What To Do While Waiting For A Tow Truck On An Icy Road
Posted on: 16 January 2016
Driving in winter conditions can be challenging. When the roads ice over, accidents can easily occur. If you are involved in an accident on an icy roadway, staying safe while waiting for the assistance of a tow truck is essential.
Here are three tips you can use to help ensure that you stay safe until a tow truck arrives.
1. Set up flares to warn other drivers of your location.
If you have slid off the road due to icy conditions, it's likely that other drivers will have difficulty navigating the roadway as well. Setting up emergency flares (especially if you are waiting at night or in foggy weather) can alert other drivers to your car's location.
Flares are self-contained, so there is no need to carry extra batteries in order to make your emergency flares operable. Flares also self-consume, so they don't need to be retrieved once the tow truck arrives. Letting other drivers know where your car is while you wait for a tow truck can help you avoid additional collisions.
2. Stay inside your vehicle while you wait for a tow truck.
Staying inside your vehicle while you wait for a tow truck driver to arrive is the best way to ensure that you remain safe. In addition to protecting yourself against being struck by a passing vehicle, remaining in your vehicle will help to protect you from the elements.
If temperatures are cold enough to cause the roads to ice over, frostbite and hypothermia can set in if you spend too much time outdoors. Depending on the temperature, frostbite could occur in as few as 5 minutes. Staying inside your vehicle until a tow truck driver arrives will help you protect yourself against the elements.
3. Contact local law enforcement.
Towing a vehicle on an icy road can be dangerous, and you will want to avoid additional damage by ensuring that the roadway is properly blocked off while a tow truck driver loads your vehicle onto his or her truck.
Since law enforcement officials are equipped to safely block off a roadway and divert traffic, contacting the local authorities to let them know about your situation while you wait for a tow truck can be beneficial. By having the assistance of law enforcement, you can avoid making your situation worse when the tow truck arrives.
Knowing how to prepare for a tow truck's arrival is important if you regularly drive on icy roads. Setting up road flares, staying inside your vehicle, and contacting local law enforcement can help you stay safe while waiting for a tow in the future. Contact a company like Standish Towing & Recovery Ltd or another location for additional information on how to stay safe while awaiting a tow truck.
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