If you have only recently earned your license, then you might want nothing more than to get out on the road and start driving with all of the freedom a car can offer. However, before you do that, it’s important to make sure that you’re doing your due diligence. After all, owning and driving a car is a big responsibility and you want to make sure that you’re fulfilling it. For that reason, you should know who to call when you need them if you need them.
The better prepared you are, the more likely you are to come out of a tricky situation without too much cost or damage. As such, here are some of the numbers you should be keeping on your phone and why.
Your mechanic
The first port of call when it comes to any car troubles. If you’re starting to experience some worrying symptoms on the road, whether it’s the car veering to one side, the engine making unexpected noises or smells, or something a little more serious like smoke coming from the hood, you should try to get your car to your mechanic as quickly as possible. You never know when an issue might be hiding a more serious fault beneath the surface.
Of course, your mechanic also plays an important role in ensuring the longevity of your car, as well. You should make sure to visit them for preventative maintenance and to keep your car in its optimal condition. They’re there to keep things running at their best, not just to fix it when things go wrong.
A breakdown service
While car insurance is mandatory for most, and we will look at why it’s important to keep your insurance provider details on you, let’s look at a different kind of cover, often provided by a different provider from your regular insurance. We are talking, of course, about breakdown cover. Basically, this is a kind of insurance service where, if your car breaks down, you can make sure that someone can come out and tow you away for repairs without too much in the way of extra cost. You can use breakdown services without buying cover ahead of time, but in most cases, you will be charged a lot more upfront.
If you’re going on a long-distance drive or you are moving, it’s important to make sure that your breakdown cover still has you covered wherever you go. Otherwise, you should look at the local breakdown recovery services in the area and keep their numbers for when you need them.
Your legal representation
Things can get rough on the road. You should always prepare for the chance that you may end up getting into some accident or another. Sometimes, things are so clear-cut that the responsibility for a collision or roadside event is obvious. However, in a lot of cases, you might find the other side making an argument against you. If you know that you’re in the right and deserve compensation for damage to your property or injury, then you should make sure that you have legal representation to back you up. Working with a car accident attorney can make sure that you have someone to argue your case. Attorneys will work with you to gather evidence, present an argument, and give you the legal guidance that you need.
If you aim to seek compensation for a road collision or event that wasn’t your fault, you should never try to go it alone. In the vast majority of cases, the opposing side is going to have its own legal representation.
Your insurance providers
We’ve already mentioned breakdown cover for roadside assistance services, but you should make sure that you have your insurance information, including the contact details for your insurance provider, on hand at all times when on the road. For one, it’s good to be able to prove that you have insurance for your vehicle on hand at all times if something like a traffic stop gets a little more complicated. However, if you get into an accident, even if it is a small one, you should always make sure that you get in touch with your insurance provider first and foremost.
If you end up arguing a collision in court, not getting in touch with your insurance provider at the time of the accident can be used as evidence against you.
A driver needs to be prepared for all sorts of eventualities. Never think it won’t happen to you. Be prepared for when it does with the numbers above.
Thanks for reading and y’all stay dandy.
-Diego
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