DVSA issues alert to drivers who break down | Tech News

Drivers  dealing with a sudden emergency are being urged to comply with three essential steps.

The Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has urged motorists to all the time “be prepared” ought to their car abruptly break down while on the motorway. This situation can show notably perilous during rush hour when heavy congestion clogs up motorway lanes.

Should a car break down on the motorway, it’s usually really helpful to attempt transferring the vehicle onto the onerous shoulder the place it stays safely clear of visitors. Nevertheless, this is not all the time possible, notably should you’re not positioned within the left lane when the breakdown happens or if the motorway part lacks a onerous shoulder.

Posting on X, the DVSA said: “Would you know what to do if your vehicle broke down on the motorway? If you can’t reach a place of relative safety, you should: stay in your vehicle; keep your seat belt and hazard warning lights on; call 999 immediately.”

Guidance for in case your vehicle breaks down

Adhering to some important advice might help minimise your risk of a collision with one other vehicle do you have to break down on the motorway. For occasion, rule 275 of the Highway Code declares: “If you need to stop your vehicle in the event of a breakdown or incident, try to stop in a place of relative safety. A place of relative safety is where you, your passengers and your vehicle are less likely to be at risk from moving traffic.

“The most secure place to stop is a location which is designed for parking. On motorways and different high-speed roads, the most secure place to stop is a service space.”

Should a services not be accessible, the Highway Code alternatively recommends attempting to pull into a lay-by, an emergency zone, or the hard shoulder.

Nevertheless, it also warns: “Be conscious that onerous shoulders present much less safety than different locations of relative security as a result of they’re so close to high-speed visitors.

“You and your passengers should, where possible, keep well away from your vehicle and moving traffic. Otherwise moving traffic could collide with your vehicle, forcing it into you and your passengers.”

Rule 276 of the Highway Code additionally gives some further steering on what motorists can do ought to their vehicle break down.

First and foremost, it emphasises that it’s best to all the time contemplate different highway customers and how your actions would possibly impression them.

It additionally recommends to:

• Put a warning triangle on the highway not less than 45 metres (147 toes) behind your broken-down vehicle on the identical aspect of the highway, or use different permitted warning units when you’ve got them. Always take great care when putting or retrieving them, however by no means use them on motorways
• If attainable, keep your sidelights on whether it is darkish or visibility is poor
• Warn different visitors through the use of your hazard warning lights in case your vehicle is inflicting an obstruction
• Get your vehicle off the highway if attainable
• At evening or in poor visibility don’t stand the place you’ll stop different highway customers seeing your lights
• Help different highway customers see you by sporting light-coloured or fluorescent clothes in daylight and reflective clothes at evening or in poor visibility
• Do not stand (or let anyone else stand) between your vehicle and oncoming visitors