Smart motorway
Smart Motorway Breakdown: What to Do
Breaking down on a smart motorway is different to a traditional hard shoulder breakdown, since on many sections there's no hard shoulder at all, or it's only used as a live running lane at certain times, which changes what you should do if your car stops working.
We recover breakdowns from smart motorway sections around Birmingham, working alongside National Highways procedures to reach you safely, but the steps you take in the first few minutes matter for your own safety before we can get there.
If you can reach an emergency refuge area
Smart motorways have emergency refuge areas (ERAs) spaced along them, marked with orange signs, offering a safe place to stop off the live lanes. If you feel a fault developing, try to reach the next one rather than stopping in a live lane, and use the emergency phone within the refuge area to alert National Highways, who can close the lane and route traffic away from you.
If you can't reach a refuge area
If you break down in a live lane and genuinely cannot move to a refuge area, keep your seatbelt on, put hazard lights on, and turn on your hazard warning lights and, if fitted, your fog lights to increase visibility, especially in poor weather or at night. If you can safely exit the vehicle and get behind a barrier, do so; if not, stay in the car with your seatbelt fastened and call 999 immediately.
- Reach an emergency refuge area (orange sign) if at all possible
- Use the ERA emergency phone to alert National Highways
- If stuck in a live lane, call 999 straight away
- Exit via the passenger side only if it's safe to do so
Why calling 999 matters here
Smart motorways use cameras and technology to detect stopped vehicles and can close the lane electronically, but this relies on the incident being reported. Calling 999 as well as us means the lane can be closed and traffic managed while we arrange recovery, which is a genuinely important safety step in a live lane.
Once the lane is closed or you're in a refuge area
Once you're safely off the live carriageway or the lane's been closed, call us for recovery. We'll coordinate arrival with the situation on the ground, since access to smart motorway sections during an active incident is managed carefully for everyone's safety.
Questions we get asked
What's the difference between a smart motorway and a normal one for breakdowns?
Many smart motorway sections have no permanent hard shoulder, meaning a breakdown in a live lane is more dangerous — emergency refuge areas and rapid reporting to National Highways are key safety measures.
Should I call 999 or you first?
If you're stopped in a live lane on a smart motorway, call 999 immediately so the lane can be closed, then call us for recovery.
What if I can't get out of my car safely?
Stay inside with your seatbelt fastened and hazards on, and call 999 — don't attempt to exit into live traffic if it isn't safe.
Can you recover me from an emergency refuge area?
Yes, once you're safely in a refuge area, call us and we'll coordinate our arrival with the situation on the ground.
Broken down on a smart motorway?
Get safe first, call 999 if you're in a live lane, then call 07402 666 687 for recovery across the Birmingham area.