Highway Car Accident / Breakdown Safety Tips

What should you do if your car breaks down on the highway? "It depends on where you are, if there's a shoulder, and can you get out of your vehicle safely?" outlines Cst. Dave Woodford of the Ontario Provincial Police.

The following points outline how to safely stop on a highway shoulder:

• The right-hand shoulder should be your first choice, however do not jeopardize your safety or that of other drivers. Use the left-hand shoulder as the alternative.
• Make sure to signal and come to a gradual stop.
• DON'T make a sudden move across multiple lanes.
• Stop as close to the shoulder barrier as possible to leave ample room with the live traffic lane.
• Right your wheels AWAY from live traffic. That will lessen the likelihood of causing an accident if your car is rear-ended.
• Keep your four-way flashing lights on.
• Make sure your parking brake is applied.
• Assess the situation carefully before deciding whether or not to get out.

Drivers should immediately put their emergency four-way flashers on, stay in the vehicle and call the police. Staying in the vehicle protects the driver. No matter what time of day it is, or how busy the road, you should never get out of your vehicle. Your best bet is to call a tow truck or police, or wait for a cruiser to come by. Police patrol major highways looking for stranded motorists. "Call the police, we have tow trucks available and we can come and block the highway traffic behind broken down vehicles," Sgt. Brian Bowman of Toronto Police Traffic Services said. If you're stopped in a hazardous position, don't be afraid to call 911, he added.

Even if it’s possible for the driver to get the vehicle off to the shoulder, it is still recommended to stay inside the vehicle, and call for help. If drivers do decide to exit their vehicle, they need to quickly get far away from the vehicle to avoid being hit by oncoming traffic. The Toronto Police Traffic Services warns drivers should climb over the right-hand guardrail only if their vehicle is stuck in the far right-hand lane and to wait there for help to arrive.  Drivers should never stand in front or behind their vehicles, as there is the possibility of getting hit.

If you see an accident or broken-down vehicle on a highway, make a quick note of where you saw it. Exit the highway and find a safe place (gas station or restaurant) where you can call 911 to report the incident. The idea is that you're not putting yourself in the position of potentially causing an accident by using your cell phone while driving.

Getting out of a vehicle on a highway is extremely dangerous. Follow these three simple steps to stay safe during a highway vehicle breakdown:

• Safely get the vehicle off the road onto a shoulder
• Call for help (fleet manager, tow truck, police)
• Stay in the vehicle, unless it is absolutely safe to do so