Advice · 25 March 2026 · 3 min read
What Information Does A Recovery Driver Need?
The details that turn a vague call into a fast collection — and the ones people usually forget.
Your exact location
A postcode is a start, but postcodes cover whole streets and both sides of a dual carriageway. what3words, a dropped pin, or a road name plus direction of travel and nearest junction is far better.
The vehicle
Registration, make, model and rough age. Also whether it is an automatic, whether it is four-wheel drive, and whether it is electric — all three change how it should be loaded.
What happened
Describe the symptom rather than diagnosing it. 'It cut out at a roundabout and will not restart' is more useful than 'I think it is the alternator'.
Access and destination
Where the vehicle is parked, how much space is around it, whether there is a slope or a barrier, how many passengers there are, and the full delivery address.
Keep reading
More recovery advice
Advice
What To Do If Your Car Breaks Down
A calm, practical order of actions for the moment your car stops — where to stop, how to stay safe and what to tell a recovery operator.
Safety
What To Do If You Break Down On A Motorway
Motorway breakdowns are the highest-risk situation a driver faces. Here is the sequence that keeps you safe, including on smart motorways.
Advice
How Much Does Car Recovery Cost?
What actually drives the price of a recovery or transport job, and why a quote over the phone needs a few specific details.
Broken down right now?
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