Picture the scene… it’s a cold dark evening, the rain is battering off your car as you drive home from an extra-long day at work. Just then, your car comes to a slow halt; you’ve broken down. You’re stuck on the motorway in the middle of winter. What do you do?
Well, we’ve put together a handy guide that will help you out if you ever find yourself in this situation.
Stay calm and get to safety
First things first – stay calm and get your vehicle to a safer place if necessary, away from traffic if possible. Move your vehicle off the road if you can (watch out for any soft verges).
Turn your hazard lights on and completely turn your vehicle off – this will give the engine time to rest and settle down. If it’s dark or foggy, keep your sidelights on too.
Make sure you're in a safe place and that anyone you’re with is free from danger. Remember that everyone should exit the vehicle via the passenger side door to avoid risk from oncoming traffic. Always stay clear of the road, and wait behind a barrier if there is one.
Pets
Even if you want to, getting your pets out of the car is not deemed safe, and can land you with a careless driving fine of up to £2,500. Pets should be left in the vehicle unless there is an emergency, such as if the automobile is smoking or substantially damaged, as per the Highway Code. If it is unsafe to leave your pet in the vehicle, take them out, but make sure they're under control at all times, whether on a lead or in a pet carrier.
Find out more in our blog busting driving myths: dangerous vs careless driving.
Be seen and stay safe
You must make yourself visible to other road users - a reflective high vis safety vest or jacket is perfect for this.
Warning triangles - It is not safe to use an emergency warning triangle if you breakdown on a motorway. If you breakdown on a carriageway and it's safe to, you can use one. The warning triangle should be placed on the road at least 45 metres behind your vehicle - on the same side of the road. Always be careful when placing or retrieving them.
Call for assistance
Don't attempt to make even simple repairs on the side of the motorway. Once everyone is safely out of the car and away from moving traffic you should call your breakdown recovery provider for help.
If you breakdown on the motorway and don't have a phone, follow the arrows on the posts at the back of the hard shoulder to walk to a free to use emergency phone on your side of the carriageway. This will automatically link you to the highway’s agency or police.
These will be easily seen as bright orange boxes and are positioned at one-mile intervals along the hard shoulder. Don't turn your back on the traffic while talking on the phone.
Top tip: share your location
If you break down, it's a good idea to share your location with a friend or relative, especially if your phone battery isn’t going to last. Some ways you can do this:
- Phone your voicemail and change your answer machine to your location so that if the phone does cut out, people will know where you are.
- Send a location marker to a friend of family member via apps like WhatsApp or Google Maps.
- Use the What3Words app to give a precise location. The app divides the world into 3 meter squares, giving each a unique combination of three words (a bit like coordinates). This means that you only need to read out three words for someone to know exactly where you are.
Emergency essentials to keep in your car
Here are a few handy items you should keep in your car in case of an emergency:
- A water bottle, and plenty of water
- If you have a pet, don't forget a pet travel water bottle
- Snacks (food like protein bars that won’t go out of date in a hurry)
-
A phone charger / power bank
(this handy universal multi-charger is a great gift idea!) - A first aid kit
- A blanket
- A warm, waterproof jacket
- A Hi-vis vest, or jacket
- A torch and some spare batteries
- An umbrella
- A warning triangle
- Jump leads
Throw all your supplies in a bag and keep them in the boot of your car. You wouldn’t want to be stranded without a few basic necessities, and you never know when you might need them!
You can even buy a ready made travel kit, which comes ready packed with some of the key breakdown essentials you'll need.
Car maintenance is important
Vehicles provide the convenience and luxury of simple transportation from one location to another. But no matter how hard you try, car mishaps are unavoidable. Therefore, every vehicle owner should prioritise regular car maintenance. Ensuring your car has a valid MOT, is roadworthy, properly maintained, and meets minimum road safety standards is essential, not just to stay legal, but to stay safe on the roads.
Top up before you go
You should keep essentials such as oil, water, and screen wash all topped up; the last requires a more concentrated solution in freezing conditions. Make sure antifreeze is added to the engine coolant, which is necessary all year.
It may seem like overkill to mention this, but remember to make sure you have enough fuel in your car for the trip you’ve planned, as well as plenty spare for detours or traffic congestion.
Even better, bring an empty fuel can with you in case you run out and need to walk from your current location to the nearest fuel station.
Prevention
Some of the most common breakdown causes are:
- A flat or faulty battery - the main cause of breakdown issues.
- Alternator trouble
- Damaged tyres or wheel
- Electrical problems
- Keys and alarms
- Misfuelling
So, try to pay extra attention to caring for your vehicle.
Fancy some more useful hints and tips? Check out some of our other blogs:
