5 Steps to Stay Safe When You Break Down on I-85 or Highway 147 in Durham

Breaking down on I-85 or Highway 147 (the Durham Freeway) is one of the most stressful and genuinely dangerous situations a driver can face. Both highways carry high volumes of fast-moving traffic through Durham, and a stationary vehicle — even on the shoulder — is a serious hazard. Every year, people are seriously injured or killed after stopping on the highway, often because they weren't in the safest possible position.

Here are 5 steps that could save your life while you wait for a tow truck near you in Durham.

1. Steer Right and Keep Moving If You Can

The moment you feel something go wrong — a blowout, engine failure, loss of power — steer to the right shoulder. Keep moving if you can do so safely, even on a flat tire. A destroyed tire is replaceable; being struck in a travel lane is not. Your goal is to get as far off the active lanes as possible.

On I-85 and Highway 147, the right shoulder is your safest option. Never stop in the center median unless you physically have no choice.

2. Make Yourself Visible — Immediately

• Turn on hazard lights the second you start to slow down — not after you stop
• If it's safe to exit the vehicle, set out road flares or reflective triangles 50–100 feet behind your car
• Leave your headlights on at night
• If you have a bright vest or jacket, put it on before you exit the vehicle

3. Stay Inside Your Vehicle

This is counterintuitive to most people, but staying inside a stationary vehicle on a busy highway is often safer than standing beside it. Keep your seatbelt on. If another vehicle strikes your car, you're better protected inside. The main exceptions are if you smell fuel, see smoke, or your car is on fire — in those cases, exit immediately and move far from the vehicle.

4. Call for Help and Stay on the Line

Call a tow truck near you immediately. On a Durham highway, you want a company that knows the area — specifically which shoulders and access roads are available on I-85 and Highway 147. Give the dispatcher your direction of travel, nearest exit number or mile marker, and what happened to your vehicle.

North Carolina has a Highway Patrol that will respond to breakdowns on state highways, but wait times can be long. A local towing company like Bull City Towing is faster because we're already in the area.

5. Don't Accept Help from Strangers on the Highway

Unfortunately, highway breakdowns attract scammers and predatory tow operators. Unsolicited tow trucks that show up without being called sometimes haul your vehicle to a lot and demand inflated fees to release it. If a tow truck shows up that you didn't call, you are not obligated to accept their help. Always call your towing company first and verify the driver matches the company you called.