Pickups providing technical assistance to drivers have started operating on republican highways. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Sputnik Kazakhstan.
KazAvtoZhol has launched a new service providing technical assistance to drivers on highways of republican significance. The service is provided free of charge. In pilot mode, special orange pickups have started operating on the Astana – Arshaly and Astana – Temirtau routes.
To call for help, it is enough to contact the unified contact center at 1403. The service is provided free of charge.
"Suppose a car stalled on the road, a tire burst or a puncture occurred, towing was needed, or another unforeseen situation arose. Now the driver can call the KazAvtoZhol contact center and inform the operator of their location and the problem," the message says.
After the request is accepted, a technical service crew is sent to the scene. The special pickups are equipped with tools and equipment necessary for providing first technical assistance on the road. The vehicles are painted bright orange and equipped with special light signals, making them clearly visible to other road users from a distance.
The crews can provide assistance in case of tire damage or puncture, technical malfunction, need for towing, and other situations when the driver cannot continue moving independently.
The main task of the new service is not only to assist the driver but also to eliminate a potentially dangerous situation on the road as quickly as possible. A forced stop of a vehicle on the highway, especially on high-speed sections, at night, or in adverse weather conditions, poses an additional danger to all road users. Therefore, it is important to promptly mark the location of the stopped vehicle, provide the driver with necessary assistance, and, if necessary, move the vehicle to a safe place.
The pilot project will allow determining the demand for the new service, the response time of the crews, and the problems most often encountered by drivers. The accumulated experience will be taken into account in the further development of the technical assistance system on republican highways.
How to call for help?
If a breakdown or other unforeseen situation occurs on a republican highway, you need to call the short number 1403 and inform the operator of your location, direction of travel, and the nature of the problem. Before the technical service arrives, it is recommended to move the vehicle to a safe place off the roadway if possible, turn on the hazard lights, and observe safety measures.
The main goal of the new KazAvtoZhol service is to promptly assist a driver who finds themselves in a difficult situation on a republican highway and ensure road safety, the company says.