What to Do If Your Car Breaks Down on the Highway in Winnipeg

You're driving down the Perimeter Highway at 100 km/h when your engine sputters — then dies. Or a tire blows on the Trans-Canada near the city's east end. Or the temperature gauge suddenly pins itself in the red on a -25°C morning. A highway breakdown is one of the most dangerous roadside situations a driver can face, and most people's instinct — stop, get out, look confused — is exactly wrong.

High-speed traffic, limited visibility, and Winnipeg's brutal winters can turn a mechanical failure into a life-threatening emergency within minutes. This guide gives you a clear, prioritized action plan — what to do in the first 30 seconds, the first 5 minutes, and while waiting for help — so you stay safe until Jets Towing arrives.

Need immediate help? Call Jets Towing at (431) 791-1122 — 24/7 emergency towing across Winnipeg.

Immediate Actions — The First 30 Seconds Matter

The moment you sense trouble — unusual vibration, a warning light, loss of power — do these things in order:

1. Activate your hazard lights immediately. Do this before you stop. Drivers behind you need warning as early as possible.
2. Check your mirrors and signal right. Safely merge toward the right shoulder without jerking the wheel.
3. Get as far right as possible. Drive onto the shoulder, as far from the travel lane as you can get — past the fog line, into the gravel if needed.
4. Keep rolling forward if you can. A vehicle farther from an on-ramp or hidden curve is safer. Roll to a visible, straight stretch of road if possible.

Where to Stop: Shoulder Safety Basics

On the Perimeter Highway and Trans-Canada, shoulders are usually paved and wide enough to be reasonably safe. Stop fully on the shoulder with all four tires clear of any travel lane. If you have a choice, stop near a highway light pole — you'll be easier to spot at night and the light helps drivers see your vehicle.

What If There Is No Shoulder?

On some sections of Winnipeg's highway network, especially near construction zones, the shoulder disappears. If you cannot get off the travel lane, stay in your lane with hazard lights running and call 911 immediately — this is a genuine emergency requiring police assistance to manage traffic around you. Do not attempt to push the vehicle.

Once Stopped — Making Yourself Visible and Safe

Your vehicle stopped is an obstacle. Your job now is to make it as visible as possible to approaching traffic, and to keep yourself out of the traffic path entirely.

• Exit through the passenger side door, away from traffic — never the driver's side on a live lane
• Set road flares or reflective triangles at least 30 metres behind the vehicle
• Move beyond the guard rail or as far from the vehicle as safely possible
• Do not stand between your vehicle and traffic — even on the shoulder
• If you have a reflective vest, put it on over your jacket

Winter Breakdown Specific Risks on Winnipeg Highways

Winnipeg's winters add a layer of danger that doesn't exist in milder climates. Snow-covered shoulders can hide the edge of the road. Blowing snow reduces visibility to metres. Drivers who are also cold and tense react more slowly to hazards. In a genuine blizzard, remaining inside the vehicle with hazards on may be safer than standing outside in -35°C wind chill waiting to be struck by a disoriented driver. Use your judgment — but never stand directly beside your vehicle in low visibility.

Calling for Help — Who to Contact and What to Say

Call Jets Towing for fast local dispatch: (431) 791-1122. When you call, have the following ready:

• Highway number and direction of travel (e.g., "Perimeter Highway, westbound")
• Nearest exit number or kilometre marker
• Any visible landmark — overpass, intersection sign, service road
• Vehicle make, model, and colour
• The nature of the problem: flat tire, engine failure, overheating, etc.

If traffic is an active hazard — if your vehicle is partially blocking a lane — call 911 first, then call for a tow. Manitoba RCMP can divert traffic and make the scene safer before the tow truck arrives.

If you need a flat tire changed on the highway, a professional roadside service is far safer than attempting it yourself on a live road in traffic. Our FAQ page covers what to expect from our service.

While You Wait — Staying Safe Until the Tow Truck Arrives

The hardest part of a highway breakdown is the wait. Here is how to spend it safely:

• Keep hazards flashing. Do not turn them off to save the battery. The battery charge is irrelevant compared to being seen by traffic.
• Stay off the road surface. If you exited the vehicle, stay beyond the guard rail or as far from your vehicle as the terrain allows.
• In winter: If the exhaust pipe is clear of snow and you are safely off the travel lane, you can run the engine for short intervals to stay warm. Check the exhaust pipe periodically — drifting snow can block it, creating a carbon monoxide risk inside the cabin.
• Tell someone where you are. Text a family member or friend your location, highway number, and direction. This creates a backup record of your last known position.
• Watch for the tow truck. When you see it approaching, signal with a flashlight or wave a bright cloth — especially in low light or snow conditions.

After the Tow Truck Arrives

The driver will assess the scene before approaching the vehicle. Do not walk toward the truck as it is setting up — wait for the driver to come to you or signal you. During loading, stay well clear of the vehicle and away from the roadway. The process takes a few minutes, and standing near the rear of a vehicle being loaded on a busy highway is where secondary accidents happen.

Our emergency towing service page explains how towing to your preferred shop or a safe location works. For more on what to do after a breakdown, read our related post on what to do after a breakdown in Winnipeg.

Winnipeg's highway corridors — especially the Perimeter and Trans-Canada sections near St. Boniface and Headingley — require extra winter awareness. Jets Towing's GPS dispatch means the nearest equipped truck reaches you faster than a centralized call centre ever could.

Frequently Asked Questions