Car broke down on a Dallas highway? Do this first

What should you do first when your car breaks down on a Dallas highway?

Get out of the moving lanes. Signal, ease off the gas and steer right while the car still has momentum. Turn on your hazard lights as soon as you start to slow.

If the car still rolls, head for an exit ramp, the frontage road (also called the service road) or a parking lot. Those put slower traffic, and often a curb, between you and the freeway. If no exit or rest area is within reach, AAA's advice is to signal, slow down and get as far onto the right shoulder as you can without leaving level ground.

Texas law allows this. Transportation Code section 545.058 lets you drive on an improved shoulder when it's necessary and can be done safely, including to stop. On a divided or controlled-access highway, the same section allows the left shoulder for a disabled vehicle when traffic keeps you from safely reaching the right one. The right side is still the better choice whenever you can get there.

Should you stay in the car or get out?

If you're stopped well off the road, AAA's guidance is to stay inside with your seat belt on. Your belt and airbags protect you if another vehicle hits the car, and standing outside offers none of that.

If the car dies in a travel lane, keep your hazards on, stay buckled and call 911. Only get out if you can reach a safe spot without crossing any lanes. When you do have to leave the car, AAA's rules are simple:

• Get out on the passenger side, away from traffic.
• Wait beyond the guardrail if there is one, at least 40 feet from the car.
• Never stand behind or in front of the car.
• Never try to cross the freeway on foot.

When should you call 911 instead of a roadside service?

Call 911 first if anyone is hurt, if you've been in a crash, or if the car is stopped in a live lane and won't move. Those are emergencies, and roadside help comes after them. The risk is real: the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, using NHTSA data, counts more than 2,100 people killed outside disabled vehicles nationwide from 2019 to 2023.

For a minor crash, NTTA's Steer It and Clear It guidance says that if no one is seriously hurt and the vehicles can be driven safely, move them off the road. Once everyone is somewhere safe, deal with whatever still needs fixing.

How do you tell someone exactly where you are on a Dallas freeway?

Give the highway number, not just its name, because Dallas freeway names change along the route. I-35E is the Stemmons Freeway north of central Dallas and the R.L. Thornton Freeway to the south. I-30 is the Tom Landry Freeway west of the Mixmaster interchange and the East R.L. Thornton Freeway heading east to Mesquite. Say R.L. Thornton alone and you could mean either one.

Big interchanges help too. The High Five is where US-75 (Central Expressway) meets I-635 (LBJ Freeway), and the Mixmaster is where I-30 meets I-35E. Before you call, gather:

• The highway number and direction, such as I-635 eastbound or US-75 southbound
• The last exit you passed, the next one ahead, or the nearest cross street
• Whether you're on the main lanes, an express lane, a ramp or the frontage road
• Which shoulder you're on, right or left
• Anything you can see nearby. AAA suggests noting prominent buildings, mile markers and road signs.
• Your car's make, model and color

Is there free roadside help on Dallas highways and toll roads?

Sometimes, and it's worth knowing. On the Dallas North Tollway, the President George Bush Turnpike and other NTTA roads, dial #999. NTTA's Roadside Safety Services help anyone on its roads at no additional cost, and its crews can change tires, bring enough gas to reach a station, jump-start batteries and make minor repairs.

The Dallas County Sheriff's Office also runs mobility assistance patrols on regional highways that give free help to stalled and stranded drivers. The North Central Texas Council of Governments says it is still studying route expansions and more patrol hours, so whether a patrol reaches you depends on where and when you stop.

What can be fixed where the car is, and what can't?

Many breakdowns are roadside fixes: a dead battery, a flat with a usable spare, an empty tank, a low tire, a lost wheel lock key or keys locked inside. Pit Stop handles each of these where the car is, from a jump start, where the technician can check the battery and charging system, to enough fuel to reach the nearest station.

Where the work happens still matters. Nobody should be changing a tire on a narrow freeway shoulder with traffic close by. If the car can still roll, getting it to the exit or the frontage road before help arrives gives everyone more room to work.

Some problems aren't roadside jobs, such as a failed engine, transmission trouble or serious crash damage. If what you describe doesn't sound like a roadside fix, the dispatcher tells you before anyone drives out. If the technician only finds it at the car, a $35 to $75 service fee replaces the quoted price and the rest is refunded. The dispatcher tells you the exact fee for your job before you pay.

What happens when you call Pit Stop from the highway?

Pit Stop is open 24/7. Call (214) 367-5302 and tell the dispatcher where you are and what happened. You hear the full price before anyone drives out, and that's what you pay for the job you described.

The dispatcher also gives you an ETA for your exact spot. In Dallas, a technician typically arrives in 30–45 minutes, and you can call dispatch any time for an update. When help pulls up, AAA's advice still applies: stay in the car with your seat belt on until the technician tells you what to do. You get an itemized receipt at the end. If your auto policy includes roadside coverage, you can send it to your insurer; whether it pays is up to your policy.