What to do if your car bonnet flies open while driving

It is definitely not a good experience to see your car bonnet flying open when on motion. Your heart freezes and pauses for few seconds. This is the very moment you are likely to make one of the most irrational decisions of your life, which could claim many lives on that road.

It is a good practice to do general check up on your vehicle regularly before you set out for work or any other daily activities you plan for. However when you do basic checkup like checking the water level in the engine or level of oil, you will need to open your bonnet and perform this small task, after which you close your engine bonnet back. It is not a new thing to have your mind skipping the closing of bonnet once in a lifetime, even though you can avoid that. When it happens, the most obvious solution that comes to mind is to press brake instantly.

Do not do that, it is very risky. Before it gets worse, it might have been giving you signs of a loose bonnet. It is better you move your car to the road side and fix it. When you are moving on the highway at a top speed, the pressure of the wind will force your loose bonnet to fly out and can sometimes hit your windscreen. Because of this unfortunate situation, you brake hard since the bonnet and the cracked windscreen have obstructed your vision.

First and most importantly, If you notice that your bonnet looks loose as you drive along, stop and check it. Don’t wait until you get home.

What to do if your bonnet flies up while driving?

Stay calm

The worst danger in this situation comes from you. If you experience a flying bonnet, there is no need panicking because it will make the situation worse.

Check your mirrors

If you experience a flying bonnet, your view is bound to be obstructs by the flying bonnet. Check through all of your mirrors for incoming cars and take the necessary action.

Hold the steering wheel firmly to counter wind resistance

With flying bonnet comes wind resistance, thus you are expected to hold the steering wheel firmly so as to withstand such resistance and avoid being drifted off the road or to another lane.

Brake firmly if it is safe to do so

Try to look out of the driver’s window, steering the vehicle to safely park by the side.