Drivers given advice as motorway breakdown season approaches
Drivers planning to take trips on Britain's motorways this summer have been advised to take extra care, as breakdowns are more common during this season than any other.
This is the perhaps surprising revelation from Highways England, which said more than 48,500 motorway breakdowns occurred between the final week of June and the first week of September last year.
In 2019, it is expected that 700 more unlucky people per week than average will find themselves stranded on the carriageways during this summer period.
This could equate to nearly 5,000 breakdowns each week, which may mean significant disruption for drivers caught in queues, let alone those actually having car trouble.
Last year, the first weekend in August and the final weekend in July were rated as the worst weekends, something Highways England attributed to a higher volume of traffic as people headed off for summer holidays.
To help out this year, the organisation has released a series of safety tips aimed at keeping the motorways clear and moving.
They include always checking tyres, oil, water and headlights before making any long journeys, since a quick bit of simple maintenance could make all the difference in avoiding a preventable breakdown.
This is advocated by the RAC too, which has a list of how-tos on all the above on its website for anyone who needs a reminder.
Motorists were also reminded that should the worst happen and a breakdown occur, it is always best to move away from traffic by getting out of the car and waiting for assistance behind the crash barrier on the grass verge.
Head of road safety at Highways England Richard Leonard said: "We want everyone to get to their destination safely and we can all play a part in that. 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."