First for Women Car Insurance: Tips for Roadside Emergencies

While many women know how to change a flat tyre or drive in rainy conditions, there may come a time you'll need roadside assistance for something more serious, like a flat battery or an electrical problem. The Guardian Angel on Call is a benefit of First for Women car insurance. We encourage women drivers to prepare themselves for unexpected situations with a roadside survival pack and knowledge about preventing or managing a crisis or car problem. 

Be prepared for roadside emergencies

Did you know that South Africa has the tenth-largest[1] network of roads on Earth? Despite being geographically smaller than many other nations, our country features roughly 750,000 km of road — with only about 20% tarred roads. Many roads have potholes, exposed rebars, cracks, or compromised barriers. The average driver could encounter their fair share of roadside emergencies because of these conditions.

Essential items to have in your car

While there's no way to predict when or if you ever need roadside assistance, you can rely on the First for Women Insurance Guardian Angel on Call benefit to assist with vehicle emergencies. However, you can prepare for these issues by having certain essentials in your car. This can also be useful when you're stuck in traffic or taking an unexpected trip. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Car essentials can include a tow rope, spare tyre, jumper cables, tyre iron, breakdown beacons and a reflective vest.

• Healthcare essentials — you can use a first aid kit or pack individual items such as bandages, plasters, disinfectants, gloves and tweezers. You can supplement this with items specific to your family's needs, such as an adrenaline injector for someone with allergies or glucose for someone diabetic.

• Communication essentials — ensure you have enough cables, chargers and power sources to keep your devices functional and compatible with your vehicle and device type. Choosing battery-powered devices can be a good idea if your car shuts down.

• Comfort essentials — keeping shelf-stable snacks and drinks in your car will keep you comfortable in the event of a breakdown, as well as blankets or gloves in cold seasons. You can also keep books, playing cards or games to stay occupied.

• An absolute must-have — although we hope you’ll never need it — is a fire extinguisher.

Basic car maintenance

You can prevent car problems with preventative maintenance to keep your car in a good condition. It can be helpful to create a maintenance schedule with detailed reminders. Keeping records will also help prove that you've done what's necessary to maintain your car if you need to sell it. Here's what a car maintenance schedule can include, bearing in mind that the checks required and frequency thereof can differ according to your car's condition, age, make and model, and driving patterns. Some tasks you can perform yourself, while others are best left to professionals.

Short-term maintenance tasks

These are performed according to your service booklet/car manual, before a long trip or after a period of inactivity)

• Check oil, transmission, brake fluid and coolant

•  Check the air filter or air conditioning system

• Check tyre pressure, alignment, and tread depth — and don't forget about the spare wheel

•  Remember to rotate the tyres for optimal use

• Test lights (including headlights, brake lights and parking lights)

Long-term checks, repairs or replacements

These are performed according to your service booklet/car manual’s annual service.

• Shocks and struts

•  Spark plugs

•  Drive belt

• Differentials

• Wipers

• Battery

• Brakes

Road and car safety precautions

It's easy to forget detailed rules of the road when you've been driving for years or take the same commute route daily. However, keeping these rules in your mind can prevent breakdowns and accidents and limit your liability if an accident happens or affects other drivers. Here are some guidelines to follow:

• Ensure all the passengers in your vehicle wear seatbelts and that children of appropriate ages use car seats.

• Double-check your visibility and blindspots when pulling in or out of a space or changing lanes or direction.

• Follow the traffic signs, even if other drivers don't so.

• Use a hands-free kit for cellphone calls and resist texting (it’s illegal), even if you're in standstill traffic.

• Keep valuable belongings in your boot or out of sight.

• Maintain a safe travelling distance.

• Reduce speed in poor driving conditions.

•  Use your hazards and pull over when you detect an issue with your car.

• Avoid antagonising or confronting other drivers who drive poorly or break the law, as this can compromise your safety.

• Use ride-sharing services when you drink — do not drink and drive!

How to change a flat tyre

Despite your best efforts, you may encounter situations you can't prepare for. However, practising the steps below can give you peace of mind and confidence so you're prepared for one of the most common causes of a roadside breakdown — a flat tyre.

1. When you suspect a flat tyre, stop at a safe location, turn on your hazards, or place an emergency triangle if visibility is poor.

2. Remove your tools and spare wheel from your boot.

3. Apply a wheel wedge to the tyre opposite the one with a puncture to keep it from rolling, and use a jack to lift the car at least 10 cm off the ground.

4. Use a wrench anticlockwise to loosen the tyre nuts before removing them and the wheel cap.

5. Switch the tyres, replacing the flat tyre with the spare, before inserting the nuts back in and tightening them with a wrench.

6. Carefully lower the car, then place the damaged tyre and tools in your boot.

Guardian Angel on Call for roadside assistance

If you have First for Women car insurance, you have the bonus of access to Guardian Angel on Call, which can offer you around-the-clock roadside assistance via a dedicated phone app. This app can detect collisions and automatically dispatch emergency help, allowing you to order and track a tow truck to your location and have someone come to you to wait or help you get back on the road again.

Get First for Women car insurance

If your current insurer doesn't offer you car insurance with roadside assistance, it may be time for you to switch to First for Women car insurance. We could help you save money on your car insurance while enjoying added peace of mind. To find out how we can help you, apply for a car insurance quote online today. 

Sources:

[1] Arrive Alive: Roadside assistance and road safety 

Disclaimer: The information in this article is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal, or medical advice.