Highways England says ‘go left’

16 March 2021

Highways England has launched a new campaign, Go left! urging drivers who breakdown on a smart motorway or major A-road to go left and move as far away from the running lane as possible in an emergency. We at Marshall Minibus leasing are always pleased to see any measures taken to improve road safety.

Highways England chief executive Nick Harris said, "This new campaign and its ‘Go left’ message is designed to deliver crucial information in an accessible way and to help make motorways safer for the people who use them.

 "This campaign is just one of the many steps we are taking to invest in our network with safety as our number one priority, doing everything we can to help drivers feel confident on our motorways."

The campaign follows the news that the Transport Committee has launched an inquiry investigating the safety of smart motorways. Recently, it was also admitted by Highways England that its camera network will not be fully upgraded until July 2023, meaning that drivers who ignore the ‘red X’ used to close lanes could dodge fines.

The RAC has said that this advice “chimes with the guidance already given to RAC members to move left when possible and away from moving traffic”. 

RAC road safety spokesman Simon Williams commented, "Suffering a breakdown on a motorway or a high-speed road can be one of the most terrifying things that drivers might encounter, so it’s important everyone has a clear understanding of what to do in that situation.

"We’re pleased to see Highways England addressing this issue in its new campaign which encourages drivers to ‘go left’.

"This is a simple and effective message that will hopefully improve safety on our motorways and major dual carriageways by reducing the number of vehicles that stop in live lanes."

The campaign extends the following advice:

Go left

• Put your left indicator on and move into an emergency area, onto a hard shoulder, motorway service area, left-hand verge or A-road lay-by.
• Switch your hazard warning lights on, even during the day. If it’s dark, use side lights and in poor visibility use fog lights as well.
• On a motorway without a hard shoulder, it should be possible for most vehicles experiencing a problem to reach an emergency area. These are regularly spaced and are marked by a clearly visible orange road surface and blue signs featuring an orange SOS telephone symbol.

Get safe

• If it is safe to do so, and you can get out with any passengers, exit your vehicle on the side furthest from traffic. If it is not safe to do so, stay in your vehicle and wait for help.
• Keep well away from moving traffic and your own vehicle. Get behind a safety barrier where there is one, and where it is safe to do so. If you’re on a verge, be aware of any unseen hazards such as uneven ground or debris.

Get help

• Contact Highways England on 0300 123 5000 and then a breakdown recovery provider.
• If you are unable to exit your vehicle and get to a safe place, have stopped in a live traffic lane or feel your life is in danger, stay in your vehicle with your seatbelts and hazard lights on and call 999 immediately.

Contact us for Minibus Leasing 

To find out more about our minibus leasing services, please contact us on 01480 220444 or email info@marshall-minibus.co.uk. 

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