Music Festival Attendees: What To Do If Your Car Breaks Down

Thirty-two million people went to at least one U.S. music festival in 2014, and they each traveled an average of 903 miles to get there. While that mileage number includes all modes of transportation, including flying, there's no doubt that festival goers are driving long distances from home and facing car breakdowns.

Before Leaving for the Festival

Whenever you're heading out for a long drive to a music festival, it pays to check over your car and make sure any needed repairs are attended to before you leave. Additionally, make sure your roadside emergency kit is well-stocked and includes essential items like a wrench, a spare tire, jumper cables and extra water and snacks.

Ensure that you have emergency phone numbers with you and your auto club card if you have that membership. To be extra cautious, have your emergency numbers written on a piece of paper that you store in the glove compartment. If they're only programmed in your phone, you'll be stuck if your phone dies and you can't charge it.

Breakdowns on the Road

Always exercise caution. If you're having car problems on the road, try to get into the shoulder on the right side of the road or highway as soon as possible. Keep coasting along until you have a straight line of vision behind you. If your car is hidden around a curve, it'll be difficult to see oncoming traffic once you're ready to get back on the road.

If your car's engine dies when you're driving on the highway and you can't get it off of the road, don't get out of the car. It's incredibly dangerous to try to cross a high-speed freeway on foot. Most major highways are heavily patrolled and before long a highway patrol officer should be on site to help you out. If you're attempting to fix a flat tire yourself, only do so if you're on the side of the road that's not exposed to traffic.

If You're Halfway There

If you're far from home and also far from the festival, consider booking a local hotel room for the night while you wait for your car to be repaired. Another option is to rent a car and then come back to get yours when the festival is over. Some repair shops offer a car rental service you can use.

Breaking down on the way to a festival is probably the biggest annoyance, but it's also no fun when you get to your car at the end of it all to find that your vehicle won't start. If your battery died, you might get lucky and find a fellow festival-goer to give it a jump. Security or concert staff can also help.

Contact an auto repair company, like Gwizz Auto Group or a similar location, for more tips and info.


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