When You Should Call Roadside Assistance

By Author: Nate Rodney
Total Articles: 499
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Unfortunately there are times where your car just won’t work properly. When this happens drivers can become panicked and wonder what they should do. The decision always comes down to calling 911 or roadside assistance. Often stranded motorists that are in no imminent danger will call 911. This can preoccupy already busy emergency responders and can take them away from real emergencies. There is an important distinction between when it is appropriate to call 911 and when to call roadside assistance. If you are injured or you feel you are in imminent danger then, by all means, you should call 911. Below you will see three instances when you should call roadside assistance and not emergency responders:

Dead Battery
Everyone knows what it is like to turn the key in the ignition only to have your car’s engine sputter out and die - you often have a dead battery on your hands. When this happens take stock of your situation. Where are you stranded? Are you in any danger? Once you have assessed your situation and you are in no danger then you will want to call roadside assistance to jumpstart your car.

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... dead battery is a situation where you need not call 911. In most situations a dead battery does not constitute an emergency and emergency responders will likely not be able to help you. Roadside assistance will be better equipped to handle the situation, as they will have the appropriate tools to get the job done. Calling roadside assistance is the appropriate thing to do when your car’s battery dies.

Deflated Tire
A deflated tire is always a hassle; sometimes it can even be dangerous. If you notice that your tire is deflated you should avoid driving on it at all costs. Driving on a deflated tire can make driving your car increasingly difficult – which could result in an accident – and can often damage your tire’s frame. If you do not have a spare tire you should call roadside assistance. They will be able to help you by either replacing your tire or, if they are unable to replace your tire, they will tow you to a repair shop that can replace your tire.

A deflated tire can sometimes result in accident. If your tire deflates, or pops, while you are driving and causes an accident you should call 911 even if you are, or other parties, are unharmed. These accidents can obstruct traffic and may need emergency responders to remove debris from the road and sort out any other issues that may arise.

Run out of Gas
Often times we can be so consumed with our day-to-day lives that simple tasks can go unnoticed or pushed to the wayside. When this occurs you can find yourself in sticky situations, like if your car runs out of gas. Obviously your car cannot run without gasoline so if you find yourself in this situation then you will need to call roadside assistance.

Situations where your car will not run, like running out of gasoline, are situations where roadside assistance will be better able to help you in your time of need. 911 emergency responders are not equipped to help drivers that have been stranded due to mechanical failure. Roadside assistance workers will able to either fill your car with gasoline or tow your car to the nearest gas station. If damage has occurred to your car, which can be a result of driving with low gasoline, then roadside assistance can fix your car or take your car to the nearest service station in most cases.

In non-emergency situations, roadside assistance will be able to assist you in most cases. They are better equipped to help get your vehicle on the road, and get you on your way. But, if you think you are in a situation that could be dangerous then you should not hesitate to call 911.

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