Spending long periods of time on the road for work means that the likelihood of an accident occurring is also higher. Statistics from Driving for Better Business revealed that one in three road accidents involves a vehicle that is being driven for work. With such high figures, fleet managers should be ensuring that their drivers are aware of the work-related road risks. They should also have a strategy in place to not only reduce the likelihood of an accident, but also know what they should do if they have to stop at the side of the road. 

But drivers also need to be aware of cars that are stopped at the side of the road and should pass them with care. The RAC has recently launched a campaign to encourage drivers to reduce their speed and increase the gap that they leave between their car and a stopped vehicle on the hard shoulder or side of the road. 

This comes after it revealed shocking images that showed the aftermath of a crash involving one of its vans on the hard shoulder. The van was hit while a technician was changing the wheel of a car one evening on the M4. The car had not given the RAC patrol van enough room and as a result hit it at 70mph. 

But this is not the first incident like this, the RAC has noted a number of hits and near misses from vehicles not giving enough space, or slowing down past a stopped patrol van. Last year alone, two roadside operators died following similar incidents. 

If you are stopped at the side of the road or hard shoulder, make sure you can be seen. Put your hazard lights on and, if you aren’t on a motorway, put a BriteAngle behind your car. Make sure you are stood well out of the way of moving traffic while you are waiting for assistance, ensuring your safety. And if you spot a stopped vehicle at the side of the road, slow down and give it space.