Free of charge
Free roadside assistance in
Virginia: Safety Service Patrol.
VDOT's Safety Service Patrol provides free basic assistance and incident support on scheduled sections of Virginia's interstate system.
Official sources checked October 6, 2026Patrols operate scheduled routes and are dispatched through traffic and public-safety operations. The official program page does not publish a direct SSP request number. Call 911 for immediate danger.
About 1,079 interstate miles, including key sections of I-95, I-64, I-81, I-85 and I-66.
Operating days and hours vary by interstate segment. VDOT publishes a route-by-route post schedule.
At a glance
Key facts about Safety Service Patrol
This record separates the program operator, request method and actual patrol coverage so motorists can see what the published service does—and what it does not promise.
- Official program
- Virginia Safety Service Patrol
- Operating agency
- Virginia Department of Transportation
- Published cost
- Free of charge
- Service area
- About 1,079 interstate miles, including key sections of I-95, I-64, I-81, I-85 and I-66.
- Request or dispatch route
- Patrols operate scheduled routes and are dispatched through traffic and public-safety operations. The official program page does not publish a direct SSP request number. Call 911 for immediate danger.
- Information checked
- October 6, 2026
Operator and base
Who runs Safety Service Patrol
Virginia Department of Transportation administers or operates this public motorist-assistance program. The service works through mobile patrol vehicles and traffic-management dispatch rather than as a repair shop that motorists visit.
The official program material reviewed for this page does not publish a public walk-in patrol base. Use the request or dispatch method above rather than traveling to an agency office for roadside help.
Patrol footprint
Where and when the service operates
About 1,079 interstate miles, including key sections of I-95, I-64, I-81, I-85 and I-66.
Operating days and hours vary by interstate segment. VDOT publishes a route-by-route post schedule.
The operating agency publishes coverage as a corridor, route or patrol-area description rather than a guaranteed pickup radius. A vehicle inside the described area is not guaranteed an available unit.
Published assistance
What Safety Service Patrol can provide
These services are summarized from the operating agency's current public information. The attending operator decides what is safe and available at the scene.
- Flat-tire change
- Fuel sufficient to reach the nearest station
- Battery jump-start
- Radiator water
- Telephone access to arrange towing or recovery
Before relying on it
Coverage and service limits
- This is scheduled interstate coverage, not guaranteed assistance on every Virginia road.
- Operating hours differ by route and can change during incidents or severe conditions.
- The patrol provides basic help and scene safety rather than full mechanical repairs or destination towing.
If you are stranded
What to do before help arrives
These steps combine the program's published request guidance with basic roadside-safety precautions. Conditions at the scene always take priority.
- 01
Move as far away from live traffic as safely possible and switch on the vehicle's hazard lights.
- 02
Use the published request method for this program: Patrols operate scheduled routes and are dispatched through traffic and public-safety operations. The official program page does not publish a direct SSP request number. Call 911 for immediate danger.
- 03
Call 911 for a crash, injury, fire, vehicle in a live lane or any other immediate danger.
Primary-source record
Check the operating agency
Routes, hours and program rules can change. Use the official sources below for the latest operating information.
