The 3 Top Places To Await Towing After A Breakdown

The 3 Top Places To Await Towing After A Breakdown

When your car breaks down on the road there are obvious risks, with the potential dangers increasing as the traffic increases and the road becomes bigger – breaking down on the highway would be the worst nightmare for anyone!

However, breakdowns are normal if you own a vehicle, and there is always a possibility that it can happen to you or any driver at any time. Should this happen, you may require to get the vehicle towed so that it can be fixed, and then you can drive home!

Reacting appropriately in case of a vehicle breakdown is not that easy, especially if it is your first time, so it is critical to know where to steer your car to. By doing this you can safely contact and wait for your towing service to arrive!

The Right Shoulder

The standard practice for any road user on a highway whose vehicle breaks down is to move as far as possible on the right shoulder.

Once you get to the farthest point you can on your right shoulder, stay in your car and call your local tow service or motorist club, and wait for them to show up.

Stay Where You Are

This may not be the most convenient situation to be in while waiting for a tow after your vehicle malfunctions. If you are unable to coast your car safely to the right of the road, just remain at your spot.

Turn on your hazard indicator but AVOID leaving the vehicle at all, this will only increase the amount of danger you are in.

Off the Road

On less busy roads, you are capable of moving off the road, or in some cases as far as you can from the shoulder. Since the roads here have very few vehicles, you might be able to navigate your car away from the road to the farthest point possible.

Then get in touch with a towing professional service. Here’s a number to call.

Six Steps To Safely Jump Start Your Car

Six Steps To Safely Jump Start Your Car

Step One

Make sure that both cars are parked (neutral) and the ignition is turned off while they are parked close to one another. Open the trunk on both cars and check to make sure the jumper cables are able to reach both of the engines.

Step Two

Take the red (positive)cable and attach one of the ends to your car’s battery’s positive terminal before you attach it with the same terminal on the other car’s working battery. It is easy to recognize them by the + or POS displayed on the battery. s to the negative terminal, it also should be noticeably bigger.

Step Three

Take the black (negative) cable and attach it with the working battery’s negative terminal.

Step Four

Use the same black cable to attach the other end to a metal material on your car that is not too close to the battery. It could be struck, bracket, bolt or jump-start pole. However, not every vehicle has these poles.

At this point, the main point is to ensure that the black cable is just connected with the negative terminal on the working battery and make sure that the other end is connected to a metal fixture that is not too close to the dead battery on your car.

Step Five

Turn the engine on for the working car, and allow it to run on its own for a moment.

Step Six

Now try to start your car. If all goes well your engine will start. If it doesn’t, make sure you double-check the connections on the cables and let the working engine run for another 5-10 minutes before you try again.

If that still doesn’t work, then there is a good chance that you need to get a new battery, so there is, unfortunately, no quick fix but Leahy’s Towing can help with your towing needs. Give us a call today!

How You Can Open Your Car If You Are Locked Out

How You Can Open Your Car If You Are Locked Out

1. The Traditional Manual Way

If the car locks are operated by small buttons on the window ledge, you can utilize a straightened coat hanger to open the car door. Create a small hook on one side and direct the straightened hanger into the rubber that covers the window’s side. Then after you hit the door button, hook it with the hanger and pull upwards.

2. Through the Trunk

In some vehicles, you can access the car through the trunk by moving the back seats. This can be an option to unlock the car if you have easy access to the car’s trunk. It is also recommended that you have your car spare key hidden safely in the trunk.

3. Seek Professional Technicians, like a Tow Company

You will require to engage an emergency lockout service if your car has locks that are set back into the door handle. Your only option is to contact a professional, for instance, a towing company that provides lockout services since a majority of the time using a wire hanger or screwdriver can cause additional damage or injury.

4. Buy a New Remote Opener

Many new cars have electronic door openers or digital keys that do not permit the driver to lock the doors when the keys are inside the vehicle. But, this can be a problem since misplacing the gadget means seeking replacement which will cost a lot and take some days.

5. Look for the Override Switch

If you have an electronic door opener, you can still be able to open the car, but if it is misplaced outside the vehicle, your ignition may fail to work in its absence. Some vehicles have override switches for such instances so confirm if you can start the vehicle in the absence of the opener by checking the override switch – if one exists.

You may need to enlist a professional tow company if your keys are locked up and your car is in an area where you can be fined. Call us as soon as you need to

How To Stay Safe When Your Car Breaks Down

How To Stay Safe When Your Car Breaks Down

When your car breaks down you need to do a few things to keep safe. Some of these things are listed below.

1. Get To The Side Of The Road

Your first priority has to be getting to the side of the road. Even if this means pushing the car, do not stay in the direct line of traffic. More specifically, try to move to the shoulder of the road while the car is still moving. And only when safe to do so and without causing an accident.

2. Inform Other Drivers

In order to avoid a potential accident, make a point to put on the hazards of the car. The hazards will communicate that the car is stationary and you are having problems.

3. Only Exit Car When Safe

If you want to inspect what is wrong with the car, it means you have to get out. But do not put yourself in danger to do the check. For example, when there is oncoming traffic at fast speeds, it is best to stay put until the traffic has passed.

4. Use Extra Precaution

In addition to putting on the hazards, you can use emergency traffic signs and flares to help give other drivers a fair warning. These are especially helpful if the weather conditions are bad, such as driving in misty or foggy conditions. Because there is a good chance your hazards will not be enough.

5. Call For Help

Most people are not able to fix their cars when they break down in the middle of nowhere. Hence the reason for calling professionals to drive out and help you.

6. Keep An Emergency Kit

It is always recommended to keep an emergency kit in the car, just in case you have to wait for help to arrive. The kit should include things like water, blankets, flashlights, and snacks that won’t easily get spoiled if possible. It is important to stay safe and be prepared.

Have Leahy’s Towing be your backup. Keep our contact close, in case you need a professional towing service

How Can You Tell If Your Vehicle’s Tires Need To Be Replaced?

How Can You Tell If Your Vehicle's Tires Need To Be Replaced?

1. Check The Wear Indicators

Modern tires come equipped with wear indicators. These small pieces of rubber stick out from between the tread. If any of the wear indicators are missing, it may be a sign that your tires need to be replaced.

Another thing to look at is the condition of the tread. The tread is located on the portion of the tire that contacts the surface of the road. The grooves in the tread funnel any water on the roadway away from the tires so that they make better contact with the surface, leading to better traction. If the tread is worn out, the grooves may not be deep enough to effectively move the water, increasing the likelihood of accidents. To prevent any problems, you should replace tires that have worn out tread right away.

2. Make Sure The Tread Is Worn Evenly

Unevenly worn tread is usually a sign of improperly aligned tires. In cases like these, certain parts of the tires contact the road more than others, causing them to wear out more quickly. Tires with uneven wear can create a lot of extra noise when driving down the road. They also may make the vehicle feel like it is shaking when you are driving it.

3. Regularly Check The Tire Pressure

The air pressure inside of the tires should remain relatively consistent as long as there are no leaks. Periodically check the tire pressure to make sure that it is not falling. If you notice any changes in the pressure, it could be a sign that the tire has a leak and needs to be replaced.

4. Bulging Or Signs Of Bubbles

Tires sometimes develop weak spots, which can result in bulging or bubbling. If you keep driving on a tire that has bulges, there is a high likelihood that you will experience a blowout, which can be quite dangerous. Any tires with bubbles or bulges should be replaced right away.

Leahy’s Towing has the tools to help you with your tire and towing needs. Reach out to us with a call to find out more before you next need a tow.

Four Tips To Reduce The Cost Of Towing Services

Four Tips To Reduce The Cost Of Towing Services

1. See If Your Credit Card Company Offers Roadside Assistance

Today, a lot of credit card companies provide roadside assistance services as a special perk for their customers. Depending on the terms of your credit card, you may have this service available, which could save you a lot of money on the cost of towing.

2. Add Towing Services To Your Insurance Policy

When purchasing car insurance, consider adding towing or roadside assistance to your package. Usually, the cost of adding these extra services is relatively low. Try checking with your insurance company to see how much it would cost for the type of vehicle you have and the city where you are located.

3. Do Research Ahead Of Time

The best time to research towing companies is before you need their services. Instead of being forced to choose a towing company at random, do some research ahead of time to figure out which companies in your area offer the best rates. Then, keep the phone number for your preferred towing service in your glove box so that you always have it available if you break down.

4. Become An Auto Club Member

Joining an auto club gives you access to a lot of different benefits. These benefits usually include coverage for breakdown services. Although most clubs like these do have membership fees, the cost of joining is usually lower than what you would pay to have your vehicle towed. For many people, it is a worthwhile investment since it means that they have emergency services available if they need them.

AAA is one of the best-known auto clubs that provides towing for its members. The cost can vary quite a bit, however, based on your location.

Joining an auto club usually costs anywhere from about $50-$100 per year. When you consider how much cheaper that is than the cost of towing, your membership fees could easily pay for themselves if your vehicle breaks down.

If you have a breakdown or need a tow before you implement any of these, try Leahy’s Towing. They are a professional towing service that is only a call away.

6 Important Items To Carry In Your Vehicle’s Emergency Kit

Important Items To Carry In Your Vehicle's Emergency Kit

Important Items To Carry In Your Vehicle’s Emergency Kit

1. First aid box

The first aid kit is useful when the driver, other car occupants, or a pedestrian is injured. A useful first aid kit should have various types of band-aids, an antiseptic, ointment, antiseptic wipes, aspirin, gauze, gloves, pads, adhesive tape, and cotton balls. Besides these items, the owner should also add any other extra items that are specific to them or their close friends or family.

2. Fire extinguisher

A fire extinguisher is very crucial for an emergency kit, however, most retail kits still omit them. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) gives class “B” or “C” ratings to extinguishers. Class B extinguishers can be used specifically against class B fires like those caused by flammable substances such as kerosene, gasoline, and diesel fuel.

3. Completely charged mobile phone

This basic gadget can dictate if you have to spend the night in your car after a breakdown or if you can receive instant help. A mobile phone, however, is only useful where the breakdown area has sufficient network coverage.

4. Flashlight

This tool is will assist you during the night and in misty conditions. It will be more useful, if it is waterproof, and if you have carried some spare batteries.

5. Warning triangles

In case your car breakdowns on a busy road, it is recommended that the driver warns oncoming traffic on the condition of their car. They should set their warning triangles and turn on the hazard signals of their vehicle.

6. Tire gauge

The tire gauge assists you to measure the air pressure of the spare tire. Every vehicle must have a spare tire that is properly inflated. Most people ignore checking the spare tires’ pressure and thus don’t realize that their spare tire has low pressure.

Let Leahy’s Towing help you with your roadside emergencies, we will tow your vehicle to safety. Contact us as soon as you need a professional service.

5 Tips For Driving Safely In The Rain

5 Tips For Driving Safely In The Rain

5 Tips For Driving Safely In The Rain

1. Slow down

The first thing that you need to remember to do when it is raining out is to watch the road conditions carefully. Rain makes roads wet, and that can ultimately lead to roads that are slick and unsafe. If you are driving in these road conditions, you should reduce your speed.

2. Use the right lights

Another big problem when trying to drive in the rain is visibility. So if you are driving in wet weather, we recommend that you play around with different lights in your car. Using your fog lights will provide you with the best visibility in some conditions, while you might want to use your high beams in other conditions to see the road and coming surroundings as clearly as you can.

3. Make wide turns as slowly as you can

As you are approaching and performing a turn, you should slow down. That will reduce the risk of your vehicle sliding as you are turning.

4. Windshield wipers and rain repellent

If you are getting ready to drive in the rain, prepare your vehicle ahead of time. If a rain-repellent is used on your windshield that can help to eliminate the rain from view. It is also important that your windshield wiper fluid is full in order to clear away any dirt that wet road conditions might cause.

5. Know when it is time to pull over

Although driving in a regular rainstorm might not be very had for you to do, it can be if there is a violent storm taking place. If you think that your visibility or the road conditions are too poor, you should pull over to the side of the road. That can prevent a possible accident just by knowing when you should pull over when it is raining. And should an accident happen or you require towing services, Leahy’s Towing is just a call away.

4 Reasons Why Your Car Might Get Towed Away

4 Reasons Why Your Car Might Get Towed Away Without You Providing Authorization

4 Reasons Why Your Car Might Get Towed Away

1) Parking Illegally: If you park your vehicle without a proper permit in an ambulance parking space, a handicap spot, in front of a fire hydrant, or other tow-away places, then your vehicle can get towed away legally even without you providing authorization. Many major cities are having trouble offering sufficient parking space for local citizens. Those living in big places like Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York are already frustratingly familiar with the arduous and time-consuming task that is hunting for any parking spot.

2) Expired Registration: Never wait for your vehicle’s registration to expire. Otherwise, you might be paying a visit to your local impound station in the near future. When local authorities like law enforcement and DMV personnel discover that your car registration is expired, they might have the legal right to tow your vehicle, again, without you providing permission. Before you can retrieve your vehicle, you might have to offer proof of your renewed registration.

3) Roadway Or Walkway Obstruction: If you park your vehicle in a way that blocks the entrance or driveway to a home or business, and then you come back out and can’t find your car in that same parking spot, you can probably safely assume it was towed away because you blocked traffic.

4) Unlicensed Driving: If you are stopped by a police cruiser and they discover that you either don’t have a driver’s license or it expired, then they’re probably going to have a tow truck report to that spot. It’s illegal to drive unless you have a valid license, and even having an expired license won’t count.

5) Disabled Vehicle: If police pull you over and they think your car isn’t currently in a safe condition for driving, then they can have it towed right then and there.

Need a reliable towing service? There is no time like now to contact your friendly towers at Leahy’s Towing.

4 Professionals You Should Call After Being In A Car Accident

4 Professionals You Should Call After Being In A Car Accident

4 Professionals You Should Call After Being In A Car Accident

1. The Authorities

You are strongly encouraged to call 911 and inform the police about an accident, whether or not there were any injuries. If there have been injuries or a fire, then ambulance or fire services should be notified as well. It is an absolute must to call the police, even if the accident was a minor one since it will be helpful for your insurance claim since you will need to have your police report to file with your claim. Another thing that is recommended that you don’t move your car before the police have arrived.

2. Towing Company

If your car is a complete wreck, then it is advised that you wait until the police have given you the all-clear before you call a towing company to pick your car up and tow it away to a garage or another location. The police are going to want to inspect the vehicles at the scene of the accident to evaluate how the accident took place to make the best assessment possible.

3. Your Insurance Company

As soon as possible, you should contact your car insurance company to inform them of your accident to open your claim. A majority of insurance companies provide a toll-free 24-hour hotline. Some also allow you to file your insurance claim directly on their website so you can report your accident online. You also can ask your car insurance company representative where your car should be towed for repairs and then tell the towing company to transport your car to that location.

4. Your Attorney

Another professional you may want to call if you have been involved in a car accident is your lawyer. Contact her or him as soon as possible. Your attorney will provide you with guidance to ensure that none of the evidence is destroyed to ensure that your rights are protected.

Leahy’s Towing is the best place to contact for your towing needs. Get in touch with any questions you may have.