Survive When Your Car Breaks Down in the Desert
If you were driving down the highway in a desolate area, would you know how to survive when your car breaks down in the desert? There are a number of steps that you can take to protect yourself and your family if you are planning a trip that would require you to travel through remote areas such as the desert.
Steps
- Prepare for your trip adequately by stocking your car with emergency items.
- Keep your cell phone fully charged. You may not have reception in the area where you break down, but if you choose to leave your vehicle and travel closer to civilization, you may be able to pick up reception.
- Bring hard copies of your maps. Just because your cell phone is working now does not mean that your cell phone will work if you get stuck in the wilderness of a desert. MapQuest maps are great for to and from directions, but you might consider an atlas to have a better picture of the area 360 degrees around your breakdown site.
- Pack plenty of food and water. Bottled water and nonperishable food items make great snack items, but they can also generally keep until the next trip.
- Make sure that you have your spare tire with your vehicle in case of a flat. With that, ensure that all of your tire-changing tools are packed in the vehicle as well.
- Keep blankets in the back of your vehicle. They don't take up much room, and you will be grateful to have them when the temperature drops.
- Keep a small emergency kit with matches and/or a lighter, flares, a flashlight, first aid supplies and other miscellaneous items in your vehicle.
- Additional items to consider keeping in your vehicle are tire repair goo and a small tire pump. You may not be strong enough to change your tire, but you can probably patch and refill the air every couple of miles to get you to a safe location.
- You might also think about packing a signal mirror, a weapon and comfortable hiking shoes, just in case.
- Consider using a reliable GPS system, or use your phone to access GPS.
- Familiarize yourself with your route, and pay attention to the mile markers. This will help you in the event that a decision has to be made regarding leaving the vehicle to seek help or staying with it to flag someone down to assist.
- Have someone show you basic car mechanics before you go on your trip. Get trained in how to change a tire, how to cool an engine, etc.
- Pull your car over as far as you can so as not to impede traffic or cause someone else to be in danger.
- Stay with your vehicle in the event of a breakdown unless you are on a clearly uninhabited road. Your best survival is to stick with the vehicle, try to repair it and/or flag down another driver.
- Take advantage of any shade that your vehicle gives you and ration your water.
- Use flares to flag down passing motorists.
- Consider putting a "HELP" sign in your car windows.
- Always let friends, family or loved ones know that you are taking a trip into or through the desert. Let them know your departure time and estimated time of arrival so that they can seek emergency help if you are gone considerably longer than expected.
- Rent a satellite phone if you plan to take your vehicle off-road for any reason during your time in the desert.
Tips
- Lock your car and leave a note clearly stating where you are trying to head to in the event that you ultimately decide to leave your vehicle to seek help. Also include the time that you left, and do this regardless if you have accepted a ride into the next town or you've simply given up that any help will come.
