Stuck on Hwy 99 at the Bridgeport Road Exit? A Safety Checklist for Richmond Drivers

By Zip Towing Bridgeport BC · Published October 28, 2026

What should you do first after a Hwy 99 breakdown in Richmond?

Picture this: you are northbound on Hwy 99, heading for Vancouver, and the car starts to shudder in the right lane just before the Bridgeport Road exit. If it is still moving, take the exit. Bridgeport Road is the last northbound exit before the Oak Street Bridge, and a lot or side street off that exit is a far safer place for a tire change or fuel delivery than the shoulder.

If the car won't make it, signal, move as far right as you can, switch on your hazards and try to stop with the whole car past the white line. Keep your seatbelt on while you decide what comes next. Calling for a car tow can wait a minute; your first job is keeping everyone out of harm's way.

Which Hwy 99 exits near Bridgeport should you know?

Knowing the exits helps twice: you know where to aim if the car is still rolling, and you can tell a dispatcher exactly where you are. The Highway 99 exit list shows that several interchanges near Bridgeport work in one direction only, so the exit you can use depends on which way you are heading.

The same source describes the Richmond section as six lanes with bus shoulders, so the shoulder is not always empty space. Treat it as a short-term spot to wait for roadside help at any hour, not a place to work on the car.

The Hwy 99 roadside safety checklist

Keep this checklist in mind, or save it in your phone. It was written for the stretch of Hwy 99 between Shell Road and the Bridgeport Road exit. For crossing-specific advice, see our guides to a breakdown on the Knight Street Bridge and on the Oak Street Bridge approach.

• Signal and move right; take the next exit if the car still drives
• Hazard lights on as soon as you slow down
• Seatbelts stay on while you decide
• Get out only on the side away from traffic, and only if there is a safe place to stand
• Wait well back from the road, behind a barrier if there is one
• Never stand behind or beside the car on the traffic side
• Call 911 if anyone is hurt, if there is smoke or fire, or if the car is in a live lane
• Don't try to change a tire or push the car on the shoulder
• Call for a tow and confirm the price before hook-up

Is it safer to stay in the car or get out on Hwy 99 near Bridgeport?

It depends on where you stopped. If you can get out on the passenger side and move behind a barrier, do that and keep well back. If you can't, stay buckled in with your hazards on. Traffic is fast here, and drivers may not notice a stopped car until late, especially in the merges around the Sea Island Way and Bridgeport Road interchanges.

Passing drivers are expected to give stopped roadside vehicles room, which is the idea behind Slow Down, Move Over, but don't count on every driver doing it. If smoke appears or anyone is hurt, call 911 before anything else, and leave towing in Bridgeport for once everyone is safe.

How do you tell a dispatcher where you are on Hwy 99, and what you drive?

Give your direction first: northbound toward the Oak Street Bridge or southbound toward the George Massey Tunnel. Then name the last exit you passed or the next one ahead. Northbound, the highway crosses the Canada Line just before the Oak Street Bridge, so if you can see the guideway, say so. You can save our details from the contact page before you ever need them.

Tell them your vehicle type too, since it decides which truck is sent. EVs, all-wheel drive vehicles and anything damaged in a crash usually ride on a flatbed truck. Work vans and pickups are usually light duty towing. If you would rather go further, such as onto a ferry or out to the Interior, long distance towing is quoted before pickup.

After a crash on Hwy 99, call 911 first if anyone is hurt. Then follow ICBC's steps after a crash, which include moving vehicles off the road if it is safe, recording driver and vehicle details, and reporting your claim.

Questions drivers ask