Breaking down on a busy highway or remote backroad is stressful, but knowing exactly what to do can save money, time, and even lives.
I’ll walk you through the safest ways to react, who to call first, and how to use your insurance to avoid surprise bills.
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1. Take These 5 Safety Steps
First things first, let’s make sure you’re safe before we do anything else.
- Turn on your hazard lights. Turning on your hazards ASAP (before you even stop) will let your fellow motorists know that something’s not right and you need to pull over. And don’t worry about your hazards draining your battery, since most modern vehicles can run their hazards for over four hours.
- Pull as far off the road as possible. Even if you have to pull far onto the grass, it’s still preferable to stopping anywhere near a road with cars flying by. Try to get at least a full car width away from the road and avoid stopping on bridges.
- Stay inside the vehicle. Unless you’ve made it somewhere safe for pedestrians, like a parking lot, it’s generally best to stay in your vehicle until help arrives. If you must get out, try to exit on the passenger side so you’re not stepping out into traffic.
- Relax and check for symptoms. Take a few deep breaths and assess the situation. What happened? Do you have a flat tire? Is your engine smoking? Knocking? Calm nerves and a bit of situational awareness will help you better communicate with outside help.
- Pinpoint your location. 911 or roadside assistance will want to know exactly where you are, so be prepared with an answer. Intersections and cross-streets are helpful for emergency services. In the example below, you could say, “I’m on I-40 East, just east of Old Mocksville Road.
2. Contact Help
Now that you’re safe, calm, and you know your location, it’s time to get some help. But who to call: 911 or roadside assistance? Or both?
Should I call 911 during a roadside emergency?
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t necessarily have to call 911 for every roadside emergency. If you broke down somewhere safe and all you need is a jump, towing, gas, etc., you don’t need to involve emergency services.
But here are some cases when you do:
- Accidents involving other motorists: If you hit someone or vice versa, you’ll want EMS onsite to provide necessary medical help and police to provide a police report.
- Blocking traffic: If you had no choice but to stop on the road or dangerously close to it, the police can help redirect traffic and get you out of harm’s way.
- Hazards in the roadway: If your roadside emergency resulted in debris spilling onto the road (e.g., a tire blowout leaving tire chunks all over the highway), 911 can help clear the way for other motorists.
- Medical emergencies: Naturally, if anyone’s hurt, call 911 immediately.
- Vehicle on fire: If a vehicle is billowing smoke or already on fire, get the fire department on the scene immediately.
- Feeling unsafe: If anything about the situation makes you feel unsafe at all (e.g., belligerent motorists, creepy dudes staring, low lighting), don’t hesitate to call 911.
But if none of these situations apply and you feel totally safe (if annoyed), there’s usually no need to call 911.
For example, my friend Jules recently hit a nail while driving through a construction zone. Her front left tire started going wub wub wub, so she knew something was wrong, and smartly pulled into a Trader Joe’s parking lot right away. It was the middle of the day, and she felt 100% safe, so she called AAA and waited. Easy.
But years ago, my wife’s radiator died, leaving her and her Hyundai stranded in the middle of a busy street during rush hour. People honked and jeered, so she called the police (and then me), and we both rushed to the scene to move her car to safety.
How to get roadside assistance
Once you’ve assessed the need to call 911, it’s best to go ahead and call roadside assistance.
Roadside assistance (aka “roadside service”) can help with things like:
- Flat tires
- Dead batteries
- Running out of gas
- Getting locked out of your car
- Mechanical issues
- Towing
There are a few ways you can contact a roadside assistance provider:
- Through AAA: AAA (“Triple-A”) is to roadside assistance what McDonald’s is to fast food — it’s everywhere and it’s been around forever. You can still call them without a membership, but it just costs a little more.
- Through your insurance provider: If you have roadside emergency assistance as part of your insurance coverage, you can call your provider directly, and they can connect you with a local provider ASAP.
- Through your credit card: Some credit cards include roadside assistance as part of their benefits. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers up to $50 per incident, up to four times per year, for towing, battery assistance, tire changes, locksmiths, and gas delivery. The number to call will be in your benefits guide.
- Directly: If you know a trustworthy mobile mechanic or towing company nearby, you can always call them directly to ask for roadside assistance.
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3. Stay Safe While Awaiting Help
Now that help is on the way, your next objective is to simply be patient and stay safe.
Here are a few tips:
- Preserve your phone battery. Save juice in case family, EMS, or AAA need to contact you. Listening to quiet music with the screen off will drain the battery far more slowly than social media or video content.
- Stay inside and don’t talk to strangers. While most people probably have good intentions, stranded motorists (especially young women) can become targets for scammers and bad actors. Best to stay inside with doors locked until help arrives.
- Update friends and family. Now that emergency services know where you are, it doesn’t hurt to notify family, too. Having a friend, parent, or partner show up can make you feel safer, help pass the time, and provide a car with running heat or A/C.
4. Document the Incident
Once a friend or emergency services have arrived and you feel safe, take a few minutes to document the incident.
Take tons of photos, some videos, and a selfie video describing in your own words what happened. For example, “I just hit a pothole on Peachtree Street by the intersection of Peachtree and 17th, and I think I have a flat tire.”
All of this information can be helpful to police, roadside assistance, your mechanic, and possibly even your attorney if you end up in a legal situation over the incident.
5. If Necessary, File an Insurance Claim
There are three cases when it might make sense to file an insurance claim after a roadside incident:
- Accidents: If your roadside emergency was the result of an accident or collision with another motorist, you’ll want to involve your insurance.
- Excessive damage: If your vehicle suffered damage normally covered under your collision or comprehensive protection, you may want to file a claim to help cover costs. Keep in mind, though, that mechanical breakdowns like leaky radiators, busted transmissions, or dysfunctional EV batteries typically aren’t covered by your auto insurance — but might be covered under your vehicle’s manufacturer or extended warranty.
- Roadside assistance costs: If you paid out-of-pocket for roadside assistance but you forgot that you already have roadside coverage through your insurance, you can often file a claim to have these costs reimbursed.
As for timing, it’s best to file claims for accidents and damage ASAP. Most providers say within 48 hours.
But for roadside expenses, the timing window is a bit more lax. Insurance provider Amica told us we had two months to file a claim for towing, jumpstarts, etc.
Even still, it’s best to file all insurance claims ASAP to get the ball rolling and get reimbursed quickly!
FAQs About Roadside Emergencies
Should I call 911 for a flat tire?
It might be a good idea to call 911 for a flat tire if you feel unsafe or you’re blocking traffic. But if you’re able to stop somewhere safe and out of the way, you don’t necessarily need to call 911 and can contact your emergency roadside assistance provider instead.
How long do I have to file a roadside insurance claim?
It can vary by provider, but you often have a decent window of time and don’t necessarily have to file a claim right away. Insurance provider Amica told us that we’d have two months to file a claim.
TL;DR: Roadside Emergency Guide
If you ever find yourself in a roadside emergency, the best steps you can take, in order, are: get safe, call for help, stay safe while you wait, document the incident, and file a claim if necessary.
Not to toot our own horn or anything, but if you want to print out this guide and stick it in your glove compartment, we wouldn’t blame you!
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Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
