Car Trouble

• Explain that you are running late due to car trouble. You can say that you had a flat tire, that your car ran out of gasoline or even that your motor just won't start. You can add the excuse of taking time to make the repairs yourself, or you can say that you need additional time to run the car by a garage.
  
  

Overslept

• Blame the fact that you are late for an early meeting on oversleeping. You can say that your alarm clock never went off so you did not realize how late it actually was. You can also use the excuse of staying up very late the previous night. If you say that you stayed up late, then be prepared to explain what kept you up so long. You can use the excuse of late night work as a justification for the lack of sleep.
  
  

Too Much Traffic

• Explain your lateness by saying that you were stuck in heavy interstate traffic.Thomas Northcut/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  If you live in a busy city or commute to one, you can say that clogged intersections are the reason for your delay. You may also want to use the excuse of a car accident and an ensuing traffic jam. If you live in a smaller town, you may still be able to use the traffic excuse; however, if the person you are meeting is very familiar with the area, she may know that traffic was not an issue.
  
  

Lost

• You can use a variety of "lost" excuses that will justify running late. You can say that you lost your car keys and that taking time to find them will make you run late. You could say that you lost track of time because you were working on a big project. Or you can explain that you simply got lost on your way to a meeting -- this excuse will work best if you are in an unfamiliar area.