There are numerous reasons why you may find yourself stranded on the side of the road. A roadside emergency can be anything from a flat tire to having run out of gas, or simply experiencing mechanical problems. No matter the reason for your needing to stop, it is important to keep in mind that the side of the road is not a safe place to hang out. In fact, the shoulder of any roadway can be a very dangerous spot for a motorist. Each year, motorists are killed on the shoulder while waiting for help to arrive. If you ever find yourself experiencing a roadside emergency, keep in my mind these stay safe strategies:
- Exit the highway whenever possible. If you are experiencing car trouble on a major highway, you are always safer if you can exit the highway rather than stop on the shoulder. Once you are off of the highway, stay inside your vehicle until help arrives.
- Pull completely over. Not only is a car on the side of the road a danger to its occupants, but it also presents a danger to other motorists. However, sometimes, stopping on the side of the road is unavoidable. If you do need to stop on the shoulder of a busy roadway, it is important to make sure that your vehicle is pulled completely off of the main road and onto the shoulder. A car that is even partially in the lane of traffic is a collision waiting to happen. If you are not able to move your vehicle completely onto the shoulder, you need to evaluate whether you should remain in the vehicle. Often the best strategy is to exit the car due to the likelihood that the car could be hit. If it is safe to exit the vehicle, exit out the side of the vehicle that is furthest from traffic, even if that means exiting out the passenger side door. Do not exit your car if traffic does not permit.
- Illuminate! Even if your car is completely on the shoulder, it is important that others can see it. At night a car on the shoulder can be near invisible to approaching traffic. Also, emergency vehicles and other motorists use the shoulder as well. The best way to make sure your vehicle is visible to others is to turn on your lights or flashers. Flares, which motorists should keep in their emergency roadside kits, are also useful for this purpose as well.
- Call for help. A car on the side of the road is much like a sitting duck. So as soon as you realize that you cannot or should not re-enter traffic, call for help. Sometimes, handy motorists are tempted to forgo calling for roadside assistance or a tow-truck, preferring instead to try to change a tire or conduct other maintenance themselves. Since hanging around outside of your vehicle next to the road is not safe, please resist the urge to do so.
If you or a loved one suffered serious injuries after being involved in a collision, it is important to contact a skilled Kansas City Injury Attorney who can protect your rights! The experienced Injury Attorneys at Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. having been helping accident victims in Kansas and Missouri for almost two decades. Our seasoned Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys work hard to make sure that you receive proper compensation for your injuries. Trust the Personal Injury Attorneys at Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. to help you, just as they have helped countless injured victims in the area. To find out how the attorneys at Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. can work for you, contact our office today at (816) 472-4673 to schedule a consultation.
