What to Do When Your Car Breaks Down on I-95 in Palm Beach County
Your dashboard lights up, the engine coughs, and the car starts to slow down in the middle lane of I-95. Trucks are flying past. Your heart is doing 90 even if the car is not. Here is exactly what to do next, in order.
Short answer: hazards on, get as far right as you safely can (an exit beats the shoulder), stay buckled inside unless the car is unsafe, call 911 if anyone is hurt or a lane is blocked, then call a tow. In Palm Beach County, that is us: (561) 594-5853,.
What should you do the second the car starts to fail?
- Hazards on. Before anything else. They are your loudest signal to everyone behind you.
- Aim for an exit. If the car is still moving, take the next exit. Okeechobee Boulevard, Palm Beach Lakes, 45th Street, Blue Heron, Northlake and PGA all beat an I-95 shoulder.
- No exit in reach? Go right. Ease onto the right shoulder, as far from the travel lanes as you can. Avoid stopping on the left shoulder unless you truly have no choice.
- Turn the wheels away from traffic and set the parking brake once you stop.
Should you stay in the car or get out?
On a highway, the inside of a buckled-up car is usually the safest place to wait. Get out only if the car is unsafe: smoke, fire, a fuel smell, or you are stopped in a live lane. If you do get out, use the passenger side, move well away from the road, and stand behind a guardrail if there is one.
Florida’s Move Over law also covers disabled vehicles with hazard lights on, so passing drivers are supposed to move over or slow down. Plenty do not. Do not count on it.
Who do you call first?
| Situation | Call first |
|---|---|
| Anyone hurt, a crash, or your car is blocking a lane | 911 |
| Car stopped safely on the shoulder or off the highway | A towing company |
| Smoke, fire or a fuel smell | 911, then move away from the car |
When you call us, have three things ready: where you are (highway, direction, nearest exit or mile marker), what you drive, and what happened. That is enough for us to send the right truck.
How do you tell a tow company where you are on I-95?
Look for the small green mile marker signs on the right shoulder, or the last exit sign you passed. “Northbound I-95, just past the Okeechobee exit” gets a truck to you much faster than “somewhere near West Palm”. If your phone has maps open, you can also read off your location or share it.
Do you need a flatbed?
For most highway breakdowns, a flatbed is the cleanest option: all four wheels off the road, nothing dragging. It is the right call for all-wheel drive cars, low cars, classics and anything damaged. Not sure? Tell us the make and model and we will decide.
What can you do while you wait?
- Keep your hazards on, even in daylight.
- Stay buckled in with the doors locked if you are inside.
- Keep your phone charged. Turn down the screen brightness if the battery is low.
- In the summer heat, keep water handy. If the A/C is not working and it is safe, crack the windows.
- Write down your location so you can repeat it quickly.
Can you avoid a breakdown in the first place?
Not always, but you can stack the odds. South Florida heat is hard on batteries and cooling systems, so get the battery tested once it is three years old, keep an eye on the temperature gauge in stop-and-go traffic, and do not ignore a warning light. A light on the dash is your car asking nicely. A breakdown on I-95 is your car stopped asking.
Common questions
Shoulders are for emergencies. If your car breaks down, stopping on the shoulder is what you should do, with hazard lights on. Move off the highway as soon as you safely can.
Call 911 if anyone is hurt, if there was a crash, if you see smoke or fire, or if your car is blocking a travel lane. Otherwise, call a towing company.
It depends on your location, traffic and time of day. We tell you what to expect when you call.
It depends on the truck and how many people need a ride. Ask us when you call.
Broken down right now? Call (561) 594-5853. More on what we do: towing services · towing FAQ.