Your car is never safe from breakdown, even if you’ve followed Auto Plus’s pre-departure tips to the letter! If you have to stop on the side, here are the good habits to adopt. Be aware that your behavior will not be the same depending on whether you are on the road or highway.

In the event of a vehicle breakdown or accident, you should always keep in mind the following three actions: Protect, alert and rescue, as needed.

Have the reflex to stop on the side of the road and turn on your hazard warning lights. Before leaving the vehicle, be sure to shut off the engine and apply the parking brake. Evacuate your vehicle, preferably on the opposite side of traffic (except on the device, if you are stopped left lane). Put your passengers safe. The driver must don his retro-reflective vest

What to do?

On the road

A person, equipped with a vest, must install his warning triangle on the roadway. It must be at a distance of 30 meters upstream of the vehicle. A person can also be located 150 meters upstream of the breakdown or accident (make sure your location is safe) and make signs to slow down the vehicles. At night, on poorly lit roads, you can use an electric lamp to materialize.

On highway

It is strongly discouraged to install a safety triangle on the highway or the expressway. The regulations exempt you because it is extremely dangerous. Once the occupants are sheltered behind the slide, join the nearest orange terminal. As the number of emergency call devices has dropped sharply, some motorway dealers are offering smartphone applications with “SOS” function. Like the terminals, the system allows you to geolocate automatically. Remember: Do not cross the highway in any case and never try to stop vehicles on the highway.

Who can intervene?

On the road

Contact your insurer to dispatch the nearest convenience store. You also have the option of being towed, provided you do so safely.

On highway

No need to contact his insurance, because only approved companies have the right to intervene in the big black ribbon. Authorization is granted to convenience stores, for a limited period, following a call for tender verified by the State services. On the highway, a repairman undertakes to intervene in less than 30 minutes.