Getting stuck on the side of the road can be a drag. More than that, it can sometimes be dangerous and frightening. As a driver, you need to know how to deal with any auto emergency that may arise when on the road.

You should always be prepared for any auto emergency that you could experience when driving. Here are some vital items that should remain in your car at all times:

• Spare tire
  
• Tire iron
  
• Car jack
  
• Tire pressure gauge
  
• Tire sealant
  
• Flares
  
• Flashlight
  
• Set of wrenches and screwdrivers
  
• Rags
  
• Gloves and hat
  
• Blankets
  
• Non-perishable food
  

1. At the first sign of trouble, let off the gas, put on your blinker and move your vehicle toward the breakdown lane.

2. Place highway flares behind your vehicle to alert other drivers and put on your hazard lights.

3. If you cannot fix the car yourself, call for help from the police or AAA and wait.

4. Don't wait in your vehicle if your car is on the road; stand away from traffic.

5. If your car is safely away from traffic, wait inside the car with the doors locked.

6. If someone stops to help other than law enforcement, remain in your locked car and crack the window to speak - don't compromise your own safety.

7. If you are close enough to where help can be found and reached quickly without a risk to your safety, do so, making sure you stay as far from moving traffic as possible.

If you see steam rising from under your vehicle's hood and/or the engine temperature needle in your car begins rising, your car is likely overheating.

1. Move your vehicle out of traffic and into the breakdown lane; turn on the heater. This will draw excess heat from the engine to cool it down. 

2. If the temperature gauge doesn't start to fall immediately, try turning the A/C on high.

3. If the gauge needle is still in the red zone, turn off the engine.

4. Open the hood and wait for at least 30 minutes while the engine cools.

5. Do not attempt to continue driving the vehicle as this will cause severe damage to the engine. Call for a tow truck and wait.

NOTE: never take the radiator cap off before the engine has cooled or scalding fluid could explode out and onto you, causing severe burns.

Debris, potholes and general road hazards can cause a tire blowout, as well as age and over- or under-inflation. You will know when you have a blowout or a flat tire when you hear a rhythmic thumping sound, often accompanied by a tugging sensation in the steering wheel.

1. If you experience a blowout or flat, remove your foot from the accelerator, put on your blinker and pull off the road slowly.

2. Turn on your hazard lights and place flares behind your vehicle.

3. If possible, bring the car to park on level ground.

4. Follow Mahalo's page on How to Change a Flat Tire.

If you hit the brakes and nothing happens, stay calm.

1. Take your foot off the accelerator and make sure cruise control is disengaged. 

2. Downshift to another gear, no matter if your car has a manual or automatic transmission. 

3. Once the car begins to slow, continue to downshift gears.

4. If the road's surface is dry and you are going 30 mph or less, try to engage the parking brake and bring your car to a complete stop, off the road if possible.

5. Turn on your hazard lights, call for a tow truck and wait inside your locked vehicle, as long as it is safely away from moving traffic.

If the engine power cuts off, as well as your dashboard lights, headlights, indicators and power steering, you are experiencing electrical failure in your vehicle.

1. Roll down the window and use hand signals to indicate changing lanes so you can pull off to the side of the road.

2. Avoid jerky motions. Grip the wheel and steer the car into the breakdown lane.

3. Place flares behind your vehicle to alert other drivers.

4. If your car is off the road, safely away from traffic, stay in your locked car and call for help. If you are still on the road, stand away from your vehicle at a safe distance.

5. If someone stops to help other than law enforcement, remain in your locked car and crack the window to speak - don't compromise your own safety.

6. Wait until help arrives.

1. If you miscalculate refilling your gas tank and wind up running out while driving, move over to the slow lane, then the breakdown lane.

2. Turn on your hazard lights and place flares behind your vehicle to alert other drivers.

3. If you are safely away from moving traffic, stay in your locked car and call for help. If someone stops to help other than law enforcement, remain in your locked car and crack the window to speak - don't compromise your own safety.

4. If you are close enough to a gas station to walk without risking your safety, do so.