Give the cold shoulder a warm welcome

One quarter of motorists are putting themselves at risk of being killed or seriously injured - just to avoid getting wet in the rain on the hard shoulder, according to a group of leading motoring bodies launching National Motorway Month today (6 August).

The figures come from a poll of motorists conducted by the RAC Foundation and the Suzy Lamplugh Trust on behalf of the National Motorway Month Group. Despite knowing that they would be safer outside the vehicle on the verge, these motorists said they would wait in the car if the weather were bad. The results also show that, even in good weather, one-third of women motorists would rather wait in their car than safely outside the vehicle in order to feel “more secure”.

National Motorway Month is an initiative jointly promoted by The Royal Automobile Club Foundation, Amey, BEAR Scotland, the Highways Agency, the Freight Transport Association, the Suzy Lamplugh Trust and the RAC, to encourage safer driving on our motorways. The campaign is running through the busy holiday month of August.

Police accident report figures show that, in the ten years from 1994 – 2004, 124 people were killed and 1355 were injured in incidents involving a vehicle parked on the motorway hard shoulder. The broken-down car is at risk from being struck by other vehicles straying out of lane, or from motorists using the hard shoulder for inappropriate purposes, such as to bypass congestion.

Motorists are also letting their chivalrous instincts put them in danger: 21 per cent of men were prepared to stop and offer assistance to another motorist on the hard shoulder, rising to 60 per cent if the motorist was a woman with young children. These well-intentioned motorists could be making a stressful situation worse, as well as putting themselves in danger of being hit while attempting to carry out repairs beside the motorway. It is illegal to stop on the hard shoulder except in an emergency, or when told to do so by the police, emergency signs, or signals.

Previous RAC Foundation research has found that breaking down is the biggest motorway worry for 45% of women motorists. Many women shun the motorway network as a result, despite motorways being our safest roads overall. Far from being welcome, unsolicited offers of help are a major source of anxiety – one-third of all motorists, and one half of women, said they would get back into their cars if a stranger approached, the least safe place to wait.

The results have prompted the group to call for drivers to remember the Highway Code’s advice on safe waiting,* to find the right balance between personal safety and road safety, and to resist the temptation to stop and offer help.

Jo Walker, from Suzy Lamplugh Trust, said: “These results show that if you want to help people who have broken down and are waiting on the hard shoulder, then the best thing might just be to keep driving and leave it to the professionals. By pulling over and approaching motorists who have broken down – especially lone women or women with young children - you could make them nervous enough about their personal safety to get back in the car, thereby putting themselves in danger of being hit by another vehicle.

“Before stopping to help, think about whether this could actually increase the stress and danger for those you are trying to help, by making them have to choose between road safety and personal safety.”

Edmund King, Executive Director of the RAC Foundation, said: “It is alarming that one quarter or motorists think avoiding the rain is a good reason to put yourself at risk of serious injury or death by remaining in your vehicle on the hard shoulder.

“Waiting on the hard shoulder can be made more bearable by planning ahead and packing an umbrella and a coat – especially given the weather conditions this summer. The safest journey is one that doesn’t involve an unscheduled stop. Motorists can reduce the chances of a breakdown by having their car serviced before setting off on the holiday marathon.”

The Highways Agency is now responsible for answering the emergency roadside telephones on motorways in England. The phones are answered directly by control room staff at one of the seven Regional Control Centres. The operator will give advice and dispatch assistance to motorists who have broken down.

In addition, the Highways Agency Traffic Officer service has around 1500 uniformed officers who now patrol all of England’s motorways and selected trunk roads 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Traffic Officers provide uniformed patrols in clearly visible Highways Agency branded, yellow and black 4x4s vehicles. All officers carry photo id cards.

Derek Turner, Director of Traffic Operations for Highways Agency, said: “The hard shoulder is a very dangerous place to be. It is illegal to stop on the hard shoulder, unless it is an emergency. This applies even to well-intentioned offers of help. Drivers are putting themselves at grave risk and there is a good chance a Highways Agency Traffic Officer will already be on their way to assist.

“If you do break down, 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 your vehicle is well maintained and you have enough fuel to get to your destination.”