Many of us have the “I am a great driver and can handle anything” attitude, but no matter how good of a driver you are there are some situations that may occur in the car that you just can’t handle. The following are reasons you should absolutely pull over while driving.
You dropped something. This has happened to all of us; we are eating our Taco Bell burrito or in the process of putting our favorite CD in the player when it falls to the floor and rolls under the seat. ‘It’s no big deal, I will just reach and grab it really quick,’ we tell ourselves. However, when our eyes are on the floor and not the road, there may as well be no one driving the car. You have to make the decision: either leave it until you arrive at your destination, or pull over before y0u reach down to grab it.
Chaos in the car. Whether your kids are in the back seat causing a raucous or your dog decides to jump in your lap, it is hard to solve these dilemmas and have complete control of your driving at the same time. Even if you are in a rush, it isn’t worth the risk of swerving into another car or a ditch. Pull over, resolve the matter, and then get back to your journey.
Danger signs. These include an assortment of things; visibility becomes poor, you hear a loud, sudden noise, smell something out of the ordinary or see your temperature or oil light on the dashboard come on. Anything different from driving conditions you are used to may signify a problem. If there is an issue with weather, pull over and wait it out. If something seems wrong with the car, pull over and call for roadside assistance.
Medical emergency. It may seem obvious, but many people who feel that they are experiencing a heart attack, stroke, seizure or some other emergency try to make it home before calling for help. Choosing to do this puts yourself and others on the road at high risk for a dangerous accident. Even if it is something more minor, like something stuck in your eye or a headache, a situation that causes you to worry more about your body than the road should tell you that you need to pull over.
Flashing lights. Nobody likes to see the lights of a police car coming up behind them, but you will get yourself in far worse trouble by not pulling over. Just take the ticket!
Keep in mind that in all of these instances, you should pull over as soon as it is safe to do so. Don’t speed across several lanes of traffic; make sure to stay focused on the road and calmly get to the shoulder or the next exit.
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