Alone On the Highway: Tips for Pulling Over Safely

Pulling over in the middle of the night can be scary and risky for a single woman, but sometimes it must be done. If you’re having car trouble and can’t possibly keep driving, here are some tips to have the safest side-of-the-road experience possible.

Try to make it to a brightly lit area such as a gas station before stopping. If you pull over along the side of the road and your car won’t start back up for some reason, you’d be stranded there as opposed to somewhere safer. In the worst case scenario, where you do end up pulled over on the highway, make sure to pull over as far off to the side as possible, and turn on your flashers to avoid being hit by a drowsy or inattentive driver.

 

Being aware of your surroundings is one of the best ways to avoid further trouble on the road – and the best way to stay aware at all times is to use a GPS. A Maestro or Tom-Tom can find the closest gas station, police station, or open business and navigate you directly there, relieving the stress of possibly getting lost and getting that in-the-middle-of-nowhere feeling. The next best piece of technology to a GPS that you probably already own is a cell-phone with either GPS or texting.  In a pinch, simply send a text to Google (the numbers correlate to the word on your keyboard) in the format of a Mapquest request.

 

Ex.

Send to: 466453 text: gas station near city, state

Send to: 466453 text: From Cooley Rd. to (address of gas station)

For more automotive Safety & Security tips from RTM, click here.