Breakdowns and Incidents
Breakdowns and incidents are situations where your vehicle stops unexpectedly, the road is
obstructed, or there has been a collision or other serious event on the road. Knowing how to keep yourself, your
passengers and other road users safe is essential for passing the DVSA driving theory test and for dealing calmly with real situations on
UK roads.
Use this Breakdowns and Incidents guide to learn the key rules for learner drivers, see how
they apply in everyday driving, and help you prepare for the UK
car theory test,
motorcycle theory test,
HGV / LGV theory test,
PCV theory test, or
ADI Part 1 DVSA theory test.
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What do we mean by breakdowns and incidents?
Breakdowns and incidents cover what you should do if
your vehicle stops unexpectedly, if something is blocking the road, or if you are involved in, or stop to
help at, a collision.
-
Breakdown - your vehicle develops a fault (for example, a puncture or engine problem)
and you have to stop.
-
Obstruction - something has fallen onto the road or is blocking it (for example, debris
or a lost load).
-
Incident or collision - a crash or other serious event where people or vehicles may be
damaged or injured.
-
Dangerous goods - incidents involving vehicles carrying hazardous materials, which need
extra care.
-
Documentation - the information you must give and when you must report
a collision to the police.
Key breakdown and incident rules
As a learner driver or rider, you need to show that you understand how to deal with breakdowns and
incidents calmly and safely. Here are the key breakdown and incident rules you should know:
-
If you need to stop due to a breakdown or incident, try to reach a place of relative safety
- such as a service area, lay-by, emergency area or hard shoulder - where you, your passengers and
your vehicle are further away from moving traffic.
-
If your vehicle breaks down, get it off the road if possible, switch on your
hazard warning lights, and on non-motorway roads you may place a warning triangle at least 45 metres behind
your vehicle if it's safe to do so. Never place a warning triangle on a motorway.
-
On motorways and other high-speed roads, remember: go left, get safe, get
help. Move left, pull into an emergency area or hard shoulder if you can, stop as far to the
left as possible, and get you and your passengers well away from the carriageway behind a safety barrier if
it's safe to do so.
-
If anything falls from a vehicle on a motorway or high-speed road, do not try to recover
it yourself. Stop in a safe place and call the emergency services. On other roads you should
only remove an obstruction if it is safe.
-
When you see emergency or incident support vehicles displaying flashing lights ahead,
slow down, stay alert and follow their directions. Do not slow down unnecessarily just to
look at the incident.
-
If you are involved in a collision or stop to give help, use your hazard lights, move people to
a place of relative safety if you can, call 999, do not move injured people unless they are in
immediate danger, and do not remove a motorcyclist's helmet unless it is essential and you are
trained to do so.
-
If the incident involves a vehicle carrying dangerous goods, keep well away, do not smoke,
and tell the emergency services about any warning plates or labels on the vehicle.
-
After any collision that causes damage or injury, you must stop, give your
name, address and vehicle registration, and, if details are not exchanged at the scene, report the collision
to the police as soon as reasonably practicable and within 24 hours.
These breakdown and incident rules are based on Rules 275-287 of the UK Highway Code, which
cover places of relative safety, breakdowns, obstructions, incidents, dangerous goods and documentation.
Want to see the Highway Code breakdown and incident rules?
View the Highway Code breakdown and incident rules.
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Places of relative safety for breakdowns and incidents
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Service areas: the safest place to stop on motorways and other high-speed roads whenever
you can reach one.
-
Lay-bys and designated parking bays: good places to stop on other roads, as you can move
fully off the carriageway and away from flowing traffic.
-
Emergency areas: small, signed, orange-surfaced bays on some motorways designed for
emergencies only. Follow the instructions on the signs and use the emergency telephone for advice on
rejoining.
-
Hard shoulders: on motorways with a hard shoulder, use it only in an emergency, stop as
far to the left as possible with your wheels turned left, and remember that you are still very close to
fast-moving traffic.
-
Side roads or quiet roads off the main carriageway: on non-motorway roads, these can be
safer places to stop than staying on a busy main road, as long as you are not blocking junctions or
driveways.
-
Never stop in a live lane unless you absolutely cannot move your vehicle: if you are
stuck in a live lane, keep your seat belt on, switch on hazard lights and call 999 for help.
Breakdowns and incidents in real driving situations
Breakdowns and incidents are not just theory test topics - they're situations you may face in everyday
driving. You'll use these rules whenever you:
- Have a puncture, engine fault or warning light and need to pull over safely.
- Break down on a motorway and must decide how to get yourself and your passengers to safety.
- Come across debris or a lost load on a high-speed road and need to call for help.
- Are involved in, or witness, a collision and must protect the scene, call the emergency services and
exchange details.
- Pass the scene of an incident and need to stay alert without slowing down unnecessarily or being
distracted.
In your practical driving test, examiners will expect you to show that you understand where to stop safely,
how to keep yourself and others away from danger, and how to behave sensibly if something goes wrong with
your vehicle.
Breakdowns and incidents theory test questions in the DVSA theory test
Breakdowns and incidents appear in the multiple-choice part of the DVSA theory test in several ways. You may
be asked:
- What you should do if your vehicle breaks down in a live motorway lane or on a hard shoulder.
- Where you should stop if you have a problem on a motorway or high-speed road, and how to keep passengers
safe.
- When and how to use hazard warning lights and warning triangles (and when not to use them).
- What details you must exchange, and when you must report a collision to the police.
- How to deal with incidents involving vehicles carrying dangerous goods.
Explore a sample of the latest DVSA theory test revision questions in Driving Theory 4 All's
theory test questions and answers
section.
Source: Department for Transport (GOV.UK) - The Highway Code. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.