Safety tips for Greater Manchester's motorway drivers at start of breakdown season

Highways England is issuing safety advice to Greater Manchester drivers today, Monday 24 June, to be prepared at the start of the busiest time of the year for breakdowns on England’s motorways.

New data from the company shows more than 48,500 motorway breakdowns happened over the summer holiday period, between the final week of June and the first weekend of September last year, including 2,811 in Greater Manchester.

Highways England is expecting to respond to an extra 700 breakdowns a week across England for the next 10 weeks, taking the average number of motorway breakdowns each week to almost 5,000.

The first weekend in August was the busiest weekend for breakdowns on England’s motorways in 2018 shortly followed by the final weekend in July, with one breakdown reported every two minutes as drivers set off on day trips and holidays.

Richard Leonard, head of road safety at Highways England, said: “We want everyone to get to their destination safely and we can all play a part in that.

“Highways England has done a lot of work to ease congestion on our motorways and make them safer, and our traffic officers are there to help get things moving if there’s a problem. But you should also make sure you know what to do if your vehicle does break down.

“We’re expecting to see a big increase in breakdowns over the next few weeks as drivers set out on longer journeys during the summer. So, we’re urging drivers to remember the basics of motorway driving, including carrying out simple vehicle checks before setting off, to help keep us all moving.”

 

 

Around a quarter of summer breakdowns are caused by punctures or other tyre issues. Vehicles running out of fuel and engines overheating are also other common reasons for breakdowns on motorways.

Highways England is advising drivers that regular car checks help avoid breakdowns:

• check tyres: prior to setting off on a long/significant journey, check your tyre pressures are suitable for the load and the condition of your tyres, including the spare. Look out for cuts or wear and make sure the tyres have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm, which is the legal limit.
• check engine oil: use your dipstick to check oil regularly and before any long journey, and top up if needed. Take your car back to the garage if you’re topping up more than usual.
• check water: to ensure you have good visibility, always keep your screen wash topped up so you can clear debris or dirt off your windscreen.
• check lights: if your indicators, hazard lights, headlights, fog lights, reverse lights or brake lights are not functioning properly, you are putting yourself and your family at risk. In addition, light malfunctions can be a reason for your vehicle to fail its MoT.
• check fuel: before setting out, check your fuel levels and make sure you have enough to get to your destination.

Highways England has also issued five basic safety tips to follow if your car does break down on a motorway:

• Get away from the traffic. Exit the motorway or get to an emergency area or hard shoulder and use the free phone provided.
• If that’s not possible, move left onto the verge.
• Get out of the left side of your car and behind the barrier if you can and it is safe to do so.
• Get help – contact your breakdown provider or Highways England on 0300 123 5000.
• If you break down in moving traffic and cannot leave your car, keep your seatbelt and hazard lights on and call 999.

RAC patrol of the year Ben Aldous said: “The summer is always a busy time for us and with more drivers using their vehicles for longer journeys and for extended periods, it is vital they carry out checks before they travel to reduce the chances of a breakdown.

“This includes checking oil levels, making sure tyres are properly inflated and have good tread, checking coolant, electrics and making sure they have enough fuel for their journeys.

“Safety should always be the priority for drivers – which means obeying road signs, red X signals on motorways, avoiding in-vehicle distractions and taking regular breaks to prevent fatigue on longer journeys.”