Breakdown on the motorway — what you must do immediately

If you notice something is wrong — a strange noise, a warning light, a juddering engine — pull onto the hard shoulder immediately. Don’t wait, don’t hope it will last a few more kilometres. Get off the road at once.

Switch on your hazard lights as soon as you realise you can’t keep driving. Others need to know that you are slowing down.

Try to stop as far to the right as possible — ideally behind a crash barrier or in an emergency lay-by. The further away from the carriageway, the better.

Before you get out: put on your safety vest. Not once you’re outside. Inside. While you’re still sitting in the protected area.

If you stand on the hard shoulder without a vest, you are risking your life. Drivers constantly underestimate how fast vehicles race past on the motorway. They have no time to react if you suddenly appear.

Get out on the passenger side — never towards the carriageway. Even if it’s awkward: those few seconds can save your life.

Go behind the crash barrier immediately. Don’t linger by the vehicle. Don’t look in the boot. Don’t check what’s broken. Get behind the crash barrier at once.

If you have passengers: everyone out, everyone behind the crash barrier. Children first, then the others. No one stays in the car.

The warning triangle should be placed 150 to 200 metres behind your vehicle. That’s about 200 paces. But: only if it is safe to do so.

Walk behind the crash barrier — never on the hard shoulder. Carry the triangle so that others can see it before they see you. Set it up, don’t stand next to it, and go back behind the crash barrier.

If it’s too dangerous — because there is no room behind the crash barrier or the traffic is moving too fast — leave it. Your life matters more than the warning triangle.

Call us: 0172 7776606. Tell us where you are (motorway, direction, last kilometre marker) and what happened. We’ll be with you in about 30 minutes.

Alternatively: use the emergency call box. The orange arrows on the marker posts point you towards the nearest box. Walk behind the crash barrier.

Don’t stay sitting in the car. If someone crashes into it, you’ll be trapped.

Don’t stand next to the car. Not even briefly. Get out, behind the crash barrier, done.

Don’t try to repair it yourself. Even if it’s only a small thing: on the motorway it is life-threatening.

Don’t open the bonnet and look inside. Don’t open the boot. Don’t do anything that takes you back to the vehicle.

We secure the scene, load your vehicle and take it wherever you want it. You can ride along — you don’t have to wait or hope for a taxi.

We know the motorways around Munich and how to work safely. You don’t have to do anything except stay behind the crash barrier until we get there.