Help, Safety & Advice

Surviving a breakdown

Photograph showing a greenflag man looking under a vehicle bonnet, while the driver looks on from the driver's seat

Despite preparing for what the winter weather throws at us as motorists, breakdowns and accidents still happen. Should you find yourself in a breakdown situation this winter, Green Flag has some timely advice.

  • Pull off the road as soon as you suspect there may be a problem with your car. Limping along could make the problem worse and cause further damage
  • Try to position your vehicle as far over to the left-hand-side of the road or hard shoulder as possible. Anyone getting out of the vehicle should exit by the left-hand-side passenger door
  • Put your hazard warning lights on. In the dark, or in poor visibility conditions, leave side-lights on as well
  • If you break down in darkness or sub-zero temperatures, don't abandon the car and go in search of help. If possible, remain with your vehicle and call for assistance on your mobile phone, for the personal safety of you and your passengers
  • In sub-zero temperatures, keep the engine running if possible, to keep the heater going
  • While waiting for assistance, keep the doors locked, and when help arrives ask for identification

For more information on surviving a breakdown download our hard shoulder glove box guide here.

Motorway breakdowns

High-speed motorway traffic presents a greater danger to people breaking down on the hard shoulder. Should you break down or detect a problem with your vehicle on the motorway, follow these guidelines:

  • If possible, leave the motorway at the next exit
  • If you can't leave the motorway, pull off on to the hard shoulder and stop as near to an emergency telephone as possible. SOS telephones are situated every half-mile
  • Marker posts, positioned every 100 metres, indicate the direction of the nearest telephone
  • Get people out of the car by the left-hand door and on to the banking if possible. If moving to the banking is not practical, remain in the car, moving to the passenger side if you can. Leave any animals inside the vehicle
  • Never attempt to complete any repairs yourself, not even changing a wheel
  • If possible, call your recovery service using a roadside emergency SOS telephone rather than a mobile phone. This will enable them to pinpoint your exact location much more quickly, and alert the police to your position
  • If you use a mobile phone, Green Flag now provides a text message service to let you know that help is on its way, as well as an estimated time of arrival

Next: The art of driving in winter conditions

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