The rush and excitement of owning a car soon dies down when you realise everything else that comes with it. There will be people reading this who have been driving for all variations of years, from new drivers to ones that have been driving for 20+ years. It doesn't matter how long you've been on the road, there's always the potential to get caught out when driving. There are so many other risks to think about, not just your safety whilst you're in the car. You might not even think about your own safety whilst you're in your car, the thought never really crosses a drivers mind until a close call happens. So, we want to get you thinking about all of the other ways you might get caught short so that you can prepare. Keep on reading to find out more.

A Side Of The Road Breakdown

This is a drivers worst nightmare when thinking about driving long distances. Rather than thinking about the dangers of a collision, we think about the possibility of breaking down, or the possibility of heavy traffic to ruin our journey. But what if you were to break down in heavy traffic, on the side of the road? Would you know who to call? Is there anything you could do yourself? One company you should have on speed dial is a towing company, and perhaps your insurance company if you have breakdown cover included. You might also want to learn simple skills, such as how to jump start a car, or how to change a wheel. These are the two most common reasons for a breakdown, a flat tyre or a car that just needs to be jump started again. It might pay off to always keep jump leads in your house. The more you know what to do with your car, the more it's going to pay off when something does happen and you're caught out.

Putting The Wrong Fuel In

You might think this is a silly one, but it definitely does happen. It usually happens to people who are so in a rush and accidentally pick up the wrong one, or perhaps someone in a deep day dream. Or, it's usually those who have just purchased a car and didn't realise what fuel type is needed. Just a drop of the wrong fuel is all that's needed to cause absolute chaos. Your car simply won't run, and it'll be time to call that all important towing number again. It can do serious damage to the engine of your car to put the wrong type of fuel in.

Unlucky Fines

Drivers definitely get caught out with fines. It can be a speeding fine, or getting caught in a bus lane, or a parking fine. Sometimes we just don't realise what we're doing and a week later we have a lovely letter come through the post. To avoid unlucky fines it's important to get familiar with your surroundings when you go to a new place. Don't have the tunes blazing and your maps on trying to follow it because you will be caught out.