Breaking down on a motorway is one of the most frightening things that can happen to a driver. Traffic is passing at 70mph, the hard shoulder feels far too narrow, and it is not always obvious who to call first. There were 274,596 breakdowns on England's motorways and A-roads in 2023 — so it is far from rare, and knowing the right steps genuinely saves lives.
This guide follows National Highways' official advice and Highway Code rules 274 to 287. Read it now, before you need it.
The short answer: go left, get behind the barrier, call for help
National Highways sum it up in three steps:
- Go left. Indicate, move into the left lane, and leave at the next exit or services if you can reach one. If not, pull into an emergency area or onto the hard shoulder.
- Get behind the barrier. Exit through the left-hand doors, away from traffic, and stand behind the safety barrier where there is one.
- Call for help. Ring National Highways on 0300 123 5000, then your breakdown provider.
If you cannot do any of that safely, stay in the car with your seatbelt on and your hazard lights on, and call 999.
Step 1 — Get off the live lanes
The moment you notice a problem — a warning light, a loss of power, a strange noise, a vibration through the steering — start planning your exit. Do not wait to see if it clears.
Leave at the next junction or pull into a service area if you can reach one. If you cannot, put your left indicator on, move into the left lane, and pull as far to the left as possible. Leave yourself enough space to climb out of the left-hand door, and turn your front wheels to the left so the car rolls away from the carriageway if it is struck.
On a smart motorway with no hard shoulder, follow the orange SOS signs to the next emergency area. These are usually spaced between three quarters of a mile and a mile and a half apart, so one is rarely far away.
Step 2 — Make yourself visible, then get out safely
Hazard lights on immediately, day or night. If it is dark or visibility is poor, leave your sidelights on too.
Get out through the left-hand doors — never the driver's side into live traffic. Take everyone with you, including children, and put on a high-vis jacket if you have one. Then get behind the safety barrier and move well back from your vehicle, so that if it is hit you are not standing in the path of it.
Leave your pets in the car. A frightened dog on a motorway is a danger to itself and to every driver passing. The only exception is if staying in the vehicle is more dangerous, and then keep them firmly on a lead.
Step 3 — Call for help
Which number you ring depends on your situation:
- In a live lane, or in any immediate danger — call 999. Do not hesitate and do not feel you are wasting their time. You are not.
- Safely on the hard shoulder or in an emergency area — call National Highways on 0300 123 5000. They can set warning signs, close the lane behind you with a Red X, and send a traffic officer.
- Then call your breakdown provider, or if you have no cover, submit a breakdown request and we will connect you with a verified local recovery firm. It is free for drivers — you pay the provider directly for the work.
If there is an SOS phone within safe walking distance, use it instead of your mobile. It connects straight to the National Highways control room and tells them your exact location automatically, which is faster than describing where you think you are. Walk to it behind the barrier, and face the traffic while you speak so you can see anything coming.
Step 4 — Wait safely
Stay behind the barrier until help arrives. It is tempting to sit in the car, especially in bad weather, but the hard shoulder is the most dangerous place on the motorway and a stationary vehicle is exactly what tired drivers drift into.
A few things not to do while you wait:
- Do not attempt repairs, even something as simple as changing a wheel. It is not worth it on a live motorway.
- Do not put out a warning triangle. Placing one means walking into live traffic — the Highway Code specifically says not to on a motorway.
- Do not stop to help anyone else who has broken down, even someone you know. Call National Highways or 999 for them instead.
Take a coat with you when you get out, keep your phone charged, and keep the volume up so the recovery driver can reach you.
Broken down on a smart motorway with no hard shoulder
This is the situation drivers worry about most, and rightly so.
If you can reach an emergency area, take it and use the SOS phone. If you cannot, and you are stuck in a live lane, National Highways' advice is clear: stay in the vehicle, keep your seatbelt fastened, put your hazards on, and call 999. The control room can close the lane behind you with a Red X and get a traffic officer to you.
One more thing that catches people out: do not drive out of an emergency area without calling National Highways first. They will set signs to warn approaching traffic, and can close lane one so you have room to build up speed and merge.
What a Red X actually means
A Red X above a lane means that lane is closed — usually because someone is broken down in it, or emergency services need to get through. Driving under one is illegal and carries a £100 fine and three penalty points. Enforcement is automatic on most stretches.
More to the point: the person in that lane may be sitting in a stationary car with nowhere to go. Moving over early is the single most useful thing another driver can do.
How to avoid breaking down in the first place
Roughly a third of motorway breakdowns come down to things that could have been prevented before the journey started. Tyres and fuel are the two big ones.
- Tyres: check pressures and tread monthly and before any long trip. Blowouts and punctures are the leading cause.
- Fuel and charge: plan to arrive with a margin, not on the light. Running dry on a motorway is both avoidable and expensive.
- Oil and coolant: a two-minute check under the bonnet prevents the overheating that strands people in summer.
- Warning lights: if one comes on at home, deal with it there — not at 70mph in lane three.
It is also worth knowing which stretches near you see the most incidents. Our accident blackspot data maps police-recorded collisions across the UK network, so you can see the junctions worth extra care on your regular route.
Frequently asked questions
What number do I call if I break down on a motorway?
Call National Highways on 0300 123 5000 if you are safely off the carriageway. Call 999 if you are in a live lane or in any danger.
Should I stay in the car or get out?
Get out through the left-hand doors and stand behind the safety barrier, well back from the vehicle. Only stay inside if it is not safe to get out — then keep your seatbelt on, hazards on, and call 999.
Is it free to call National Highways?
Yes. The SOS phones on the network are free, and 0300 numbers are charged at a standard rate, usually included in mobile bundles.
What if I have no breakdown cover?
You can still get help. Submit a breakdown request and a verified local provider will call you directly with a price and an ETA before any work starts.
Can I change a tyre on the hard shoulder?
No. Never attempt repairs on a motorway, however simple. Get behind the barrier and wait for recovery.
The bottom line
Go left. Get behind the barrier. Call 0300 123 5000 — or 999 if you are in danger. Do not attempt repairs, do not put out a triangle, and do not stop for anyone else.
It is a frightening situation, but it is a well-rehearsed one for the people who come to help. Stay behind the barrier, stay calm, and let them do their job.