Drive
What to do in a breakdown
Car breakdowns are a fact of driving: here's how to stay safe when your vehicle stops unexpectedly.
Updated • Published
3 min read
Text size
Club news
1 min readDrive
Car breakdowns are a fact of driving: here's how to stay safe when your vehicle stops unexpectedly.
Updated • Published
3 min read
Text size
Updated •
Published
Text size
Most car breakdowns are unexpected, but sometimes these things happen and it is important to know what to do.
Car breakdowns on busy highways and freeways can be particularly stressful, as well as potentially dangerous.
If you find yourself in a breakdown, don’t panic. Try to remain calm and follow these steps:
If you can, find a safe place to pull completely off the road, such as the shoulder or the emergency breakdown lane. Try to keep off the central median strip.
Park as far to the left as possible to maximise the space between your car and the passing traffic. Make sure your handbrake is on.
These flashing lights will let other motorists know that your vehicle has broken down and alert them that they may need to slow down and safely manoeuvre past you.
Parking lights are also a good idea if it’s dark or there is poor visibility.
This is what the hazard lights button will look like in your car.
If it’s not safe to get out, stay inside your car with your seatbelt on.
If you decide to leave the car, get out on the side away from the traffic, watch for other motorists coming from both directions and move well clear of your vehicle. Stand behind the safety barrier if there is one. Wait in the shade if it’s a hot day.
Remain well back from the road and be aware of your surroundings. Don’t cross the road and do not stand or move between your car and the road.
Call a roadside assistance provider, such as RAC on 13 11 11. If you are outside the vehicle, try to face the traffic when you make the call so you can keep an eye on oncoming vehicles. Be ready to give a detailed description of where you are broken down, so you can receive the best assistance for your circumstances.
If you are obstructing traffic on a major road in the metro area, Main Roads may also help relocate you to a safer location at no cost, where you can wait for the roadside assistance vehicle or make your own arrangements.
If you arrange a tow truck through RAC, we will advise you of the name of the provider attending. You are not obligated to engage tow trucks that might arrive on the scene unsolicited.
If you have RAC Roadside Assistance and are in the metro area, you can also lodge a digital request on the RAC website. This new service shares your location via GPS so a patrol can find you easily and is useful when you have broken down in a safe location, such as at home, work or a carpark.
The most important thing is your safety. Remember that help is on the way and all you need to do is wait patiently in a safe place. Keep in mind that help may take longer to arrive if you are on a country road.
