24.11 If the car breaks down or you are stuck in a long traffic jam

Broken-down car

1. Get out of the lane. Pull over as far to the right as possible, away from curves and the crest of a hill. Hazard lights on.
2. Warning triangles or flares behind the car, if it is safe to walk back there.
3. Stay inside or get out? On a highway with fast traffic, the safest option is usually to get out on the side away from traffic and wait behind the guardrail, away from the car. In stopped traffic, stay inside with your seat belt on.
4. Call for help: roadside assistance, 911 if there is danger. Give the highway number, direction, and the nearest exit or mile marker.
5. If you are in a convoy, the other car stops ahead of the broken-down one, not behind it. Decide quickly whether to redistribute people, pets, medicines, and documents into the working car and keep going.
6. Never stay in a stopped car in rising water (chapter 10).

Long traffic jam

• Stay with the car. Walking along the edge of a highway is dangerous and takes you away from your water, your shade, and your A/C.
• Save fuel: if traffic is completely stopped and it is not dangerously hot, turn off the engine for stretches. In extreme heat, the A/C is the priority for people and pets: manage your fuel, and do not risk everything just to save it.
• Clear exhaust: if the car gets stuck in mud, snow, or debris, check that the tailpipe is not blocked before leaving the engine running (carbon monoxide risk).
• Bathroom: bring portable toilet bags or a bucket with a lid and bags (chapter 21) and wipes.
• Stay informed through local radio and your state's road conditions website. Report your position to the out-of-state contact every few hours.
• Driving shifts: a tired driver is as dangerous as a drunk one. Switch every 2 hours or sooner.