A Highway 97 Breakdown in Kelowna: What to Do Next

If your car fails on Highway 97 in or near Kelowna, steer to the right edge and aim for the next exit, side road or lot. Hazards on, stay in the car and call. Then name the stretch you're on: the interchange, cross street or bridge you last passed, plus your direction. That gets the right partner tow company moving to the right spot. If anyone is hurt or you're stuck in a live lane, call 911 first.

Why isn't "Highway 97" enough to find you?

In the Kelowna area, Highway 97 is not one road. It's five or six very different roads with the same number.

It starts as a freeway near Peachland, at the Drought Hill interchange with the Okanagan Connector. It runs through West Kelowna and Westbank First Nation lands. About 15 km later, it crosses Okanagan Lake on the William R. Bennett Bridge. On the east shore, it turns into a busy city street with lights. It meets Highway 33, then heads north past UBC Okanagan and the airport. Then it climbs out toward Winfield in Lake Country.

A driver hunting for you on 97 could be searching close to 40 km of highway. Your phone's map pin helps. But pins drift, and a pin on a divided highway doesn't say which side you're on. So the words you give matter.

What landmarks should you name on Highway 97?

Here are the main points along 97, from south to north. Say the last one you passed and the next one ahead.

Stretch	Landmarks to name
South of West Kelowna	Drought Hill interchange, where the Okanagan Connector (97C) splits off
West Kelowna	Glenrosa Road interchange, Westside Road interchange, Campbell Road interchange
Over the lake	William R. Bennett Bridge, and which end you're nearest
Downtown Kelowna	Pandosy Street and Water Street, at the east end of the bridge
Central Kelowna	The Highway 33 junction, plus the nearest signal or cross street
North Kelowna	Edwards Road, or the signal you stopped near: Leathead, McCurdy, Findlay and Hollywood, or Sexsmith
UBC Okanagan and the airport	John Hindle Drive, University Way, Airport Way
Lake Country	Beaver Lake Road and Glenmore Road at Winfield

Between Highway 33 and Edwards Road, the province widened 97 to six lanes and added HOV lanes. Six lanes means it matters which lane you ended up in. Say "right shoulder," "center lane" or "stuck in the left lane."

Which way are you heading?

Direction is the detail people forget most. On a divided road, the wrong side can cost your driver a long loop to the next place to turn around.

Signs say north and south, but Highway 97 bends a lot through town. Skip the compass. Use plain words instead:

• "Heading toward the bridge" or "heading away from the bridge."
• "Heading toward the airport" or "heading toward downtown."
• "Heading to Peachland" or "heading into West Kelowna."

Also say if you're on a ramp. Near UBC Okanagan, the John Hindle Drive ramps only work one way. There's an exit for northbound traffic and an entrance for southbound traffic. A car stalled on one of those ramps is in a very different spot from one on the highway itself.

Your car is dying on 97. Where should you stop?

ICBC's advice for engine trouble on a busy highway is simple. Signal, steer to the edge, and try to reach the nearest exit. If you can't, pull off the road as far as you can.

B.C. law backs that up. Outside built-up areas, the Motor Vehicle Act says you must not stop on the roadway if you can stop off it. The rule bends only when the car is so disabled that stopping there can't be avoided. The same law says no stopping on a bridge, except to avoid traffic or follow the law or police.

If the engine quits, don't panic about the wheel. ICBC says power steering still works with the engine off. It just takes more effort.

1. Hazards on as soon as you feel trouble.
2. Get right. A side street off Harvey or a lot beats the shoulder.
3. Stay in the car with your belt on, unless it's on fire or you smell smoke.
4. Put an S.O.S. note in the windshield. ICBC suggests it.
5. Skip roadside repairs. ICBC says not to try them on crowded, fast roads.

If smoke comes from under the hood, ICBC says get everyone out right away. Don't open the hood. Move well away from the car, then call 911.

What if a tire blows out at highway speed?

A blowout on 97 near the Glenrosa or Westside interchanges can be scary. ICBC says a front blowout pulls the car toward the flat side. A rear one can start a skid.

• Hold the wheel firmly and steer where you want to go.
• Don't slam the brakes. Ease off the gas and let the car slow down.
• Brake gently only once your speed has dropped.
• Signal or hit the hazards and pull off when it's safe.

Once you're stopped and clear of traffic, you have a choice. If you have a good spare and a wide spot away from the lanes, a flat tire change may get you rolling. If the rim is damaged or the shoulder is narrow, ask for a tow to a tire shop instead.

Can police move your car if it's blocking 97?

Yes. Under the Motor Vehicle Act, a peace officer can move a car that blocks the normal flow of traffic. They can also have it taken and stored. The owner pays the cost of removal and storage.

That's one more reason to call for help quickly, instead of leaving the car and walking off. ICBC says to stay with your vehicle anyway. And never get into a stranger's car. If someone stops to help, ask them to drive on and call for you.

Sentinel Towing does not do impounds. If police already had your car moved, our guide to finding an impounded car in Kelowna explains where to start.

Which kind of help do you need?

Tell the dispatcher what the car did, not just that it "broke down." It changes which truck gets sent.

• Clicks but won't start in the lot at the airport or UBC Okanagan: ask for a jump start.
• Keys locked inside after you pulled into a gas station on Harvey: that's a car lockout.
• Flat with a good spare and a safe spot: a flat tire change.
• Overheated, smoking, crashed or won't move: a tow to a shop, in Kelowna or across the bridge.

Partners handle cars, SUVs, minivans and light pickups. They don't move RVs, trailers or big trucks.

What should drivers passing you do?

When your tow truck stops with its lights flashing, B.C.'s Slow Down, Move Over rule kicks in. Drivers must drop to 70 km/h where the limit is 80 or more. Where it's lower, they slow to 40 km/h. On multi-lane stretches of 97, they should move over a lane when it's safe.

Not everyone does. Wait on the side of your car away from traffic once the truck arrives, and let your driver direct you.

Should you check DriveBC before you drive 97?

Yes. DriveBC lists crashes, roadwork and lane closures on Highway 97. Overnight work in West Kelowna can close a lane and the shoulder, which leaves less room to pull over.

From October 1 to April 30, B.C. also enforces winter tire and chain signs on signed routes. If you're heading up the Connector past Drought Hill, check the signs and the forecast before you leave town. For more on the city's roads, see our Kelowna towing page.

Who sends the truck?

Sentinel Towing is a towing and roadside network. We don't own trucks, and we have no Kelowna office. A vetted local partner tow company does the job. We text you a locked price before anyone is sent. Then we check on you by text until help arrives, and you can track your truck on a map. That's the Stay-With-You Promise.

Stuck right now? Call 1-888-TOW-1213, or request help online.

Highway 97 Breakdown Questions

Rules change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: B.C. Motor Vehicle Act, ss. 187 to 189, ICBC emergency strategies, B.C. government, Highway 97 six-laning, B.C. Slow Down, Move Over, B.C. winter tire enforcement, DriveBC.