Why Highway Breakdowns Are Especially Dangerous

Breaking down on a city street is inconvenient. Breaking down on I-15, I-80, or SR-6 at 70+ mph traffic is a genuine life-safety situation. Every year in the United States, hundreds of people are killed and thousands injured in crashes involving disabled vehicles on the shoulder — most of them while standing outside their cars.

The risk is highest in the first few minutes before you've established visibility (hazard lights, road flares), and highest in low-visibility conditions: night, snow, fog, or glare. Utah's highways include some stretches with very narrow shoulders, no guardrail, and no breakdown lane — which means your positioning decisions matter enormously.

The good news: with the right steps, you can dramatically reduce the risk and get help efficiently.

Step-by-Step: What to Do the Moment You Break Down

1

Get Off the Road — Don't Stop in a Travel Lane

The moment you notice a problem (loss of power, flat tire, overheating), your first priority is to get your vehicle as far off the road as safely possible. If you have any control left, steer to the right shoulder. On a flat tire, you can drive slowly on the rim to reach an exit or a wider shoulder — a destroyed rim is far cheaper than a collision.

Avoid stopping at the crest of a hill, on a curve, or in a spot with limited visibility. If there's a wide area, exit ramp, or rest area within a mile, it may be worth coasting to it before stopping.

2

Activate Your Hazard Lights Immediately

The moment you realize you have a problem — even before you've fully stopped — turn on your hazard lights. These are your primary visibility tool. Don't wait until you're parked. In reduced visibility conditions (dark, rain, snow), hazard lights are what stand between you and a rear-end collision from a driver who didn't see you in time.

Your hazards should remain on until help arrives, even in daylight. Don't turn them off to "save the battery" — modern car batteries can run hazard lights for hours, and that's a trade-off worth making.

3

Exit Your Vehicle on the Safe Side — Then Move Away

If you must exit the vehicle, always exit on the passenger side away from traffic. Even on a right shoulder, exit through the passenger door and move to the right, away from the roadway. Never stand between your car and moving traffic.

The safest position is behind a guardrail if one exists, or on the slope beyond the shoulder. If you're on an overpass or in a location where getting away from traffic is impossible, stay inside your vehicle with your seatbelt fastened — a belted occupant in a modern car absorbs a rear collision far better than a pedestrian.

4

Set Up Additional Visibility (If Safe to Do So)

If you have road flares or reflective triangles, and if it is safe to move around your vehicle, place them 50–100 feet behind your car in the travel direction. This gives approaching drivers more warning time. Utah law doesn't require you to carry flares, but they're inexpensive and potentially life-saving — see our roadside emergency kit guide for recommendations.

If you have a bright-colored vest or reflective jacket in the car, put it on before exiting. If it's dark and you have a flashlight, use it. The goal is to be seen from as far away as possible.

5

Call for Help — Know the Right Number

On Utah state highways, dial *47 on your cell phone to reach Utah Highway Patrol dispatch. They can dispatch a trooper to assist, contact UDOT's Freeway Service Patrol (which operates on certain your area metro interstates), or coordinate a tow. This is the fastest way to get official assistance.

Call 911 if there is any injury, immediate danger, or if your vehicle is obstructing a travel lane and cannot be moved. For a non-emergency tow, you can call a local towing company directly — get our dispatch number or browse the SLC tow directory. Always get an ETA and price quote before authorizing dispatch.

6

Stay With Your Vehicle (Unless Unsafe)

Unless your car is in a genuinely dangerous position (blocking a lane, on fire, or at risk of sliding), stay near your vehicle rather than walking along the highway. Walking on highway shoulders is statistically more dangerous than remaining in a disabled vehicle.

If you do need to walk — for example, if your car broke down far from an exit and you have no cell service — walk facing oncoming traffic, well off the pavement, and call 911 as soon as you reach signal. Don't attempt to hitch a ride; wait for law enforcement or a tow truck.

Special Situations: Utah-Specific Hazards

Winter Breakdowns

Utah winters add serious complications to highway breakdowns. If you break down in snow or icy conditions, be aware that stopping distance is dramatically increased — a truck that sees your hazards at 200 feet in dry conditions may need twice that distance to stop on ice. Get as far off the road as possible, and if you're in a canyon or pass (Parley's, Little Cottonwood, Provo Canyon), understand that tow trucks may take longer to reach you due to road conditions or UDOT closures.

In winter: keep a blanket in the car. If you're waiting more than 30 minutes in freezing temperatures, stay in the vehicle with the heat on — but crack a window slightly and check periodically that the exhaust pipe isn't blocked by snow to avoid carbon monoxide risk.

Canyon and Rural Roads

I-15, I-80, and I-215 have decent cell coverage through the Salt Lake Valley. But SR-6, US-89, and canyon routes can have significant dead zones. If you're heading into a canyon or driving a long rural stretch, note the last mile marker you passed — it helps emergency services and tow companies locate you exactly. The mile marker system is posted on small green signs on the right shoulder and is the fastest way to communicate your location to dispatch.

HOV Lanes and Express Lanes

If you break down in an HOV or express lane on I-15, your only option is to merge right as quickly and safely as possible. There is no shoulder in these lanes. Activate hazards, signal clearly, and move across traffic to the rightmost shoulder. This is one of the most dangerous scenarios — other drivers may not expect a slow or stopped vehicle in a lane designed for free flow.

⛔ Things That Make Highway Breakdowns More Dangerous

  • Standing outside your car on the left (driver's) side — puts you directly in the path of passing traffic
  • Leaving your car without hazards on — even briefly, this dramatically increases rear-collision risk
  • Trying to change a tire in a travel lane — never do this; it is almost always safer to drive on a flat tire to a safer location
  • Walking along the highway median — medians look safe but drivers do not expect pedestrians there
  • Accepting a ride from a stranger — wait for law enforcement or a tow; opportunistic predators do target stranded motorists
  • Leaving the scene without marking your vehicle — if you leave to get help, leave hazards on and a note on the windshield

After the Tow: What to Do Next

Once your vehicle is loaded and on its way to a repair shop, there are a few things to sort out:

  • Confirm the destination address before the tow truck leaves. Make sure the driver knows exactly where to take it — your preferred mechanic, the dealer, or a storage facility.
  • Photograph the condition of your car before and after loading. This is evidence if any damage occurs during towing.
  • File a roadside assistance claim if your auto insurance or AAA membership covers towing. Save the tow receipt with the company name, driver, time, and price.
  • Notify your insurance company if the breakdown was caused by a collision or if the vehicle may be a total loss.
  • Get a written estimate from the repair shop before authorizing work. A tow shop can decline to release your vehicle if you refuse repairs, but they must give you an itemized estimate in Utah.

Build the Habit: Keep Your Car Highway-Ready

Most highway breakdowns aren't random bad luck — they're the result of deferred maintenance, ignored warning lights, or driving on tires that should have been replaced months ago. Utah highways demand more from your vehicle than city streets: sustained highway speeds stress cooling systems, tire pressure changes with altitude, and canyon grades amplify any existing mechanical weakness.

Before any long Utah highway trip, do a quick check: tire pressure (including the spare), engine coolant level, oil level, and that all warning lights are clear. Check that your emergency kit is in the car. Five minutes of prep before the trip is worth more than 90 minutes waiting on the shoulder.