HIGHWAYS England has launched a multi-million-pound public information drive today, reminding road users that if they break down to head for the inside of the roadway.
The campaign is aimed at motorway, A-road, and dual carriageway users, and is set to the theme of the Pet Shop Boys song, Go West.
The move is part of an 18-point action plan published by the Department for Transport. The plan has tasked Highways England with improving safety and public confidence in the UK’s smart motorway network.
The Advice for drivers experiencing difficulty on a motorway is to either get off the motorway using a slip road, hard shoulder, grass verge, or emergency refuge area.
On a motorway with an all-lane running system (ALR), drivers are advised to make their way to one of the marked orange emergency refuges and call for help on the telephone located by the barrier. The problem is, these refuges are spaced 1.5-miles apart, sometimes making it difficult to reach the next refuge if you have just gone past one.
Advice for breaking down on a motorway:
- put your left indicator on and move into an emergency area, onto a hard shoulder, motorway service area, left-hand verge, or A-road lay-by
- switch your hazard warning lights on, even during the day. If it’s dark, use sidelights and in poor visibility use fog lights as well
- on a motorway without a hard shoulder, it should be possible for most vehicles experiencing a problem to reach an emergency area. These are regularly spaced and are marked by a clearly visible orange road surface and blue signs featuring an orange SOS telephone symbol
- if it is safe to do so, and you can get out with any passengers, exit your vehicle on the side furthest from traffic. If it is not safe to do so, stay in your vehicle and wait for help
- keep well away from moving traffic and your own vehicle. Get behind a safety barrier where there is one, and where it is safe to do so. If you’re on a verge, be aware of any unseen hazards such as uneven ground or debris
- contact Highways England on 0300 123 5000 and then a breakdown recovery provider
- if you are unable to exit your vehicle and get to a safe place, have stopped in a live traffic lane or feel your life is in danger, stay in your vehicle with your seatbelts and hazard lights on and call 999 immediately
