Huge rise in breakdowns expected on Yorkshire motorways, warns Highways England

According to Highways England figures, there were 4,666 motorway breakdowns in Yorkshire during the school holidays in 2018.

Highways England has launched a safety campaign today, as over the next ten weeks it expects to respond to an extra 700 breakdowns a week across the country.

Radio and online adverts will remind drivers to check their tyres, fuel and engine oil before they set off.

RAC patrol of the year, Ben Aldous, thinks the rise in breakdowns is due to people taking longer journeys over summer.

He said: “It is vital that drivers 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.”

Highways England is reminding drivers never to ignore speed restrictions on motorways or red X signs used to close lanes.

Last Friday, a driver on the M62 ignored a red X and ended up dangerously close to a stranded vehicle.

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.”

What you should do if you break down:

Highways England advises to:

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