What Car? Q&A - When can I stop on the hard shoulder?

Q: When are you allowed to stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway?
Tony March

A: You can only stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway in an emergency situation.

Park you car on the hard shoulder, turn the hazard lights on and stand away from the car on the verge. If the motorway has metal Armco barriers, stand behind them.

When calling the emergency services, try to use the orange emergency telephone on the side of the motorway, and not a mobile phone. This allows your location to pinpointed immediately, and so speed up recovery.

You can drive on the hard shoulder only if gaining speed before rejoining the main carriageway or if instructed to do so by traffic signals or a police officer.

You should never stop on the hard shoulder if you need to answer a mobile phone, feel tired or want to fetch something from the boot. If you need to, leave the motorway at the next junction and find a safe location to stop.