Flat Tire or Lockout in Lincoln, NE? What to Do First

Got a flat tire or locked your keys in the car in Lincoln, NE? Get to a safe spot first. Then pin down exactly where you are. On the UNL campus, that means the garage and the level. On I-80, it means the last exit and your direction. Lincoln Police won't open a locked car unless a child is trapped inside. So for a plain lockout or a flat, call for roadside help and give that exact spot.

Why does your exact spot matter so much in Lincoln?

A flat near the University of Nebraska campus and a flat past the edge of town are two different calls. In town, streets are close together and a driver can find you by a cross street. Out on I-80, one wrong guess about your spot can send help to the wrong side of a divided road.

Lincoln has seven I-80 interchanges, from exit 395 on the west side to exit 409 near Waverly. Past those, the exits spread out. Head west and the next one is exit 388 at Pleasant Dale, about 7 miles past exit 395. Head east and the next one is exit 420 at Ashland. That's about 11 miles of interstate with no exit at all.

So "I'm on 80 near Lincoln" isn't enough. Your driver needs four things: the road, your direction, the last exit you passed and which shoulder you're on.

Which I-80 exit am I near?

These are the Lincoln exits, west to east. Exit numbers on Nebraska's I-80 follow the mile markers, so the small green mile sign next to you tells you roughly where you are between two exits.

Exit	Road
395	NW 48th Street, to US 6
397	US 77 south, toward Beatrice
399	NW 12th Street, Cornhusker Highway, airport
401	I-180 south, US 34, 9th Street to downtown
403	27th Street
405	US 77 north, 56th Street
409	US 6, East Lincoln and Waverly

An old exit 396 at O Street is closed, so don't name it. If you're between Waverly and Ashland, read the mile marker out loud when you call. That stretch is long, and the number is the fastest way to find you.

What should I do first when a tire goes flat on I-80?

Slow down and steer to the right shoulder. Get every wheel past the white line. Nebraska law lets a disabled car sit on a freeway shoulder, facing the way traffic goes, with all wheels clear of the lanes. It sets a limit of 12 hours.

• Hazard lights on. Do it before you stop rolling.
• Stay in the car, belted in. Traffic on I-80 moves fast and close.
• Don't stop on a bridge or overpass. Nebraska law keeps everyone but crews and responders from parking on a bridge over or under a highway. If the car still rolls, ease off the bridge first.
• Don't change the tire on the traffic side. If the flat faces the lanes, leave it for your driver.

Nebraska's move-over law tells passing drivers to shift a lane away, or slow down if they can't. It only applies when someone is in or near the stopped car. That's one more reason to wait inside.

If anyone is hurt, or your car is stuck in a live lane, call 911 first.

What do I need for a spare tire change?

A partner can come and put your spare on. Check two things before you call. Does the spare hold air? Do you have the wheel lock key, if your car uses locking lug nuts? It usually lives in the glove box or the trunk. No spare, or the spare is flat too? Then the job becomes a tow to a tire shop, and you get a new price by text before anyone heads out.

What if I get a flat or lock my keys in on the UNL campus?

City Campus has three parking garages: Stadium Drive Garage, 14th and Avery Garage, and 17th and R Garage. If you're stuck in one, tell us the garage, the level and the nearest stall row or stairwell. A spare change or a lockout can often be done right in the stall.

A few campus details help:

• UNL Parking and Transit Services sits in the Stadium Drive Garage, 625 Stadium Drive. Their number is 402-472-1800 on weekdays. Call them for parking and gate questions.
• If a garage gate won't open on your way out, UNL says to press and hold the intercom button with the phone pictured on it.
• UNL Police list their services online. That list doesn't include opening locked cars or jump starts. Their non-emergency number is 402-472-2222 for safety concerns.

On a football Saturday, campus streets fill up fast. If you're in a surface lot, give the lot name or number from the nearest sign. Your driver has to get through the same crowd you did.

Will Lincoln Police open my locked car?

No, not for a plain lockout. The Lincoln Police Department says it doesn't open locked vehicles because of the risk of damage. If a young child is locked inside, the department says an officer will be sent to help.

So here's the rule. A child, or anyone who can't get out on their own, means you call 911 right now. Don't wait for a lockout visit. Lincoln summers are hot. NOAA puts the July normal high at about 89 degrees, with about 42 days a year at 90 or more. Winter swings the other way, with a January normal low of about 14. A closed car gets dangerous fast in either one.

For everything else, call for car lockout help. Have these ready:

• Where the keys are: on the seat, in the ignition or in the trunk.
• Your car's year, make and model.
• Your ID. Expect your driver to ask for it and to see the registration once the door is open.

If the keys are lost or broken, opening the door won't fix it. You need a new key made, and our partners don't cut keys. A tow to a dealer or locksmith is the fix.

Is it really a dead battery?

Some lockouts start with a dead fob. Some flats come with a battery that died while you sat with the hazards on. If the car clicks and won't start once you're back inside, ask for a jump start on the same call.

How does Sentinel handle a Lincoln roadside call?

Sentinel Towing is a towing and roadside network, not a tow company. A vetted local partner does the job. We text your price and lock it before anyone is sent. Then we check on you by text until help arrives. You see your driver's name, photo and truck first, and you can track your truck on a map. That's the Stay-With-You Promise.

What should I say when I call?

1. What happened: flat tire, keys locked in, or the car won't start.
2. Where you are: the I-80 exit or mile marker, or the campus garage and level.
3. Your direction on I-80, and which shoulder.
4. Your car, and whether you have a spare or know where the keys are.
5. If it turns into a tow, the address of the shop you want.

Want more on your city? See our Lincoln towing page. If your car went missing from a street instead, read how to find a towed car in Lincoln. We don't do impounds, but that guide shows who to call. For road closures, check Nebraska 511.

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

Lincoln Flat Tire and Lockout Questions

Rules change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: Lincoln Police FAQ, LPD General Order 1850, Neb. Rev. Stat. 60-6,164, Neb. Rev. Stat. 60-6,378, UNL Police services, UNL Parking and Transit Services, UNL garage access, NOAA normals, Nebraska 511, I-80 exit list.