Breaking down anywhere can be a real nightmare but when it
happens on a motorway or busy dual carriageway it can make things seem much
worse. Below are some guidelines which can help you to stay safe until
professional help arrives.
- Motorway hard
shoulders are for emergency use only and you should only stop there if it
is a real emergency and you have no other choice. Try to drive to a safer
place off the motorway if you can, rather than stopping on the hard
shoulder.
- If an emergency
forces you to stop, then Use the hard shoulder as a deceleration lane
before coming to a halt.
- Pull over to the
left as far as you can and turn your front wheels towards the nearside
verge.
- Turn on your hazard
lights. Also turn on your sidelights when visibility is poor.
- You are the best
person to decide what is safest for you, but it is recommended that You
and any occupants leave the vehicle via the passenger doors and move as
far away from the traffic as you can..
- You don't attempt
to repair your vehicle on a hard shoulder. It is highly dangerous,
particularly on the side nearest the traffic.
- If you can't use a
mobile phone then use a motorway telephone to get professional help be
particularly careful to stay away from the traffic. Motorway telephones
are linked to motorway police control centres, allowing them to pinpoint
your position and get help to you quickly. Motorway telephones are never
more than one mile apart. A blue and white marker post is placed at every
100 metres, with an arrow to point you in the direction of the nearest
phone.
- When you return to
your vehicle the safest place for you and any passengers to wait for help
to arrive is behind the crash barrier if there is one, or near your
vehicle on the embankment or adjacent land.
- There is a
perception that a 'lone female' is at risk of being attacked on a motorway
hard shoulder. Research shows that the risk of being hit by another
vehicle is much greater.
- Once your vehicle
is repaired, return to the motorway by using the hard shoulder as an
acceleration lane, merging with the traffic in lane one when you have
reached a similar speed and there is an appropriate gap.
- You should be
properly prepared for your journey, Take food and drinks, especially at
the height of summer or at winter time, if cold weather is expected you
should also carry a blanket, shovel and a warm drink when on long
journeys.
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