When you break down on a DFW highway, saying the nearest city is not enough. The most useful description includes the highway, direction, nearest exit, and the part of the roadway where you stopped.
Call 911 when the scene is dangerous
Call 911 if anyone is hurt, there is a fire or spill, the vehicle is blocking a moving lane, or you are in immediate danger. A website or towing request should never delay an emergency call.
If you are safely off the road, stay away from traffic as much as possible. Do not walk along a freeway or cross lanes to look for a sign. Use the information you can see safely.
Why a map pin may not be enough
Dallas–Fort Worth has frontage roads running beside highways, express and managed lanes, and large interchanges where several roads overlap. A phone pin may appear on a nearby street or the opposite side of the freeway.
Send the pin, but also say the highway name and direction. Add the nearest exit and whether you are before or after it. Tell the dispatcher if you are on the main lanes, frontage road, ramp, bridge, express lane, or shoulder.
Be specific about I-35
I-35 splits through the Metroplex. I-35E runs through the Dallas side, while I-35W runs through the Fort Worth side. Simply saying “I-35 north” may send help toward the wrong highway. Use the E or W every time you can.
A simple location description
Try putting the details in this order:
“I’m on I-635 eastbound, just before the Coit Road exit, on the right shoulder. I’m in a white pickup with a small utility trailer.”
Then explain whether the vehicle is completely off the road and what appears to be wrong.
Tell the provider about access problems
Mention a narrow shoulder, concrete wall, construction zone, soft ground, low bridge, or trailer sticking into a lane. A tow truck may need space in front of or behind your vehicle. Do not step into traffic to guide it. If police or highway workers are present, follow their instructions.
Details to have ready
- Highway and direction of travel
- Nearest exit number or named cross street
- Main lane, shoulder, ramp, frontage road, or managed lane
- Vehicle color, type, and trailer information
- Whether the vehicle rolls and steers
- Any crash damage, leak, fire, cargo problem, or road hazard
- The destination where the vehicle should be taken
From a safe location, review our DFW coverage information and call a listed provider directly with these details.