Springfield, Missouri: Where to Turn When You're Stuck Roadside

Stuck roadside in Springfield, Missouri? Get as far right as you can and stay in your car. If anyone is hurt or you're stuck in a live lane, call 911. On a state highway, *55 reaches the Missouri Highway Patrol. Then call for the jump, tire change, lockout or tow you need. If you're inside a diverging diamond, like I-44 at Kansas Expressway, say so. The lanes cross over there.

What should I do the second my car quits?

Your engine sputters on the James River Freeway. The car slows. You have a few seconds to choose a spot.

• Turn on your hazard lights right away.
• Steer as far onto the right shoulder as you can. MoDOT says to get out of the lanes as far as you can if the shoulder won't work.
• Stay inside with your belt on. MoDOT's breakdown tips say it's safer in the car.
• Call 911 if anyone is hurt, or if you can't get out of a travel lane.
• Dial *55 on a cell phone to reach the Missouri Highway Patrol when you need them on a state road.

Don't stand behind the car or walk along the shoulder. Traffic on I-44 moves fast, and people drift.

Do I have to move my car after a fender bender?

Often, yes. Missouri law covers this. If nobody is hurt, a driver whose car blocks traffic on a state highway must make every reasonable effort to move it, or have it moved. That's RSMo 304.151. Skipping it is an infraction.

MoDOT puts it in plain steps. If you crash and your car still drives, pull it over to the right shoulder. Then call *55 and stay in the car.

If someone is hurt, the rule doesn't apply. Leave the cars where they are and call 911.

If your car won't move at all, that's where a tow comes in. Tell the dispatcher it's blocking a lane. A car that's stuck in traffic is a different job than one parked safely on a shoulder.

What if I break down inside a diverging diamond?

This is the part that's special to Springfield. The first diverging diamond interchange in the nation opened here on June 21, 2009, at I-44 and Route 13, the Kansas Expressway. MoDOT says the city now has several. Its design guide also lists one where US 60 meets National Avenue.

How the lanes move

Here's how MoDOT explains it. As you come up to the interchange, the road bends left to a traffic signal. On green, you cross over to the left side of the road. A concrete median keeps you apart from the cars coming the other way. From the left side, you can turn left onto the freeway ramp without stopping. If you go straight, you cross back to the right side at the next signal.

Why it matters when you call

Say you stall between the two signals. You're on the left side of the road, not the right. A concrete island sits next to you. A driver who pictures a normal interchange may come in from the wrong side. So give them the full picture:

• Which interchange: Kansas Expressway at I-44, or National at US 60.
• Which way you were headed: north, south, east or west.
• Where in it: before the first signal, between the signals, or past the second one.
• Whether you're on the freeway ramp or the main road.

Can't tell? Share your location from your phone when you call. A dropped pin settles it.

And while you wait, keep the rules MoDOT gives for driving a diamond in mind for other drivers. They watch the signals and follow the curved islands. They're not watching for a stopped car on the left. That's one more reason to keep your hazards on and stay buckled in.

Who else might show up to help?

MoDOT emergency response

MoDOT runs emergency response teams in Springfield, as it does in St. Louis and Kansas City. Their trucks carry tools, fuel, water and jumper cables. But MoDOT is clear about their main job: clearing traffic lanes and keeping cars moving. They don't replace a roadside service. If your car needs a tow to a shop, you'll still need one.

The traffic center watching the cameras

The City of Springfield and MoDOT run the Transportation Management Center of the Ozarks together. It started in 1998. The two agencies keep 125 traffic cameras and 48 message boards. When a crash or a stalled car shows up, operators can pass details to 911. They can also send MoDOT incident response.

Those cameras are a live feed only. The city says they don't record video. So don't count on them to back up your story later. Take your own photos when it's safe.

Checking the roads before you drive

Two free maps help before a trip. OzarksTraffic.com shows live cameras and current incidents around Springfield. MoDOT's Traveler Information Map shows construction, major incidents and winter weather across Missouri. For a road problem that isn't an emergency, MoDOT's number is 888-275-6636.

Do I need a tow, or something smaller?

Plenty of Springfield breakdowns end without a tow truck hauling the car anywhere. Match the fix to what went wrong.

• Car clicks but won't start. Springfield's airport averages about 95 nights a year at or below freezing, per NOAA. Cold mornings find weak batteries. A jump start may be all you need.
• Flat tire on the shoulder. If you have a good spare, your driver can put it on. See flat tire change.
• Keys locked inside. Easy to do at a gas pump or a lake boat ramp. A car lockout visit gets you back in.
• Car won't drive, or it's leaking or smoking. That's a tow. Have a shop name ready.

Summer is hard on cars here too. NOAA normals show about 40 days a year at 90 degrees or hotter. Heat drains batteries and pushes cooling systems. If your gauge climbs in traffic on Kansas Expressway, pull off and shut the engine down.

What should I have ready when I call?

A clear call gets the right help sent the first time. Before you dial, look around and note:

1. The road and direction, like "US 60 eastbound" or "I-44 westbound."
2. The nearest exit, cross street or landmark you can see.
3. Whether you're on the shoulder, a ramp, a lot or a lane.
4. Your car's year, make, model and color.
5. What happened, in a few words: won't start, flat, locked out, crashed.
6. Where you want the car to go, if it needs a tow. Nixa, Ozark or Republic shop? Say the name.

Locals often say "the James River" or "the Kansas Expressway." Out-of-town drivers may only see "US 60" or "Route 13" on signs. Either is fine. Just say what you see.

How does Sentinel fit in?

Sentinel Towing is a towing and roadside network. A vetted local partner tow company does the job. We lock your price by text before anyone is sent. You see your driver's name, photo and truck by text, and you can track your truck on a map. We check on you by text until help arrives. That's the Stay-With-You Promise. Sentinel is not an emergency service, so 911 always comes first when someone is hurt.

When your driver works the shoulder, other drivers have a duty too. Missouri's move-over law, RSMo 304.022, counts a tow truck doing emergency work as an emergency vehicle. Slow down and change lanes when you pass one. The Springfield, MO towing page covers that law, the Ozarks weather and the towns nearby. For the rest of the state, see Missouri towing.

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

Springfield, MO Roadside Questions

Rules change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: MoDOT breakdown tips, RSMo 304.151, RSMo 304.022, MoDOT diverging diamond guide, MoDOT Engineering Policy Guide, MoDOT emergency response, City of Springfield traffic management, NOAA climate normals.