If a dust storm hits while you’re driving in El Paso, get off the pavement as far as you safely can, stop, turn your lights off, set the parking brake and take your foot off the brake pedal. The National Weather Service’s guidance is to pull completely off the roadway, kill the lights, and keep your foot off the brake so nobody behind you aims at your tail lights. If you can’t pull off, keep moving slowly with lights on, sound the horn now and then, and follow the painted center line until you find a safe place to stop. Never stop on the traveled portion of the road.
Quick Tow EP is a referral service. The driver hires and pays the operator directly, and the operator quotes the price. Quick Tow EP doesn’t tow, do roadside work or store vehicles, so everything below is about what you do in the dust and how to line up help afterward.
Why the dust changes the rules
Blowing dust can cut visibility fast, and the National Weather Service tells drivers to get off the pavement as far as possible.
That’s why the standard advice feels backwards. Most drivers’ instinct is to hit the brakes and flip on the hazards. The National Weather Service says the opposite once you are stopped: off the pavement, lights off, foot off the brake. It also says never to stop on the traveled portion of the roadway.
So the order matters: get off the road first, then go dark, then wait.
The steps, in order
- Slow down gradually. Ease off the gas before you do anything else. Don’t slam the brakes with traffic behind you in low visibility.
- Pull your vehicle off the pavement as far as possible. If you can’t pull off, keep moving at a speed suited to visibility with lights on and look for a safe place to pull off.
- Stop, set the parking brake, turn the lights off. Then take your foot off the brake pedal. Brake lights read as a car in the lane to someone squinting through dust.
- Stay put once you are off the pavement. Wait in the car until visibility returns.
- If the car dies in a lane, call 911 first. A stalled vehicle in a lane during a dust event is dangerous, so call 911 before anything else. Get out only if staying put is clearly more dangerous, and move away from traffic if you do.
- Wait until visibility returns. Dust storms pass. Wait for the wall to move off and traffic to resume normal speed before you do anything else.
- Then call for a tow or HERO. Once you can see and be seen, that’s the moment to line up help.
If you can’t get off the road at all, the National Weather Service says to keep driving at a speed that suits the visibility, keep your lights on, sound the horn occasionally and use the painted center line as your guide until a safe pull-off appears. Never stop on the traveled portion of the roadway. That’s the one thing the guidance rules out completely.
If the car quits in the dust
A breakdown in a dust storm splits into two very different situations.
You made it off the pavement and the car died. Good. Stay with the car, lights off, parking brake set, foot off the brake. Call for help when visibility improves. If you’re on I-10 between Transmountain Road and Horizon Boulevard, Loop 375 from I-10 West to Paisano, or US-54 from McCombs to Loop 375, TxDOT’s HERO program may be able to reach you once it’s safe to operate.
The car died in a travel lane. Call 911 first. A stalled vehicle in a lane during a dust event is exactly the kind of thing that turns into a multi-car crash. Don’t stand behind or beside the car trying to wave people around it. Get to the safest spot you can and stay on the line with the dispatcher.
One more piece of Texas law worth knowing, because it affects crashes rather than breakdowns: under Transportation Code Section 550.022, after a damage-only crash on a freeway main lane, ramp, shoulder or median in a metropolitan area, if every vehicle can be normally and safely driven, each driver must move it as soon as possible to a frontage road, the nearest suitable cross street or another safe location. A car that needs a tow doesn’t count as drivable. So if your car is dead in the dust, this doesn’t apply to you, but if you’re in a fender bender and both cars roll, Transportation Code Section 550.022 requires you to clear the lane. The statute is here.
Waiting it out safely
Waiting is the hard part. A few things that help:
- Stay in the vehicle and wait for visibility to return.
- If someone in the car feels unwell, call 911.
- Don’t walk down the shoulder to flag help. Nobody can see you.
- Once you are safely stopped, let someone know where you are.
- Wait until visibility returns before calling for a tow.
Calling for a tow after the dust clears
Once you can see, the tow conversation is simple. You’ll want to tell the operator three things: where you are (the nearest mile marker, exit or cross street), which direction you’re heading, and what the car is doing. If you’re on I-10 eastbound near Horizon Boulevard, say so. If you’re on Loop 375 between I-10 West and Paisano, say that.
Then ask for the price before you agree. The operator quotes it, not Quick Tow EP. Ask whether the quote covers the full distance to your destination, whether there’s any additional charge, and where the car is being taken. Get the operator’s company name and confirm it matches the truck that shows up.
If you’re not sure which kind of help you need, our guide to emergency towing in El Paso walks through the options, and roadside help without a membership covers the smaller stuff like a jump or a flat.
HERO coverage in El Paso
TxDOT runs the Highway Emergency Response Operator program in El Paso County. HERO launched June 15, 2020, and patrols three highways: I-10 from Transmountain Road (mile marker 6) to Horizon Boulevard (mile marker 38), Loop 375 from I-10 West to Paisano, and US-54 from McCombs to Loop 375. Details are on TxDOT’s El Paso HERO page.
HERO crews provide at no cost: changing flat tires and adding air, gas, diesel and water, battery jump starts, minor vehicle repairs, cell phone service, and drinking water for stranded motorists. Hours are Monday to Friday 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., with five trucks and one tow truck per shift, and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with two trucks and one tow truck. The number is 915-790-HERO (4376). In an emergency, call 911 first.
One honest limit: HERO’s role is helping stranded motorists and keeping traffic moving on those highways. TxDOT doesn’t describe it as a service that tows your car to a shop of your choice. If your car can’t be fixed on the spot, plan on a private tow. Our post on TxDOT HERO free roadside help in El Paso goes deeper.
Move Over applies to you too
When you’re the one waiting, watch what happens around a stopped tow truck or emergency vehicle. Under Transportation Code Section 545.157, drivers approaching a stopped tow truck, emergency vehicle, TxDOT vehicle and certain others using their lights must vacate the closest lane on a road with two or more lanes in that direction, or slow to 20 mph under the posted limit (5 mph if the limit is under 25 mph). The fine is $500 to $1,250, and $1,000 to $2,000 for a repeat within five years, and a Class A misdemeanor if someone is injured. The statute is here.
That matters to you because the tow operator working on your car is exposed on the shoulder. Give them room, and expect other drivers to give you room too.
Will insurance cover the tow?
Maybe. The Texas Department of Insurance explains that towing and labor coverage pays to tow your car if it can’t be driven, and pays for labor to change a flat tire or jump-start your battery. It has a dollar limit, which is the most the company will pay, and if the cost is higher you pay the difference. A company can refuse to renew that coverage if you have four towing and labor claims in 36 months. The full explainer is on TDI’s auto insurance page.
If you’re weighing a plan against paying out of pocket, our post on what roadside plans cover in El Paso and our tow truck cost guide are both worth a read before you call.
Frequently asked questions
What should you do if a dust storm hits while driving in El Paso?
Slow down, pull completely off the pavement as far as you can, stop, turn off your lights, set the parking brake and take your foot off the brake pedal. If you can’t pull off, keep moving slowly with lights on, sound the horn occasionally and follow the painted center line to a safe stopping spot. Never stop on the traveled portion of the roadway.
Should I turn my lights off in a dust storm?
Yes, once you’re stopped off the pavement. The National Weather Service guidance is to turn off your lights and take your foot off the brake so your tail lights aren’t lit. A lit-up car near the road gives drivers behind you something to aim at in near-zero visibility. While you’re still moving, keep your lights on.
Can I stop on the shoulder in a dust storm?
Pull as far off the pavement as the ground allows, not just onto the shoulder stripe, because the guidance is to get the vehicle off the pavement as far as possible. If you can’t pull off the roadway, proceed at a speed suitable for visibility with lights on, sound the horn occasionally, and look for a safe place to pull off. Never stop on the traveled portion of the roadway.
What if my car breaks down in a dust storm?
If you made it off the road, stay in the car, lights off, foot off the brake, and call for help once visibility improves. If the car died in a travel lane, call 911. A dead car in a lane during blowing dust is an emergency. Don’t stand behind the car trying to wave traffic around it.
Will a tow truck come during a dust storm?
Call when visibility returns and ask the operator whether they can safely reach you. Confirm the price and the destination before you agree to anything. HERO is roadside help, not a tow to a shop of your choice: it operates Monday to Friday 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and in an emergency you should call 911 first. For a tow to the shop you choose, line up a private operator once visibility returns.
Does HERO help in dust storms?
HERO patrols I-10 from Transmountain Road to Horizon Boulevard, Loop 375 from I-10 West to Paisano, and US-54 from McCombs to Loop 375, and provides free jump starts, fuel, water, tire changes and minor repairs. It operates Monday to Friday 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Call 915-790-HERO (4376), or 911 first in an emergency. HERO isn’t described by TxDOT as towing your car to a shop of your choice.
When to call for a tow
Call for a tow when the dust has passed, the car won’t start or drive, and you’re safely off the pavement. That includes a dead battery, a flat you can’t change, a car that quit on I-10 or Loop 375, or any breakdown where you can’t get the vehicle moving again. You can check any tow company or operator license with the TDLR License Search by name, license number, city, county or ZIP. Call (915) 320-5573 and Quick Tow EP will connect you with an independent local tow operator.