No driver desires to breakdown on the motorway. A motorway breakdown may be nerve-wracking – to not point out extremely inconvenient.
However as long as you’re taking sure precautions, it is possible for you to to maintain your self and your different passengers secure, whereas getting the show you how to want as quickly as potential.
Motorway Breakdown: What To Do
The place To Go If You Breakdown On The Motorway
A very powerful factor to do is head for a secure place, the place you may name for assist. It’s greatest to attempt to get off the motorway if you happen to can. However if you happen to can’t, head for the onerous shoulder. It’s endorsed that you just attempt to cease your automobile as far to the left as you may, and switch your wheels in direction of the left.
If you happen to breakdown in a stay lane and you may’t transfer any additional, put your hazard lights on and wait within the automobile, along with your seatbelt on. Then name 999.
Put On Your Hazard Lights
With the intention to make your automobile as seen as potential, flip in your hazard warning lights. And if it’s darkish or foggy, additionally flip in your sidelights.
Get Out of the Automobile
If you happen to breakdown on the motorway, and may get to the onerous shoulder, it’s typically most secure to get your self and your passengers out of your automobile and away from passing visitors. Use the doorways going through away from the visitors, then get behind the barrier (if there’s one) and transfer up the financial institution or verge.
If you happen to’re travelling with any animals, it’s greatest to depart them within the automobile. Outdoors of the automobile they could panic and run into the visitors, which can make a foul scenario even worse.
Can You Change a Tyre on the Motorway?
It’s far too harmful to try any repairs your self on the motorway, even when they’re solely minor. So as an alternative, the next step is to name for assist.
Name For Assist
Name your breakdown restoration supplier. It’s at instances like this while you’ll be glad to have breakdown cowl in your automobile insurance coverage coverage!
Don’t have a telephone on you? Don’t fear. All UK motorways have emergency telephones.
The place To Discover Motorway Emergency Telephones
There’s normally one each mile. So it shouldn’t take you lengthy to stroll to your nearest telephone. Stroll in the wrong way of the visitors, staying behind the barrier if you happen to can, so you may keep as seen and guarded as potential to different drivers.
These emergency telephones are free to make use of, they usually’ll both join you on to the police, or else to a motorway management centre. Both approach, they’ll be capable to name for restoration in your behalf, if want be.
It is likely to be a good suggestion to make use of certainly one of these emergency telephones anyway, even when you’ll be able to name for assist your self. Via notifying the authorities of your breakdown, they can replace signage on the motorway, to provide different drivers advance warning.
For extra details about staying secure throughout a motorway breakdown, test the Freeway Code.
What To Do If You Breakdown on a Sensible Motorway
Not all good motorways have onerous shoulders, however some have emergency refuge areas (ERAs). So if you happen to breakdown on a sensible motorway, attempt to get to your nearest ERA.
If there is no such thing as a ERA inside secure driving distance, then head for the left-hand lane, earlier than following the steps we outlined above: Flip in your hazard lights, depart the automobile by way of the doorways going through away from the visitors, get past the barrier and name for assist.
If you happen to’re in an ERA, then it’s essential to use the closest SOS telephone to contact the good motorway’s management centre – even if you happen to’ve already referred to as your individual breakdown assist service.
If you happen to can’t get out of your automobile, or you may’t make it to the leftmost lane, then keep in your automobile along with your seatbelt on, flip in your hazard lights, and name 999.
Frightened A few Breakdown?
If you happen to’re studying this, then you definitely’re both already coping with a motorway breakdown, otherwise you’re questioning what it is best to do if this ever occurs to you.
You’ll get the show you how to want a lot faster – and normally for less expensive – if you happen to’re already a member of a breakdown restoration firm.
That’s why it’s a good suggestion to add breakdown restoration to your automobile insurance coverage coverage. For a small additional charge every month, you will get whole peace of thoughts that you just’ll have all of the show you how to’ll want within the occasion of a breakdown.
