Being prepared for what to do if your RV breaks down during your travels will help keep you and your passengers safe and get your home away from home safely back on the road as soon as possible.

The first priority when your RV breaks down is to get to safety. Get your vehicle as far off the road onto the shoulder as you can while staying a safe distance from ditches so your vehicle doesn't tip over. If the interior of the vehicle is safe, keep people inside the RV with their seat belts secured until help arrives. 

It's best to set up reflective cones around your RV until you have it back on the road or towed. Place a large safety cone about 10 feet behind your RV, then place additional cones at 100 and 200 feet behind it to alert motorists to your stopped RV ahead.

If your RV breakdown was due to an accident, it's important to contact emergency services for anyone hurt first, then contact the police to file an accident report. Take as many pictures of your RV, any other involved vehicles, and the scene of the accident as possible.

Get the insurance information from everyone involved so you can file your own insurance claim as quickly as possible.

Once your RV is safely off the road and everyone is out of harm's way, you'll need to determine what's wrong with your RV to see if it's something you can manage yourself or if you need to call for help.

You might be able to change a flat or jump-start an RV with a dead battery (if you have another running vehicle to help you), but some RV repairs require an experienced RV mechanic to deal with.

Once you have an idea of what's wrong and have determined you can't solve the problem yourself, it's time to call for service. Make sure to let any services you call know that you're in an RV and give them the size, make, and model. Depending on the size and type of your vehicle, it might require a heavy-duty tow truck like trucks used to tow semis or even two trucks.

Many RV owners opt to pay for national roadside assistance services to make sure they have access to emergency services wherever they travel. If you have roadside assistance, they'll usually arrange for wrecker service, locksmith, mobile mechanic, or whatever you need to get your RV drivable again. 

If you don't pay for roadside assistance, it's a good idea to check with a local tow company. Most wrecker services will know which local mechanics and dealers service RVs if you need to have it towed to a mechanic. Campgrounds are other good places to check for information on good RV mechanics in the area.

Not all breakdowns are preventable, but you can greatly reduce your chances of a breakdown on the road if you perform any scheduled maintenance as directed by the RV manufacturer or warranty company. Many RV warranties require owners to keep up with scheduled oil changes and other maintenance to keep the warranty valid.

Do a thorough inspection on your RV before you head out on a trip, especially if the vehicle has been sitting undriven and/or unlived in for any length of time. Check all fluid levels, including the radiator coolant. Check that the air filter is clean to keep the engine running smoothly.

Examine radiator and heater hoses to check for worn areas, cracks, or holes. Tires should have plenty of tread and be inflated according to the manufacturer. Make sure your emergency kit is stocked with a first aid kit, basic tools, a flashlight, jumper cables, and road flares or cones.

Hix Wrecker Service offers convenient emergency 24/7 towing services throughout the Indianapolis area. Contact us today to see how we can help.