Breaking down on a motorway can be dangerous – with cars hurtling past at 70mph you’ll need to pull over safely into the hard shoulder.
Make sure you pull over as soon as you can, ensuring there’s no debris that could damage the car, and use the hard shoulder to slow down before stopping. Whatever the problem with your car, you should never try to fix it yourself by the motorway. It’s too dangerous, even if it’s as simple as changing a tyre. You should always wait for a professional to help you. Stay safe on the motorway and get help quickly by following these simple steps:
•turn your front wheels towards the grass verge when you pull into the hard shoulder
•switch on your hazard lights and if it’s dark or visibility’s poor turn the sidelights on too
•don’t display your red warning triangle – with fast moving traffic the risks far outweigh the benefits of doing this
•get everyone out of the car and behind the crash barrier if there is one. If you have children with you make sure they stay with you at all times and if you’re travelling with pets, keep them in the car
•find the nearest emergency telephone and call for assistance – this will pinpoint your location •When walking to the telephone, keep as far away from the traffic as you can. If you can’t see a telephone nearby look out for the roadside markers – these will point you towards the nearest one •return to the car and wait for assistance but remember to wait behind the crash barrier and away from the traffic Stay safe on the hard shoulder with our guide On other roads Breaking down on quieter roads in towns and cities is less stressful, but remember there are still dangers from passing cars. Follow the steps below to stay safe and get help as soon as possible:
•pull over to a safe place, away from the traffic
•switch off the engine
•turn on your hazard lights and if it is dark, or if visibility is poor, leave your sidelights on
•put your red warning triangle at least 50 metres behind the car – this will warn any oncoming traffic that your car is broken down if you have one
•find the nearest telephone or use a mobile phone to call for assistance
•stay in your car and wait for help to arrive. You might feel safer locking the doors if you don’t know the area you’re in
In the event of an accident read above and also Ensure you're prepared for the worst by keeping a pen and paper, a first aid kit and a torch in the car.
What to do immediately after a crash: Attend to anybody hurt and call an ambulance if neccessary Call the police and obtain an incident number Assess the damage to your car. If involved in a collision with another driver, stay calm and do not admit fault Exchange details with the other driver (name, address, phone number, car registration number, insurance company and policy number) if applicable Record names, addresses and phone numbers of witnesses Write down how the accident happened, including sketches if it helps. If you have a camera – and if it is safe to do so – take photos of the scene Report the accident to your insurer or call one of our recovery operators in your area
