A car breakdown can make you a target. Guardian Angel on Call’s got your back

Whether you require roadside assistance, a person to wait with you until help arrives, a tow-truck, a lift to where you need to go or emergency medical assistance – there’s a Guardian Angel on standby, just in case.

Life is full of surprises. Some are good and some not so much. Your car breaking down is one of those surprises you could definitely live without. And while women like to be prepared for anything, this is an annoying inconvenience – and one that can put them in harm’s way.

Being stuck on the side of the road could attract unwanted attention from opportunistic criminals. While a trend has been seen with thieves taking advantage of people trapped or injured in their cars following an accident, and robbing them blind, it’s not a far stretch to imagine that those stuck on the side of the road could face a similar risk. The need for increased vigilance is highlighted by Rescue Care operations director, Garrith Jamieson, who says that theft from accident victims is not uncommon.

To help protect female motorists against incidences like this and to keep them safe, 1st for Women recently increased the safety features of their Guardian Angel on Call service, available through the 1st for Women app.

Among a host of other benefits, these safety features now include: access to a roadside assistance provider that you can track to your exact location if your vehicle is out of fuel, has a flat battery or a flat tyre, or if your car breaks down. And if you’re feeling unsafe, you can request a Guardian Angel to come and wait with you until help arrives – all through the 1st for Women app.

1st for Women also offers the following tips to help keep you safe if you’re in an accident or if your car breaks down on the side of the road:

• Move over and keep idling – if your car is still safe to drive, move to the side of the road and switch on your hazard lights. Keep idling to ensure you can make a quick escape if you’re in danger.
• Stay in a safe place – it’s best to remain in your car (as long as you’re not in the way of traffic) but if there is a safe place nearby, like a restaurant, garage or shopping centre, take all your valuables, lock the car and go there to wait for the tow-truck. If there isn’t a safe place to go, lock all the doors and wait inside your car until help arrives.
• Make contact – call your insurance company immediately or open the Guardian Angel on Call
• Keep in touch – let a family member, colleague or friend know what’s happened and ask them to call you every 30 minutes to check you’re still okay.
• Remember stranger danger – don’t accept help from strangers, rather wait for officials to arrive.
• Stay subtle – if it’s dark, don’t draw more attention to yourself by switching on the cabin lights inside the car.

Tips for general safety:

• Protect yourself from smash and grabs – make sure that your car is fitted with anti-smash and grab film.
• Avoid a communication crisis – always ensure your phone is sufficiently charged before you go anywhere.

Brought to you by 1st for Women

All it takes is one app to have safety, convenience and peace of mind at your fingertips. When you get comprehensive car insurance from 1st for Women, you’ll get the Guardian Angel on Call benefit standard on our app.

Guardian Angel on Call includes a mobile crash detector which starts working from the minute you start driving. So if you needed a tow truck, following an accident or breakdown, you could request one at the tap of the app. And if an accident resulted in you needing emergency medical assistance, an ambulance would be sent directly to your location – whether you contact us or not. In addition to this Guardian Angel on Call offers a host of other benefits including: a Guardian Angel to wait with you if you feel unsafe; arranging a lift to get you where you need to go as well as provision of a roadside assistance provider, that you can track, to your exact location if your vehicle is out of fuel, has a flat battery, or a flat tyre – all through the 1st for Women app.

Simply download and register on the 1st for Women app, input your details (such as your medical aid information and any conditions or allergies you have) and allow the app to access your location. Then share the app with your regular drivers and five loved ones, so that they too can use the Guardian Angel on Call benefit. It’s as easy as that.

First for Women Insurance Company Limited is an authorised financial services provider (FSP licence number: 15261). Terms & Conditions online.