Breakdown Safety : Finding a Place of Relative Safety

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Highway Code Rule 275

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Rule 275 ↗
If you need to stop your vehicle in the event of a breakdown or incident, try to stop in a place of relative safety. A place of relative safety is where you, your passengers and your vehicle are less likely to be at risk from moving traffic.

The safest place to stop is a location which is designed for parking. On motorways and other high-speed roads, the safest place to stop is a service area. Other places of relative safety include

lay-bys
emergency areas (see Rule 270 ↗)
hard shoulders (see Rule 269 ↗).
Be aware that hard shoulders provide less protection than other places of relative safety because they are so close to high-speed traffic.

You and your passengers should, where possible, keep well away from your vehicle and moving traffic. Otherwise moving traffic could collide with your vehicle, forcing it into you and your passengers.

Text shown in the rule image

Breakdown Safety : Finding a Place of Relative Safety

A Zone of Reduced Risk

It is a location where you , your passengers , and your vehicle are less likely to be at risk from moving traffic .

Prioritize Purpose - Built Areas

The safest place to stop is always a location specifically designed for parking .

Ranked Stopping Locations

Passenger Safety Protocols

Top Tier :

Service Areas

On motorways and high - speed roads , service areas are the safest possible choice for an emergency stop .

Mid - Tier : Lay - bys and Emergency Areas If a service area is unreachable , look for designated lay - bys or emergency areas as defined in Rule 270 .

Exit and Distance Yourself

Once stopped , you and your passengers should keep well away from the vehicle and the moving flow of traffic .

Lower Tier : Hard Shoulders

Hard shoulders

provide less protection than other areas because of their extreme proximity to high - speed traffic .

Beware of Secondary Collisions

Moving traffic could collide with your stationary vehicle , potentially forcing it into you if you are standing too close .