After Dark Near Rochester's "Can of Worms": What to Do When Your Car Quits at Night

If your car dies after dark near Rochester's Can of Worms, get off the live lanes if the car still rolls. A ramp or a side street beats a shoulder. Turn on your hazards, stay buckled in and call for a tow from inside the car. Tell the dispatcher which road in the interchange you are on. If anyone is hurt or you are stopped in a travel lane, call 911 first.

When does it get dark in Rochester this time of year?

Earlier every week. The US Naval Observatory lists these sunset times for downtown Rochester:

Date (2026)	Sunset
October 3	6:48 p.m.
October 31	6:03 p.m.
November 2	5:01 p.m.
December 21	4:38 p.m.

Look at the jump between Halloween and November 2. The clocks fall back, and your drive home from work moves into the dark overnight. By late December the sun is down before many shifts end. It doesn't come back up until about 7:39 a.m.

New York law says your headlights must be on from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise. So near the shortest day, that means headlights by a little after 5 p.m. The same rule applies any time you can't see 1,000 feet ahead, and any time your wipers are clearing rain, snow or sleet.

Why is the Can of Worms so hard to break down in?

It is really two interchanges squeezed into one. I-590 comes up from Brighton and NY 590 comes down from Irondequoit. They meet I-490 about 2,000 feet apart. East Avenue (NY 96) runs right through the middle, and a CSX rail line crosses the north half. University Avenue feeds in at exit 20, right next door.

It was rebuilt from 1988 to 1991 to stop the old weaving mess. The name stuck anyway. So did the tangle of ramps and flyovers.

At night, that tangle is the problem. A ramp that curves under a bridge gives the cars behind you very little warning. Your own headlights only reach about 350 feet ahead, says the New York DMV. Theirs reach the same. A car stopped past a bend can show up fast.

Odd ramps that confuse people after dark

• On I-490, the Can of Worms is exit 21. On I-590 and NY 590, it is exit 5.
• I-590 exit 3 at Elmwood Avenue only lets you off going south. Exit 4 at Highland Avenue only lets you off going north.
• If you get on NY 590 south at Blossom Road (exit 6), you cannot reach I-490 from there.

Why does this matter? If your car starts to shake on I-590 north, you may not get the exit you expected. Plan for the next safe one, not the one you wish was there.

What should I do the second the car starts to fail?

Stay calm and keep it rolling if you can. A ramp, a side street or a lit lot off East Avenue or Monroe Avenue is a far better place to wait than a dark shoulder under an overpass.

If you hear a thump from a tire

The DMV says a thumping sound can warn of a blowout. If one blows, hold the wheel tight and ease off the gas. Don't brake hard until the car is under control. Then leave the road when it's safe.

If your headlights die or start to dim

This one is scary at night. The DMV says to try your hazard lights, parking lights and turn signals. They often still work and can give you enough light to get off the road. If the lights are only dimming, get to a gas station or pull off while you still can. Dimming lights often mean a charging problem, and the engine may quit next.

Once you're stopped

• Hazards on. Parking lights alone are not enough for other drivers to spot you.
• Stay in your seat with your belt on. Don't stand behind or beside the car.
• Keep your phone charged. Plug it in now if the car still has power.
• If you are stuck in a travel lane, or anyone is hurt, call 911 before anything else.

How do I tell a tow driver where I am inside the interchange?

"I'm at the Can of Worms" is not enough. There are a lot of roads in there, and a driver at night can't read your mind. Give three things:

1. The road you were on and which way you were going. "I-490 east" or "NY 590 south."
2. What you passed last. The East Avenue bridge, the rail bridge, the Highland Avenue ramp or the University Avenue exit.
3. Whether you're on a ramp, a flyover or the main road.

Then drop a pin from your phone's map if you can. It helps your driver find the right ramp on the first try. Before a late drive, check 511NY for night lane closures.

Why are deer a bigger risk right now?

Fall is deer season on the roads. The New York DMV says two-thirds of all deer crashes happen in October, November and December. Deer move most at dawn and dusk. That lines up with your commute once the clocks fall back.

Deer travel in groups. If one crosses in front of you on I-590 near Brighton, slow down and expect more. The DMV says you can flash your headlights or use your hazards to warn drivers behind you.

If you do hit a deer and the car won't drive, or a fender is rubbing a tire, don't limp it home. A tow to a shop is safer. If anyone is hurt, call 911 first.

What about cold nights and dead batteries?

Rochester averages about 129 nights a year at or below freezing, by NOAA's normals for the airport. It also sees about 4 nights a year at zero or below. A battery that started fine at lunch can fail after a long shift in a cold lot.

If the car clicks and won't crank in a parking lot, a jump start usually gets you moving. If it dies on the expressway with the lights fading, it may not be the battery at all. That one usually needs a tow.

The city's winter advice still holds after dark: keep your tank at least half full, and keep jumper cables, a flashlight and blankets in the car.

Who can help on the Thruway at night?

The Can of Worms is not on the Thruway. But I-490 runs out to the Thruway at exit 45 by Victor and exit 47 toward Le Roy, and I-390 meets it at exit 46 in Henrietta. On the Thruway itself, only authorized Thruway garages may service a disabled car. The Thruway says to call 911 for emergencies and stay with your vehicle. Once you're off the Thruway and down the ramp, regular roadside help can reach you.

Do other drivers have to move over for my car?

On expressways and parkways, yes. New York's move over law covers any vehicle stopped on the shoulder of a controlled-access highway. Drivers must use care and change out of the lane next to you when it's safe. It also protects your tow driver once the amber lights are on. That's one more reason to wait in the car, not on the shoulder.

How does Sentinel work at night?

Sentinel Towing is a towing and roadside network. We don't own trucks. A vetted local partner tow company does the job. Before anyone is sent, we text your price and lock it. Then we keep checking on you by text until help arrives. That's the Stay-With-You Promise.

At night, the small things matter most. You get your driver's name, photo and truck by text, so you know who is pulling up behind you in the dark. You can also track your truck on a map, and we can text one family member your location. Your price depends on the job: your vehicle, what went wrong and where the car is stopped. See the Rochester towing page for the areas around the city that partners cover.

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

Rochester Night Breakdown Questions

Rules change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: US Naval Observatory sun data, NY DMV Driver's Manual, Chapter 10, NYS Thruway roadside assistance, NY VTL 1144-a, NOAA normals, Rochester airport, City of Rochester winter safety, 511NY.