If your car or truck breaks down and you cannot get it running again, you need to have a towing service take your vehicle to a repair shop. There are some things to consider when calling a towing service and things to do while waiting for them. 

Calling For Help

When you call a towing service, it is vital that you give them your location so they can find you. If you are in an unfamiliar area, use a street crossroads, landmark, or even the GPS coordinates from your cell phone so that the drive can pinpoint your location and get you the help you need. 

The dispatcher you talk to on the phone will need to know the nature of the breakdown and the type of vehicle you are driving so they can send the right tow truck to your location. If you have a flat tire or run out of fuel, the towing service may not need to send a tow truck but may send a small roadside service truck to change your tire, add some fuel to the tank, or jumpstart your car and get you moving again. 

If you don't know the nature of the problem, the towing service will send a truck that can tow your vehicle to the nearest repair shop or a shop of your choice. If you are in an unfamiliar area, ask the towing service about repair shops in the area, and they can probably recommend one for you. 

Waiting For The Tow Truck

Once the towing service confirms they are sending a truck to your location, stay with your vehicle if you can safely do so. The driver will be looking for you, and if they cannot find the vehicle, you may be able to flag them down when they are approaching. 

Carrying some emergency supplies like warning triangles that you can put out on the road behind your vehicle is always a good option. Place the triangles back about one hundred feet from the car so that people approaching know there is a vehicle on the side of the road and can slow down and avoid it. 

The towing service can also use the safety triangles as a marker to find you on a dark road, but make sure the markers are not in the travel lane when you place them. You want people to see them, but they could get hit if they are in the road. Once the towing service arrives, the driver will quickly assess the situation and determine if they can get the vehicle running or if towing is the best option.

If the vehicle is towed, you may need someone to pick you up, so ask the driver where you are going and call a friend or family member to meet you at the repair shop. In most cases, the driver will allow you to ride to the shop in the truck, but ask when they arrive so you can call for a ride sooner if needed.