If you should break down, think of others and try to get your vehicle of the road. If you have one, use your car telephone to ask for help. Switch on your hazard warning lights and , if you carry a warning triangle or similar device, place this near the kerb about 50 metres behind your car. Do not stand so that you are hiding your lights from others. Display a help pennant. In lonely areas be prepared to lock yourself in the car and speak to others through a slightly open window. If anyone stops to help , ask them to call for help, make sure you put all valuables in the boot and lock the car. For women who may be travelling alone, it is wise to let someone know of your route, destination and estimated time of your arrival at this destination. This is just in case of an emergency. The police and motoring organisations will give priority to lone women. What to do if you break down on a motorway If your vehicle develops a fault on the motorway, switch on your hazard warning lights and pull onto the hard shoulder as far left as you possible can. If you cannot move your car from the carriage way, warn others of its presence by placing your warning triangle 150 meters to the rear . You should then your mobile phone to call for help if you have one. You and all of your passengers should leave the vehicle by the nearside door, taking refuge on the bank or nearside land. Make sure that all doors, except the front nearside should be locked. If the car has central locking, leave it open if there is someone to keep an eye on it. If possible stop near an emergency telephone. If you cannot the arrows on the post will tell you which way to go for the nearest one. Give full details to the emergency services, making it clear if you are a women travelling alone. For those who are disabled or if the emergency telephone is out of order stay with your vehicle, display a help pennant and wait for the special police patrols. Do not attempt any repairs and dod not try to cross the road. When the problem has been solved , before re-joining the main carriageway, build up your speed on the hard shoulder and look for a safe gap in the traffic What to do if you arrive at the scene of an accident Some knowledge of first aid is useful to any driver because you never know when you may be needed to help. All drivers should carry a first aid kit in the glove box, where it is easy to get to. If you arrive at the scene of an accident before anyone, keep calm. Take charge until someone better qualified arrives. Inform the emergency services immediately, or get someone else to do so. Talk to those involved int the accident and try to reassure them. Make sure you are familiar with the instructions in the Highway Code under the heading ‘first on the road’. Reducing the risk of fire. The risk of fire in modern cars is minimal. However, accident damage can result in broken fuel pipes and leakages onto electrical contracts, causing a spark to start a fire. A no smoking rule should be applied at the first scene of an accident and the ignition of any vehicles involved should be switched off. When you visit filling stations for a refuel , make sure you switch off your engine/ignition and do not smoke. Many fires in cars are caused by electrical faults. If you suspect any defects get professional auto electrical engineer to check over your car. It is sensible to carry a fire extinguisher even if you are not personally involved in an accident, you may come across one where there is a real fire risk.