With millions of drivers expected to hit the road next Easter weekend, AA research shows that around a quarter (24%) of them have potentially endangered their lives unnecessarily by stopping on the hard shoulder in a non-emergency.
Since 2000, 836 people, on average, have been killed or injured each year in incidents on hard shoulders and lay-bys in the UK.
An AA-Populus poll of 18,806 AA members established why people make non-emergency stops on the motorway. Illness or toilet breaks (both 5%) were the most common excuses, followed by running out of fuel (4%), reading a map (2%) and making a non-emergency phone call (1%).
Overall, 56% (59% men; 48% women) of respondents have stopped on the motorway hard shoulder at some point, particularly those in north west England (64%) ahead of south east England (60%).
Just over a third (34%) has had to pull over due to a mechanical breakdown and a further fifth (21%) due to puncture or tyre damage.
Mark Spowage, AA patrol of the year, said: “The hard shoulder can be a highly dangerous place with vehicles thundering past just feet away but some people don’t fully appreciate the risks involved in stopping on it.
“Most weeks we have incidents where a member’s car is struck while on the hard shoulder and it seems to be an increasing issue, which is a serious concern. Thankfully most people heed the safety advice and get out of the car and behind the barrier before calling for assistance.
“You should only stop if it is a genuine emergency and have no choice – it really is the last resort. It’s best to try to drive to a safer place off the motorway rather than stopping on the hard shoulder, even in the event of a breakdown. For example, if your car has an amber warning light, it’s fine to continue to the next exit; and, likewise, say you get a puncture or an alert from your car’s tyre pressure monitoring system, it’s better to risk having to shell out for a new tyre than be a sitting duck on the hard shoulder.
“If you stop for any other reason, you could be fined up to £100 and receive three penalty points, as well as potentially putting your life at risk. No phone call or loo stop is worth it.”
Spowage continued: “If you are forced to stop, safety is paramount, so exit the vehicle on the left, get far away from your vehicle and behind the barrier (if one is present) and then call for assistance – it’s just not safe to remain in the vehicle. If you’re unsure where you are look for the blue location signs or the AA app can use your smartphone’s GPS to pinpoint your location, which can be sent to the AA’s operational centre.”
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