Broken down on the A55: what to do, in order
The A55 carries traffic at 70 mph through tunnels, across the Britannia Bridge and along an exposed coast. If you stop on it, the first thirty seconds matter more than everything that follows.
The first thirty seconds
If the car is losing power, do these things in this order. The Highway Code summarises it as go left, get safe, get help.
- Get off the carriageway if you possibly can. Take the next exit or reach a lay-by. A place designed for stopping is far safer than the verge.
- If you cannot, move left and stop as far to the left as possible, leaving room to get out, with your wheels turned to the left.
- Hazard lights on immediately. Sidelights too if it is dark or visibility is poor.
- Get out on the side away from traffic — usually the passenger side — and get everyone else out the same way.
- Get behind the barrier where there is one, and well away from the car. Watch for drops and uneven ground.
- Then call for help.
The order matters. People instinctively reach for the phone first, while still sitting in a stationary car a metre from traffic doing 70. Get out and get clear, then call.
When you should stay in the car
There is one situation where getting out is the wrong move: when you cannot reach the left, or you cannot get out and away safely. If you are stuck in a live lane, the Highway Code is explicit.
- Stay in the vehicle.
- Keep your seat belt on and your hazard lights on.
- Call 999 immediately and ask for the police, or press the SOS button if your car has one.
A seat belt in a stationary car is protection if something hits you. Standing on a live carriageway is not. This is the one time that waiting inside is correct, and it is worth knowing in advance because it runs against instinct.
The same applies if a disability means you cannot follow the usual advice: hazards on, stay put, belt on, ring 999 and ask for the police.
How to say where you are
This is where most calls waste time. “Somewhere near Llanfairfechan” covers several miles of road and both directions. The Highway Code lists three reliable ways to pin it down.
- Marker posts and driver location signs. Read out the numbers and letters. They are along the edge of the road and are the fastest way for anyone to find you.
- eCall. If your car has an SOS button, press it — it transmits your position automatically.
- A mapping app on your phone. Most will give you a grid reference or a shareable pin.
Failing all three, give the junction you last passed, the one you were heading for, and which direction you were travelling. Eastbound and westbound matter enormously on a dual carriageway — a recovery vehicle on the wrong side may have several miles to go before it can turn.
Face the traffic while you are on the phone so you stay aware of what is coming towards you.
If it happens in one of the tunnels
The A55 runs through three tunnels — and a breakdown inside one is a different situation from a breakdown in the open. There is no hard shoulder, no verge to walk to and no room for traffic to spread out around you.
- Keep moving if the car will still roll. Coasting out of a tunnel is almost always better than stopping inside one.
- If you must stop, get as far left as you can and put the hazards on straight away.
- Switch the engine off and leave the key in.
- Use the marked emergency points. Tunnels are monitored and have their own emergency equipment and communications.
- Follow any instruction from tunnel staff or the control room without waiting to be asked twice.
The tunnels are managed from the North Wales Traffic Management Centre at Conwy, and they are watched. Assume you have been seen and act accordingly, rather than assuming nobody knows you are there.
999, recovery, or Traffic Wales?
- 999 — if you are in a live lane, cannot get out safely, someone is hurt, or there is anything on the carriageway that could cause a collision. Ask for the police.
- Your recovery service, or us — if you are safely off the carriageway and simply need the car sorted or moved.
- Traffic Wales on 0300 123 1213 — to report a hazard or obstruction on the trunk road network. The A55 is a Welsh Government trunk road managed by the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent, not by National Highways, so this is the right number for road issues.
If something has fallen from your vehicle onto the carriageway, do not go back for it. Stop somewhere safe and call 999. Retrieving a wheel trim is not worth what it risks.
Four things that make it worse
- Do not put out a warning triangle on a fast dual carriageway. The Highway Code bans them on motorways outright, and on a 70 mph road like the A55 the act of walking 45 metres back along the carriageway to place one exposes you to exactly the risk you are trying to reduce.
- Do not attempt repairs at the roadside. Changing a wheel on the offside, with traffic passing at speed, is one of the more dangerous things a driver can choose to do.
- Do not go back to the car once you are clear of it, even if it is raining or cold or dark.
- Do not stand where the car could be pushed into you. That means not directly in front of it and not between it and oncoming traffic.
When you are ready to rejoin from a hard shoulder or lay-by, build up speed first, indicate, and wait for a genuine gap. Do not pull out and hope. Watch for debris or other stopped vehicles ahead of you.
Most A55 breakdowns are avoidable
The three faults that strand people on this road most often are all things you can check on the drive.
- A battery on its last legs. Sustained motorway speed with headlights, wipers and heater on is when a weak charging system finally gives up. Our battery health check scores how close yours is.
- Tyres. Heat and speed find weaknesses that never show up around town. Check pressures cold and look at the tread — the 20p test takes a minute.
- Fuel. Services are spread out along the A55 and it is a longer road than it feels. Do not plan to fill up “somewhere along the way”.
Before a long run, check the route on Traffic Wales — the Britannia Bridge and the tunnels are the pinch points, and a closure there can add a long detour.
Get safe first, then call us
Out of the car, behind the barrier, well clear. Then ring. We cover the A55 corridor and the whole of North Wales for jump starts and mobile tyre fitting, day and night, and we aim to reach you within 30 to 60 minutes.
If you are in a live lane or anyone is hurt, ring 999 first. We would always rather you did that.
Call 07768 491888More guides and tools
Questions, answered
What should I do if I break down on the A55?
Get off the carriageway if you can. If not, move as far left as possible, put your hazard lights on, get out on the side away from traffic and wait behind the barrier well clear of the car. Then call for help. If you cannot get out safely, stay belted in with hazards on and call 999 asking for the police.
Should I stay in the car or get out on a dual carriageway?
Get out and get well clear if you can do so safely, exiting on the side away from traffic. Stay in the car only if you cannot reach the left or cannot exit safely, in which case keep your seat belt on, hazards on, and call 999 for the police.
How do I tell the emergency services where I am on the A55?
Read out the numbers and letters from the nearest marker post or driver location sign, press your car's SOS button if it has one, or use a mapping app to get your position. Always say which direction you were travelling, because eastbound and westbound can be miles apart for a recovery vehicle.
Who is responsible for the A55?
The A55 is a Welsh Government trunk road managed by the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent rather than National Highways. Report hazards or obstructions on the network to Traffic Wales on 0300 123 1213.
Can I put a warning triangle out on the A55?
It is not advisable. Warning triangles are banned on motorways, and on a 70 mph dual carriageway walking 45 metres back along the road to place one exposes you to serious risk. Use hazard lights instead and get clear of the vehicle.
What if I break down in one of the A55 tunnels?
Keep rolling out of the tunnel if the car will still move. If you have to stop, get as far left as possible, hazards on, switch off the engine and leave the key in, and use the marked emergency points. The tunnels are monitored from the traffic management centre, so follow any instruction from staff or the control room.
Can I change a wheel on the A55 hard shoulder?
You should not. Working at the roadside with traffic passing at 70 mph is one of the most dangerous things a driver can do, particularly on the offside. Get clear of the vehicle and call for recovery or mobile assistance instead.