Richmond Drivers: What Actually Helps at the Roadside

If your car quits in Richmond, three things help most. Know exactly where you are: road, direction and the last exit or mile marker. Call the right number: 911 if anyone is hurt or you're in a live lane, #77 for State Police help on the highway. And know the fix you need. On parts of I-95, I-64 and I-295, VDOT's free patrol can change a tire or jump a battery. It does not tow.

Who should I call first when my car dies in Richmond?

It depends on where you are and what went wrong. Pick the line that matches your moment.

• 911 if anyone is hurt, the car is on fire, or you're stuck in a lane with traffic coming. Sentinel is not an emergency service.
• #77 on your cell phone for State Police help. The Virginia State Police say that if your car breaks down, turn on your flashers, lock your doors and get as far off the road as you can. Then call #77.
• A roadside or tow call when you're safe and you want the job finished. That means a jump, a spare put on, a lockout opened, or the car taken to the shop you pick.

Say your battery dies in a Carytown lot after dinner. No one is in danger and you're off the road. Skip 911 and #77. You need a jump.

Is VDOT's Safety Service Patrol on my stretch of road?

Maybe. VDOT runs a free Safety Service Patrol on Virginia interstates. Its operators wear bright reflective uniforms and drive marked trucks. VDOT's 2026 schedule lists these posts around Richmond:

Patrol post	Road and stretch	When
Downtown	I-95, exits 73 to 83	Every day, 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Chesterfield	I-95, mile posts 58 to 73	Every day, 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Hanover	I-95, exits 83 to 98	Every day, 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
64 Richmond West	I-64, mile posts 173 to 187	Monday to Friday, 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Shockoe	I-64, mile posts 190 to 205	Monday to Friday, 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
I-295	I-295, exits 28 to 43	Every day, 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Short Pump	I-295, exits 41 to 52	Every day, 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Varina-Enon Bridge	I-295, exits 15 to 31	Every day, 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Overnight posts	I-95, mile posts 50 to 98, and I-64, mile posts 178 to 205	Every day, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Where are the gaps?

Look at the two I-64 posts near the city. The schedule lists them for weekdays only. Break down on I-64 on a Saturday afternoon, and that stretch has no daytime post on the list.

The schedule also covers interstates only. Chippenham Parkway, the Powhite, Hull Street Road and Broad Street aren't on it. Neither is a parking deck near VCU. Off the interstate, plan on calling for help yourself.

What can the free patrol do, and what can't it?

VDOT lists the help its patrol gives drivers:

• Help changing a tire
• Enough fuel to reach the nearest gas station
• Jump starts
• Water for an overheating radiator
• A phone to call a tow or recovery service
• Directions

Towing isn't on that list. The patrol also clears debris and sets up traffic control at crash scenes. Its job is to get the lane moving again. If your car still won't run, you still need a tow to a shop.

So if a patrol truck pulls up, take the help. If no truck comes, or the problem is bigger than a jump, make the call.

How do I give my location on a Richmond interstate?

Richmond's interstates stack up fast. I-95 crosses the James River right beside Main Street Station. North of downtown, it shares lanes with I-64. Then I-64 peels off west where I-195 comes in. One wrong guess can put your driver on the far side of a river or a split.

Before you call, look around for four things:

1. The road number on the nearest sign.
2. Your direction: north, south, east or west.
3. The last exit number you passed, or the small green mile marker on the shoulder.
4. Something you can see: the river, the train station, a bridge overhead.

VDOT's own patrol schedule uses mile posts, too. "I-64 east, mile marker 192" tells anyone right where you are.

What does Virginia law expect me to do?

Virginia Code 46.2-888 covers breakdowns. Turn on your flashers. If you can move the car safely, it moves, and no one is hurt, get it out of the travel lanes. Move it to the shoulder as soon as you can, then off the shoulder without needless delay.

Don't leave it there for days. If a stuck car becomes a hazard, an officer can order it removed at the owner's cost. A car left on the I-295 shoulder overnight is the kind of thing that happens to.

Your flashers also help you. Under Code 46.2-861.1, drivers must move over a lane, or slow down and pass with care, for a stopped car with its hazard flashers on. That applies on highways with at least two lanes each way. The same law covers tow trucks with amber lights while your driver works.

Which fix do I really need?

Most stalls in Richmond fall into a few types. Match yours before you call. It saves you paying for more than the job needs.

• It clicks but won't crank. That's usually the battery. NOAA's airport normals show about 42 days a year at 90°F or hotter, and about 74 nights at or below freezing. Both wear batteries down. Ask for a jump start first.
• A tire went flat on Chippenham. If you have a good spare, a flat tire change puts it on and gets you to a tire shop.
• The keys are on the seat. Don't break a window outside the Diamond after a game. A car lockout service opens the door.
• You slid off an icy ramp. Freezing rain isn't rare in Richmond. If the car is stuck near the road but not damaged, a winch-out may be all it needs.
• It won't run at all, or it's been in a crash. That's a tow. Pick the shop before you call so your driver knows where to go.

How does Sentinel fit in?

Sentinel Towing is a towing and roadside network. A vetted local partner tow company does the job. We text you a locked price before we dispatch anyone. Then we check on you by text until your driver arrives. That's the Stay-With-You Promise. You also get your driver's name, photo and truck by text, so you know who to look for on a dark shoulder.

Partners cover the city and the counties around it, from Short Pump to Chesterfield. Our Richmond towing page lists the neighborhoods.

Can I check the road before help arrives?

Yes. VDOT's free 511 app shows traffic, crashes, construction, weather and traffic cameras. You can also call 511 from any phone in Virginia for spoken alerts, or check 511.vdot.virginia.gov. It helps your family, too. They can see if a wreck has backed up I-95 near you.

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

Richmond Roadside Questions

Rules change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: VDOT Safety Service Patrol, VDOT patrol post schedule, Virginia State Police safety tips, Va. Code 46.2-888, Va. Code 46.2-861.1, NOAA climate normals, VDOT 511.