A vehicle breakdown is a stressful event for any driver. Knowing the correct procedure can ensure your safety and expedite the car recovery process. This guide provides a detailed checklist of the essential steps to take before you book a vehicle recovery or towing service in the UK. Following these steps helps manage a roadside emergency effectively.
The First 5 Things to Do If Your Car Breaks Down
Your immediate priority in any breakdown situation is safety. Before you even think about calling for breakdown help, you must secure yourself, your passengers, and your vehicle.
- Move to a Safe Location: If you feel the car losing power, signal and move to the left as far as possible. On a motorway, aim for the hard shoulder. If you can’t reach the hard shoulder, try to get to an Emergency Area (SOS). Never stop in a live lane unless it is completely unavoidable.
- Be Visible: Turn on your hazard warning lights immediately. In poor visibility or at night, also switch on your sidelights. This alerts other drivers to your stationary vehicle.
- Exit the Vehicle Safely: On a motorway or fast moving road, you and all passengers should exit the vehicle using the left hand doors, away from passing traffic. This minimizes risk.
- Find a Safe Waiting Position: Move well away from your vehicle and the road. On a motorway, this means standing behind the safety barrier. This protects you if another vehicle collides with your car.
- Keep Warm and Visible: Put on a high visibility jacket if you have one. If the weather is poor, ensure you have warm clothing. Do not stand directly in front of or behind your vehicle.
Stop! Check If You Have Roadside Assistance Cover
Before you search for “cheap recovery near me,” take a moment to check if you are already covered. Many people have roadside assistance included in other policies without realising it, which can save you a significant amount of money.
- Your Car Insurance Policy: Many comprehensive insurance policies include breakdown cover as a standard feature or an optional add on. Check your policy documents or call your insurer. For example, while some ask “is roadside assistance included in my Geico insurance policy?”, in the UK, you would check with providers like Aviva, Admiral, or Direct Line.
- Packaged Bank Accounts: Some premium bank accounts offer a package of benefits, which often includes UK and European breakdown cover. Check the terms of your account with banks like Nationwide or Lloyds.
- Vehicle Manufacturer Warranty: If you have a new or approved used car, it may have come with a manufacturer’s warranty that includes roadside assistance for a set period.
- Standalone Breakdown Membership: You may have a policy with a dedicated provider like the AA, RAC, or Green Flag. Locate your membership number if you have one. ABZ Recovery is one of the many independent ABZ services available if you are not covered.
Finding existing cover means your next call is to your provider’s specific helpline, not a random local service. This streamlines the process and ensures you use the service you’ve already paid for.
Gathering Essential Information for a Tow Company
When you call for vehicle recovery, providing clear and accurate information is crucial. This allows the company to dispatch the correct recovery truck and technician quickly. Here is the information a tow company needs.
Pinpointing Your Exact Location
Being precise about your location is the most critical piece of information.
- Motorways: Note the motorway number (e.g., M25), the direction you are travelling (e.g., Northbound), and the number on the nearest marker post. These small posts are located every 100 metres on the hard shoulder.
- A Roads and B Roads: Look for road signs, landmarks, or town names.
- Mobile Apps: Use your smartphone’s map app to get GPS coordinates. Apps like what3words provide a unique three word combination for your exact location, which is highly accurate and used by many emergency services.
Describing Your Vehicle and the Problem
The recovery operator will need specific details about your car.
- Vehicle Details: Provide your vehicle registration number (VRM), make, model, and colour.
- Nature of the Fault: Explain what happened. For example, “I have a flat tire,” “the engine cut out and the car won’t start,” or “I see smoke from the engine.”
- Vehicle Condition: State if the vehicle is in a dangerous position, such as a live lane. Also, mention if the wheels are locked or if it’s a non rolling vehicle, as this may require a specific type of flatbed truck for recovery.
- Number of Passengers: Tell the operator how many people are with you to ensure any onward travel arrangements can accommodate everyone.
How to Prepare Your Car for a Towing Service
Once you have contacted a recovery service, there are a few steps for how to prepare your car for towing. These actions ensure a smooth and safe handover to the tow truck driver.
Securing Your Vehicle and Belongings
- Remove Valuables: Before the tow truck arrives, remove any personal valuables from the car, such as wallets, phones, laptops, or important documents needed for vehicle recovery after an accident.
- Unlock the Vehicle: Ensure the car is unlocked when the driver arrives, or have the keys ready.
- Disengage Parking Brake: For most towing scenarios, you will need to disengage the parking brake and put the car in neutral. The tow truck driver will instruct you on the specifics. For automatic cars that have lost power, this can be more complex, and you should inform the operator about this when you call.
Preparing an Electric Car (EV) for Towing
The best way to prepare an electric car for towing requires special consideration.
- Inform the Provider: Always tell the recovery service that you have an electric vehicle when you call. EVs often require a flatbed truck and cannot be towed with their drive wheels on the ground, which can damage the electric motors.
- Engage “Tow Mode”: Many EVs have a specific “Tow Mode” or “Neutral” setting within their computer system that must be activated. Consult your vehicle’s manual for instructions on how to do this.
- Ensure Sufficient Charge: If possible, ensure the 12 volt battery has enough charge to engage the necessary towing settings.
Choosing a Reputable Tow Company and Making the Call
If you don’t have existing breakdown cover, you’ll need to find a local company. Choosing a tow company carefully can help you avoid tow truck scams after a breakdown.
Questions to Ask a Tow Truck Driver Before Booking
To ensure you receive a professional service, ask these questions.
- What is your estimated arrival time? This helps you manage your expectations.
- Can you provide a quote for the total cost? Get a clear price for the call out, hook up fee, and mileage to avoid surprises.
- What payment methods do you accept? Confirm if they take card payments or only cash.
- Where will you tow my vehicle? Confirm they can take it to your preferred garage or home address.
- Is your company fully insured? A reputable service will have comprehensive insurance to cover your vehicle while it is in their care.
Understanding the Difference Between Towing and Recovery
It is useful to know the distinction between these two terms.
- Towing: This generally refers to moving an operational or easily accessible vehicle from one place to another. A flat tire service followed by a tow to a garage is a common example.
- Vehicle Recovery: This is a more complex operation. It applies when a car is in a difficult to reach location, such as in a ditch, overturned after an accident, or if your car is stuck in mud. Recovery often requires specialized equipment like winches.
Navigating Specific Breakdown Scenarios
Your response must adapt to your location and situation. A breakdown on a quiet street is very different from an engine failure on the motorway.
What to Do if Your Car Breaks Down on a Highway at Night
This is one of the most dangerous scenarios. Safety is paramount.
- Follow all the primary safety steps: pull onto the hard shoulder, put on hazard lights and sidelights, and exit from the left.
- Position yourself behind the safety barrier, much further back from your vehicle.
- Do not attempt any repairs yourself. The risk from passing traffic is too high.
- When you call for help, stress your vulnerable location and that it is nighttime.
- Never use a warning triangle on the hard shoulder of a motorway; the risk of placing it is too great.
How to Safely Pull Over After Engine Failure on a Motorway
When you notice engine failure, act immediately.
- Turn on your hazard lights instantly.
- Do not brake harshly. Keep your momentum to coast as far as possible.
- Steer smoothly towards the hard shoulder or an Emergency Area.
- Once on the hard shoulder, turn your steering wheel to the left. This ensures that if your car is hit from behind, it will be pushed into the embankment rather than back into traffic.
- Follow the standard procedure to exit the vehicle and wait in a safe place.
Emergency Car Breakdown Procedure While Travelling Alone
Breaking down alone can feel particularly intimidating.
- Stay calm and follow the safety procedures.
- Call your recovery provider or a trusted contact and let them know your precise location and situation. Keep your phone line open if possible.
- Lock your car doors after you have exited and are in a safe place.
- Do not accept help from strangers who stop. Wait for the official recovery service you have called. Ask the technician for identification to confirm they are from the company you contacted.
Managing a Breakdown with Children or Vulnerable Passengers
- Explain to children what is happening in a calm manner.
- Ensure they exit the vehicle from the passenger side, away from traffic, and stay with you behind the safety barrier.
- Keep them warm and entertained if the wait is long.
- Inform the recovery operator that you have children or vulnerable passengers with you.
Conclusion: Your Glovebox Checklist Before Calling for Recovery
A car breakdown is manageable with the right preparation. A checklist for roadside assistance before they arrive ensures the vehicle recovery process is as efficient as possible. Keep a simple list like this in your glovebox.
- Safety First: Hazard lights on. Move to a safe location. Exit left. Wait behind the barrier.
- Check Cover: Is roadside assistance included in my insurance or bank account?
- Location: What is my exact location? (Motorway, marker post, what3words).
- Vehicle Details: Registration number, make, model, and colour.
- Problem: What is the specific fault? Is the car non rolling?
- Passengers: How many people need assistance?
- Contact: Call your provider or a quoted local service.
Following this car recovery preparation guide turns a roadside emergency from a crisis into a structured process.
