Car Broken Down?

Being involved in a vehicle breakdown can be an upsetting experience - especially if you don’t have breakdown cover in place. If your car has broken down or your car won’t start, but you’re not an RAC member, don’t worry - we can still help you.

How? This guide will cover exactly what you need to do if your vehicle breaks down and you need instant breakdown cover - including clear, step-by-step instructions to help us get to you as soon as we can.

We’ll also detail the benefits of RAC membership, and the level of breakdown cover you can expect from us.

Broken Down without any Breakdown Cover?

If you've broken down and need immediate breakdown cover, don't panic. Stay calm and follow these five steps:

Staying safe when your vehicle has broken down

After calling us for instant breakdown cover, it’s important you stay safe until support arrives. While waiting for help, your priority is looking after yourself and any passengers in the vehicle.

Tips for staying safe when your car has broken down include:

For further reading, look at our guides on motorway breakdown advice and staying safe in a breakdown.

Already a member?

Why choose RAC for your emergency cover?

When you join the RAC, you’ll join more than eight million members of the breakdown service that has been coming to the rescue of UK motorists since 1897. You’ll be in safe hands - we use advanced computer systems to deal with roadside assistance calls and deal with breakdowns swiftly and efficiently.

The RAC provides roadside assistance to all areas of the UK at all times - 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year.

As standard, every RAC patrol van carries more than 500 parts and tools - including a universal spare wheel to quickly help motorists who have had a puncture or other issues with tyres. We also have a dedicated fleet of fuel patrols to help motorists who have put the wrong type of fuel in their vehicle.

The RAC’s record of repairing vehicles at the roadside is one of which we’re especially proud. We repair four out of five vehicles at the roadside.

For more information on the service provided by the RAC, read our complete guide to breakdown cover.

• Get out of the car from the passenger side. This means you don’t exit the vehicle on the driver’s side and step out into the road, and potentially in the path of oncoming traffic.
• Stay as far away from the road as possible. If you’re on the motorway, try to get as close to the barrier at the roadside as you can, ideally behind it. Make sure all passengers do the same. Be aware of oncoming traffic at all times.
• If you can’t get out of the vehicle for whatever reason, pull over as far to the left of the road as you can. Put your hazard lights on as a warning to other motorists, and move passengers to the passenger side of the vehicle. All passengers should put seatbelts on.
• If you haven’t got access to a mobile phone and you’ve broken down on the motorway, make your way to an emergency telephone and call for help. Emergency phones are located along every mile of a motorway, and users are connected to the Highways Agency directly.