It seems like more and more I run into situations where people are unsure of what to do when their car battery dies unexpectedly. First and foremost, everyone should carry a set of jumper cables in their car. These can be used on your own, or to help a friend or stranger who is stuck with a dead battery.

Once you have jumper cables, make sure that both cars are parked close to each other and turned off before getting started. Remember to make sure that the car is turned off, (radio, AC, headlights,) and unplug any AC adapters that are currently plugged in.

The jumper cables have two colored sides to them, red and black. Make sure that you pay attention to the colors being used below. Make sure that you notice the (“+”) and (“-”) signs on both of the blocks, this is very important.

Step 1: Connect one red clamp to the positive terminal (look for the “+”) on your car battery.

Step 2: Next, connect the other red clamp to the donor battery’s positive terminal.

Step 3: Connect one black clamp to the negative terminal (“-“) on your battery.

Step 4: On the donor car, attach the final back clamp (“-“) to a piece of solid, unpainted metal that won’t slip, such as an engine bolt or the air conditioner compressor bracket.

Step 5: Now that cables are connected, start up the dead car and cross your fingers. Hopefully you will hear the once dead battery, now running.

Step 6: If car doesn’t crank, wait a few minutes before trying again.

Step 7: Once the battery is running on its own disconnect all the cables in reverse order, starting with the black clamp from the donors car.

Now that the cable is attached and the car is running, you’re ready to go. Thank the donor for their car and time and head on your way. Remember that once your car is running, you may not want to stop it again at the chance of having to jump-start again. Your best bet is to head to your local automotive repair shop for an electrical diagnosis.