What To Do If You Break Down On A Motorway

Reach the hard shoulder or an emergency area

Indicate left and move over as early as you can. If there is an emergency refuge area ahead, use it. Stop as far left as possible, turn the wheels to the left and put the hazard lights on.

Get out and get behind the barrier

Leave the vehicle by the left-hand doors, take everyone with you, and stand behind the safety barrier up the embankment and away from the front of the car. Do not stand between the vehicle and moving traffic, and do not attempt to change a wheel on the hard shoulder.

Leave animals in the vehicle unless it is unsafe to do so.

Smart motorways without a hard shoulder

If you cannot reach a refuge area and are stranded in a live lane, keep your seatbelt on, keep hazard lights on, and call 999. National Highways can close the lane using overhead signs before anyone approaches the vehicle. Do not get out into a live lane.

Then arrange recovery

Once you are in a safe place, call for recovery and give the marker post number or the junction you are between. On the motorway network the recovery arrangements are handled through the traffic officer service in many cases, and a vehicle may be moved to a safe location first before onward recovery is arranged.