What to do when your car breaks down on the highway

Where to stop, how to make sure traffic sees you, whether to stay in the car, and who to call.

A breakdown on a highway is scary because of the traffic going by, not the car. The car can wait. What matters is getting off the road, being seen, and staying out of the way of other cars. Here's what we tell people.

Get off the road

As soon as something feels wrong, like a warning light, a noise, smoke or a flat tire, turn on your hazard lights and start moving right. If you can make it to an exit, a gas station or a wide shoulder, keep going slowly, even on a flat tire. A ruined tire or rim costs far less than stopping in a dangerous spot. If you have to stop on the shoulder, pull as far right as you can, away from the lane. Avoid stopping on a curve or just over a hill, where drivers can't see you in time.

Make sure you're seen

Keep the hazard lights on. At night, also leave the parking lights on. If it's safe to walk behind the car, put out LED flares or warning triangles, spaced out behind the car, with the last one about 100 feet back, so drivers have time to move over. If walking along the road doesn't feel safe, skip this step. Wear a hi-vis vest any time you're outside the car. A clip-on light like the Guardian Angel makes you visible from far away at night.

Stay in the car, or get out?

There isn't one answer for every situation:

• If you're well off the road and there's a guardrail or a grassy area, it's usually safer to get out on the side away from traffic and wait behind the guardrail, well away from the car. If a car hits yours, you don't want to be in it or next to it.
• If there's no safe place to stand, like a narrow shoulder, a bridge or heavy traffic, stay in the car with your seatbelt on and the hazards on, and call for help.
• If there's smoke or a smell of burning, get everyone out and away from the car right away.

Never stand between your car and traffic, and don't stand behind the car either, where drivers aim for your lights.

Call for help

If your car is stopped in a lane, you're in danger, or someone is hurt, call 911. Otherwise call your roadside assistance, your insurance (many policies include it) or a tow service. Tell them which highway, which direction, the last exit or mile marker you passed, and your car's color and model. Map apps on your phone can show your exact location.

Don't fix it on the traffic side

Changing a tire on the side facing traffic is one of the most dangerous things you can do on a highway. If the flat is on that side and you can't move farther from traffic, wait for help. Roadside crews and tow trucks have lights, and they block the lane with their truck.

While you wait

If you stay in the car, keep the doors locked. If someone stops to help, you can talk through a slightly open window. A flashlight and a phone charger make a long wait easier, and in the cold, emergency blankets help. Keep a window breaker within reach of the driver's seat in case you ever can't get out through the door.

Pass it on

Most states have Move Over laws: when you see a car or a tow truck on the shoulder with flashing lights, move over a lane or slow down. Everyone who has ever broken down will thank you for it.