The scene is all too easy to imagine: You’re headed home after a long day when suddenly you hear a loud thud and your car veers to the right. You take your foot off the gas and manage to pull over without causing an accident. Grateful to be unhurt, you sit still for a moment and wait for your heart to stop racing — and then remember that roadside incidents are common, especially during peak travel periods when assistance demand surges (AAA’s holiday forecasts routinely anticipate large waves of rescues).
What now?
Chances are, if you haven’t been stranded on the side of the road at least once in your driving career already, you’ll find yourself there at some point. Statistics run by AAA show the organization responds to more than 30 million roadside calls each year, and large third‑party platforms such as Agero manage 12+ million additional events annually — over 40 million incidents combined. Around major holidays, the volume spikes sharply; for example, AAA’s Thanksgiving 2024 forecast anticipated assisting more than 360,000 stranded motorists over the travel window.
Furthermore, another survey by AAA echoes a long‑standing preparedness gap. Two trends amplify today’s risk profile: roughly 30% of new vehicles are sold without a traditional spare tire (Consumer Reports), and the average vehicle on U.S. roads has reached a record 12.6 years old (S&P Global Mobility). With aging components and fewer spares on board, the decisions you make in the minutes after a breakdown matter for safety and cost.
Step 1: Pull to the Side of the Road and Turn on Your Hazards
There could be hundreds of reasons why your primary mode of transportation has failed you, but that doesn’t matter yet. As soon as you sense trouble, signal and turn on hazard flashers, then steer smoothly out of traffic to the right shoulder, a designated pull‑off, or the next exit if you can keep rolling. If a left shoulder is your only refuge, use it rather than stopping in a lane. Avoid stopping on curves or in areas with poor sight lines. Once stopped, set the parking brake and keep hazards on. If you cannot reach a safe area or are stopped in a live lane, remain belted in the vehicle and call 911 (NHTSA; AAA).
Step 2: Determine Whether or Not You Should Get Out of the Car
Once you’ve pulled over and alerted others with your hazards, decide whether it’s safer to stay in or exit. If traffic is heavy or unpredictable, or you’re close to live lanes, stay inside with your seat belt fastened, doors locked, and windows up, and call for help. If you are stopped in a travel lane or have limited visibility, call 911. Do not stand near moving traffic or between vehicles (NHTSA; AAA).
Have you made it to the side of the highway safely in light traffic with room to spare on both sides of the shoulder? Go ahead and exit the car (ideally on the passenger side) and move to a protected area such as behind a guardrail; keep passengers belted until you can relocate them safely. If it’s safe, deploy reflective triangles or LED beacons to increase visibility; avoid incendiary flares near leaking fluids or dry vegetation (NHTSA).
Step 3: Evaluate the Situation
If you have any experience working with cars, pop the hood only if it’s safe and you’re well away from traffic — it also signals distress. Attempt only simple fixes (e.g., swapping to a spare if you have one and can work on the non‑traffic side). Many newer cars lack a spare, so tire sealant/inflation or professional help may be necessary (Consumer Reports). For hybrids and EVs, do not tow or roll on drive wheels unless the owner’s manual explicitly allows it; most EVs require flatbed transport to prevent drivetrain/battery damage (Consumer Reports on EV towing; Tesla Support). Never access orange‑cabled high‑voltage components; EV assistance typically involves the 12‑volt system for unlock/start functions and should be handled per OEM guidance or by trained responders (NFPA).
Please note: If there is smoke coming from under the hood, do not attempt to open it; move away and call 911. If you don’t have any knowledge regarding cars and it’s safe to leave your vehicle, step outside, take a 360 look from a safe distance, and note any damage so you can give roadside assistance accurate information. If you stall on railroad tracks, evacuate immediately and move at a 45° angle toward the train’s approach; use the blue‑and‑white ENS sign to call the posted number and provide the crossing ID (Operation Lifesaver). Avoid using incendiary flares near spilled fluids; reflective triangles or LED beacons are safer (NHTSA).
Step 4: Call for Help
If you have roadside assistance, call and say that you need to file a claim. Customer service should be there to help you. If you aren’t sure whether you have roadside assistance through your car insurance, check your coverage information online or call the insurance company and ask. Without insurance, tows can be very expensive, so it’s best to exhaust all possibilities of financial assistance before calling a tow company on your own. Make sure you go through the insurance or roadside assistance company for your tow, as some companies will not reimburse you if you let them know about the incident later. Typical options and costs in 2025: auto‑club memberships roughly $60–$190/yr depending on tier (AAA), standalone plans around $89–$119/yr (Allstate Roadside), insurer add‑ons often under $30/yr (GEICO), and pay‑per‑use dispatch about $80 per call with limited included miles (Visa Roadside Dispatch). ETAs vary by market and conditions; in normal periods they’re often on the order of tens of minutes, with longer waits during holidays and severe weather (Agero; AAA). While you wait, remain a safe distance from the roadway or inside with your seat belt fastened. Many states also operate Safety Service Patrols reachable via 911/511 (NHTSA).
If you do not have roadside assistance, you can either call a towing company directly or call a family member or friend to pick you up. If you need to leave your car on the side of the road overnight, it’s best to ensure it’s fully off the travel lanes and not creating a hazard. There is generally no universal requirement to notify police solely because a disabled vehicle is left roadside; however, vehicles can be treated as abandoned and towed after local time limits (e.g., 72+ hours on California highways and as little as 24 hours in parts of Washington State) or if they obstruct traffic (CVC §22651; WSP Abandoned Vehicles). You may choose to call a non‑emergency line to document the situation. If the vehicle is in a live lane or otherwise unsafe, call 911 immediately (NHTSA).
Step 5: Prevent/Prepare for Another Breakdown
Breakdowns are inevitable, so it’s unrealistic to think that you can prevent them entirely. However, you can prevent some, and you can prepare for all of them. Once you’re safely home, consider how you might prevent further problems: follow your maintenance schedule, get on‑time oil changes, check battery health before winter (12‑volt failures are the #1 breakdown cause globally), check tire pressure/tread and inflate as needed, and avoid running very low on fuel. An aging U.S. fleet (average 12.6 years) increases failure risk (S&P Global Mobility), and many newer cars ship without a spare tire, so plan for tire repair/assist solutions (Consumer Reports).
To be prepared for another unfortunate breakdown, make sure you have the numbers for any roadside assistance programs you’re enrolled in on your person or in your glove compartment at all times. Additionally, buy a cell phone charger that you can keep in your car, and purchase or assemble an emergency road kit: reflective triangles or LED beacons, high‑visibility vest, flashlight and batteries, first‑aid kit, tire gauge/inflator or sealant, jumper cables or a jump pack, blanket or rain gear, water and nonperishable snacks (Ready.gov). Consider that EVs often need flatbed towing and 12‑volt support rather than access to high‑voltage components; follow the owner’s manual and let trained providers handle high‑voltage systems (NFPA; Consumer Reports). Keep OEM and connected‑car support handy too — many new vehicles include roadside for 2–5 years and offer mobile apps/SOS buttons for fast dispatch (ToyotaCare).
FAQ
What if I don’t have roadside assistance?
If you do not have roadside assistance, see if any friends or family can help you out. Alternatively, some toll roads have roadside assistance available to anyone using the road. The numbers for this assistance are available online or on signs along the road. You can also call a tow company or maintenance professional directly. Cost‑effective coverage options include insurer add‑ons often under $30/year (GEICO), auto clubs roughly $60–$190/year depending on tier (AAA), or standalone plans (~$89–$119/year) and on‑demand service (Allstate Roadside). Pay‑per‑use dispatch via many Visa cards is about $80 per call with limited miles (Visa Roadside Dispatch). If you are in danger or stopped in a live lane, call 911.
What do I do if my car breaks down and I don’t have cell service?
If your car breaks down in an area without cell service or you do not have a working cell phone, turn on the hazards and place any flares you have. If you’re in an unpopulated area and you have a sheet of paper in your car, write “CALL POLICE” on it and tape it to your back window. If you are in a more populated area, lock your car and move it as far from the road as possible. Leave a note on the windshield with the time and date, explaining that you are returning, then walk to a location with a phone or someone who can help. Newer devices may let you reach help without cellular: iPhone supports Emergency SOS/Messages via satellite and roadside assistance messaging (Apple), and Google Pixel offers Satellite SOS in the U.S. (Google). If minimal signal exists, try text‑to‑911 where available (“call if you can, text if you can’t”) (FCC). Many newer vehicles also provide an in‑car SOS button or connected‑car app to request roadside assistance (ToyotaCare).
What if I don’t have roadside assistance?
If you do not have roadside assistance, see if any friends or family can help you out. Alternatively, some toll roads have roadside assistance available to anyone using the road. The numbers for this assistance are available online or on signs along the road. You can also call a tow company or maintenance professional directly. If none of these options work, call 911. Also check whether your vehicle includes OEM coverage at $0 during the initial ownership period (many brands include 2–5 years) and whether your state operates Safety Service Patrols you can request via 911/511 (ToyotaCare; NHTSA).
What are the most common reasons cars break down on the road?
According to Affordable Auto in Hopkins, Minnesota, the most common reasons why vehicles break down are batteries, belts, starters, and engines. Christian Brothers automotive adds problem tires to this list. Large datasets in 2024–2025 confirm the ranking: 12‑volt battery failures are the #1 cause, followed by tyre/tire punctures/damage and lockouts as staple categories (ADAC; AAA). Pothole‑related tyre and wheel damage remains elevated in many areas (RAC). For EVs, “out of charge” is a small minority of callouts; most incidents are the same conventional issues — tyres and 12‑volt auxiliary batteries (RAC on EV breakdowns). Briefly checking tire pressure, battery health, oil/coolant, and other essentials every couple of weeks can help you avoid some of these issues.
What if my car breaks down at night?
Vehicles are very difficult to see in the dark without lights on, so it’s essential that you turn on your hazard lights and set reflective triangles or LED beacons if you can do so safely. Use parking lights if you are stopped off the roadway. Do not stand directly in front of or behind your car, and only exit from the passenger side when it’s clearly safe, moving to a protected area. All states have Move Over laws that require drivers to slow down and change lanes for stopped vehicles displaying warning signals — making yourself conspicuous helps others give you space (GHSA; NHTSA).
What’s Next?
- To prepare for any unfortunate breakdowns on the road, make sure you have a car insurance that offers roadside assistance. Typical 2025 options range from insurer add‑ons often under $30/year to club plans about $60–$190/year, with higher tiers covering longer tows (GEICO; AAA).
- If your car insurance doesn’t offer roadside assistance, learn how to switch.
