Everyday South Carolina drivers find themselves in car mishaps, whether it’s a flat tire, running out of gas or putting more coolant in the engine. These tasks will require the driver to take their attention off the road to either call the insurance company or to open the hood/trunk of the vehicle. When drivers of disabled vehicles are sitting on the shoulder of the highway, they become vulnerable to other vehicles driving on the right side of the highway.
Every year in South Carolina drivers are hit and even sometimes killed on the shoulder of the road. If you’re in any of the following scenarios, here are the best practices for keeping yourself safe on the shoulder of the road:
- Changing a tire: Drive to the nearest exit if possible. It’s true you can cause some considerable damage to your rim or wheel by driving on it with a flat tire, but at the end of the day, you can fix a car wheel. It’s not worth your life to sit on the shoulder of the road and risk your life.
- Running out of Gas: Pull over as far to the side of the road as you can. The farther you are from the highway, the better. Most South Carolina car insurance providers offer a roadside assistance service for either no cost or a small fee per month. The attorneys at David R. Price Jr., P.A., strongly recommend anyone who has this option afforded to them take advantage of it.
If you call roadside assistance, make sure to pull off as far to the shoulder of the road as you can and wait for roadside assistance in your car. If you’re going to be hit on the shoulder of the road, you might as well be protected by your own vehicle.
If you’ve been injured as a result of being hit or clipped while working on your car on the side of the road, call the Greenville Car Accident Attorneys at David R. Price Jr, P.A. Your consultation is no-obligation and free.