Trouble on the road doesn’t just come in the form of a car accident. It could happen to any one of us, on any day. That’s why it’s best to always be prepared for any accident, even the smallest ones, so you can get back on the road quickly and get on with your day. Here’s a couple common car accidents that could happen to you on the St. Louis roads, and how to handle them effectively.
Flat Tire
You’d be surprised how many people don’t actually know what to do in the event of a flat tire. If you yourself are unsure, don’t worry. You are not alone.
1. Pull over to a safe location and turn your hazard lights on. Try not to drive any further than you have to as this could cause serious damage to your wheel.
2. Locate the safe jack point on your car (your owner’s manual should be able to help you find this) and jack your car up until the bottom of your tire is at least 6 inches off of the ground.
3. Remove the lug nuts and carefully remove the tire from your car. Be sure to keep the lug nuts in one place.
4. Align the lug nut posts with the holes on your spare tire and push the tire onto the car until it can’t go any further.
5. Put the lug nuts back on the car firmly, and lower the car from the jack.
6. Once the car is safely on the ground, begin tightening the lug nuts to about 50% one at a time and continue to work through them until they are all at 100%. This ensures they are evenly tightened.
7. Keep your flat tire in the trunk with your tools until you can have it addressed by a professional.
Car In The Ditch
If you’ve never ended up in a car accident that left your car in a ditch during bad weather, we envy you. In the event you ever have the misfortune of ending up in this position, here’s what you can do.
1. First things first, take a good look at your surroundings to make sure there’s no more potential danger. Leave your seatbelt for your safety.
2. You may be able to drive your car out of the ditch safely on your own. We recommend taking your time, maneuvering slowly and carefully as you can cause further vehicle damage.
3. If you’re unable to get out of the ditch on your own safely, now is the time to use your handy smartphone and call for a tow. If you have AAA, even better.
4. Provided there’s no additional danger, waiting in your car is the safest bet in bad weather. Turn the engine off and sit tight until the tow truck arrives.
Both flat tires and going off the road into a ditch are car accidents that can cause a decent amount of auto body damage. If you find yourself in a car accident like either of these, the team of experts at Schaefer Autobody can help you make it like it never happened. Drive safe, St. Louis!
