Advice from the IAM on what to do if your van breaks down

This weekend was another wash out in terms of the weather and if the dreary view out of my window this morning is anything to go by, today may turn out to be just as cold and wet. Be careful and take a moment to inspect your van before heading out, as the roads are still a mess in some areas with lurking dangers such as; slippery ice pockets, full out flooding and the enormous amount of potholes that have been created thus far.  All of these could have affected the condition of your van and tyres.

With the forecast saying to expect more wind, rain, and possible snow this week, I wanted to share the IAM’s recent tips and advice as a quick reminder of what to do if you encounter an emergency or break down whilst on the icy, wet, or snow covered roads.

 

The road safety charity, IAM’s motoring tips from Britain’s top advanced driver, Peter Rodger is advising on what to do if your van/car breaks down:

• Plan ahead: keep a reflective jacket, warm waterproof clothes and a torch in your car. Put the number of your breakdown company and your membership number in your phone. Some breakdown services offer free mobile phone apps, often even if you are not a member. Use the phone’s GPS system to find your precise location.


• Get out of the vehicle by the left-hand door and make sure all your passengers do the same. If you have a high-viz jacket, put it on and make sure everyone is standing well away from moving traffic. If there is a safety barrier, wait behind it.


• Where possible, coast to an emergency telephone. If you use your mobile phone, you may be asked to give the number on the nearest marker post, located every 100 meters or on a square blue sign every 500 metres.


• Don’t attempt a repair on the hard shoulder of a motorway, call your breakdown company.


• If you feel threatened by someone, get in the passenger seat, lock the door and dial 999.


• Be safe and be patient while you wait for help to arrive.

IAM chief examiner Peter Rodger said: “Breaking down is stressful, but be prepared by knowing what to do and when. Thinking about these things in advance will place you in a better position in case it happens and relieve some of the strain.”

Also, in case you missed these helpful tips, take a look at Peter Rodger's advice on how to drive safely in the rain:

• Before you set off, set your heater controls – rain can makes the windows mist up in seconds. You don’t want to be fiddling with controls when you should be concentrating on the road.


• See and be seen. Put your lights on – as a rule of thumb, whenever you need to use your wipers you should also turn your dipped headlights on, and before


• Keep your eyes on the road ahead and plan your driving so that you can brake, accelerate and steer smoothly – harsh manoeuvres will unbalance the car.


• Slow down. In the rain stopping distance is at least doubled. Giving yourself more space also helps to avoid spray, especially when following a large vehicle.


• If you have cruise control, avoid using it on wet roads – you need to pay more attention to the road surface conditions and alter your speed gently. 

For more safety motoring tips and advice, please visit the IAM website by clicking here.