My car broke down on the highway- Now what!?

This is a true story. And this is a true picture of the car I was in that broke down on the highway friday night.

Thankfully I was not driving (yes, I was using the advice in the previous post and car-pooling to a sporting event) And thankfully I was with three other people when the car started smoking off the highway in a sketchy part of Dallas. But it got me thinking, would I know what to do by myself if the car broke down?

1. Pull off the highway. Even if it is a sketchy area, it is better to sit on the access road with the doors locked than risk getting hit by another car.

2. Make sure your cell is charged and have a roadside assistance in your contacts. If you are driving, any smart girl should have her cell phone charged. It is worth the investment to have car charger for long trips. Put the roadside assistance number in your phone RIGHT NOW. This is one of those things I always mean to do (like buy mace) but you never actually do until you need it. Then it is too late.

3. If you can't get off the highway? Stay in your car! There goes my dreams of standing by the car and having a dashing young gentleman pull over and change my tire. But (1) you are likely to get hit if you stand outside on the highway and your life is more important (2) calling roadside assistance or a friend is a safer bet. There are so many creeps out there and (3) he probably wasn't going to be that cute anyways.

4. Before abandoning your car, take all valuables. Valuables? Yes, this includes your insurance and registration. If someone steals your car (which I don't know how this is possible if it isn't working) you don't want them to have your car AND your registration.