Breaking down wastes time and money. Not only this, but in 2007, 117 people were killed or seriously injured on the hard shoulder. It’s vital that you know what to do in the event of a breakdown.
Avoid breaking down
• Most breakdowns are due to poor vehicle maintenance and could have been avoided
• Work with your employer to ensure your vehicle is regularly serviced and checked,
including wipers, tyres and fluid levels
• Report faults immediately
• Ensure you understand your vehicle warning lights
General breakdown procedures
• If possible, avoid stopping in dangerous places such as roundabouts and corners
• Switch on your hazard lights
• If it is safe to do so, drop your speed, continue driving and try to pull off the road completely,
or onto a straight section of road
• If you have to stop on a road, display your emergency triangle at least 45 metres behind
your vehicle (don’t do this on a motorway)
• Do not attempt to fix your vehicle yourself by the roadside. Call your employer’s
designated breakdown service
• Switch off your engine and wait in a safe place, away from traffic
Calling for help
• If possible, use the nearest emergency phone
• On motorways, blue and white marker posts show the direction of the nearest phone
• The phones connect directly to the police control centre and are numbered so that you
can be easily located
• If using your mobile phone, refer to the new blue rectangular Driver Location Signs,
which detail the road number (e.g. M1), direction of travel and precise location
Motorway breakdown procedures
If your vehicle develops a problem on the motorway:
• Leave at the next exit if possible and stop at the next service area
• If you must stop immediately, pull onto the hard shoulder and stop with wheels
turned to the left, away from traffic
• Park as close to the left as possible and try to stop near an emergency phone
• Put on your hazard lights and turn on side lights in poor visibility
• DO NOT use your warning triangle on the hard shoulder
• NEVER attempt repairs yourself
Waiting for help
If you must stop on the hard shoulder:
• ALWAYS get out of the vehicle
• Make sure you and all passengers exit the vehicle on the left-hand side
• Walk off the road – up the embankment if there is one, or climb over the crash barrier
into a field if possible
• NEVER try to cross lanes to the other side of a motorway
Be prepared
• Carry a charged mobile phone (switched off and out of reach while driving)
• Carry an emergency kit, including warm and high visibility clothing, a torch, water
and a reflective triangle
• Ask your employer to confirm what, if anything, is provided by them
