The First 10 Minutes After a Truck Breaks Down

A breakdown is stressful, and the instinct is to jump straight to the phone. Do this in order instead — it protects you, your load, and everyone else on the road, and it doesn't cost you meaningful time before help is on the way.

1. Get off the travel lane

If the truck still moves at all, get it as far onto the shoulder or into a safe pull-off as you can — a truck stop, a wide shoulder, an exit ramp. If it won't move, stay in the cab with your seatbelt on until it's safe to exit; being struck outside the vehicle is one of the most serious risks in a roadside breakdown.

2. Hazards on, then warning devices

Turn on your hazard lights immediately. Federal rules under 49 CFR § 392.22 require you to place warning triangles within 10 minutes of stopping on the traveled portion of a roadway or its shoulder:

• One triangle on the traffic side, within 10 feet of the vehicle
• One about 100 feet behind the vehicle in the lane it's stopped in
• One about 100 feet ahead, in the same lane

On a curve, hill, or anywhere sightlines are limited, move the rear triangle back far enough to give approaching traffic real warning time.

3. Assess — don't diagnose

You don't need to figure out what's wrong. Note what you noticed right before it happened — a warning light, a sound, a loss of power, a smell — and where you are as precisely as you can (mile marker, exit number, or cross street). That's what actually speeds up the call.

4. Call for help

Call (816) 536-7057 and describe the truck, the symptoms, and your exact location. We dispatch the nearest equipped technician and can tell you roughly what to expect before they arrive.

5. Stay visible and stay safe while you wait

Stay out of the travel lane. If you have a reflective vest, wear it. If you're on a narrow shoulder with heavy traffic, it's often safer to wait behind the guardrail or well clear of the vehicle than directly beside it.