What to do when your car breaks down

Breaking down in your car can be stressful. The good news is, by keeping calm and following this simple 3-step guide, you can get back on the road in no time.

1: Stay safe

Safety should always be your number one priority in a breakdown situation. If your car begins to stall, try to drive to the left shoulder of the road or at least an outer lane. If there’s a breakdown lane, that’s even better. Move to a non-curvy section of the road and position your vehicle as far away from other traffic as possible.

Next, activate your hazard lights to alert other drivers about your situation — as well as your parking light, if there’s low visibility. If it’s safe to do so, carefully exit the car and raise the bonnet to increase the visibility of your car. Resist the urge to try and fix your car yourself — it can be dangerous in high traffic situations and may make matters worse.

If you’re on a busy highway, it’s best to remain in your car with the seatbelt on. If you haven’t managed to park on the side of the road and are worried about getting hit by oncoming traffic, carefully walk to the side of the road when it’s safe to do so.

2. Call for assistance

If you’ve broken down in a tunnel, turn on your radio — major tunnels are regularly monitored and will send assistance.

Otherwise, once you’re safely on the side of the road, it’s time to seek help. If you’re on a road, call for emergency roadside assistance immediately. If you’re out of battery or don’t have coverage, try to safely stop another driver and ask to use their phone.

When you speak to your roadside assistance company, try to give them as much information as possible. Give them your car registration number, as well as your location and the issue with your vehicle.

With a vast network of experienced technicians, Digicall Assistance can provide help for any registered vehicle, whatever the location across Australia and New Zealand. With our stats showing that 95% of roadside attendances occur within 45 minutes of the initial call, you can count on us for a rapid response. We can help with anything from petrol top-ups, tyre replacements, battery restart, part repair and even towing. We also offer emergency taxi transport, accommodation assistance and rental cars, for those particularly sticky situations.

3. Be prepared

There are a few simple things you can do to ensure you’re best prepared for a breakdown situation.

  • Make sure you write down the emergency numbers for roadside assistance and insurance providers and keep them in your car. Also add these numbers to your phone contacts.
  • Keep a roadside kit at the ready in your car, including jumper cables, an empty petrol can and reflectors (these can be used to attract aircrafts if you break down in a particularly remote area).
  • A few litres of water, spare phone charger and portable battery pack are good ideas, too.


By following these tips, your breakdown will be resolved as quickly and safely as possible. If you are a provider of fleet services, click here to learn about how our roadside assistance services can assist your clients.