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Take a breath. We've got this.
You just got hit. Or you hit someone. Airbags went off, glass on the road, someone is calling 911, your hands are shaking. Everything is loud and urgent. Take a breath. You're going to be okay. RJ Towing dispatches a flatbed in 15-30 minutes, documents damage, coordinates with police, and communicates with your insurance.
Servicio en Tijuana: (664) 801-9382Call (619) 872-5285 right now. If anyone is injured, call 911 first, then call us. RJ Towing dispatches a flatbed to your accident scene in 15-30 minutes, documents the damage, coordinates with police and your insurance, and transports your vehicle to the body shop or facility of your choice. Bilingual dispatch 24/7. También disponible al (664) 801-9382.
Most "what to do after an accident" guides are written by lawyers trying to get your case or insurance companies protecting their bottom line. This one is written by the people who actually show up at the scene, the tow truck drivers who have worked hundreds of San Diego collision calls.
Turn on your hazard lights immediately. If your car is in a live traffic lane on I-5, I-8, I-15, or I-805 and it can move at all, pull to the right shoulder. If anyone is hurt, any pain, dizziness, neck soreness, call 911. SDPD responds to accidents within city limits, CHP covers the freeways, and cities like Chula Vista and El Cajon have their own departments. 911 routes to the right one.
Names, phone numbers, insurance companies and policy numbers, driver's license numbers, license plate numbers. Take photos of both vehicles from multiple angles, road conditions, debris, and the other driver's license plate and insurance card.
If police respond, they will file an accident report. Ask the officer for the report number, you need it for your insurance claim and body shop. SDPD reports can be requested online through the city's records portal within a few days. If police do not respond (minor collisions, no injuries), file a report yourself at the nearest SDPD station or via CHP's online reporting system.
If your car has frame damage, fluid leaks, a smashed radiator, deployed airbags, flat tires from impact, or will not start or drive safely, you need a tow. Do not drive a collision-damaged vehicle. What looks like a fender dent might be hiding a cracked radiator, a bent tie rod, or frame damage that makes the car dangerous at any speed.
Call your insurance company and file a claim. They will assign a claim number. Tell them where your car is going. Give them the police report number. RJ Towing provides documentation, our driver photographs your vehicle's condition at the scene and gives you a receipt your adjuster can use. We work with AAA, Geico, State Farm, Progressive, Allstate, Farmers, and USAA for direct billing when your policy covers towing.
Three choices, and the choice is always yours, not the police officer's, not the other driver's, and not ours. Your preferred body shop. Your insurance company's preferred facility. Or our secure yard at 2881 G St while you figure out next steps.
San Diego freeways see hundreds of accidents every week. The I-5/I-8 merge downtown, I-805/SR-54 in National City, the I-15/SR-163 split in Mission Valley, high-collision zones we respond to regularly.
Freeway accident towing requires CHP coordination, specific staging to avoid blocking emergency lanes, and flatbed transport because wheel-lifted vehicles create additional hazards at freeway speeds.
Side-impact and T-bone accidents at busy intersections often leave vehicles undrivable in the middle of the road. We coordinate with local police to stage without blocking traffic further.
Broadway and E Street in Chula Vista, Main and Magnolia in El Cajon, Gaslamp intersections downtown, calls we know well.
Low-speed parking lot collisions still cause real damage, crumpled quarter panels, pushed-in doors, broken tail lights. Technically drivable, but a damaged tail light or misaligned wheel is illegal and unsafe.
We tow from parking structures and lots, including tight multi-story garages at Fashion Valley and Horton Plaza that other trucks cannot navigate.
The most common accident type in San Diego. Even at 15-20 mph, a rear-end collision can crack your bumper support, push your trunk into the rear seat, and damage the exhaust system.
Trunk will not close, bumper hanging, exhaust dragging? Call (619) 872-5285 for safe flatbed transport.
Three, four, five cars. Multiple insurance companies, multiple police reports, multiple tow trucks. We have handled multi-vehicle scenes where we towed two or three vehicles from the same incident.
Our team stays professional and patient through the entire process, these scenes take time to clear.
If the other driver left the scene, call 911 first and file a police report. Then call us. Your uninsured motorist coverage or collision coverage typically handles the tow.
We document everything so your claim is as strong as possible.
Accident towing with RJ Towing starts at $150+, depending on distance and vehicle condition. We use flatbed trucks for all collision tows because damaged vehicles require the safest possible transport.
| Service | Starting Price |
|---|---|
Accident towing (flatbed) Based on distance and vehicle condition | From $150+ |
Photo documentation Scene and pickup-condition photos for your claim | Included |
Fluid-leak loading precautions | Included |
Delivery to shop / insurance facility / yard | Included |
Insurance-ready receipt and documentation | Included |
Secure yard storage (if needed) While you wait for adjuster or shop availability | Daily rate, quoted |
Insurance billing available. If your auto policy covers towing (most do), we can bill your carrier directly. You may pay nothing out of pocket for the tow itself. Tell our dispatcher your carrier when you call. No after-hours surcharges.
Number one mistake at accident scenes. People walk between two stopped cars to look at damage, and a third car, distracted, going too fast, hits one of the stopped vehicles and crushes the person standing between them. Walk to the sidewalk or behind a guardrail before inspecting.
On I-5, I-8, I-15, or I-805, the shoulder is not a safe place to stand. Drivers at 65+ mph may not see you, especially at night or in rain. Stay with seatbelt on and hazards active. If you must exit, exit on the side away from traffic and get behind a guardrail immediately.
Bent frame, smashed radiator, pouring fluids, deployed airbags, do not drive it. Even if it starts. Bent frames cause unpredictable steering. Leaking coolant causes overheats and fires in minutes. Deployed airbags mean compromised steering columns. Wait for the flatbed.
The most dangerous period at an accident scene is the first few minutes, when approaching traffic has not adjusted. Turn on every light your car has, hazards, headlights, interior dome lights. Reflective triangle or flares: deploy 100+ feet behind the rearmost vehicle.
Before anyone sweeps glass or moves debris, take photos. Wide shots of the scene, close-ups of damage, road surface, traffic signals, street signs, weather conditions. This documentation helps your insurance claim enormously, costs you nothing but 60 seconds.
RJ Towing arrives at accident scenes across San Diego County in 15-30 minutes. For freeway accidents, we coordinate with CHP or SDPD to ensure safe truck staging. Downtown and South Bay are on the faster end, 15-20 minutes. East County and North County may take 25-30 minutes.
Accident towing starts at $150+, depending on distance and vehicle condition. This includes flatbed transport, photo documentation, and insurance-ready receipts. If your auto insurance covers towing, we can bill your carrier directly, many accident tows cost you nothing out of pocket.
Most auto insurance policies in California include towing coverage for accident-related tows, either through collision coverage or a separate roadside assistance rider. We work with AAA, Geico, State Farm, Progressive, Allstate, Farmers, and USAA for direct billing.
Yes, under California law, you have the right to choose your own body shop. Your insurance company may recommend a preferred facility, but they cannot require you to use it. We deliver to whichever shop you choose, whether it is your trusted mechanic in Barrio Logan or a certified collision center in Kearny Mesa.
We coordinate directly with California Highway Patrol on freeway accident scenes. CHP manages the scene and directs when and where the tow truck can stage. Our drivers know the staging procedures, clearance timelines, and how to load efficiently so the lane can reopen.
Sí, RJ Towing es completamente bilingüe. Our dispatch team, drivers, and owner all speak fluent Spanish. We communicate with you entirely in Spanish, from the first call through the insurance documentation. You can also reach us on our Tijuana line at (664) 801-9382.
If your vehicle is declared a total loss, it will typically be moved from the body shop to a salvage yard or insurance auction facility. We transport to the insurance company's designated location when the time comes. In the meantime, we can store your vehicle at our secure yard at 2881 G St while you and your adjuster work through the process.
Yes. RJ Towing is the only San Diego towing company with dedicated cross-border service. If your accident happened in San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, or near any border crossing, we respond in 15-25 minutes. For accidents in Tijuana itself, call our Mexico line at (664) 801-9382.
One call to RJ Towing covers more than a single service. If your situation includes any of these, we handle it on the same dispatch.
24/7 urgent tow dispatch anywhere in San Diego County. 15-30 minute response.
Learn MoreZero-wheel-contact transport for Teslas, luxury, AWD, lowered, and classic vehicles.
Learn MoreJumpstart, lockout, flat tire, and fuel delivery, one call covers everything.
Learn MoreFlatbed transport from San Diego to LA, Phoenix, Vegas, and Baja California.
Learn MoreBinational towing between San Diego and Tijuana with dedicated (664) line and border logistics.
Learn MoreBox trucks, RVs, shuttle vans, and commercial vehicles up to 26,000 lbs GVWR.
Learn MoreWe respond to collision scenes in every San Diego neighborhood and freeway corridor.
Freeways We Cover Daily
I-5 · I-8 · I-15 · I-805 · SR-163 · SR-94 · SR-52 · SR-54 · SR-125 · SR-75 · SR-56 · SR-905
Cross-Border Service, The Only One in San Diego
Tijuana Direct Line: (664) 801-9382
The tow is the one part of this situation you do not need to stress about. Call (619) 872-5285 and a real person answers, bilingual, calm, and ready to send help. We will be there in 15-30 minutes with a flatbed, a professional driver who has done this hundreds of times, and the documentation your insurance needs.
You focus on yourself. We focus on your vehicle.
24/7/365, including holidays and weekends. Insurance-ready documentation.
¿Accidente de auto? Llámanos al (619) 872-5285 , servicio completamente en español, las 24 horas. Documentación lista para tu seguro. Llegamos en 15-30 minutos. También disponible en Tijuana: (664) 801-9382.
Servicio en Tijuana: (664) 801-9382