Coolant warning came on during a school run and I completely froze

Dropping my kids off last Wednesday and the coolant warning light flashed up right in the middle of a busy junction, and I had no clue whether I should keep driving or pull over immediately. I pulled over, obviously, but then I just sat there googling on my phone while my kids asked me a hundred questions about why we weren't moving. Turns out I'd let the coolant get dangerously low, which is embarrassing because I should know better by now. A friend later told me there's a page with some solid info on VW maintenance and common warning signs that would've helped me react faster, and I want to find out more about what to do in these situations instead of panicking every time a light comes on. Honestly I've realised I know almost nothing about the car I drive every single day, which is not a great feeling. Has anyone else had a moment like this and what did you start doing differently afterward?