A stalled car on a busy road is stressful — here is the exact order of steps to keep you safe before the tow truck even leaves the depot.
A breakdown rarely happens at a convenient time or place. Before you call for a tow, there are a few quick moves that keep you and your vehicle safe.
If the car can still roll, steer it as far onto the shoulder or into a parking lot as possible. Every extra foot of clearance from moving traffic reduces risk.
Turn on hazard lights immediately. If it is dark or foggy, reflective triangles or flares placed well behind the vehicle give approaching drivers time to react.
On a highway shoulder, it is often safer to remain buckled in your seat than to stand outside near passing traffic, unless the vehicle is at real risk of being struck.
A dispatcher can send the nearest available truck and give you a realistic ETA, track the driver, and note your exact location from your description or GPS pin.
Vehicle make and model, exact location or nearest mile marker, and whether anyone is injured all help dispatch send the right rig the first time.
