Not just what you have, but what you know

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Accidents, emergencies, and car troubles always happen at the most inopportune times. Having the right tools to deal with these unexpected (and often unwanted) events would be useless unless we know how to initially react to them. Here’s a quick guide to steering clear of more trouble:

If your car breaks down in the middle of a highway, you need to pull over as soon and as safely as possible. Jamie Little (ESPN Nascar Reporter) and Danielle McCormick (of Discovery Channel’s “Turbo Expert”), coauthors of “Essential Car Care for Women,” advises that drivers should pull as far onto the hard shoulder as possible, turn on their hazard lights, and immediately call for roadside assistance. If your car is stalled in a particularly dangerous section of the highway, the driver and the passengers should immediately get out of the car, call for emergency roadside assistance, and wait in a safe place.

If you’re driving in a flooded area, be aware of lane separators (or any large object/obstruction/open manholes on the highway) that could be submerged during floods. If you’re unfamiliar with the area, it would be best to ask residents before driving into the flooded street, or wait for another vehicle to pass, taking note of the path the vehicle has taken and the depth of the flood. If you follow that vehicle, do not tailgate.

The book “Teach Yourself Visually Car Care Maintenance” suggests the following when replacing the radiator cap (or when buying a spare cap):

“Select an exact replacement radiator cap at an authorized parts supplier. The cap must be the same type, size, and pressure rating as designated by the car’s manufacturer. Most caps are designed to release coolant if radiator pressure exceeds 13 to 16 pounds per square inch.

“Remove the old cap, clean the radiator neck opening if needed, replace the cap, and turn it until it locks in place.

“Do not turn the radiator cap when the engine is hot. Because the system is pressurized, the coolant can be hotter than boiling water. When pressure is released, the coolant can spray out and burn your skin. Instead, wait until the radiator is cool to the touch before opening the cap,” writes authors Dan and Judy Ramsey.

Finally, now that it’s the rainy season, it would be worth keeping in mind TV personality and car enthusiast Cito Beltran’s plea, as posted on his Facebook page on July 5: “Dear Friends, please join the campaign for drivers to use their headlights during rainy weather and not their emergency flashers (hazard lights). It was quite scary trying to change lanes several times this afternoon not knowing if there was an oncoming vehicle due to poor visibility, and the fact that many drivers relied on their tiny park lights that couldn’t be seen in the downpour. Please share this message or post something similar. The life you save may be your own. God bless, and be safe out there.”