Emergency SOS phones are usually situated at one-mile intervals along the hard shoulder of a motorway. Emergency areas are designed to offer places to stop in an emergency or breakdown for vehicles on roads without hard shoulders.

Do not exit an emergency area without speaking to National Highways first. They will close the lane to help you re-join the motorway safely.

For more advice visit:
https://nationalhighways.co.uk/road-safety/breakdowns/

It is recommended that drivers take with them a charged mobile telephone, containing emergency numbers, and high-visibility clothing in case of emergency or breakdown.

Breakdown prevention:

Most breakdowns are avoidable and simple vehicle checks can help you have a safer journey.

• Tyre tread – check the legal minimum tread depth for your vehicle as it can affect your grip, braking distance and steering
• Tyre pressure – check your tyre pressure as under-inflated or over-inflated tyres can affect your braking distance, steering, fuel efficiency and the lifetime of your tyres
• Lights – check lights are working as they are not only essential for you, they are also essential for other drivers to understand how you intend to manoeuvre
• Fuel – check you have sufficient fuel for your journey
• Oil – maintaining the correct oil level is essential as the oil lubricates, cleans, cools and protects the moving parts of your engine, preventing your engine from seizing up and breaking down
• Screen wash – to ensure you have good visibility, always keep your screen wash topped up so you can clear any debris off your windscreen.