Highways Agency
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Keep the motorway hard shoulder for emergencies only
QUENTIN WILLSON AND HIGHWAYS AGENCY TRAFFIC OFFICERS DRIVE HOME THE MESSAGE ON HARD SHOULDER SAFETY
Bank holiday road users are being reminded that stopping on the motorway hard shoulder is only for emergencies. It's not the place to stop for phone calls, checking the map or taking a break in your journey.
TV presenter and motoring journalist Quentin Willson appears in 'Stay Safe, Keep Moving', a new safety information film which is being launched today by the Highways Agency to drive home the hard shoulder safety message.
Hard shoulder accidents claimed the lives of 67 people in the five years from 2000 - 2004, and a further 950 people were injured. Even so, drivers still put themselves at risk by pulling over for non-emergencies such as phone calls, checking the map or even taking a toilet break.
A vehicle parked on the hard shoulder is more likely to be involved in a serious accident than one travelling in motorway traffic, according to research by the Highways Agency.
Quentin Willson went out on patrol with Highways Agency Traffic Officers to find out about some of the high-risk behaviour they see on the motorways, including a vehicle that stopped to release racing pigeons from the hard shoulder and people stopping to swap Christmas presents.
Quentin Willson said:
"Every day people put their lives at risk on the hard shoulder, where they are just inches away from high speed traffic. I was amazed at some of the stories I heard from the traffic officers. I cannot stress too strongly that the hard shoulder is for people to use only in a real emergency."
Stuart Lovatt, Highways Agency safety action plan co-ordinator, said:
"If your vehicle breaks down on the motorway - pull onto the hard shoulder, park as far over to the left as you can, away from traffic, and turn on your hazard warning lights.
"Get yourself and any passengers out of the vehicle immediately, using the doors on the left hand side furthest from the traffic. While you wait for help, keep well away from the carriageway and hard shoulder and do not try even the simplest of repairs.
"Try to stop next to an emergency roadside phone, and use the roadside phone instead of a mobile phone if you can because it will show your location on our operator's screen when you call.
"Of course, the best way to stay safe is not to break down in the first place. Make sure you vehicle is well maintained and you have enough fuel to get to your destination."
The Highways Agency's hard shoulder safety initiative is backed by both the RAC Foundation and the AA.
Andrew Howard, the AA's Head of Road Safety said:
"Our research has highlighted that many drivers are still unaware of the proper use of hard shoulders. The main reasons they give for pulling onto the hard shoulder are taking a toilet break, checking directions, using a mobile phone, attending to children, and retrieving something from the boot - all mentioned before breakdowns and unlikely to be considered emergencies in law. Drivers need to understand the danger they put themselves and their families in, know that it is illegal to stop on the hard shoulder except in an emergency, and to plan their journeys to avoid needing to make these stops."
Edmund King, Executive Director of the RAC Foundation, said:
"The hard shoulder is a dangerous place and not the safe haven that many think - over 100 people are injured on the hard shoulder each year. 'Stay Safe - Keep Moving' gives motorists the essential facts about how to keep themselves and their families safe on the motorway this bank holiday."
Note to Editors:
1. The Highways Agency is an executive
agency of the Department for Transport. We manage, maintain and
improve England's motorways and major A roads on behalf of
the Secretary of State.
2. The new film, called 'Keep Safe, Keep Moving', is presented by TV motoring journalist Quentin Willson. You can see it on the internet on the Public TV website - at http://www.public.tv/HighwaysAgency
'Keep Safe, Keep Moving' will be part of a new road safety DVD from the Highways Agency. Copies will be available to Police Forces, Fire and Rescue Services, Local Safety Partnerships and other bodies involved in road safety education.
3. Highways Agency staff are available for interview to talk about the about the new safety film and hard shoulder safety messages.
4. If your vehicle breaks down on the motorway:
* Pull onto the hard shoulder and park as far to the left as you can.
* Turn on your hazard warning lights and get out of the vehicle, using the doors furthest away from the traffic.
* Contact the Highways Agency using the emergency roadside telephone.
5. A report 'Safety on hard shoulders on two and three lane motorways' (Summersgill et al 1998), produced for the Highways Agency, looked at the patterns of vehicles stopping on UK motorways and accidents on the hard shoulder. The main conclusions of relevance were:
- Most occupants did not follow the current Highway Code advice to leave the vehicle when stopped on the shoulder for any reason.
- There are many short duration (less than 2 minutes) 'non-essential' stops on the shoulder.
- 58% of hard shoulder accidents involved a parked vehicle being hit by a vehicle veering into the hard shoulder, 10% of hard shoulder accidents involved a pedestrian hit on the hard shoulder.
- Hard shoulder accidents are very high severity, 32% were fatal or serious, compared with 13% of all motorway accidents.
Real-time traffic information for England's motorways and major A roads is available:
* From the web at http://www.highways.gov.uk/trafficinfo
* By phone from the Highways Agency 24-hour voice activated phone service on 08700 660 115. (Calls from BT landlines to 0870 numbers will cost no more than 8p per minute; mobile calls usually cost more).
Before using a mobile, find a safe place to park. Never stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway except in an emergency. Make sure it's safe and legal before you call.
For more general information about the Highways Agency and its work, visit the Highways Agency website http://www.highways.gov.uk, or telephone the Highways Agency Information Line on 08457 50 40 30 at any time. (Calls to 0845 numbers cost no more than 3p/min from BT residential landlines. Call charges from other landlines and mobile networks may vary).
Issued by the Highways Agency Press Office.
