In the event of a breakdown.

Thankfully breakdowns don't happen as often as they used to and vehicles have become much more reliable. If you should be in the unfortunate position and suffer a breakdown in your vehicle then you should find the advice below very useful.

On a motorway

Pull on to the hard shoulder and park well away from the main carriageway. If you don't have a mobile phone, leave the car by the passenger door (taking any children with you) and walk to the nearest emergency telephone, keeping well to the left of the hard shoulder.

Arrows on marker posts at the edge of the hard shoulder indicate the direction to the nearest emergency phone, which will be no more than half a mile away.

When you use a phone, face oncoming traffic.

Emergency phones will link you to a motorway control centre. Tell them: your exact location, car make, model and registration number, the nature of your problem and if you are alone or with small children and, of course, your membership number if you belong to a motoring organisation - DON'T WORRY if you don't have all this information.

Return to your car, but don't get in unless you feel at risk - many fatal accidents occur on the hard shoulder. If you feel unsafe, get into your car on the passenger side, put your seatbelt on and lock all doors.

On other roads

If something goes wrong, try to drive on and to stop where there are people about.

If you are marooned, NEVER hitch a lift

If possible, get the car out of the way of other traffic, then switch on its hazard warning lights and raise the bonnet.

Use a mobile phone, or find the nearest public phone to call your motoring organisation or a garage for help. Give details of your location, car, cause of breakdown and motoring organisation membership number, and say if you are alone, in a remote area or feel in danger.

Return to your vehicle and, unless there's a danger of collision, stay inside it, lock all doors and windows, and wait for help.

If someone stops to offer help, talk to them through a closed window until you're absolutely sure that you can trust them. ALWAYS ask for identification.

It must be a personal decision to accept help - or not. If you do, note the car driver's registration number and the colour of his or her vehicle, and leave it in your car.