Red flashing lights to protect breakdown and recovery workers

Government plans to equip breakdown vehicles with red flashing lights to help protect drivers have been welcomed by the industry.

Part of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) 30-point ‘plan for drivers’, which was published yesterday (Monday, October 2), it aims to make recovery drivers more visible at the roadside.

RAC chief operations officer Dom Shorrocks said: “This is an important milestone in the improvement of safety for the roadside assistance industry.

“We’ve long been calling for roadside assistance workers and recovery drivers, including our own, to be allowed to use red flashing lights alongside the customary amber ones to alert motorists to their presence.

“In fact, we again raised the issue with the secretary of state in the summer, urging him to take action. This announcement is therefore very good news for our industry and for the drivers we serve as it will unequivocally improve the visibility of roadside workers and help save lives.”

He added: “There have been too many tragic collisions where lives have been lost involving stationary recovery vehicles at the sides of high-speed roads, and where more prominent red lights might have made a difference.

“As soon as the law is changed, we’ll make sure all of our teams can start using red flashing lights as quickly as possible.”

The AA also welcomed the introduction of red flashing lights for breakdown and recovery vehicles. AA president Edmund King said: “Allowing breakdown vehicles to use flashing red lights will improve the safety of drivers and passengers in broken down cars, as well as offer more protection to our patrols working at the roadside.”

The Government’s plan for drivers contains a range of measures, including reviewing guidance on 20mph speed limits in England to prevent their blanket use in areas where the Government says it’s not appropriate.