If you experience car trouble, you’ll likely have the urge to make a call for help. Depending on the situation, certain calls should be made before others. Here’s who to call immediately if you’re stranded on the highway.

Consider whether you need a first responder

Here are some situations where you should call 911 before anyone else:

• You or someone else is hurt or experiencing a medical event
• There’s been an accident
• You aren’t sure of your surroundings and feel unsafe
• You have no clear path to refuge, like a nearby freeway exit

For the last two points, consider your physical location. Call 911 first if you feel stranded in an unsafe place. This can mean anything from being in a remote area that’s much too hot or cold to be exposed to the elements for very long to being stranded in a high-crime zone.

Work down the list from there

After addressing any immediate physical emergencies, you’ll need to figure out 1. What to do with yourself, and 2. What to do with your car.

Some of these plans overlap depending on your location and the car trouble itself. If the weather is nice and you can sit comfortably away from the vehicle, plus you have a membership with a service that will replace your battery or fix a flat, you’ll likely just wait this out.

However, if your car will need to go to a shop, in my mind, it’s best to figure out what to do with yourself before calling for a tow. Why stay stranded on a dangerous freeway when the tow service can just swoop up your car and go without you watching?

If you’re a local, call a family member or friend to give you a ride to wherever you need to go. Otherwise, check rideshare or cab wait times and get one on order if it’s going to be a while.

Depending on the tow service and location, you can leave your car unlocked with the key stored somewhere smart. Discuss this with the tow company.

Roadside assistance often provides a ride to the local service center. After all, they’re going to the shop with the vehicle anyway. If you’re planning on staying with your car the whole time it’s getting fixed, this is a good option. However, most of us would rather not sit at a repair facilty.

Have emergency contacts available before you head out

While breaking down is almost never expected, having a list of people and companies to call ready to go is mighty helpful. Consider writing the numbers down on paper and storing the list in your glovebox as a backup.

Here are the numbers you should have available in case you get stranded:

• Reliable relative(s) or friend(s)
• Roadside assistance (and membership info) or local tow company
• Repair facility of choice
• Car insurance company (in the event of an accident)

Remember that your safety is a priority in breakdown situations. Ensure you’re safe before noodling with your car or calling for a tow. After establishing low situational risk, you can start making transportation plans and address your vehicle’s condition.