Safety
Broken Down on I-75 Near Dayton When a Storm Hits: What to Do First, and What Can Wait
If your car quits on I-75 near Dayton during a tornado warning, the tow can wait. Your safety comes first. The National Weather Service says a car is not safe in a tornado. Get to a sturdy building if you can reach one. If you can't, get down low in the car and cover your head. Never hide under an overpass. Call 911 if anyone is hurt. Call for a tow once the warning ends.
Why is a storm breakdown different from a normal one?
On a normal day, a breakdown has one rule. Stay buckled in the car on the shoulder and wait for help. A storm flips that rule. The car that keeps you safe from traffic can't keep you safe from a tornado.
Dayton drivers have seen this up close. On the night of May 27, 2019, an EF4 tornado touched down just west of Brookville. The weather service says it moved through Trotwood, Dayton and Northridge. Then it crossed I-75 into Old North Dayton and went on to Riverside.
The weather service puts its peak winds near 170 mph. It was on the ground for 20 miles. At its widest, it was more than half a mile across. The survey found heavy damage to homes, apartments and trees along the path. Parts of I-75 and North Dixie Drive closed.
The warning for that tornado went out 10 minutes before it touched down. It was after 10:30 at night, on a holiday. Ten minutes is not much time when you are on the highway in a car that won't start.
Tornado watch or tornado warning: which one changes your plan?
These two words sound alike. They mean very different things for a driver.
- Tornado watch. Tornadoes are possible in a large area. Keep driving if your car runs fine, but have a plan. Know where the next sturdy building is.
- Tornado warning. A tornado has been seen or shows on radar near you. The weather service says to move to the closest sturdy shelter right now if you are in a car.
- Tornado emergency. A violent tornado is on the ground. The weather service says don't try to outrun it in a car.
Here is the catch. Under a watch, a dead battery is just a dead battery. Under a warning, it is a reason to leave the car behind.
Don't count on sirens to tell you. Kettering says its sirens were built to warn people who are outside. They may not be heard inside a building or a car. Keep your phone's emergency alerts on, and keep the radio on if the car still has power.
Your car died during a tornado warning. What now?
Say your car stalls on I-75 near the I-70 junction in Vandalia, and your phone buzzes with a warning. Work through this list in order.
- Call 911 if anyone is hurt or your car is stuck in a live lane. Sentinel is not an emergency service.
- Look for a sturdy building you can reach. A gas station, a store or an office is better than any car. Walk there only if you can stay well away from traffic.
- If there's no building, stay put or go low. The weather service says to get down in your car and cover your head. Or leave the car and lie flat in a ditch or low spot.
- Skip the overpass. The weather service warns that wind can speed up under a bridge. Debris gets blown in and trapped there. It is not a shelter.
- Wait for the warning to end. Then call for help.
Pick the ditch only if it is dry. If water is moving through it, stay in the car and cover your head.
What about severe thunderstorms and lightning?
Not every storm brings a tornado. They still bring wind, lightning and fast rain. Here your car is a better place to be.
Lightning
NOAA says a hard-topped car with the windows up is safe shelter from lightning. Don't touch metal parts that lead outside the car. Lightning can strike more than 10 miles from the rain. Stay put until at least 30 minutes after the last thunder. Then get out to check a tire or the hood.
Wind and falling trees
The weather service says to stay in your car if no sturdy building is near. If the car can still move, roll it away from trees and power lines. Give trucks, buses and trailers extra room on I-75 and I-70. One strong gust can tip a trailer on its side.
Water on the road
Heavy rain can cover low spots fast. The weather service says 12 inches of rushing water can carry away most cars. Two feet can carry away SUVs and trucks. The road under the water may be gone. Turn around and find another way.
When is it safe to call for a tow?
Call once the warning has ended, and the lightning and wind have passed. Then think like the driver who will come to you. After a big Dayton storm, here is what slows a tow down:
- Downed power lines. Don't go near them. Report them to police. Tell the dispatcher if one is near your car.
- Trees and debris. Say if a limb is on the car or the road is blocked.
- Closed roads. Check OHGO for closures on I-75, I-70 and US 35 before you plan the trip.
- Water. A tow truck can't work in floodwater either. Wait until it is off the road.
Most storm calls fall into a few kinds of jobs:
- The car sat in deep water or took a big hit. Get a tow to a repair shop. Don't try to start it.
- You swerved onto a soaked shoulder and sank in the mud. A winch-out can pull it back to the pavement if it's close to the road.
- The car is fine, but the battery died while you waited it out with the lights on. A jump start may be all you need.
How does Sentinel help after the storm?
Sentinel Towing is a towing and roadside network. A vetted local partner tow company does the job. We text your price and lock it before anyone is sent. Then we check on you by text until the truck arrives. You also get your driver's name, photo and truck, and you can track your truck on a map. That is our Stay-With-You Promise.
If the job changes, like a tree branch is on the hood, we text a new price first. You decide.
When your driver is working on the shoulder, Ohio's move-over law applies to the cars passing by. Drivers have to move over and slow down for a tow truck with flashing lights. That rule covers every road in Ohio. For more on Dayton roads and the areas partners cover, see our Dayton towing page.
Stuck right now? Call 1-888-TOW-1213, or request help online.
Dayton Storm Breakdown Questions
Can I wait out a tornado under an I-75 overpass?
No. The weather service says wind can speed up under an overpass, and debris gets trapped there. Get to a sturdy building. If you can't, get low in your car or lie flat in a dry ditch.
Will a tow truck come during a tornado warning?
Call after the warning ends. Your safety comes first, and your driver's does too. Once it is clear, you get your price by text before anyone is sent.
Is my car safe from lightning?
A hard-topped car with the windows up is safe shelter, NOAA says. Don't touch metal that leads outside. Wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder before you step out.
I won't hear the tornado sirens in my car, will I?
Maybe not. Kettering says its sirens were built to warn people outdoors, not people in cars. Keep phone alerts on and the radio running if you can.
Rules change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: NWS Wilmington, Trotwood tornado, NWS warning times, NWS watch vs warning, NWS during a tornado, NWS overpass safety, NWS wind safety, NWS after a windstorm, NOAA lightning safety, NWS Turn Around Don't Drown, Kettering sirens, ODOT Move Over, OHGO.
