- If there is a hard shoulder available, pull onto it so that you’re out of the traffic flow.
- Turn on your hazard lights to warn other drivers of your presence. Turn on your sidelights too if it’s dark. You may also want to put your fog lights on if visibility is poor due to rain or fog.
- Once your car is on the hard shoulder with the hazard lights on, exit your car from the passenger side, making sure any passengers do the same thing. If you remain in the vehicle, you could be at risk of being injured if another driver doesn’t see you and hits your stationary car.
- If you have any pets in the vehicle, please leave them in the vehicle – this could be dogs, horses, or livestock. In the event of a fire or emergency, remove them safely from the vehicle. However, where possible, you should leave them where they are - if they get loose, they may cause an accident.
- Call your breakdown provider on your mobile – always have this number saved or written down somewhere so you can find it. If your mobile battery is dead, use one of the emergency phones situated at intervals along the hard shoulder.
- Stand far away from your vehicle while waiting for recovery or roadside assistance, in case of an accident. If it’s dark and you have high-vis clothing, wear this to make yourself more visible.
- If your car is able to be fixed at the roadside, take care when re-joining the motorway to avoid accidents. Build up some speed and enter the carriageway when there’s a suitable gap in the traffic.
Correct at the time of publication. Information in this article has been gathered from various sources, therefore WiseDriving cannot be held responsible for any view or opinion expressed herein.
