How to Stay Safe When You Break Down on the Motorway

General News · Posted by: Mobile Tyres 2 U · 8th April 2022

Contrary to what you might think, motorways are actually some of the safest roads in the UK. However, if your vehicle is starting to break down, they can quite quickly become very dangerous. In this article, the Mobile Tyres 2 U team will be taking a look at how you can stay safe if you experience a breakdown on the motorway, so you can think clearly and act confidently when the time comes.

Get off the motorway, if possible

If you notice that your car is behaving strangely or you can feel there is something wrong, the best thing to do is get off the motorway at the next exit. Of course, this isn’t always possible, particularly if things escalate very quickly, so the next best thing to do is get into the leftmost lane and then pull onto the hard shoulder when it’s safe to do so. Try to make sure that your vehicle is as far from the nearest traffic lane as possible.

Get your lights on

Once you’re safely onto the hard shoulder, the first thing that you should do is get your hazard lights on – this will alert other motorists to the fact that you’ve broken down. If it’s particularly dark and foggy outside, you should also keep your sidelights on.

Find somewhere safe to wait

You might think that the safest place you could be is in your vehicle, but this is rarely the case. If a motorist wasn’t paying attention, they could end up veering into the back of your vehicle, especially because it’s rare to find a vehicle on the hard shoulder.

Instead, get out of your vehicle (use the door that faces away from the traffic) and wait behind a barrier if possible. Try and get as far as you can up the bank, if there is one.

While it might seem unfair, it’s best to leave any pets with you in the car. Trying to remove a pet from your vehicle and keep it by your side could end up putting the pair of you in harm’s way, so the safest thing to do is leave them and wait for breakdown services to arrive.

What if there’s no hard shoulder?

If you break down on a smart motorway and there’s no hard shoulder, don’t panic. Simply make your way to the leftmost lane, put your hazard lights on, and when it’s safe to do so, slowly pull your vehicle as far left as possible and come to a stop. Aim to have your vehicle as far off the carriageway as possible. If it’s safe to do so, exit your vehicle from the passenger-side door and wait behind the barrier until help comes.

Mobile Tyres 2 U is one of the leading mobile tyre suppliers and fitters throughout High Wycombe and Watford, so if you ever find yourself out on the road with a burst tyre, don’t worry, we can come right to you and fit you a new one. All you have to do is give us a call and we’ll be right with you.