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If your car fails on a U.S. highway, keep control, signal, slow gradually, and steer toward the nearest safe exit or shoulder. Turn on your hazard lights after stopping. Stay inside with your seat belt fastened when the vehicle is safely away from traffic; leave only when remaining inside creates a greater danger and you have a safe route away from moving vehicles. Then call roadside assistance or emergency services from the safest location available.
What to do in the first minute
A breakdown is stressful, but the first objective is not diagnosing the fault. It is preventing a moving-traffic collision. Sudden steering, hard braking, or stopping in a travel lane can leave you and other drivers with almost no time to react.
Keep the vehicle moving toward safety
- Grip the wheel firmly and stay calm. If the engine is losing power or a tire has failed, expect steering and braking to feel different.
- Activate your turn signal and scan for an exit, rest area, wide shoulder, emergency refuge area, or other place separated from traffic.
- Use the vehicle’s remaining momentum to move gradually toward that location. Avoid abrupt lane changes and hard braking.
- If the vehicle reaches a safe stopping place, stop as far from moving traffic as conditions allow, keeping clear of soft ground, drop-offs, barriers, and drainage areas.
- Turn on the hazard lights once stopped. If the car cannot be moved, leave it where it is; do not try to push it into a safer area.
This sequence reflects guidance from the American Automobile Association (AAA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). A narrow shoulder, heavy traffic, darkness, ice, flooding, or a disabled steering system can change what is safest. Do not attempt a maneuver that would expose you to a worse hazard.
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Keep the hazard lights on, keep your seat belt fastened, and call emergency services. Do not get out to push the vehicle. A stopped car in a lane can be struck even when its lights are flashing, so tell the dispatcher that the vehicle is blocking traffic and give the direction of travel.
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Decide whether to stay inside or exit
The correct choice depends mainly on how far the car is from moving traffic and whether the vehicle itself is becoming dangerous. There is no safe universal rule that says occupants should always remain inside or always leave.
When the car is safely off the roadway
If the vehicle is well away from traffic and not filling with smoke or fuel vapor, remaining inside with seat belts fastened is generally the safer option while waiting. The AAA guide states: “Safety experts agree that under most circumstances, if you are able to pull away from traffic, it is safest to remain in your vehicle until a law enforcement officer or road service provider arrives.” Keep doors locked when appropriate, watch approaching traffic, and avoid standing on the shoulder.
When the car is exposed to a rear impact
If the car is trapped in traffic, stopped on a narrow shoulder, or likely to be hit from behind, leaving may reduce the danger—but only if you can exit without stepping into a live lane. Use the door on the side away from traffic whenever possible. Move behind a substantial barrier or well away from both the roadway and the vehicle, rather than standing beside the car.
Do not stand directly in front of or behind the disabled vehicle. Do not walk along the highway or cross lanes to search for help. If there is no safe exit route, remain belted in the vehicle and tell emergency dispatch exactly where you are.
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When there is smoke, fire, or a fuel leak
Smoke, flames, a strong fuel smell, or visible leaking fuel changes the priority from waiting for roadside service to escaping. Leave immediately if a safe exit is available, move far from the vehicle and upwind when possible, and call 911. Do not open the hood of a burning vehicle, use a lighter, or light a flare near fuel or fumes. Warn dispatch about the fire or suspected leak so responders can approach appropriately.
Call for help from a safe location
Once you are protected from moving traffic—or while safely belted in the vehicle if you cannot exit—call the service that matches the situation. Use emergency services for fire, injury, a collision, a vehicle blocking a lane, an unsafe roadside location, or any immediate threat. Use roadside assistance for a disabled vehicle that is safely out of traffic and does not require an emergency response.
Information to give the dispatcher
Give a precise location first. If you do not know the mile marker, provide the highway name and direction, the last exit, nearest rest area, interchange, or visible landmark. Include:
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- Mile marker, exit number, or the last place you passed
- Make, model, body color, and license-plate number
- Your callback number and the number of people in the vehicle
- Whether anyone has an injury, disability, medical need, or mobility limitation
- What happened: loss of power, flat tire, overheating, collision, smoke, leaking fuel, or another symptom
- Whether the vehicle is on the shoulder, in a lane, near a barrier, or otherwise difficult to see
Keep your phone available for a return call, but do not stand in traffic to improve reception. If the call drops, use the location information already provided and call again from a safer position.
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Understand what roadside plans may provide
A service provider may be able to bring fuel, change a tire, boost a battery, or tow the vehicle, depending on the problem and your coverage. AAA notes that plans differ: some cover the member, others the vehicle; towing destinations, distance, payment, reimbursement, geographic availability, and passenger transport can vary. Check your current auto-insurance policy, vehicle-manufacturer assistance, or membership terms before a trip. Do not assume that a plan covers every driver or vehicle, and ask whether you must pay first.
Make the disabled vehicle visible without taking a risk
Use hazard lights first
Hazard lights are the first visibility measure because they can be activated from inside the car. At night, in rain, fog, or snow, visibility can be poor even with hazards operating. Keep interior lights off when they create glare that makes it harder to watch approaching traffic.
Raise the hood or place warning devices only when safe
Raising the hood or using reflective markers can alert approaching drivers, but a person should do this only when the shoulder is wide, traffic is distant, and the route can be reached without walking in a lane. Do not exit merely to deploy a warning device when traffic, weather, darkness, or a barrier makes the action dangerous. Never walk a fixed distance down the shoulder simply because a diagram recommends it.
AAA cautions against lighting flares or using any flame when fuel is leaking or fumes are present. A reflective triangle, flashlight, or other nonflammable warning device is preferable in that situation, provided deploying it is safe. If it is not safe, leave the hazards on and wait for responders.
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What approaching drivers should do
Drivers coming upon a stopped vehicle should create as much space as conditions permit. NHTSA says all 50 states have Move Over laws covering emergency vehicles displaying flashing lights. NHTSA also reports that 19 states and Washington, DC extend coverage to additional vehicles showing flashing or hazard lights, including some disabled vehicles. The exact legal requirements differ by state.
- Change to a lane that is not immediately next to the stopped vehicle when the maneuver can be made safely.
- If a lane change is not safe, slow to a reasonable speed and pass with maximum clearance.
- Scan for people outside the vehicle, tow operators, police, debris, and sudden lane changes.
- Do not use the shoulder as a high-speed passing lane unless directed by authorities.
Because state coverage is not identical, consult the traffic rules for the state in which you are driving. Regardless of the wording of a local law, slowing and giving a disabled vehicle room reduces the chance of a secondary collision.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do not turn a breakdown into a roadside repair emergency
A roadside repair is optional; avoiding a collision is not. If the car is near traffic, on an unstable shoulder, or in severe weather, wait for a trained responder. Do not crawl under the vehicle, work beside a live lane, or ask passengers to act as lookouts in traffic.
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Prepare before a highway trip
NHTSA recommends carrying an emergency roadside kit even in a well-maintained vehicle. The kit helps you communicate, stay visible, and remain comfortable while help is coming; it is not a reason to leave a dangerous vehicle.
| Kit item | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Cell phone and charging cable or power bank | Lets you call emergency services, roadside assistance, or a contact. |
| Flashlight and spare batteries | Improves visibility when checking the vehicle or signaling, without using an open flame. |
| First-aid supplies | Provides basic support while waiting for medical help. |
| Reflective warning devices, flares, or a white flag | Can increase visibility when deployment is safe; never use flame near fuel or fumes. |
| Jumper cables and tire-pressure gauge | Support a responder or a safe, suitable service procedure. |
| Jack, ground mat, and work gloves | Help with a tire service only when the vehicle is stable and away from traffic. |
| Water and nonperishable food | Support occupants during a delay, especially in remote areas. |
| Necessary medicines, maps, and emergency blankets or coats | Address medical, navigation, and weather needs if help is delayed. |
An automotive emergency kit that includes reflective warning triangles is a practical way to assemble several of these items. Store it where occupants can reach it without unloading luggage into the shoulder. Check expiration dates, batteries, medicines, and seasonal clothing periodically.
Check the vehicle before leaving
- Set tire pressure to the vehicle maker’s recommended value. The number molded on the tire sidewall is the tire’s maximum pressure, not necessarily the vehicle’s recommended pressure.
- Inspect tires for visible damage and check that the spare, jack, and tools are present and usable.
- Review the owner’s manual for vehicle-specific instructions, warning lights, towing points, and the location of the hazard-light switch.
- Charge your phone and save your insurer, vehicle manufacturer, and roadside-assistance numbers.
- Tell someone your route when traveling a long or remote stretch.
A simple decision checklist
- Can the vehicle move? Signal and coast gradually to the nearest safe exit or shoulder. If it cannot move, stay belted and call emergency services if it blocks traffic.
- Is the vehicle safely away from traffic? Stay inside with belts fastened unless smoke, fire, or another danger requires evacuation.
- Is remaining inside more dangerous? If traffic can strike the vehicle, exit only through a safe side, preferably away from traffic, and move well clear.
- Who should respond? Call 911 for immediate danger; call roadside assistance for a nonemergency disabled vehicle in a safe location.
- Can visibility be improved safely? Use hazards. Deploy a hood marker or reflective device only when doing so does not expose anyone to traffic, and never use a flame near fuel.
These decisions are situational. Shoulder width, traffic speed, weather, visibility, barriers, the number and condition of passengers, and the vehicle’s symptoms all matter. When in doubt, describe the conditions to emergency dispatch and follow the responder’s instructions rather than attempting a risky fix.
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