Top 5 Emergency Car Towing Scenarios and How to Handle Them

When your car quits on a busy Melbourne arterial or after dark on a country road, the goal is simple: keep people safe and get the vehicle moved quickly without making a bad situation worse. Below are the five most common towing situations we encounter in Victoria, along with clear steps to handle each one like a professional.

Key takeaways

• Get to a safe spot, use hazards, and stay well clear of traffic before you do anything else. Official advice in Victoria is to pull into an emergency lane or the far-left shoulder and call for help.

• From 1 July 2025, Victorian drivers must slow to 40 km/h when passing tow trucks, roadside assistance and incident-response vehicles with flashing lights—an important safety change for you and for responders.

• Flat batteries are a top reason cars need help. RACV attended over 290,000 battery callouts in a single year across Victoria; batteries are one of the most common causes of breakdowns in Australia.

• Australia’s road toll remains a serious concern, underscoring why safe roadside behaviour matters: for the 12 months to June 2025, the national fatality rate was 4.9 deaths per 100,000 people.

1) After a Crash (When You Need an Accident Tow)

When towing is the right call

• Any crash where the vehicle is undriveable, leaking fluids, airbags deployed, wheels won’t turn straight, or lights/bonnet won’t close.

• If you’re shaken up or visibility is poor, don’t attempt a DIY limp home.

What to do first

• Stay calm, signal, and steer left into an emergency lane or safe shoulder. Switch on hazard lights; at night, also use headlights for visibility.

• Check for injuries and call 000 if needed.

• Stand well clear of traffic—preferably behind a barrier if one’s nearby.

• Call an accident towing service. Tell the dispatcher exactly where you are (nearest exit/landmark), how many passengers, and whether the car is blocking a lane.

Why slowing down around tow trucks matters

• Victoria’s updated Road Rule 79A requires drivers to slow to 40 km/h when passing roadside responders (including tow trucks) with flashing lights from 1 July 2025. This protects the people helping you and reduces secondary crashes. Source: Transport Victoria.

2) Sudden Overheating or Major Engine/Transmission Failure

Typical signs

• Temperature gauge spikes, “hot” warning, and steam from the bonnet

• Oil-pressure or transmission warnings, loss of power or drive

Step-by-step

• Indicate left and coast off the roadway—do not slam the brakes.

• Hazards on. If safe, open the bonnet latch but avoid opening the cap on a hot radiator.

• Don’t keep cranking a knocking or oil-starved engine—doing so can cause catastrophic damage.

• Call professional help.

Prevent a repeat

• Keep coolant, oil, and transmission service intervals up to date. A delayed service can turn a minor leak into an expensive tow.

3) Flat Battery / No-Start (At Home, Work, or On the Curb)

Batteries are a top cause of breakdowns. In Victoria, RACV attended over 290,000 battery callouts in a single year—winter is especially unkind to weak batteries.
And across Australia, motoring bodies consistently cite flat batteries as a leading breakdown trigger.

What to do

• If you’re parked safely, try a jump-start only if you know how and have proper leads/a booster.

• If you’re in traffic or a risky spot, don’t attempt DIY—call towing or mobile battery help.

• Tell dispatch if the car is in a basement, car stacker, or height-restricted garage so they can send a suitable truck/low-clearance solution.

Pro tip

• If the battery is more than 4–5 years old—or the car repeatedly needs a jump—replace it rather than risking another breakdown.

4) Tyre Blowout, Bent Wheel, or Multiple Punctures

If a tyre blows while moving

• Grip the wheel firmly, ease off the accelerator, and keep the car straight.

• Don’t brake hard; let the car slow, then steer to the left shoulder and stop on level ground.

• Hazards on, park brake set.

Change it or tow it?

• Change the wheel only if you’re well clear of traffic, on level ground, and confident with the jack.

• On freeways, in rain, at night, or where the rim/tyre is severely damaged, call a tow—it’s faster and safer than wrestling with a scissor jack inches from live lanes.

5) Bogged, Floodwater, or Off-Road Misadventure

Golden rules

• Never drive through floodwater—even shallow moving water can sweep a car off the road.

• If you’re bogged in sand/mud, avoid spinning the wheels (you’ll dig deeper).

• Call a recovery-capable tow—winch-outs require the right gear and training.

Safety on scene

• Put on, set up triangles/torches if you have them, and keep passengers inside the vehicle unless there’s an immediate danger.

When to Call Emergency Towing vs. Try a Quick Fix

• Call emergency towing immediately if you’re stopped in a live lane, near a blind corner, or on a bridge/tunnel approach.

• Try a quick fix (jump-start, wheel change) only when you’re well off the lane, visibility is good, and you’re confident. Otherwise, call emergency towing and let trained operators manage traffic risk while they work.

Need help now?

Our team operates a true 24 hour tow truck across Melbourne—fast dispatch, clear ETAs, and the right truck for your situation. Whether you’ve had a prang on the freeway or a battery that died in an underground car park, we’ll get you and your vehicle to safety—quickly and carefully.