Broke down on a Kansas City highway? What to do while you wait

1. Get as far right as you can

Turn on your hazard lights and pull as far to the right as you can. If the car still rolls and an exit is close, take it. A parking lot or a side street is safer than any shoulder.

2. Stay in the car with your seat belt on

AAA's advice is to stay in your car with your seat belt fastened until the tow operator walks up to you.

When to get out

Get out only if there's smoke or fire, or the car is stuck in a lane of traffic. Then:

• Get out on the side away from traffic. Usually that's the passenger side.
• Go behind the guardrail if there is one.
• Stand at least 40 feet from your car, AAA says.

3. Call for help

• Someone is hurt, or the car is blocking a lane: call 911.
• Missouri State Highway Patrol: dial *55 from a cell phone to reach the nearest troop. It works across Missouri.
• The tow: call us at (816) 313-2116, or see your price in the price tool first.

4. Figure out exactly where you are

The tow truck needs more than "on I‑70." Look for:

• The highway and the direction you were going, like "I‑70 eastbound"
• The last exit you passed, or the next one
• The small green mile marker signs on the shoulder

On a phone, the price tool has a "Use my location" button that fills in where you are for you.

5. Have this ready when you call

• The car's year, make and model
• Whether you have the keys
• Whether it rolls and goes into neutral
• Where it's going: your home, a shop, a dealer. We don't store cars, so we need an address.

Drivers have to move over for the tow truck

Missouri's Move Over law covers stopped vehicles with flashing amber lights, and that includes tow trucks. On a road with at least four lanes, two going their way, drivers have to move out of the lane next to the stopped vehicle if it's safe. If they can't, they have to slow down. So when our truck pulls up with its lights on, traffic has to give it room. Remember that next time you're the one driving past.

Broke down near one of these highways?

We tow along all of these on the Missouri side of the metro:

• I‑70: Kansas City, Independence, Blue Springs
• I‑435: Kansas City, Raytown
• I‑49 and US‑71: Grandview, Belton
• I‑470: Lee's Summit, Independence
• I‑35: Liberty, Kansas City

Broke down on the Kansas side? Our partner Midtown Service covers Kansas. Choose Kansas in the price tool and we'll pass your request to them.