours. If you anticipate the repair shop has to order parts or complete a time-consuming repair, book your family into a hotel and help them get settled. This reduces stress, especially on young children, and can make the repair process much smoother for everyone involved.