If you break down

As a general rule, brake as gently as possible and pull over as far to the left as possible to keep your vehicle away from approaching traffic.

If the breakdown affects your control of the car

• try to keep in a straight line by holding the steering wheel firmly
• avoid braking severely
• steer gently on to the side of the road as you lose speed.

If possible, get your car off the road and

• use your hazard warning lights to warn others
• keep your sidelights on if it’s dark or visibility is poor
• wear high-visibility clothing to help other road users see you if you need to get out of your car
• don’t stand behind your vehicle where you might obscure the lights
• use a warning device, particularly if you’ve broken down near a bend or over the brow of a hill. Don’t use one if you’ve broken down on a motorway.

Keep children and animals under control, and away from the road.

Always take great care when you’re placing or retrieving a warning device.

Contact the police if your vehicle is causing an obstruction, and a breakdown service if you’re unable to rectify the fault yourself.

Don’t

• accept a lift from a stranger, however helpful they may be in the situation
• leave your vehicle for any longer than you really have to.

Drivers travelling alone

You might feel vulnerable if you’re travelling alone and you break down – especially on an isolated stretch of road, a dual carriageway or a motorway.

When you telephone for assistance, make it clear to the operator that you’re travelling alone. Priority will often be given in these cases.

Being recovered

If your vehicle can’t be repaired where it has broken down, it will need to be moved.

There are three options

• being recovered by your breakdown organisation (the best option)
• calling out a local garage (probably the most costly)
• being towed by a friend (the most dangerous – in no circumstances should an inexperienced driver consider this).

If you’re being towed, remember that the braking won’t be as effective and the steering will feel heavier if the engine isn’t running.

Free recovery at roadworks

If you break down on a stretch of road with roadworks, and the road is managed by Highways England, you’ll be able to get free recovery if

• there’s no access to hard shoulders and lay-bys
• the standard lane widths have been reduced
• the use of emergency telephones has been suspended.

See www.gov.uk/highways for more information.