Warning triangle
Required in every car. Choose a stable one with a heavy base: a light triangle gets blown over by the draught from passing lorries.
Car kit
Choosing and buying: the roadside kit and a towing service
There are two purchases people remember at the last minute: the kit for the boot and a tow truck. The first is best done at home, calmly and without hurry. The second has to be chosen on the roadside, so it pays to know your questions for the service in advance.
The triangle and vest sit in the boot for years, but on the day they decide whether you are seen in time.
We do not recommend particular manufacturers, shops or services, and we do not compare prices. Instead we explain why each item is needed and what to look for when choosing it, and for a towing service, which terms to agree before the car is lifted onto the bed.
What to buy for your roadside kit
Six items that take up little space and often save the day.
High-visibility vest
A vest or tabard with reflective strips. Keep it in the cabin, not the boot, so you can put it on before you get out of the car.
Tow rope and towing eye
A tow rope with hooks or loops, and the car's own towing eye, which usually lives next to the spare wheel. Check in advance where it screws in.
Jump leads or jump starter
Leads to jump-start from another car, or a compact jump-starter battery. The second is handy when nobody is around, but it has to be kept charged.
Torch
A head torch keeps your hands free when changing a wheel or checking the engine bay in the dark. Keep spare batteries with it.
Gloves
Sturdy work gloves protect you from hot and dirty parts and are useful when handling the tow rope and the wheel.
How to choose a towing service: what to ask
- Which vehicle will come (flatbed, wheel-lift or crane truck) and whether it suits your car and the fault.
- Who loads the car and who is responsible if it is damaged during loading or transport.
- What the total cost will be, including the call-out, waiting time, night hours and difficult loading: get the figure before they arrive, not afterwards.
- Whether you will get a handover document recording the condition of the bodywork, the mileage and the items inside.
- Whether you can photograph the car from all sides before loading and after unloading; do this in any case.
- How payment is taken and whether you will get a receipt.
Read next
- Safety
How to behave on the hard shoulder after a forced stop: hazard lights, warning triangle, vest, where people should wait and what not to do.
- Vehicles
The vehicles used for towing and roadside help: wheel-lift, sliding and tilt-bed flatbeds, crane trucks, on-the-spot repair and tow bars.
- Reviews
An overview of the ways to get help on the road (tow truck, roadside repair, towing, insurance cover) and a catalogue of articles.
Sources
- Russian Road Traffic Regulations (sections 2.3.4, 7.2)
- EMERCOM of Russia — leaflets for drivers
Traffic rules are quoted from the Russian Road Traffic Regulations as in force on the date of preparation. Rules are revised from time to time and every car has its own quirks, so check the current text of the rules and your vehicle's owner's manual. If you drive outside Russia, check your local rules and emergency number.