Examkin

Question

Difficulty: Very hardMotorway and High-Speed Road Emergencies

Match each specific motorway emergency scenario with the legally correct action or rule according to the UK Highway Code.

  • You are stranded in a live right-hand lane on a smart motorway and cannot safely exit the vehicle.Keep all seatbelts fastened, activate your hazard warning lights, and call 999 immediately.
  • You stop in an Emergency Area (EA) and successfully fix a minor mechanical fault yourself.Use the SOS telephone to contact the regional control centre before attempting to rejoin the live carriageway.
  • You break down on the hard shoulder. You have human passengers and a pet dog in the vehicle.Evacuate human passengers via the left-hand doors to wait behind the barrier, but leave the animal securely inside.
  • You are safely stopped on the hard shoulder and need to locate the nearest SOS telephone.Check the marker posts situated every 100 metres; they feature arrows pointing toward the closest phone.
  • You suffer a tyre blowout on a smart motorway segment with no hard shoulder or Emergency Area nearby.Continue driving at a reduced speed to the next exit or safe place, even if it causes further damage to the wheel.

Answer

Live lane breakdown matches calling 999 and staying in the vehicle; EA breakdown matches calling the control centre before rejoining; breakdown with pets matches leaving animals inside; locating an SOS phone matches checking 100-metre marker posts; a blowout with no safe stop matches driving to a safe place despite vehicle damage.
Each pairing correctly applies specific UK Highway Code guidelines (Rules 274-283) designed to minimise fatalities during motorway emergencies. The rules prioritize minimizing time spent in live lanes, controlling unpredictable variables such as pets, using established communication infrastructure (SOS phones and 100-metre marker posts), and coordinating with traffic officers before attempting high-risk manoeuvres like rejoining from an Emergency Area.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Evaluate the live lane breakdown scenario.
Matches with remaining in the vehicle and calling 999.
Exiting a vehicle in a live right-hand lane is extremely dangerous; the safest option is to stay belted inside and summon emergency services.
2
Evaluate the Emergency Area scenario after fixing a fault.
Matches with using the SOS phone to contact the control centre.
Rejoining a high-speed motorway from a standstill in a short EA is dangerous; the control centre must be contacted to assist, often by closing the adjacent lane.
3
Evaluate the hard shoulder breakdown with a pet.
Matches with evacuating humans but leaving the animal inside.
Pets can panic and run into traffic, causing severe accidents. They must be left securely inside the vehicle.
4
Evaluate the scenario of locating an SOS phone.
Matches with checking the 100-metre marker posts.
Motorway marker posts have arrows specifically designed to point pedestrians toward the nearest emergency telephone.
5
Evaluate the blowout scenario with no safe stopping place.
Matches with continuing to drive despite tyre damage.
Stopping in a live lane is a fatal risk; sacrificing the wheel rim to reach an exit or Emergency Area is the legally advised action.

Key Concept

Advanced Highway Code breakdown procedures for smart motorways and high-risk scenarios.
Rate this question

Topics

Motorway and High-Speed Road Emergencies

More questions from this topic