You never plan to have your car break down. But, when that event happens, you want to know that you're prepared. Before you find yourself stranded on the side of the road, here are four tips that will help you to navigate your tow service. 

Be Specific About Your Needs

When you run into trouble on the road, and you need to call for roadside service, be as specific as you can about your needs. This is especially important with issues involving car troubles. For instance, if your vehicle runs out of gas, your tow service needs to know what type of fuel it takes. The last thing you need is to have unleaded fuel delivered when your vehicle actually runs on diesel, which can happen when you drive a truck. 

Provide an Accurate Headcount

If your car is disabled, and you're going to need a tow, be sure to provide an accurate headcount. Since your car will need to be towed, you'll need to travel in the tow truck. That can be a problem when you have passengers with you, especially if your tow driver isn't prepared. To make sure your tow driver has room to transport you and your passengers, let the dispatcher know how many people are in your car. 

Give the Tow Driver Plenty of Room

If your car is in need of towing service, consider driver safety. Your tow driver will be on the road next to your car. Unfortunately, that's a dangerous place to be, especially during high-traffic hours. To help keep your tow driver out of danger, try to move your vehicle as far off the road as possible. Not only will this help to protect your tow driver, it will also keep you safe if you need to get out of your car to assess the problem. 

Maintain an Open Line of Communication

Finally, when you run into car troubles while you're on the road, and you need to call for tow service, be sure to maintain an open line of communication. You may think that communication can end once you call for assistance, but that's not the case. Dispatch may need to contact you for additional information. Not only that, your driver may call to let you know when they're about to arrive. That's why you need to keep your cell phone line open until your tow driver arrives on the scene.