Survive the hard shoulder with InsureYourMotor.com
More than 250 people are killed on the hard shoulder of Britain’s motorways each year, whilst waiting for breakdown assistance! Leading motor insurance broker InsureYourMotor.com states that 12% of all deaths occurring on Britain’s motorways, happen on the hard shoulder. Of those, 250 incidents or 40% are work related and happen between the hours of 12.00am and 6.00pm. The primary cause of such accidents is fatigue and loss of concentration. Tired drivers focus on stationary vehicles on the hard shoulder, imagining they are following that vehicle, until it is too late and a collision occurs. You are seven times more likely to be killed whilst sitting in your vehicle on the hard shoulder, as you are when walking on the hard shoulder. Furthermore, contrary to popular belief, women staying in their vehicle are more at risk from a road traffic accident than they are from being attacked if they leave the vehicle. You can survive the hard shoulder and help to reduce motorway death and injury by following these simple guidelines should you motor vehicle break down: · Use the hard shoulder as a declaration lane before coming to a halt. · Watch out for debris on the hard shoulder that could damage your vehicle whist coming to a halt. · Pull the vehicle as far to the left as you can, turning the wheels towards the nearside verge. Turn on your hazard warning lights and if visibility is poor, turn on your sidelights. · Leave the vehicle by the passenger door. All passengers should take refuge behind the motorway safety barrier. · If you have a reflective triangle in the car, set it on the hard shoulder 150 yards behind the car. · Attempting to repair your vehicle is hazardous. Refrain if you can. · Avoid using a mobile phone to gain help. It will not pinpoint your location. · Walk to the nearest emergency phone, indicated by the markers on the motorway. The emergency phone will indicate your location to the operator. Ask the operator for assistance. If you are a member of a roadside assistance organisation, state which and they will be notified. If you are not, a tow vehicle will be called for. · Face the oncoming traffic whilst you make that call. · Return to the car, taking up position again on the bank or land behind the safety barrier. · If you feel threatened, return to the car and wait in the front passenger seat with the doors locked. · Once your car is repaired, join the motorway again, using the hard shoulder as an acceleration lane, in which you can reach a suitable speed at which you can re-join the inside carriageway. To further minimise the risk of accidents on motorways, never use the hard shoulder to: · Go to the toilet. · Use a mobile phone. · Check a route map. · Do anything else that can wait until you are in a safe place. The UK’s leading provider of online vehicle insurance, InsureYourMotor.com, supplies this information, courtesy of the Police.Date - 10/01/2003
