Tip #48: Call 911 for danger, a tow company for a car that will not go
Call 911 when someone is hurt, there is smoke or fire, your car is stopped in a live lane, or you feel unsafe. Call a tow company when you are safely out of traffic and the problem is the car. When in doubt, call 911 first.
Tip #48 in one line
Call 911 when someone is hurt, there is smoke or fire, your car is stopped in a live lane, or you feel unsafe. Call a tow company when you are safely out of traffic and the problem is the car. When in doubt, call 911 first.
Stuck right now? Skip the reading and call.
Call nowCall 911 first when
Anyone is injured, even slightly. There is smoke, fire, a fuel smell or leaking fluid near a hot engine. Your car is stopped in a travel lane and you cannot move it, especially on a bridge, the Pulaski Skyway or a ramp with no shoulder. A crash is blocking traffic. Someone at the scene is threatening you, or you are somewhere you feel unsafe. A car is in water or has gone down an embankment.
In all of those, the first job is people, and police, fire and EMS are the ones who can close lanes, treat injuries and secure the scene. A tow company can come after.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowCall a tow or roadside company when
You are on a shoulder, a side street, a lot or your driveway, and the car will not start, has a flat, is out of fuel, is locked with the keys inside, is stuck in snow or mud, or has broken down and needs to go to a shop. Nobody is hurt and you are not in traffic. That is our job, and we handle it from the first call: a jump start, fuel delivery, a winch out or an emergency tow, each priced on the phone before the truck rolls.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowThe gray areas
A minor crash with no injuries and cars on the shoulder: police may still need to make a report, and New Jersey requires reporting crashes with injuries, so calling the police non-emergency line or 911 is reasonable. A breakdown on the Turnpike or Parkway: call the Authority's roadside help or 911 if you are in danger, then call us for the trip from the exit. When you honestly cannot tell, call 911. They would rather hear from you than not.
A practical habit: save our number in your phone under a name you will find quickly, next to your insurer's roadside line and your preferred shop. In a stressful moment you will not want to search the web. And if you call us while you are in danger, the dispatcher will tell you to hang up and call 911 first. That is not a brush-off; it is the right order, and we will be ready when you call back.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowMore on breakdowns
Keep reading, or go back to every post on the blog.
- What to do when your car breaks down in New Jersey
- Where to tow your car: home, repair shop or dealer?
- Tip #23: With kids in the car, decide in the first minute whether they stay buckled or get out
- Tip #24: Ask the dispatcher about your pet before the tow truck arrives
- Tip #32: Close the trunk, windows and sunroof before the truck pulls away
- Tip #33: Take your valuables with you, or lock them out of sight
- Tip #45: In a parking deck, give the level and the clearance before a truck is sent
- Tip #50: Tell the dispatcher where, what and which way in the first 30 seconds
- All posts
Need towing and roadside assistance right now? One call, truck on the way.
Real dispatcher, 24 hours a day. Quoted price before we roll.