How to Stay Safe While You Wait for a Tow Truck

Updated Jul 2026 · 4 min read

The minutes between calling for a tow and the truck arriving can be some of the most dangerous of a breakdown — especially on a busy road. Passing traffic, poor visibility, and the temptation to fix things yourself all add risk. Here's how to stay safe while help is on the way.

Position your vehicle wisely

If your car is still moving when trouble starts, use that momentum to reach the safest possible spot. Aim for a wide shoulder, an exit ramp, a parking area, or a side street away from fast traffic. The farther you are from moving vehicles, the safer you'll be. If you can't move at all and you're in a live lane, treat it as an emergency and prioritize getting yourself to safety.

Turn on your hazard lights immediately

Hazard lights are your first and most important signal to other drivers. Switch them on the instant you realize something's wrong — even before you've fully stopped. Keep them running until help arrives. At night or in rain, fog, or snow, they're essential for making your stranded vehicle visible.

Use warning devices if you have them

If you carry reflective triangles or LED flares and it's safe to step out, place them behind your vehicle to alert approaching traffic and give drivers time to move over. Position them far enough back to matter, especially on higher-speed roads. Never put yourself in a traffic lane to set them out — if it's not safe to place them, skip it.

Decide carefully whether to stay inside or exit

This choice depends on your surroundings. On a fast highway with traffic streaming past your door, the safest place is often outside and well away from the roadway — behind a guardrail if one exists. On a calm residential street in good weather, staying buckled inside with the doors locked and hazards on can be safer. Read the situation and keep distance between yourself and moving cars.

Keep clear of the traffic side

If you do exit, always leave through the door away from traffic and move away from the road, not along it. Don't stand between your vehicle and oncoming cars, and never turn your back to traffic. Keep any passengers, including children and pets, together and away from the roadway too.

Resist the urge to make risky repairs

Changing a tire on the traffic side of a car on a busy shoulder is one of the most dangerous things a driver can do. If a repair would put you close to passing vehicles, wait for professional help instead. No quick fix is worth standing in harm's way. This is exactly what a towing service is for.

Stay reachable and informed

Keep your phone charged enough to receive the driver's call confirming arrival. Have your location details ready — a highway name and direction, a nearby exit, or a landmark — so you can guide them in. If your situation changes or feels unsafe, don't hesitate to call again or contact emergency services.

Be cautious of unsolicited help

If someone stops who you didn't call — particularly at an accident scene — you're under no obligation to accept their help or let them touch your vehicle. Wait for the company you contacted, and verify the truck matches who you called before anyone begins work. Trust your instincts; if something feels wrong, keep your distance.

Prepare before it happens

A little preparation makes waiting safer. Keep a basic kit in your car — reflective triangles, a flashlight, a phone charger, and water. And know in advance which towing company you'd call, so you spend your energy staying safe rather than searching. Compare well-rated local providers on this directory now, and you'll be ready when the road lets you down.