If your car breaks down on a highway, keep control, signal, and move gradually toward the nearest safe exit or shoulder if the vehicle will respond. Once stopped, switch on your hazard lights and decide where to wait based on how exposed the car is to traffic. Call for help from a safe place; do not attempt a repair, push the vehicle, or set out warning markers if doing so puts you in danger.
1. Get out of moving traffic as safely as you can
A sudden loss of power, tire failure, or other problem can make a highway stop frightening, but abrupt steering or braking can create a second hazard. Keep both hands on the controls, signal, and slow gradually. If the car still moves, use its remaining momentum to head for the nearest safe exit or the safest available shoulder. AAA recommends moving out of traffic if possible. Once stopped, turn on the hazard lights.
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Choose a place where the car is as far from moving lanes as conditions permit, but do not make a risky maneuver to reach a theoretically better spot. A narrow or obstructed shoulder, a curve, poor visibility, or fast traffic may change what is safest. If the vehicle will not move, leave it where it is rather than trying to push it into a safer location. Do not put yourself in front of, behind, or beside moving traffic to move the car.
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- Signal early, ease off the accelerator, and steer smoothly. Avoid sudden braking or swerving.
- Aim for a safe exit or shoulder rather than stopping in a travel lane if the car can reach one without an unsafe maneuver.
- After stopping, set the parking brake if appropriate for the vehicle and turn on the hazard lights.
If the car stops in a lane
Do not try to push it, and do not assume you can safely walk around it. Switch on the hazards, keep an eye on traffic, and call emergency services if the vehicle’s position creates immediate danger. Whether occupants should stay inside or leave depends on whether there is a safe way out and whether remaining in the vehicle exposes them to an imminent impact.
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2. Decide whether to stay inside or leave
There is no safe instruction that fits every stopped vehicle. The key questions are whether the car is safely away from traffic, whether another vehicle could strike it, and whether occupants can exit without stepping into danger.
When the vehicle is safely off the roadway
If the car is safely away from traffic, AAA says it is generally safest to remain inside with seat belts fastened while waiting for a law enforcement officer or roadside service provider. Staying belted avoids unnecessary exposure to passing traffic. Keep occupants seated and restrained rather than gathering around the car or standing on the shoulder.
When the car is exposed to traffic
If the car is trapped in traffic or at risk of being struck from behind, leaving may be safer—but only if there is a safe exit. When possible, use the door on the side away from traffic, then move well away from both the roadway and the vehicle. Do not stand directly in front of or behind the car; those positions leave you close to the vehicle and potentially in the path of traffic.
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Do not walk for help
Do not walk along the highway or cross lanes to find a phone, service station, or safer place unless the route is clearly safe. A stopped vehicle is easier for responders to locate than a person walking beside fast traffic. Call from a protected location when possible, and tell the dispatcher if your current position feels unsafe.
3. Call for help and make your location easy to find
Once you are in a safe place, call roadside assistance for a disabled vehicle or emergency services for fire, injury, immediate danger, or a car creating an urgent traffic hazard. Give the clearest location details you can; a highway name alone may not identify which direction or stretch of road you are on.
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Information to give the dispatcher
- The highway name or number and your travel direction, if known.
- A mile marker, last exit, nearest rest area, or visible landmark. If you do not know the mile marker, describe signs, intersections, or landmarks you can see.
- Your vehicle’s make, model, color, and license plate, plus a callback number.
- What happened and what the vehicle is doing now—for example, loss of power, a flat tire, or a battery problem. Describe symptoms rather than guessing at a diagnosis.
- Whether anyone is injured, there is smoke or fire, the car is blocking traffic, or someone in the vehicle has a special need that affects assistance.
Stay where you can be reached safely and keep your phone available for a callback. If you have passengers, ask one person to make the call while others remain in the safest available place. Do not leave a safer location just to improve a phone signal unless you can do so without approaching traffic.
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Choosing roadside help
Depending on the problem and the service arrangement, a provider may bring fuel, change a tire, boost a battery, or tow the vehicle. Coverage differs: a policy may be tied to a vehicle or a member, include some services but not others, set towing or destination rules, or require payment followed by reimbursement. Check your current insurance, vehicle-manufacturer, or membership coverage rather than assuming a service will be included. If the situation is dangerous, do not wait for a routine roadside appointment in place of contacting emergency services.
Before relying on a plan, check what it covers and how it works: which vehicle or person is eligible, whether fuel delivery, tire changes, battery help, and towing are included, where a tow may take the car, and whether you pay up front or seek reimbursement. Also verify where and when the service is available and whether it can accommodate passengers who need special transport. Do not assume every plan offers the same services or that a provider can transport all passengers along with the vehicle.
If you are unsure which benefit applies, contact the insurer, vehicle manufacturer, or membership provider using a number available to you. Ask about any out-of-pocket payment or reimbursement requirements before authorizing non-emergency service, when circumstances allow. Do not delay an emergency call while comparing routine assistance options.
4. Make the stopped vehicle visible only if it is safe
Hazard lights are the first visibility measure once stopped. Raising the hood or using reflective markers may help alert approaching drivers, but only if you can do so without stepping into traffic or taking an unsafe walk along the shoulder. Do not leave the vehicle to place warning triangles when the route to position them is hazardous. A warning device is not worth an encounter with moving traffic.
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AAA cautions against lighting flares or using any flame if fuel is leaking or fumes are present. If you suspect a fuel leak, move away if you can do so safely and tell emergency services or roadside dispatch. Avoid attempting a repair or inspecting the vehicle from a position exposed to passing traffic.
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5. What approaching drivers should do
If you see a vehicle stopped on the shoulder, move to a lane that is not immediately next to it when you can change lanes safely. If you cannot safely change lanes, slow to a reasonable speed while passing. Leave room for people who may be outside the vehicle and for responders arriving at the scene.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says all 50 states have Move Over laws covering emergency vehicles with flashing lights. However, coverage of other stopped vehicles is not uniform: NHTSA says 19 states and Washington, DC extend the rules to additional vehicles displaying flashing or hazard lights, including disabled vehicles. Follow the law where you are; do not assume disabled vehicles receive identical legal coverage nationwide.
6. Prepare before the next trip
A roadside kit can make a breakdown easier to manage, but its contents are for use only when it is safe to retrieve or deploy them. NHTSA recommends carrying supplies even in a well-maintained vehicle. Its suggested items include:
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- A cell phone and charger.
- A first aid kit and flashlight.
- Flares and a white flag.
- Jumper cables, a tire-pressure gauge, and a jack with a ground mat.
- Work gloves, water, and nonperishable food.
- Needed medicines, maps, and emergency blankets or coats.
Reflective warning triangles are another practical visibility item to consider. Keep any marker or flare in the kit only as a tool for situations where using it is safe; do not exit into traffic to deploy one, and never use flares around suspected fuel leaks or fumes. A kit is preparation, not a reason to attempt a roadside fix when conditions make it unsafe. Consider whether the supplies are accessible without unloading items into traffic or leaving passengers in an exposed position.
Check the vehicle before driving
Before a trip, check tires for damage and set their pressure to the vehicle maker’s recommended figure. The pressure printed on a tire is its maximum pressure, not necessarily the recommended pressure for your car. Check the spare as well, and review the vehicle-specific instructions for changing a tire or using emergency equipment. A jack, cables, and other tools are useful only if they are right for the vehicle and can be used safely at the location where a problem occurs.
Make these checks part of trip preparation rather than waiting for a warning or breakdown. Confirm that the phone is charged and that the charger works, and make sure anyone traveling with you knows how to contact help and share the vehicle’s location. Reviewing the owner’s instructions ahead of time can clarify which equipment fits the vehicle; it does not mean you should use that equipment on a shoulder where passing traffic makes the work dangerous.
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Frequently asked questions
What should I do first if my car breaks down on the highway?
Keep control, signal, and slow gradually. If the vehicle can move safely, head toward an exit or shoulder; once stopped, turn on the hazard lights. Then decide whether it is safer to remain inside or leave based on the car’s exposure to traffic and whether there is a safe exit.
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If the vehicle is safely off the roadway, AAA says it is generally safest to stay inside with seat belts fastened. If the car is exposed to traffic or may be struck, leaving may be safer only when you can exit without stepping into danger; move well away from the road and vehicle.
Should I put out warning triangles or light a flare?
Only use a warning device if you can do so without unsafe exposure to traffic. Do not walk along a hazardous shoulder to place triangles, and never light flares or use flame if fuel is leaking or fumes are present. Hazard lights are the first visibility measure once stopped.
When should I call emergency services instead of roadside assistance?
Call emergency services for fire, injury, immediate danger, or a vehicle stopped in a position that creates an urgent traffic hazard. Roadside assistance may be appropriate for a non-emergency breakdown, such as a need for fuel, a tire change, a battery boost, or a tow, depending on your coverage.
Do Move Over laws protect disabled vehicles in every state?
NHTSA says all 50 states cover emergency vehicles displaying flashing lights, while 19 states and Washington, DC extend coverage to additional vehicles displaying flashing or hazard lights, including disabled vehicles. Requirements vary, so drivers should follow local law and move over when safe or slow down when they cannot safely change lanes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do first if my car breaks down on the highway?
Keep control, signal, and slow gradually. If the vehicle can move safely, head toward an exit or shoulder; once stopped, turn on the hazard lights. Then decide whether it is safer to remain inside or leave based on the car’s exposure to traffic and whether there is a safe exit.
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Should I stay in my car while waiting for roadside assistance?
If the vehicle is safely off the roadway, AAA says it is generally safest to stay inside with seat belts fastened. If the car is exposed to traffic or may be struck, leaving may be safer only when you can exit without stepping into danger; move well away from the road and vehicle.
Should I put out warning triangles or light a flare?
Only use a warning device if you can do so without unsafe exposure to traffic. Do not walk along a hazardous shoulder to place triangles, and never light flares or use flame if fuel is leaking or fumes are present. Hazard lights are the first visibility measure once stopped.
When should I call emergency services instead of roadside assistance?
Call emergency services for fire, injury, immediate danger, or a vehicle stopped in a position that creates an urgent traffic hazard. Roadside assistance may be appropriate for a non-emergency breakdown, such as a need for fuel, a tire change, a battery boost, or a tow, depending on your coverage.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchDo Move Over laws protect disabled vehicles in every state?
NHTSA says all 50 states cover emergency vehicles displaying flashing lights, while 19 states and Washington, DC extend coverage to additional vehicles displaying flashing or hazard lights, including disabled vehicles. Requirements vary, so drivers should follow local law and move over when safe or slow down when they cannot safely change lanes.
The Bottom Line
Move out of traffic only if you can do so safely, use hazard lights, and make the stay-or-exit decision based on your exposure and a safe route out. Call the right kind of help with clear location details, and treat warning devices and repairs as optional—not worth risking a walk into traffic.
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