New Hampshire Roadside Emergency Guide: What to Do Before Towing Help Arrives

Nobody plans for a breakdown. One minute you’re driving through Concord, and the next you’re pulled onto the shoulder with a dead battery, a flat tire, or two wheels spinning uselessly in a snowbank. What you do in the next ten minutes matters more than most drivers realize, for your safety, and for your vehicle.

New Hampshire’s weather doesn’t make it easier. A breakdown that’s a minor inconvenience in July can turn dangerous fast in January, when temperatures drop, visibility shrinks, and every extra minute on the shoulder is a risk.

At Musk Heavy Duty Towing, we’ve pulled vehicles out of nearly every situation the Concord area can produce. Here’s our field guide to staying safe and avoiding costly mistakes while you wait for a tow.

Stranded on the Road? Get Safe Before You Do Anything Else

Before you touch your phone or your vehicle, focus on your immediate surroundings.

• Pull as far off the road as you can. Even a few extra feet of shoulder can make a real difference.
• Turn on your hazards immediately, and keep them on until help arrives, even during the day.
• Stay inside your vehicle with your seatbelt on if you’re on a busy road or highway. Standing outside near moving traffic is one of the most dangerous parts of any breakdown.
• If you must exit the vehicle (flat tire, checking damage), exit from the side away from traffic, not the driver’s side facing the road.
• Set up flares or reflective triangles behind your vehicle if you have them and it’s safe to place them.

None of this fixes the mechanical problem. It just keeps you safe until it’s fixed.

What NOT to Do Before Your Tow Truck Arrives

A lot of the damage and danger we see on calls doesn’t come from the original breakdown. It comes from what happens afterward, while someone’s trying to solve it themselves.

Don’t attempt a DIY pull or push out of snow or mud. Rocking a vehicle out of deep snow or a ditch without the right angle and equipment often digs it in deeper, or shifts weight in a way that damages the undercarriage. What looks like a five-minute fix can turn into a much longer, more expensive one.

Don’t lay a motorcycle or ATV down to move it. If your bike stalls or won’t restart, resist the urge to lean it against a guardrail or lay it flat to load it into a friend’s truck. Bikes are built to travel upright, and doing otherwise risks bent components, scratched paint, and fluid leaks that weren’t there before.

Don’t sit with your engine running and windows up for long periods in snow. If your tailpipe gets buried or blocked by snow, running the engine can allow exhaust to build up inside the cabin. Crack a window slightly if you’re waiting with the engine on, and periodically check that the tailpipe is clear.

Don’t try to jump a battery with mismatched cables or an unfamiliar vehicle if you’re not confident in the process: modern electrical systems are sensitive, and a mistake can cause more damage than the dead battery itself.

Don’t stand between your vehicle and traffic, even to wave someone down. Stay on the side away from the road.

What TO Do While You Wait for Roadside Assistance

• Note your exact location. Mile markers, cross streets, or a nearby business name all speed up response time.
• Keep your phone charged, or have a portable charger in your glove box for exactly this situation.
• If it’s cold, conserve your battery. Running heat, headlights, and hazards all at once will drain a battery that’s already struggling.
• Keep a basic winter kit in the car during colder months: blanket, flashlight, water, and traction aid (sand or cat litter), especially if you drive rural roads around Concord.

When It’s Time to Call a Towing & Recovery Professional

If any of the following apply, stop troubleshooting and call:

• You’re stuck in snow, mud, or a ditch and can’t move under your own power
• You’re on a highway shoulder or anywhere with fast-moving traffic nearby
• It’s a motorcycle, ATV, box truck, RV, or anything larger than a standard passenger vehicle
• You’re locked out and it’s after dark or in bad weather
• You’ve jump-started the vehicle more than once in the last week (a sign the battery itself needs attention, not just a boost)

Keep a Winter Emergency Kit in Your Car

• A warm blanket, a hat and gloves
• A flashlight with extra batteries
• Water and a few snacks
• A phone charger or power bank
• Sand, cat litter or traction mats
• An ice scraper and a small shovel
• Reflective triangles or flares

If You’re Stuck in Snow

Stay with your vehicle. It’s the easiest thing for help to find, and it keeps you out of the wind. Clear snow away from the tailpipe before running the engine for heat, and run it only for short periods. Crack a window slightly, and turn on your hazard lights or interior light so you can be seen.

What to Tell Us When You Call

• Your location: the road, your direction and the nearest exit or mile marker
• The vehicle, and what happened
• Whether anyone is hurt or the vehicle is blocking a lane
• Where the vehicle should go

Driving in New Hampshire Winters

Snow, ice and cold cause most winter breakdowns around Concord. Slow down on ramps and bridges, which freeze before the road does. Leave extra space behind trucks and plows. Keep your gas tank at least half full in cold weather, and have your battery tested before the first deep freeze.

After a Minor Accident

• Move to a safe spot if the cars can be driven and police allow it
• Turn on your hazard lights
• Exchange insurance information
• Take photos of both vehicles and the scene
• Call us if your car can’t be driven safely

If Your Car Overheats

Pull over safely and turn off the engine. Don’t open the radiator cap while it’s hot, because the coolant is under pressure. Let the engine cool, look for leaks under the car, and call for help if it overheats again or you see coolant on the ground.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to wait in my car on the highway?

Usually, yes, with your seat belt on and your hazard lights on, if the car is fully off the road. If you can safely get behind a guardrail, that’s even better.

Should I call 911 or a tow truck first?

If anyone is hurt, you smell fuel, or the vehicle is blocking traffic, call 911 first. Then call us.

Can you help on I-93 at night?

Yes. We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on I-93, I-89, I-393 and the roads around Concord.

Real 24/7 Towing & Roadside Assistance in Concord, NH

When you call Musk Heavy Duty Towing, you’re not navigating an automated menu or waiting for someone to wake up. You’ll reach an alert technician who’s already prepping the right equipment for your specific situation, whether that’s a winch-out, a flatbed, a motorcycle harness, or a simple jump start.

We’re based right here in Concord, NH 03301, and we handle everything from stranded sedans to jackknifed semis with the same level of care.

Stranded right now? Call (603) 696-4734. Not an emergency yet, but want peace of mind before winter hits? [Request a quote online] and get familiar with us before you actually need us.