No matter how well you maintain your vehicle, a breakdown can happen to anyone, at any time, and in any place. It could be on a busy freeway during rush hour, on a quiet street late at night, or in the middle of an unfamiliar neighborhood far from home. Whatever the circumstances, a car breakdown is always an unwelcome and stressful experience: but how you respond to it can make a significant difference to your safety, the safety of other drivers around you, and the condition of your vehicle.
Short answer: If your car breaks down, get as far right as you safely can, turn on your hazards and stay buckled in with the doors locked, unless the car is unsafe. Then call with your exact location: the freeway, your direction and the nearest exit, or the cross streets. If anyone is hurt or a lane is blocked, call 911 first. For a tow in North Hollywood, call (747) 877-8577.
Many drivers are simply not sure what to do when their car breaks down. In the heat of the moment, panic can set in and lead to decisions that make the situation worse rather than better. That’s why it’s so important to know in advance what steps to take if you ever find yourself stranded on the road. Being prepared and knowing exactly what to do can help you stay calm, stay safe, and get the situation resolved as quickly and smoothly as possible.
In this guide, we walk you through exactly what to do when your car breaks down, step by step, so you’re ready if it ever happens to you.
Step 1: Stay Calm and Don’t Panic
The first and most important thing to do when your car breaks down is to stay calm. It’s completely natural to feel frustrated, anxious, or even scared when your vehicle suddenly stops working, especially if it happens in a busy or unfamiliar location. However, panicking will not help the situation and can actually lead to poor decisions that make things worse.
Take a deep breath, remind yourself that breakdowns happen to drivers every single day, and focus on the steps you need to take to get through the situation safely. A calm and clear head is your most valuable asset when dealing with a roadside emergency.
Step 2: Get Your Vehicle Off the Road Safely
As soon as you realize your vehicle is experiencing a problem, your first priority should be to get it off the road and away from moving traffic as quickly and safely as possible. If your vehicle is still moving, gradually reduce your speed and steer it towards the nearest safe area: ideally an exit ramp, a parking lot, a side street, or at the very minimum the road shoulder.
Do not brake suddenly or make sharp, erratic steering movements, as this can startle other drivers and increase the risk of an accident. Use your turn signal to let other drivers know you are moving to the side of the road, and aim for as much distance from moving traffic as you can safely achieve.
If your vehicle has completely stopped and cannot be moved, do your best to ensure it is as far to the right side of the road as possible and away from the flow of traffic. Even a few extra feet of distance from moving vehicles can make a significant difference to your safety.
Step 3: Turn On Your Hazard Lights Immediately
The moment you realize something is wrong with your vehicle, even before you have fully stopped, turn on your hazard lights. Also known as emergency flashers, hazard lights make your vehicle highly visible to other drivers on the road, alerting them that your vehicle is stationary or moving slowly and that they need to proceed with caution.
Your hazard lights should remain on for as long as your vehicle is stationary on or near the road, even if you think you are in a reasonably safe location. Visibility is critical, especially in low light conditions, bad weather, or on high-speed roads where other drivers may have very little time to react to a stationary vehicle.
Step 4: Make Your Vehicle More Visible
In addition to your hazard lights, there are other steps you can take to make your vehicle more visible to passing traffic, particularly if it is dark, foggy, or raining. If you have them available in your vehicle, setting up road flares, reflective triangles, or emergency cones behind your vehicle can give other drivers additional warning that your vehicle is stationary ahead.
Place these warning devices at least 50 to 100 feet behind your vehicle so that approaching drivers have enough distance to see them and react safely. If you don’t have any of these items in your vehicle, now is a great time to consider adding a basic emergency roadside kit to your car. It’s a small investment that can make a big difference in an emergency situation.
Step 5: Stay Inside Your Vehicle if It Is Safe to Do So
Once your vehicle is off the road and your hazard lights are on, in most situations the safest place for you to be is inside your vehicle with your seatbelt fastened. This may seem counterintuitive, many people’s instinct is to get out of the car immediately, but a stationary vehicle on the side of the road provides a significant amount of protection compared to standing outside, particularly on busy roads and freeways where passing vehicles may come dangerously close.
If you are on a high-speed road such as a freeway, staying inside your vehicle is especially important. Statistics show that pedestrians on freeways are at extremely high risk of being struck by passing vehicles. Unless your vehicle is in immediate danger, such as if it is on fire or at risk of being hit, stay inside, keep your seatbelt on, and wait for help to arrive.
If you do need to exit the vehicle for any reason, always exit from the side away from traffic, stay as far from the road as possible, and never stand directly behind or in front of your vehicle.
Step 6: Call for Help
Once you are safely positioned and your vehicle is as visible as possible to other road users, it’s time to call for help. There are a few options available to you depending on your situation:
Call a Towing Company: If your vehicle cannot be driven, calling a reliable local towing company is usually the fastest and most practical solution. A professional towing company like Rosario Swift Towing Services can dispatch a tow truck to your location quickly and transport your vehicle to the repair facility of your choice. In North Hollywood and the surrounding Greater Los Angeles area, you can reach us at (747) 877-8577.
Call a Roadside Assistance Provider: If you have a roadside assistance membership through your auto insurance, vehicle manufacturer, or a third-party provider, call them to report your breakdown and request assistance. Keep in mind that response times can vary significantly depending on the provider and your location.
Call a Friend or Family Member: If you are not in immediate danger and prefer to wait for someone you know to come and help, calling a trusted friend or family member is always an option. However, keep in mind that depending on where you are, it may take them a significant amount of time to reach you.
Call 911 if Necessary: If you or anyone else involved is injured, if your vehicle is in a dangerous position that poses an immediate risk to other drivers, or if you feel unsafe for any reason, do not hesitate to call 911. Your safety always comes first.
Step 7: Provide Your Exact Location
When you call for help, being able to provide your exact location is incredibly important. The faster the towing company or emergency services can locate you, the faster help will arrive. Here are some tips for identifying and communicating your location:
Look for road signs, highway markers, mile markers, or exit signs nearby and relay that information to the dispatcher. If you are on a named street, note the street name and the nearest cross street or intersection. If you are in an unfamiliar area with no visible landmarks or signs, use your smartphone’s GPS or maps application to find your coordinates or share your location directly with the dispatcher. The more specific and accurate the location information you can provide, the faster help will reach you.
Step 8: Do Not Attempt Repairs on a Busy Road
Unless the fix is extremely simple (such as changing a flat tire in a safe, off-road location with plenty of space) it is generally not a good idea to attempt to repair your vehicle on the side of a busy road. Working on a vehicle near moving traffic is dangerous, even with hazard lights on and warning devices in place.
If the repair requires you to spend any significant amount of time outside of your vehicle near the road, it is much safer to wait for a professional towing service to transport your vehicle to a repair shop where the work can be carried out in a controlled and safe environment. The cost of a tow is almost always worth it compared to the risk of attempting roadside repairs near fast-moving traffic.
Step 9: Be Cautious of Strangers Who Offer Help
While most people who stop to offer help are genuinely well-meaning, it’s important to exercise caution when dealing with strangers in a roadside situation. If someone stops and offers to help, you are not obligated to accept. You can politely thank them and let them know that help is already on the way.
If you feel uncomfortable or unsafe at any point, stay inside your vehicle with your doors locked and call 911. Trust your instincts, your personal safety is always the top priority.
Step 10: Follow Up With a Mechanic
Once your vehicle has been safely towed to a repair facility, make sure to follow up promptly with a mechanic to get it properly inspected and repaired. Even if the breakdown seemed minor, it’s worth having a professional thoroughly check the vehicle to identify any underlying issues that may have contributed to the breakdown or that could cause problems down the road.
Regular vehicle maintenance is the best way to reduce the risk of unexpected breakdowns. Keeping up with scheduled oil changes, tire rotations, battery checks, and other routine maintenance tasks goes a long way toward keeping your vehicle reliable and road-worthy.
Be Prepared Before a Breakdown Happens
The best time to prepare for a breakdown is before one ever happens. Here are a few simple things you can do to be better prepared for a roadside emergency:
Keep an Emergency Kit in Your Vehicle: A basic roadside emergency kit should include items such as a reflective triangle or road flares, a flashlight and extra batteries, a basic first aid kit, jumper cables or a portable jump starter, a blanket, a bottle of water, and a phone charger or portable power bank.
Save Important Numbers in Your Phone: Keep the contact numbers for a reliable local towing company, your roadside assistance provider, and a trusted mechanic saved in your phone so you can reach them quickly in an emergency without having to search for the information.
Stay on Top of Vehicle Maintenance: Regularly servicing your vehicle and addressing any warning lights or unusual sounds promptly is the single most effective way to reduce the likelihood of an unexpected breakdown.
Know Your Vehicle: Familiarize yourself with your vehicle’s warning lights and what they mean, where the spare tire and jack are located, and how to perform basic tasks like checking tire pressure and fluid levels. A little knowledge goes a long way in an emergency.
Where Breakdowns Happen Around North Hollywood
Most of the breakdown calls we get in the East Valley come from the same few kinds of places:
- The 170 and the 101/134 interchange, where traffic merges fast and the shoulders are narrow
- Lankershim, Magnolia and Laurel Canyon Boulevards at rush hour, when one stalled car blocks a full lane
- Parking structures in the NoHo Arts District and Universal City, where a battery can die after a long day parked
- The Cahuenga Pass on the 101, where the climb toward Hollywood is hard on engines that already run hot
- Residential streets with permit parking, where a car that won’t start may need to be moved quickly
On a city street, give us the nearest cross streets. On a freeway, tell us the direction (for example, the 170 southbound) and the last exit you passed.
Broken Down in North Hollywood or the Greater LA Area? We’re Here to Help.
If your vehicle has broken down and you need fast, reliable towing or roadside assistance in North Hollywood or the surrounding Greater Los Angeles area, Rosario Swift Towing Services is just one call away. Our experienced team is ready to respond quickly and get you the help you need. Give us a call at (747) 877-8577 or fill out our online form to request assistance. Stay safe out there, and remember, we’re here when you need us most.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I call 911 or a tow truck first?
If anyone is hurt, your car is stopped in a travel lane, or there is smoke or fire, call 911 first. If you’re safely on the shoulder or parked, call (747) 877-8577 for the tow.
What if I don’t know exactly where I am on the freeway?
Tell us which freeway, your direction and the last exit or sign you passed, or send the location pin from your phone. We can work with that.
Can you tow my car to my own mechanic?
Yes. Tell us the shop’s name or address when you call, and we’ll take your car there.
How much does a tow cost?
It depends on the vehicle, the distance and where it’s going. Call (747) 877-8577 and we’ll give you the price on the phone before we send a truck.
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