> **Quick Answer:** Put your hazards on immediately. If the car will roll, shift to neutral and push or steer it to the nearest curb or parking lot. If it won't move, get out on the passenger side away from traffic and stand behind a barrier. Call 911 first if traffic is dangerous, then call a tow truck. Do not stand between your car and moving vehicles.
## What To Do
1. **Hit your hazard lights right now.** Before you do anything else. Even if you're fumbling for your phone or panicking, hazard lights tell every driver around you that something is wrong. Do this in the first two seconds.
2. **Try to move the car.** Turn the key again once. Sometimes a stall is just a stall and the engine catches. If it starts, drive immediately to the nearest side street, parking lot, or driveway. Don't sit in the intersection running diagnostics.
3. **If it won't start, shift to neutral and push.** Unlock the steering wheel, put it in neutral, and either push from the door frame or have a passenger push from the rear. Steer toward the nearest curb, corner, or lot. Even rolling 20 feet gets you out of the kill zone.
4. **If you can't move it at all, get out on the safest side.** Exit through the passenger door if traffic is on the driver's side. Get to the sidewalk, a parking lot, or behind a concrete structure. Your car is replaceable. You are not.
5. **Call 911 if traffic is actively dangerous.** Police can block lanes and direct traffic around your car. This is not an overreaction. A stalled car in a busy intersection is a real hazard, and officers can get there faster than a tow truck.
6. **Set up warning signals if you have them.** Road flares or reflective triangles placed 50 to 100 feet back in each direction give approaching drivers more reaction time. Most people don't carry these, which is a mistake worth correcting after this experience.
7. **Call a tow truck.** Once you and your passengers are safe, call for a tow. Give the dispatcher your exact cross streets. If you have kids in the car, see the steps in this article on [car broke down with kids in car](/car-broke-down-with-kids-in-car-safety-steps/) for how to manage that situation.
8. **Do not stand next to your car in the lane.** People keep getting hit this way. Distracted drivers don't see stopped cars until it's too late. Keep your distance and stay behind something solid if possible.
9. **If a police officer or tow truck arrives, let them direct you.** Don't argue about where the car gets pushed. Getting it out of traffic is the only goal right now.
*Photo: Pexels*
## What It Might Cost
A standard tow from an intersection to a nearby shop will run you $75 to $150 in most U.S. cities. Urban areas and after-hours calls push that higher. If you don't have roadside assistance through your insurer, you'll pay out of pocket. Check whether [roadside assistance without an insurance membership](/roadside-assistance-without-insurance-membership-cost/) makes sense for you before the next emergency, not during it.
If your car gets towed by a city-contracted wrecker before you can arrange your own, expect impound fees on top of the tow. Call the tow company immediately if that happens.
*Photo: Pexels*
## Stay Safe
- Never stand in a traffic lane next to your car, not even briefly.
- Don't open the hood in a live intersection. It gives you false confidence that you're "doing something" while putting you in danger.
- Keep passengers together and away from the roadway, not scattered on both sides of the car.
- If it's dark, move away from the vehicle and use your phone flashlight to make yourself visible to approaching drivers.
- A car that stalls due to engine failure, fuel issues, or electrical problems can also have unpredictable behavior. If you smell fuel or see smoke, put distance between yourself and the car fast. [Smoke coming from under the car](/smoke-coming-from-under-car-not-hood-what-does-it-mean/) is not something to investigate on a busy street.
- If your brakes also felt wrong before the stall, do not attempt to drive even a short distance. Read up on [brake failure while driving](/brake-failure-while-driving-emergency-steps/) before you move the vehicle at all.
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*Need roadside help? Visit [Tow With The Flow](https://towwiththeflow.com/car-broke-down-in-middle-of-intersection-what-to-do/) for real answers when your car breaks down.*
Car Broke Down in Middle of Intersection: What to Do Right Now
Photo: Pexels