How to Avoid Unnecessary Breakdown Recovery

For many of us, life without a car would be impossible. A great number of us use our cars to travel to and from work every day, and in many cases our workplaces are either difficult or impossible to access with public transport. For many more of us the convenience of having our own transport, making stops as and when we want and being able to control our journey duration makes driving to work by far the most attractive option even amongst alternatives. With the exception of crashing your car, breaking down is probably the most stressful thing that can happen to you on the road. Not only can this cause you to be late for work or late arriving home, breakdown recovery can also be extremely expensive if you do not have the relevant insurance. Although we recommend breakdown insurance for all motorists (particularly those who use the motorway regularly), we've also come up with a helpful list of some common causes for breaking down and what you can do to avoid their effects. By taking some simple precautions you can greatly reduce your risk of breakdown and ensure a more pleasant and successful journey for all involved. Flat Batteries Flat batteries are the bane of many a motorist, and they can easily be avoided. Although there can be many causes for a flat battery, one of the most common is that the car concerned has suffered a loss of voltage from making frequent short journeys. One of the things you can do to prevent this becoming a problem is to take your car on at least one longer journey each week. Alternator Issues This second problem is closely related to the first. The alternator is the component in your car responsible for converting mechanical energy into electrical energy whilst you are driving. This is vital to charge your car battery, and problems with the alternator are another common cause for flat batteries. It is difficult to prevent problems with your alternator, so the best thing you can do is be aware of the warning signs that something may be about to go wrong. Look out for slower electrical functions and dimmer lights, and pay particular attention to an intermittently flashing battery warning light on your dashboard. Tyre ProblemsrnAnother significant cause of vehicle breakdowns is a problem with one or more of the tyres. Even more seriously, problems with your tyres can cause your vehicle to become unsteady on the road and handle poorly, potentially resulting in a crash and serious injuries or death for those involved. To avoid having to call for assistance with changing a tyre at the roadside it is important to check your tyre pressure regularly. To do so you should use the manufacturer's guide to find the correct pressure value and a reliable tyre pressure gauge to make a reading. If your tyre is under-inflated you should use a tyre pump to resolve the problem.