What to Do When Your Car Breaks Down on US-31 Near Pulaski, TN
US-31 runs straight through the heart of Giles County, carrying commuters, commercial trucks, and tourists past Pulaski every day. When a breakdown happens on that highway — and they happen constantly — how you handle the first two minutes can mean the difference between a safe tow and a much worse situation.
Our drivers respond to US-31 calls regularly. Here's exactly what to do if it happens to you.
Step-by-Step: What to Do After a Breakdown on US-31
The moment you feel something wrong — a blowout, sudden loss of power, overheating — hit the hazard switch. Don't wait until you've pulled over. Give the cars behind you as much warning as possible.
Steer onto the right shoulder and get your vehicle completely past the fog line — the white line marking the edge of the travel lane. The further off the pavement, the safer you are. On US-31 between Pulaski and Fayetteville, the shoulders are wide enough in most sections to get clear of traffic.
This is counterintuitive, but on a 55+ mph highway, staying buckled in your car is often safer than standing outside. If you must exit, do so from the passenger side — away from traffic — and immediately move behind the guardrail or well off the shoulder.
If you carry emergency triangles (every driver should), place them 10 feet, 100 feet, and 300 feet behind your vehicle. At highway speeds, drivers need that distance to react. On curves or hill crests on US-31, place them even further back.
Don't wait to "see if it starts again." Call us at (615) 241-0232. The most helpful thing you can tell us: your nearest mile marker or a visible landmark (cross street, business name, bridge). US-31 has green mile marker signs every mile — find the nearest one.
Keep your hazards running, leave an interior light on after dark, and stay with your vehicle. Don't wander down the road. We'll be there soon, and it's much easier to find you if you're next to the car.
What NOT to Do After a Highway Breakdown
Don't try to drive it to the next exit. A blowout driven on can destroy the wheel. An overheating engine driven further can warp the head. The repair cost of limping further almost always exceeds the tow cost.
Don't stand in the lane to flag down help. Seriously — this kills people. Motorists don't expect pedestrians in the travel lane and may not react in time.
Don't accept an unsolicited offer from someone who "just happened to be driving by." Unlicensed tow operators prey on stranded motorists. If someone pulls up and offers to tow you before you've called anyone, be cautious. Ask for their license number and insurance information before agreeing to anything.
Why US-31 Breakdowns Require a Fast Response
US-31 through Giles County carries a significant amount of commercial truck traffic. A stopped vehicle on the shoulder is in much more danger from a distracted semi-truck than from a passenger car. The sooner you're off that highway, the better.
Pulaski Towing keeps vehicles staged to minimize response time on US-31 from Columbia down to the Maury County line. Most calls on this corridor see a driver on scene within 20–35 minutes.
Broken Down on US-31?
Call now — we'll dispatch immediately and give you a real ETA.
Call (615) 241-0232Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do first if my car breaks down on US-31?
Turn on your hazards and pull as far off the road as possible — ideally completely past the fog line onto the shoulder. Then call a tow truck. Don't attempt repairs on the shoulder of a busy highway.
How long will it take a tow truck to reach me on US-31 near Pulaski?
Pulaski Towing typically reaches US-31 locations in Giles County within 20–35 minutes. We'll give you an accurate ETA when you call (615) 241-0232 — no inflated estimates.