Tips on how to stay safe during a breakdown.

ON A MOTORWAY

Firstly, remember that the hard shoulder is only for emergencies, not for making calls, having a stretch or toilet stops.

If it's an emergency and you can’t get off the motorway, pull on to the hard shoulder.

Make sure you stop as far to the left as you can, with the wheels turned to the left.

Put your hazard lights on. If it’s dark or foggy, keep your sidelights on too.

You and any passengers should get out of the vehicle using the doors on the left-hand side and move up the bank or stand behind the barrier.

Leave animals in the car.

Wear a reflective jacket if you have one, but don’t put a warning triangle on the hard shoulder.

Don’t attempt even a simple repair. Call your breakdown company asap.

If you don't have a mobile, walk to an emergency phone on your side of the carriageway; follow the arrows on the posts at the back of the hard shoulder – the phone is free and connects directly to the police.

If you feel at risk from another person, return to your vehicle by a left-hand door and lock all doors; leave your vehicle again as soon as you feel this danger has passed.

If you have a disability which prevents you from following the above advice, keep your seatbelt on, switch on your hazard warning lights and use a mobile phone, if you have one, to call us or the emergency services.

If you can’t get to the hard shoulder, stay in your vehicle unless you can be absolutely sure it's safe to leave it. Put your hazard lights on, keep your seatbelt on and call the emergency services.

ON A SMART MOTORWAY

If you break down on a smart motorway where the hard shoulder has been converted into a traffic lane, follow these steps:

Use an emergency refuge area (ERA), motorway service area or leave at the next junction.

If this isn’t possible, try and get the vehicle off the carriageway.

If you have to stop in a traffic lane, turn on your hazard lights as soon as possible.

If you’re in the left-hand lane, and it’s safe to do so, get out of the vehicle on the left-hand (passenger) side and wait behind the barrier.

Call your breakdown company asap

If you can’t get out, or you’re in another lane and it isn’t safe to leave the vehicle, stay in the car with your seatbelt on and dial 999.

If you stop in an ERA, you must use the SOS phone to contact the Regional Control Centre when you stop, and before you leave.

ON A ROAD

Move your vehicle off the road if you can, but watch out for soft verges that could make it tricky to get going again.

Put your hazard lights on; if it’s dark or foggy, keep your sidelights on too.

It’s usually safer to wait well away from your vehicle and moving traffic, behind a suitable barrier if you can.

If you get out, take care and use the doors facing away from passing traffic.

Wear a reflective jacket if you have one.

If you have one, and it’s safe to do so, put a warning triangle at least 45m (50 yards) behind your vehicle.

Don't stand between your vehicle and oncoming traffic.

If you need our help, call your breakdown cover asap.

RE-JOINING THE CARRIAGEWAY

Build up speed on the hard shoulder first and watch for a safe gap in the traffic.

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Company Info

Whittle Road, Phoenix Parkway, Corby, United Kingdom, NN17 5DX

Reg Office: Forest Gate (Corby) Ltd Whittle Road Phoenix Parkway Corby Northamptonshire NN17 5DX

Reg. Company Number: 4058139

VAT Reg. No. 463089827

Forest Gate (Corby) Ltd is an Appointed Representative of Automotive Compliance Ltd, who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA No 497010). Automotive Compliance Ltd’s permissions as a Principal Firm allows Forest Gate (Corby) Ltd to act as a credit broker, not as a lender, for the introduction to a limited number of lenders. We can introduce you to a selected panel of lenders, which includes manufacturer lenders linked directly to the franchises that we represent. An introduction to a lender does not amount to independent financial advice and we act as their agent for this introduction. Our approach is to introduce you first to the manufacturer lender linked directly to the particular franchise you are purchasing your vehicle from, who are usually able to offer the best available package for you, taking into account both interest rates and other contributions. If they are unable to make you an offer of finance, we then seek to introduce you to whichever of the other lenders on our panel is able to make the next best offer of finance for you. Our aim is to secure the best deal you are eligible for from our panel of lenders. Lenders may pay a fixed commission to us for introducing you to them, calculated by reference to the vehicle model or amount you borrow. Different lenders may pay different commissions for such introductions, and manufacturer lenders linked directly to the franchises that we represent may also provide preferential rates to us for the funding of our vehicle stock and also provide financial support for our training and marketing. But any such amounts they and other lenders pay us will not affect the amounts you pay under your finance agreement, all of which are set by the lender concerned. If you ask us what the amount of commission is, we will tell you in good time before the Finance agreement is executed. All finance applications are subject to status, terms and conditions apply, UK residents only, 18’s or over. Guarantees may be required.

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