How To Handle A Road Hazard On The Highway

Road hazards occur every day. They can happen unexpectedly while doing your regular daily commute. You may get a flat tire, have a car part malfunction, or have something unexpected happen to cause you to pull over. Do you know how to handle a road hazard situation? Here are a few safety tips to take if you ever find yourself stuck on a highway with a disabled vehicle:

- Only pull over on the shoulder of a highway if it is truly an emergency. Many deadly collisions occur with a parked car on the shoulder of a highway due to an incoming vehicle with an inattentive, drowsy, or impaired driver. Just because you are out of the way of traffic doesn’t mean you are safe. According to AAA, over 600 pedestrians are killed on highways in America every year.

- If you must pull over on the side of a highway, it is safer to be on the right shoulder than the left.

- Stay calm, use your emergency lights, and move the vehicle as much to the side of the road as far as you can get it from the lanes on the highway.

- Call roadside assistance

- If you can, it is better to move to a safer spot, such as a parking lot, even if you have to get there slowly.

- If you get a flat tire, don’t try to change it in an unsafe location or if you are too close to the highway. When vehicles are going 75 mph just a few feet or even inches away, it is never safe.

Remember, safety should always be your biggest concern. Although you may have an emergency or some hazardous situation occur, pulling over can be just as dangerous if not done properly.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a car crash or truck accident and are in need of an accident attorney in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Naples, Ocala, Orlando, Tampa, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Ft. Myers or any other city in Florida –remember after 911, call 411! 1-800-411-PAIN can put you in touch with an experienced, aggressive network attorney who will fight for your rights and get the maximum compensation you deserve. Don’t forget to follow 411 PAIN on Twitter (@411PAIN), keep up with the conversation at #411PAIN and check out the 411 PAIN event gallery 411painevents.com!