San Diego Roadside Emergency Guide
Stranded on the Road in San Diego? Here's Exactly What to Do.
If Someone Is Injured: Call 911 First
Before anything else, if anyone in your vehicle or another vehicle is hurt, unconscious, or in medical distress, call 911 immediately. Do not move injured people unless there is an immediate danger (fire, vehicle in a travel lane). After emergency medical help is on the way, call (619) 872-5285 for towing.
Freeway Breakdown Response
Car Breakdown on a San Diego Freeway, Five Steps
San Diego freeways carry hundreds of thousands of vehicles every day. A breakdown on I-5, I-8, I-15, or I-805 during rush hour puts you in a high-speed environment with limited escape options.
Get off the road if possible
Signal right and pull onto the shoulder as far as you can. If you can reach an exit ramp, even better, surface streets are safer than freeway shoulders. Coast toward the right shoulder using whatever momentum you have. Do not stop in a travel lane unless you physically cannot move the vehicle.
Hazard lights: immediately
The moment you know something is wrong, activate your hazard lights. This is the single most important thing you can do to prevent a secondary collision. Rear-end collisions with stopped vehicles on freeway shoulders are a leading cause of fatal highway incidents in California.
Decide: stay in or get out
Stay in the vehicle if you cannot safely exit away from traffic, if you're on a bridge/overpass, or if traffic is moving at high speed with a narrow shoulder. Get out if you can exit from the right (passenger) side and move behind a guardrail, up an embankment, or onto a sidewalk, or if you smell smoke or see fluid leaking.
Call for help
For emergencies (injury, fire, vehicle in traffic lanes): call 911. For non-emergency breakdowns: call RJ Towing at (619) 872-5285 for live bilingual dispatch 24/7, or CHP non-emergency at 1-800-835-5247.
Make yourself visible
Keep hazard lights flashing at all times. If you have emergency flares, reflective triangles, or cones, place them 50-100 feet behind your vehicle on the shoulder. At night, turn on your dome/interior light so people can see you inside the vehicle.
Freeway-Specific Safety Notes for San Diego
Not all San Diego freeway shoulders are equal. Here's what you need to know for the major corridors, from 15+ years of responding on every one of them.
I-5, San Diego's Main North-South Artery
Southbound downtown (Balboa Ave → Cesar Chavez Pkwy)
Shoulders are narrow, often 2-3 feet between the right lane and the concrete barrier. Stay in your vehicle with seatbelt on and hazards running. Do not attempt to exit the vehicle. Call 911 or CHP to request traffic control. This is the most dangerous breakdown zone in San Diego County.
Northbound near Sorrento Valley (I-805 merge)
The merge lane creates a compression zone with minimal shoulder. Push through to the next exit (Carmel Mountain Road or Carmel Valley Road) rather than stopping in the merge area.
South of National City to the border
Shoulders improve in this stretch. Pull fully off the road. Otay River Valley and San Ysidro exits provide surface-street escape options.
I-8, East-West, Ocean Beach to Alpine
Westbound through Mission Valley
Congested at peak hours but shoulders are adequate in most sections. The interchange with I-15 and SR-163 has limited shoulder space, try to make it past the interchange if your vehicle can still move.
East of College Area
Wider shoulders start east of the College Ave exit. The I-8 corridor east of El Cajon has full emergency pulloffs and wider shoulders, a safer place to wait for a tow.
Hotel Circle area
The curves near Hotel Circle Drive reduce visibility for approaching drivers. If stopped here, use every visibility tool you have, hazards, flares, triangles.
I-15, North-South, Downtown Through Escondido
Through Miramar / Kearny Mesa
Shoulders are decent. Emergency pulloffs exist north of Miramar Road. The express lanes have their own shoulder system, if you break down in the express lanes, pull to the left (median) shoulder and call 511.
North of Rancho Bernardo
Wider shoulders and lower speeds make this a relatively safer breakdown area. Exits are spaced further apart, so you may wait longer for a truck.
I-805, Parallel to I-5, South Bay Through Sorrento Valley
South Bay (National City → Chula Vista)
Shoulders vary. The elevated sections near Sweetwater Road have minimal pulloff space. Try to reach an exit if your vehicle is still moving.
North of Balboa Ave
Good shoulders through the Clairemont / University City stretch.
SR-163, Cabrillo Freeway, Downtown Through Kearny Mesa
Through Balboa Park
This historic parkway section has narrow lanes and virtually no shoulder in places. A breakdown here blocks traffic quickly. If you can make it to the Washington Street or University Avenue exit, you're much safer than stopping on the roadway.
After a Collision
Car Accident in San Diego, Step by Step
Stop immediately
California law requires you to stop at the scene of any accident involving injury, death, or property damage. Leaving the scene is a hit-and-run, a criminal offense.
Check for injuries
Check yourself, your passengers, and anyone in the other vehicle(s). If anyone is injured, call 911 immediately.
Move to safety if possible
California Vehicle Code 21718 requires drivers to move vehicles to the shoulder if the accident is minor and both vehicles are drivable.
Call law enforcement
Accidents with injuries: 911. Freeway: CHP (1-800-835-5247). City streets: SDPD non-emergency (619-531-2000). Unincorporated: Sheriff (858-565-5200).
Exchange information
Full name, phone number, insurance company and policy number, license plate, driver's license number, vehicle make/model/year.
Document everything
Photograph all vehicles, damage, license plates, the intersection/road, skid marks/debris, insurance cards.
Call RJ Towing
If either vehicle is not drivable, call (619) 872-5285. We handle accident recovery with care, scene photos for documentation, insurance-ready paperwork, and routing to your body shop of choice.
Notify your insurance
File a claim as soon as possible. Provide the police report number, the other driver's information, your photos, and the tow receipt.
Lockouts
Locked Out of Your Car in San Diego
Child or pet inside the vehicle: If in distress, call 911 immediately. California law protects you if you break a window to rescue a child or animal in danger. If alert and the temperature is not extreme, call (619) 872-5285, we treat child/pet lockouts as priority dispatch and waive trip fees.
Standard lockout (keys inside, no one trapped):
- 1. Call (619) 872-5285, we dispatch a lockout technician in 15-20 minutes
- 2. Do not attempt to pry the door with tools, coat hangers, or screwdrivers, this causes expensive damage to modern vehicles
- 3. Wait in a safe, well-lit area if possible
- 4. Have your ID ready, we verify ownership as a security measure
Save These Numbers Now
San Diego Emergency Numbers, Quick Reference
Save (619) 872-5285in your phone now. You won't want to be searching for a towing number while standing on the shoulder of I-5 at midnight.
| Situation | Who to Call | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Life-threatening emergency | 911 | 911 |
| RJ Towing (tow + roadside, 24/7) | RJ Towing · San Diego | (619) 872-5285 |
| RJ Towing Tijuana / border | RJ Towing · TJ | (664) 801-9382 |
| CHP non-emergency | California Highway Patrol | 1-800-835-5247 |
| SDPD non-emergency | San Diego Police | 619-531-2000 |
| SD County Sheriff non-emergency | Sheriff's Department | 858-565-5200 |
| Caltrans road conditions | Caltrans | 1-800-427-7623 |
| Poison control | Poison Help | 1-800-222-1222 |
| SDG&E (downed power line) | SD Gas & Electric | 1-800-411-7343 |
Emergency Prep
Items to Keep in Your Vehicle
San Diego's mild climate means you're less likely to face extreme cold, but breakdowns happen year-round. Keep these in your car.
Phone charger + battery pack
Car charger plus a portable battery pack. Your phone is your lifeline.
Reflective triangles or flares
California law requires them for vehicles over 80 inches wide, smart for any vehicle.
Flashlight with fresh batteries
LED flashlight. Headlamp style is even better, hands free.
Basic first aid kit
Bandages, gauze, antiseptic wipes, pain reliever, tweezers.
Jumper cables or jump pack
A portable jump pack doesn't require a second vehicle and works when no help is around.
Tire pressure gauge
Low tire pressure is a leading cause of flats on San Diego freeways.
Water: at least 1 gallon
Dehydration is real on San Diego's inland freeways in summer.
Blanket
Warmth at night, sun shade during the day.
Insurance card and registration
Accessible without digging through a locked glove box.
Decision Guide
When to Call RJ Towing vs. When to Call 911
Clear on which number to dial, in the moment, it's the difference between the right response and lost minutes.
Call 911 when:
- Anyone is injured
- There is a fire or smoke from a vehicle
- A vehicle is blocking live traffic lanes and cannot be moved
- A child or pet is locked in a vehicle and in distress
- You feel threatened by another person
- There is a hazardous material spill
Call RJ Towing when:
- Your car breaks down and you need a tow
- You have a flat tire, dead battery, or ran out of gas
- You're locked out of your vehicle (no child/pet in distress)
- You've been in an accident and need vehicle removal after police have cleared the scene
- You need a vehicle transported for any non-emergency reason
- You need cross-border towing, also try the (664) line
Call both when:
- You're in an accident with injuries (911 first for medical, then RJ Towing for the vehicle)
- Your vehicle is in a dangerous position on a freeway (911 or CHP for traffic control, then RJ Towing for removal)
You Don't Have to Handle This Alone
Roadside emergencies are stressful, disorienting, and sometimes frightening. You're in an unfamiliar situation, possibly in an unfamiliar place, possibly in the dark. The most important thing you can do is stay calm, stay safe, and call someone who does this every day.
RJ Towing has been responding to roadside emergencies across San Diego County for over 15 years. Our drivers know every freeway shoulder, every tricky interchange, and every dark stretch of road in this county. We're family-owned. We're bilingual. We treat every call like it's someone in our own family stranded on the road.
Call (619) 872-5285, 24/7
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. Live bilingual dispatcher, no phone tree, no hold music.
(619) 872-5285
También puede llamar en español, estamos aquí para ayudarle. (619) 872-5285 o línea Tijuana (664) 801-9382.
Servicio en Tijuana: (664) 801-9382