Emergency Roadside Assistance Kits

Road trips are fun and exciting, but unexpected car problems can turn a relaxing drive into a stressful situation. Keeping a well-stocked emergency kit can help you and your family stay safe.

Lemonade offers roadside assistance coverage as an add-on to its car insurance policy. Learn more about this coverage and how to get the most out of it. Click the Emergency Roadside to learn more.

Many drivers get stuck in traffic and run out of gas, or their car battery dies, and it can be hard to find help if you don’t have roadside assistance. A roadside assistance program will send someone out to change your flat tire, jump-start your car, or deliver fuel. It will also cover the cost of towing your vehicle to a repair shop. Some roadside assistance programs include other add-ons like trip interruption benefits, which reimburse you for expenses like food and lodging if your car breaks down a long distance from home.

Most auto insurance providers offer roadside assistance coverage for a nominal fee, and you can purchase it from other sources, such as a credit card company, car manufacturer, or an auto club like AAA. You can also buy a standalone plan for as low as $20 a year. If you’re interested in purchasing roadside assistance coverage, compare policies to make sure you’re getting the coverage you need.

When you need roadside assistance, call your provider’s hotline or download their mobile app to get started. You can then track the progress of your service provider as they head to your location, a handy feature that gives you peace of mind in those 2 a.m. moments when you’re stranded with your kids in the back seat and a dead car battery.

Roadside assistance is not limited to passenger cars, as some companies offer coverage for motorcycles, boats and RVs, too. You may have to pay extra for these services, however, since these vehicles require more specialized tools and equipment than passenger cars do. Also, some plans may only include a certain number of towing miles for free, and anything over that will incur additional fees.

It’s important to note that while some roadside assistance services will come out to your car on the side of the highway, others will only help you if you are in a safe place off the highway, such as your driveway or parking lot. If you’re stranded on the highway, try to steer your vehicle to the shoulder as safely as possible (use your hazards), and always pull over out of traffic lanes when possible to prevent blocking other motorists.

Jump-Starting Your Car

Knowing how to jump a car can help you save time and money by not having to wait for roadside assistance. It’s important to know how to do this correctly in order to avoid causing damage or harm to your vehicle, and it is a good idea to keep a set of jumper cables in your trunk so you are prepared for an emergency situation. Jumping your car requires connecting a working battery in another vehicle to the dead battery of your vehicle using a set of jumper cables. The first step is identifying the positive and negative terminals. The positive terminal is usually marked with a plus sign (+) while the negative terminal has a minus (-) mark. Next, the cable clamps are connected to the appropriate terminals. Always remember to connect the black negative clip to the unpainted metal surface in the engine block or chassis of the working vehicle, and the red positive clip to the battery terminal of the dead car.

After the cars are connected, start the engine of the working vehicle and let it run for a few minutes. Then, attempt to start the engine in the dead vehicle. If the vehicle doesn’t start, it may be a sign of a more serious problem, and you should seek professional help.

It’s important to remember to disconnect the jumper cables in reverse order when you are finished, so you don’t accidentally feed extra power into your battery or create a safety hazard. Once the engine is running in the dead vehicle, it’s a good idea to drive it for 20 minutes to allow the alternator to charge the battery and ensure that everything is working properly. After that, you can put the jumper cables away and return them to your emergency kit. It is also a good idea to check the dead battery and starter to make sure it is in good condition and not leaking or cracked. If it is, it will need to be replaced. This can usually be done by a mechanic, but it’s sometimes easier to call roadside assistance for this service.

Tire Changes

Changing a flat tire is one of the most common reasons motorists call roadside assistance. You should always know how to change a tire yourself if you have a spare, but if not, roadside assistance can provide this service.

The cost of a tire change depends on if your vehicle has a usable spare tire and other factors. If you have a spare, the service provider can usually change your flat tire onsite, and you’ll be back on the road right away. If the spare isn’t usable or if the service technician needs to remove the damaged tire and replace it, you may incur a separate fee for that work. In many cases, the service technician will need to tow your vehicle to a repair shop if the flat or blown tire can’t be repaired onsite. These tow charges are typically based on mileage and will be added to the total bill for services.

A punctured or flat tire should be considered a true emergency that warrants calling roadside assistance. If you have a flat tire, it’s important to avoid slamming on the brakes as this will damage your brake pads and possibly cause you to lose control of the vehicle. Instead, slow down, flash your hazard lights and pull off the highway in a safe place with ample room for you to work on your car.

If you’re not sure what caused your flat, perform a visual inspection of the tires. Look for any bulges or abnormal wear patterns. If the tire has a sidewall bulge, it’s likely time to buy new ones because this indicates that the structural integrity of your tires has been compromised and is at risk of failing at highway speeds.

Roadside assistance can save you a lot of stress and money in the case of an emergency or unexpected issue on your drive. Make sure you’re familiar with your auto insurance policy and understand how the roadside assistance service works. It’s also a good idea to carry a cell phone charger and have the necessary tools on hand for an emergency tire change or other roadside assistance needs.

Lockouts

A lockout is a situation in which you cannot start your vehicle because your keys have been locked inside. It’s a frustrating experience that requires immediate help to resolve, especially if your car is in an unfamiliar or hazardous area. A roadside assistance provider can offer a variety of options for getting your vehicle moving again.

Hazardous energy control programs protect workers from injury by preventing the release of stored or residual energy. These programs involve more than just putting locks on switches, however, and include comprehensive step-by-step processes. The responsibilities for the program include creating and updating written procedures, identifying employees, machines, equipment or processes to be included in the procedure, providing a method of disconnection, training, identifying a designated person, and maintaining compliance with the program.

An authorized employee must perform a lockout/tag out before performing any work that involves potentially hazardous energy. This includes determining the source of energy, shutting off or disconnecting the power and auxiliary lines, and labeling all areas that will be locked out with clearly readable tags. The authorized employee must also prepare and follow a detailed set of procedures and work instructions that must be followed to avoid any release of energy during the process.

The procedure must also be followed when an employee is attempting to reset or service equipment that has been locked out. The worker must contact the company for the appropriate authorization, if possible. If this is not possible, the worker must contact a safety supervisor and request an emergency lockout. The safety supervisor must verify that the procedure is being followed correctly before granting permission to return the lockout tag.

In addition to a written lockout/tag out program, employers must provide employee training. Depending on the facility, this may include an initial orientation and regular retraining, if necessary. Lockout/tag out training must include all employees, including contractors, who are working at the facility. Contractors must be provided with a copy of the written lockout/tag out program and trained on how to perform group lockout.

It’s important to keep track of all the documentation related to the lockout/tag out program, including policies, procedures, inspections, reports, and audits. A cloud-based system can streamline this process and make it easier to ensure that all employees receive the proper training. For example, Brady’s Lockout/Tag Out Training provides a convenient way for authorized employees to submit timely reports on their mobile devices.