If the damage we suffer at night it is even more important to make ourselves visible. Legally we are only obliged to use the triangles and the vest with reflective tapes, but the more we make ourselves see, the better.
Every driver must be prepared to know how to act in the event of a possible accident or a breakdown that forces them to stop on the road. Batteries, tires and engine failures, the main reasons why drivers needed assistance, according to the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT). A few situations that make many cars an obstacle for the rest of the road users, so a car parked on the road must always be signaled as quickly as possible.
In order for this action to be carried out without endangering the safety of the occupants of the stopped vehicle and to be carried out in an appropriate manner, our car must be well marked when it is standing on the edge of the road for our safety and that of the rest of the traffic. This is especially important, especially when the breakdown we suffer at night.
The law requires that we all carry in the car two emergency triangles and a high visibility vest and turn on the “warning”, or intermittent failure, but any help is too small to warn the rest that we are on the edge of the road, or even occupying part of it when the shoulder is too narrow or we could not move the car due to the fault.
From Autocasión they emphasize that the triangles must be placed in view and far enough away to be useful. It is useless to place them near the car because a car is bigger than the triangle and it looks better. The triangles must be placed at least 50 m before the problem so that other drivers move with caution before reaching our side and, in the case that we have been standing at the exit of a curve, they must be in a straight section. before this to be effective.
If the damage we suffer at night it is even more important to make ourselves visible. Legally we are only obliged to use the triangles and the vest, but the more we make ourselves see, the better. In the market, there are several devices that will help us to be more visible, one of the most recent is the one known as Help Flash. It is a torch with the shape of a spherical cap that emits light in all directions. It has magnetic support, which when attached to the body of the car adheres and automatically turns on, and two functions:
-Demons of orange light: is the presence of alert function. It is very striking because being LED gives very fast flashes.
-Light lamp: it illuminates us and it is practical to, for example, see the screws when we change a wheel since it sticks magnetically and leaves our hands free.
There are more options in the market of lights to signal our presence, but not all are approved. A warning about Help Flash is that, although it is approved, it does not replace the car’s emergency turn signals, triangles or the vest with reflective materials. It is a compliment. If we do not put the triangles (as long as the traffic conditions allow us to do it safely) and we do not turn on the warning of the car, they can find us.
Finally, finally, it is time to ask for help. Carrying the roadside assistance phone by hand in the phone book or in a visible place in the glove compartment will save time to contact the insurance company, especially in times of nervousness. It is important to identify yourself and the more detailed the information provided, the greater the probability that the services will arrive as soon as possible, both to attend to the injured and to remove the damaged vehicle from the road and to restore circulation.
Always keep in mind …
- Move aside so as not to disturb: Whenever possible, the vehicle should be stopped on the shoulder and act calmly so that the emergency situation is as dangerous and uncomfortable as possible. In case the road does not have a shoulder, it is best to leave it as far as possible on the right side, bearing in mind that it is necessary to avoid exits of curves, changes of grade or areas of poor visibility.
- Activate the emergency lights: If the fault occurs on the motorway or highway, in low visibility conditions or between sunrise and sunset, in addition to turning on the emergency lights, the position lights will also start up, and in its case, those of gauge. However, much of the damage to the vehicles is electrical, which makes it impossible to use warnings and wired devices, so the vehicle will not be visible to other drivers. To avoid this type of situation, it is necessary to have a luminous device that allows the car to be signaled without having to have an electricity point.
- Put on the reflective vest: Once the vehicle has been placed in a suitable area, the regulations require the driver to put on the reflective vest before descending from the car. A rule that makes it essential to always keep this garment inside the car. Also, and although it is not mandatory that the rest of occupants also wear with the vest if they do they can avoid possible abuses.
- Place the triangles of security: When the conditions of circulation allow their use, the law requires to place the triangles 50 meters from the damaged vehicle, ie about 80 steps. However, this obligation will be such only when from that point it can be visible at a distance of 100 meters (twice the distance that separates us from our vehicle). This separation will guarantee greater safety and allow other drivers to react in time and move with caution before reaching the height of the obstacle. This circumstance usually occurs when the damaged vehicle stops at a grade or a curve, where it is advisable to place it at the beginning of the section.
In case the road is of double direction, it will be necessary to place the two triangles, one in front of the car and another one behind, while, if it is a one-way road, only one triangle will be installed in the part. back
- Be safe and ask for help: Once the vehicle has been signaled, it’s time to get safe. Both the driver and the occupants must be in an area where they do not distract the rest of the drivers, nor do they pose a new obstacle, and always off the road.