Hard shoulder rules: motorway safety guide
The hard shoulder rules on UK motorways depend on the type of motorway you are on. On a traditional motorway, the hard shoulder is for genuine emergencies only. On a smart motorway, there may be no hard shoulder at all. Knowing which type you are on - and what to do if something goes wrong - could be one of the most important things you know as a driver.
Earn points and use them to save money in the app. Download today.
What is the hard shoulder?
The hard shoulder is the paved lane to the far left of a motorway, separated from the running lanes by a solid white line. On a traditional motorway it runs continuously along the full length of the carriageway and is reserved exclusively for breakdowns and genuine emergencies.
The hard shoulder is not a slow lane, a lane for approaching junctions early, a space for checking maps, or somewhere to stop for a rest. Using it for any reason other than a genuine emergency or police instruction is illegal.
When can you use the hard shoulder?
On a traditional motorway, the hard shoulder may only be used when:
- Your vehicle has broken down or has a mechanical emergency
- You are directed to by a police officer or DVSA examiner
- A sign or signals indicate it is open to traffic (only on a dynamic hard shoulder)
If you stop on the hard shoulder for any other reason, you are committing an offence and putting yourself and other road users at serious risk. The hard shoulder is one of the most dangerous places on the road network - vehicles pass at motorway speeds only a metre or two from where you would be standing.
Types of smart motorway and what changed
Smart motorways use technology and variable speed limits to increase capacity. There are three types:
Controlled Motorway: Variable speed limits apply but the hard shoulder remains at all times. The hard shoulder rules are the same as a traditional motorway.
Dynamic Hard Shoulder (DHS): The hard shoulder opens as a running lane at busy times, indicated by overhead signs showing a speed limit. When closed to traffic, a red X signal is shown and it reverts to emergency use only.
All Lane Running (ALR): There is no hard shoulder. The leftmost lane is always a running lane and Emergency Refuge Areas (ERAs) are provided at intervals instead.
Following safety concerns, the government halted all new ALR smart motorway schemes in 2023. Existing ALR sections are being upgraded with stopped-vehicle detection radar and more frequent ERAs, with an ambition to bring spacing down to around three-quarters of a mile to a mile in future upgrades.
Emergency Refuge Areas
On ALR smart motorways, ERAs replace the hard shoulder. They are lay-by style areas set into the motorway edge, painted orange, with an emergency telephone and space for a vehicle to pull in safely. If your vehicle is struggling or you have any warning lights, make for an ERA rather than stopping in a live lane.
If you cannot reach an ERA, try to reach a slip road exit. If neither is possible and the vehicle has stopped in a live lane, switch on hazard lights, call 999, and stay in the vehicle with your seatbelt on unless there is an immediate safety reason to exit - in which case, get behind the central reservation barrier rather than standing in a live lane.
What to do if you break down on a motorway
The steps are the same whether on a hard shoulder or in an ERA:
- Move as far left as possible. On a hard shoulder, try to stop beyond a marker post.
- Switch on hazard lights.
- Get all occupants out of the vehicle through the left-side doors and away from the carriageway - behind the barriers where possible.
- Use the free emergency telephone at the ERA or hard shoulder marker (these give your exact location automatically), or call 999 or your breakdown provider.
- Do not stand behind the vehicle or attempt repairs in the carriageway.
Our guide to motorway driving rules covers all aspects of motorway driving, including speed limits, lane discipline and joining and leaving.
Driving a borrowed or recently-bought vehicle on the motorway
If you are driving a vehicle for the first time on a motorway - whether borrowed or recently purchased - make sure the vehicle has comprehensive cover before you set off. Temporary car insurance or one day car insurance covers you on any eligible vehicle, including for motorway journeys.
Frequently asked questions
Can you stop on the hard shoulder for a rest?
No. The hard shoulder on a traditional motorway may only be used for genuine breakdowns or emergencies, or when directed by a police officer. Stopping to rest, check a phone or take a break is illegal and puts you and other drivers at serious risk.
What should you do if your car breaks down on a smart motorway?
Try to reach an Emergency Refuge Area (ERA) or a slip road exit. If you cannot, switch on hazard lights, call 999, and stay in the vehicle with your seatbelt on. Only exit the vehicle if there is an immediate safety reason to do so, and get behind the barrier rather than standing in a live lane.
What is an Emergency Refuge Area (ERA)?
An ERA is an orange-painted lay-by set into the edge of an all-lane-running smart motorway, used instead of a permanent hard shoulder. Each ERA has a free emergency telephone. You should make for an ERA as soon as you have any concerns about your vehicle on an ALR section.
How often are Emergency Refuge Areas spaced on smart motorways?
National Highways is upgrading ALR sections to a target spacing of no more than 500 metres between ERAs. On older sections, spacing can be up to 2.5 kilometres. Signs on the motorway show the distance to the next ERA.
Is the hard shoulder open on all smart motorways?
No. On a controlled motorway, the hard shoulder is always present for emergencies. On a dynamic hard shoulder (DHS) motorway it opens to traffic only at busy times and shows a speed limit. On all-lane-running (ALR) motorways there is no hard shoulder - only ERAs at intervals.
Temporary insurance quote
Get a price in under 60 seconds!