A motorway breakdown is one of the most dangerous situations a UK driver can face. Motorways carry fast-moving traffic at high volumes, and the hard shoulder — where it exists — is one of the most hazardous places to be. Knowing exactly what to do before it happens could save your life.
If you notice a warning light, hear an unusual noise, or feel your vehicle losing power, do not wait. Signal left and begin moving towards the hard shoulder or left-hand lane immediately. The earlier you act, the more control you have over where you stop.
Pull onto the hard shoulder and stop as far to the left as possible, with your wheels turned to the left. Switch on your hazard lights. If possible, stop near an emergency telephone (orange posts at one-mile intervals). Do not use a warning triangle on a motorway — it is dangerous to walk back along the hard shoulder to place one.
Smart motorways with All Lane Running (ALR) have no permanent hard shoulder. If you break down, aim for an Emergency Refuge Area (ERA) — blue signs with an orange SOS telephone symbol. If you cannot reach an ERA and break down in a live lane, switch on your hazard lights and call 999 immediately. Do not exit the vehicle unless it is safe to do so.
Exit the vehicle from the passenger side (away from traffic) if it is safe to do so. Do not stand between your vehicle and the traffic. Move behind the barrier or up the embankment and stay there. Keep well away from the hard shoulder itself — vehicles on the motorway can clip the hard shoulder at speed.
Orange emergency telephones are located every mile on motorways and connect directly to Highways England. They automatically identify your location, which is useful if you do not know exactly where you are. You can also call from your mobile — call us on 0330 520 1620 or call 999 if you are in immediate danger.
Stay behind the barrier and away from the hard shoulder while you wait. Keep your hazard lights on. If it is dark or visibility is poor, put on a high-visibility jacket if you have one. Do not attempt to repair the vehicle on the hard shoulder — wait for a professional recovery operator.
Call 999 immediately. Switch on your hazard lights. If it is safe to exit the vehicle, do so from the passenger side and get as far from the road as possible. Highways England traffic officers monitor motorways via CCTV and will respond, but calling 999 ensures the fastest possible response.
Broken down on a motorway? Call Black Eagle Recovery on 0330 520 1620. We operate 24/7 and will dispatch our in-house recovery team to your location as quickly as possible.
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