What to Do When Your Car Breaks Down

First: get safe

1. Hazards on. The moment you realise something’s wrong, switch your hazard lights on so traffic behind you knows.
2. Move left, off the road, if you can. On a motorway, aim for the hard shoulder or an emergency area. On any other road, pull as far left as you can, off the carriageway if there’s space.
3. Get everyone out and away from traffic. On a motorway, get behind the barrier. Anywhere else, stand well off the road. Keep children and pets with you, away from moving traffic.
4. High-vis and warning triangle, if it’s safe. If you have them and you can place them without walking in traffic, they help other drivers see you. Never walk in a live lane to place a triangle.
5. Don’t try repairs in a live lane. A flat tyre or a quick look under the bonnet isn’t worth the risk next to moving traffic. Wait for the truck.

Then: call for recovery

Call 0800 099 6565. Have these ready and the call takes under a minute:

• Your location — a postcode, a junction number, or a motorway marker post. Fastest of all: send your location pin on WhatsApp to 07888 670502.
• Your car — make, model, colour and registration, so the operator spots you straight away.
• What’s wrong — won’t start, flat tyre, overheating, warning lights, accident. Even a rough description helps us send the right truck.
• Where you want it taken — your home, a garage, or an address of your choice.

What happens next

We agree a fixed price on the phone before we dispatch — no hidden extras. The nearest available truck comes to you, the operator calls when they’re close, and your car goes on a flatbed to wherever you asked. That’s it. No membership, no waiting for a call centre queue.

If you don’t have breakdown cover

You don’t need it. We do one-off recovery — one breakdown, one fixed price, no membership and no monthly fee. If you break down once a year or less, a one-off recovery is usually the cheaper option. Call for a fixed price and decide for yourself.