A flat battery in a shopping centre car park is a nuisance. Losing power in the right lane of Port Wakefield Road is a hazard, for you and for the traffic behind you. Work through these steps in order, and make the call once you’re safe.
Get the car out of the traffic lane
Switch the hazard lights on as soon as something feels wrong. While the car still rolls, steer it to the far left: a breakdown bay, the emergency lane, a side street or a car park entrance. Try not to stop on a bend or over the crest of a hill, where drivers behind won’t see you in time.
If the car stops in a live lane and won’t move, leave it there. Pushing it across the traffic puts you in the lane beside it.
Make the car easy to see, then move away from it
Leave the hazard lights on, and switch on the parking lights at night or in rain. If you carry a warning triangle, set it on the road well back from the car, as long as you can get there without walking in traffic.
Then get everyone out on the kerb side. Stand behind a barrier if there is one, or move well away from the road. Keep children and pets with you, and don’t stand in front of the car or behind it. If getting out isn’t safe, stay in your seat with the belt on and the hazards going, and call 000 if you’re in danger.
Leave the bonnet shut beside moving traffic
Warning lights, smoke, a burning smell or a knock from the engine all mean the car has finished for the day. A modern engine fault needs a workshop’s diagnostic gear, and working on a car beside a traffic lane puts you where a passing car can hit you. Take your phone, wallet and keys, plus anything you’ll need for the next few hours, and get clear.
Choose who to call: a patrol or a tow truck
Ring your motoring club or your insurer’s roadside line if a patrol can fix the fault where the car stopped, such as a flat battery, a puncture with a good spare or an empty tank. Some memberships and policies include a tow as well, so check yours.
For anything a patrol can’t fix, or if nothing covers you, call a tow operator’s own number. Going straight to the operator skips a call centre and a second round of the same questions. For a car that won’t go, breakdown towing on a tilt tray takes it to a workshop of your choice or home.
After a crash, the roster truck clears the scene
In metropolitan Adelaide, the tow from a crash scene belongs to the state’s accident towing roster. You or the police ring (08) 8116 9209, and the roster driver hands you an Authority to Tow form, where you write down where the car should go. To move it on afterwards, from the holding yard to your repairer, see accident towing.
Four things to have ready before you call
A tow operator will ask for these, so work them out once you’re somewhere safe:
- where you are: the road name, which way you were travelling and the closest cross street or exit
- the make and model, and whether it’s automatic or all-wheel drive
- what happened, and whether the car rolls and steers
- where it should go, such as your own mechanic or home
If you aren’t sure where you are, drop a pin in your phone’s map app and read out the nearest address. A servo or a bus stop number you can see from the car helps the driver find you. On the call, ask when the truck can get to you, and agree the price before you book. The towing cost guide shows what sets it.
Keep your phone on while you wait
The driver may ring you to find the exact spot, so keep the phone switched on and charged. If anything changes, such as smoke from the engine or a spot that starts to feel unsafe, ring the operator back and tell them. Once the truck pulls up, let the driver park and switch on the amber lights before you walk over.
Save two numbers before you need them
Most of these steps go faster with the numbers already in your phone: your roadside cover and a tow operator. Keep a torch, water and a phone charger in the boot. A regular service, plus a look at the tyres and the temperature gauge, catches plenty of faults before they leave you stranded.
SA Best Towing holds a 4.8 star Google rating from 41 reviews, and reviewers mention turning up on time and cars handled with care. We tow broken-down cars around Adelaide and on country jobs from Angle Park, and move crash-damaged cars on once the roster truck has cleared the scene. Save 0457 300 057 now, and call it with the four details above if the car stops.