Key takeaways
- Stay inside the vehicle with your seatbelt on if you cannot safely exit to a barrier.
- Turn wheels away from the road so a struck vehicle rolls toward safety, not into traffic.
- Reflective triangles at 100/200/300 feet — but only if you can walk that distance on the shoulder.
- Never accept help from unrequested strangers; verify anyone claiming to be with a service company.
Get off the road, all the way off
Half-on, half-off is the single most dangerous stopping position. Get onto the shoulder completely, past the fog line, ideally onto a wide dirt shoulder or off-ramp. If the shoulder is narrow or unsafe, keep driving slowly (under 30 mph, hazards on) to the next off-ramp — a shredded tire is cheaper than a life.
Turn hazards on immediately
Even before you fully stop, flick on the four-way hazards. It signals to following traffic that something is wrong and gives them extra warning to change lanes. At night, hazards can be the difference between being seen and being struck.
Stay in the vehicle when in doubt
On a busy freeway shoulder without a guardrail, the safest place is inside your car with the seatbelt on. Yes, seatbelt on — a car with a driver seatbelted in survives being rear-ended dramatically better than one with an unbelted occupant.
Only exit if you can walk directly onto a wide dirt shoulder, behind a guardrail, or completely away from traffic. If your only path is along the traffic side of the vehicle, stay inside and wait.
Exit through the passenger side
When you must exit, use the passenger door. Never the driver's door on a freeway shoulder. Walk around the front of the vehicle if you need to reach the trunk. Every year drivers are killed opening a driver's door into a shoulder-passing vehicle — a fatal habit that could have been avoided with a two-second detour.
Wheels turned toward the shoulder
Before you exit, turn the front wheels away from the road. If your parked car is struck by a passing vehicle, angled wheels send it toward the shoulder rather than back into traffic. This is one of those small habits that can matter enormously in the worst-case scenario.
Reflective triangles and flares
If your vehicle carries emergency triangles, place them at 100 feet, 200 feet, and 300 feet behind the car on a freeway. But — and this is critical — only if you can walk that distance entirely on the shoulder without stepping into a live lane. In a narrow shoulder situation, skip the triangles and rely on hazards.
Verify anyone who stops
If a stranger stops to help, roll the window down just enough to speak. Ask them to call 911 or roadside dispatch on your behalf rather than approaching. Legitimate roadside technicians will arrive in a marked vehicle, in uniform, and can verify the specific booking number for your call.
When our technicians arrive, they identify themselves by name and confirm your job number before beginning work. If someone claims to be with a roadside service and can't verify your job number, they aren't with us.
Frequently asked
Common questions
What should I keep in the car for roadside emergencies?
Reflective triangles, a flashlight, a charged power bank, a bottle of water, and a basic first-aid kit. See our downloadable Emergency Roadside Checklist for the full list.
Should I always call 911 for a breakdown?
For non-injury breakdowns in a safe location, roadside assistance is the correct call. Reserve 911 for injuries, live-lane blockages, or unsafe situations you cannot escape.