What to Do When Your Car Breaks Down on the 73
A breakdown on the 73 gives you about a minute to make good choices. Traffic moves fast, the shoulder narrows in spots, and the toll road has few places to wait safely. Here is the order we walk drivers through when they call.
Get Off the Road and Light Up
Ease off the gas, signal, and steer to the right shoulder. Switch on your hazards and turn your front wheels away from the lane. If you can coast to an exit ramp or onto a surface street like Aliso Creek Road, do that instead. A side street is safer than any freeway shoulder.
Stay Buckled Unless There Is Smoke
On a shoulder, your car is the safest place to wait. Keep your seat belt on and your doors closed. If you see smoke or flames, get out on the passenger side, move well away from traffic and stand behind the barrier if there is one.
Make the Right Call First
In danger or hurt? Call 911. The California Highway Patrol handles freeways and toll roads.
Safe but stuck? Call (657) 663-2390. Tell the dispatcher your direction, the nearest exit and what the car is doing. You hear your price before a truck is sent. That is our emergency tow in Aliso Viejo in one call.
Match the Truck to the Problem
A low sports car, an all-wheel-drive SUV or a car damaged in a collision rides best on a flatbed truck. A flat tire, dead battery or empty tank may not need a tow at all. Our roadside assistance can often get you moving on the spot.
When the Truck Pulls Up
Stay in the car until the driver walks up to you. Check that the truck name matches the one the dispatcher gave you. California’s Move Over law also covers tow trucks with flashing lights, so other drivers should change lanes or slow down as they pass. Curious how a dispatch works? Read how a call becomes a tow.
Quick Checklist
- Hazards on, wheels turned away from traffic
- Exit the road if you can reach one safely
- Seat belt on, doors closed
- 911 if there is any danger
- Call us with your direction and nearest exit
We cover Aliso Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Beach, Mission Viejo and the rest of South County cities. Whatever stopped you, one call gets a dispatcher on the line.
