Breakdown Insurance: Girls Guide to Breaking Down In Style

At some point in our lives we have all fallen victim to the dreaded roadside breakdown, so we need to be prepared for it by ensuring we look our best at all times - we don’t want to be caught out on a Sunday morning when popping to the local shop with no make - up on to get some bread for bacon butties.

Don’t have a break down:

We girls get a lot of stick for our driving ‘techniques’ but breaking down isn’t something we can be blamed for. A breakdown can come without any warning and for some can be dangerous and daunting.

Having the security of breakdown cover means we can feel safe in the knowledge that the equivalent to a knight in shining armour will come and rescue us in our hour of need. We can’t rely on fellow motorist to help a damsel in distress, with results from a Be Wiser Insurance poll revealing that only 28% of motorists have stopped in the past to help a driver who had broke down. We could be standing in the dark on uneven ground in a pair of our best designer shoes until a qualified member of the RAC turns up to save us, no thanks to the Great British public.

The same Be Wiser poll also showed that the main reason for not stopping to help broken down motorists was out of fear of becoming a victim of crime. With 28% they wouldn’t stop and help for this very reason, it’s no wonder as the rate of car crime has increased – especially for women who are more venerable and usually carry valuables with them in their handbags, which are of major value and interest to thieves.

Women are also running the risk of staying safe, instead of standing safely outside their broken down vehicle women tend to stay inside their vehicle so they don’t get their hair wet, which just took them an hour to perfect. A surprising one-third of women drivers polled also said they would rather stay inside their vehicle even in nice weather as they feel more secure.

Risky Roadside Recovery:

Breaking down on a busy road can be a daunting experience for any driver, especially a young inexperienced female driver who maybe doesn’t know that much about car maintenance to know what could be wrong with their vehicle.

Our not so always faithful four-wheel companions can let us down in traffic queues, on motorways or simply returning from a successful shopping spree but the key to surviving a rather stressful and frustrating breakdown ordeal is to be prepared.

Having a charged mobile phone with you at all times is essential, which kind of goes without saying for women  who like to chat to their friends a lot- but this could be the difference between calling your breakdown service for assistance or flagging a  random stranger down for help, which as previously mentioned could be a hard enough job.

There are many useful tips that women motorists could listen to and apply, but the main one to remember if caught out by the unfortunate event of breaking down is to try and pull over safely in the safest place you can, put your hazard lights on to warn other drivers and so your rescuers know who and where you are. Lastly wait patiently outside your vehicle to be rescued.

- K.J.N -