Breaking down on a busy road can be scary for anybody, let alone if you’re new to driving and haven’t had to deal with a breakdown before. Make sure you’re in the know about what’s best to do should you breakdown on a motorway.
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If there is a hard shoulder available, pull onto it so that you’re out of the traffic flow.
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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.
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Once safely in the hard shoulder with your hazard lights on, exit your car from the side furthest from the traffic, making sure any passengers do the same thing. If you remain in the vehicle, you could be at risk of being injured if another car doesn’t see you and hits into your stationary car.
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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. - but where possible, leave them where they are, as if they get loose they may cause an accident.
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Call your breakdown provider on your mobile – try to make sure you always have this number saved or written down somewhere so you can find it. If your mobile battery is dead, use an emergency phone situated at intervals along the hard shoulder.
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Stand well 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.
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If your car is able to be fixed at the roadside, take care when re-joining the motorway as to avoid accidents. Build up some speed, and enter the carriageway when there’s a suitable gap in the traffic.
