Broken down on I-4

The first five minutes

• Coast to the right shoulder or an exit if the car will move. Get as far from the lane as you can.
• Hazard lights on. At night, interior light on.
• If you can get out safely on the side away from traffic, and there's a guardrail, wait behind it. Standing between the car and traffic is the worst place to be.
• Note the direction and the last exit or mile marker. Everyone you call will ask.

*347 and the Road Rangers

FDOT's Road Rangers in District Five patrol I-4 and the Central Florida Expressway roads, plus I-75, I-95 and the Turnpike. Dial *347 (*FHP). They change tires, add fuel, jump batteries, make two free local calls and move disabled cars to a safer place, for free. They don't tow cars away, so if the car won't run after that, you still need a tow.

The Move Over law protects you, a little

Florida's s. 316.126 makes drivers move out of the lane next to a disabled car with its hazards on, or slow to 20 mph under the limit if they can't. Plenty of people don't. Don't count on it.

Why the data says get off the road

From 2020 to 2024, 66 fatal crashes happened on I-4 in the three counties (Orange, Osceola, Seminole), and 62% of all fatal crashes in those counties happened between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. (NHTSA FARS).

Fatal crashes by hour of day, 2020 to 2024

The interstate isn't even the worst road. Colonial Drive had 84. See where they happened.