According to research by the Highways Agency a vehicle parked on the hard shoulder of a motorway is more likely to be involved in a serious accident than a car travelling along the motorway.
These hard shoulder accidents have claimed many lives and even knowing this drivers still put themselves at risk by pulling over for non-emergencies such as phone calls, reading the map or answering the call of nature. Do not stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway unless it is an emergency.
If you do break down, try to pull as far to the left of the hard shoulder as possible and DO NOT ATTEMPT ANY REPAIRS! Turn your hazard lights on if you are causing an obstruction. If you need to get out of the car use the left hand side doors (away from the traffic). Call for assistance from your mobile phone or the emergency phones on the motorway. If you are a woman driving alone or with your children you should explain that to the emergency or road rescue services.
There are emergency telephones every 100 meters on the side of the motorways for the purposes of breakdown. Phoning from these will pin point your position on the motorway. Never cross the carriageway or slip road in an attempt to use the phone.
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