I understand peoples reluctance to stop however this is what i do, and have done twice in the last 18 months
If i see someone that looks as if they need a hand I always slow down and drive by first, give them a thumbs up or down, gives me an indication whether they seem ok or not, do a u turn and approach from a safe distance, make contact etc and go from there, your not obliged to stop and help but im a firm believer that ill always do what i can as one day if im ever in the same situation i would certainly like help.
Last year while on our way up to the Ord river muster we came across a older couple i would say in their 50's, had a troopy and were pulled over about 40km short of the wilaire roadhouse between Broome and Derby, i saw a blown tyre already on their spare wheel and a blown rear left. they had been there for 2 hours and several cars trucks had passed by, they looked a little distressed, we turned around assesed the situation etc, they were a lovely couple and were headed up to the ord river muster also, so after a discussion and removing his two blown tyres, i strapped them onto the roof of my Camper trailer and headed off to find some tyres for him, we also took his wife with us as she looked a little distressed, we made sure he had plenty of water (and beer), i was expecting to find some tyres at Willaire roadhouse so was expecting we would be back in a couple of hours, however they had nothing so we continued on to Derby, the local tyre guy there was brilliant and sorted her out and even though i was prepared to return back to the man and his troopy with his new tyres, the local tyre guy did and we continued on our travels, we made sure befroe we left willaire though that a guy in a truck heading south would contact the man when he passed him to let him know that we had to continue on to Derby for tyres, it would have been well into the dark before they got back to him.
Just hope one day if i ever need help ill get someone with the Aussie spirit to help out.