Your car just quit doing 70 miles an hour on I-20. That's a different problem than a car that won't start in a driveway, and it deserves a different answer than "call a tow truck and wait." Here's what actually keeps you safe in the next few minutes, then how to get a truck moving.
The first 60 seconds
- Hazard lights on, immediately, the second you feel something's wrong, not after you've already coasted to a stop.
- Steer right, all the way onto the shoulder, as far from the traffic lane as the road allows. A few extra feet of clearance is worth more than getting exactly level.
- Put the car in park and set the wheels straight, so it won't roll if the shoulder has any slope to it.
- Look behind you before opening a door. Traffic on I-20 doesn't slow down just because you're stopped.
- Get out the passenger side and stand well back from the car, behind a guardrail if there is one, only if it's actually safer to be outside the vehicle than in it.
Stay in the car, or get out? It depends on where you are.
If you're on a narrow shoulder with no guardrail and traffic running fast, staying belted in the car with hazards on is often safer than standing next to a live travel lane. If there's a wide shoulder, a guardrail, or grass well off the pavement, getting out and moving behind that barrier is usually the better call, since a stopped car can still get struck from behind. There's no single right answer for every mile marker, use your judgment on the specific shoulder you're on.
What to tell us on the phone
We don't need a street address, we need a location we can actually drive to. Here's what helps, in order of usefulness:
- The green mile marker sign on the shoulder, plus which direction you're traveling, eastbound toward Louisiana or westbound toward Tyler.
- The last exit sign you passed, Loop 281, US-259, SH 300, US 271, or FM 450 are all landmarks we recognize instantly on this corridor.
- What you're driving and what happened, won't start, flat tire, overheating, smoke, or a collision, so we send the right equipment the first time.
- Whether you're still in a live lane or fully on the shoulder, since that changes how urgently we route a truck and whether we'd also suggest calling 911 for traffic control.
The Texas Move Over law, and why it protects you too
Texas Transportation Code Section 545.157 requires drivers to move over a full lane, or slow to 20 miles per hour under the posted limit if they can't move over, when passing a stopped vehicle with activated lights on the shoulder, including tow trucks. It's not just for police and ambulances. A violation carries a fine up to $200, up to $500 if it causes property damage, and it becomes a Class A misdemeanor if someone's hurt. That law is exactly why we run reflective gear and truck-mounted lighting on every roadside call, and it's also why standing between your car and the traffic lane, even just to grab a bag from the trunk, is riskier than it feels in the moment.
When to call 911 first, tow truck second
Call 911 before anything else if there's an injury, if your vehicle is stuck in a live traffic lane and can't be moved, if you smell fuel or see smoke, or if you're involved in a collision with another vehicle. Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and local officers can get traffic control moving that a tow truck alone can't provide. We'll still come for the tow itself, and we work accident scenes regularly, but a live-lane blockage or an injury needs law enforcement response first.
What not to do
- Don't stand at the rear bumper to check damage or wait for the truck. That's the most exposed spot on the whole car.
- Don't try to push a disabled car further off the highway yourself. If it won't roll easily, wait for a truck instead of straining in a traffic lane.
- Don't rely on your phone flashlight instead of hazard lights. Hazards are brighter, wider, and exactly what approaching drivers are trained to look for.
- Don't attempt a tire change on the traffic side of the car. If the flat is on the left, it's often safer to wait for help than to work inches from passing traffic.
What happens after you call
Once you give us your mile marker or exit, we quote a flat price on that same call, before a truck leaves the yard. A standard I-20 pickup near Longview usually gets a truck moving within 10 to 15 minutes, longer if you're well out toward Gladewater or past Hallsville. We text a real ETA, not a vague window, so you know roughly how long you'll be waiting on that shoulder.
Common questions
Should I stay in my car with my seatbelt on while I wait?
Often yes, especially on a narrow shoulder with fast-moving traffic and no guardrail. It's a judgment call based on the specific spot you're stopped, but a belted-in driver is protected in ways someone standing next to the car isn't.
What if I can't find a mile marker sign?
Tell us the last exit or town you passed and your direction of travel. Between that and a description of your surroundings, we can usually place you fast on a corridor we drive daily.
Does the Move Over law apply to regular cars too, or just police?
It applies broadly to stopped vehicles with activated warning lights on the shoulder, which includes tow trucks working a call, not only police and emergency vehicles.
Is a flat tire different from an engine breakdown for what I should do?
The first-60-seconds steps are the same either way: hazards on, pull fully onto the shoulder, stay alert to traffic. The difference is whether you attempt the tire yourself, which we'd only recommend if the flat is on the passenger side, away from live traffic.