Photo: Sarah777, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
If you break down on an Irish motorway, get onto the hard shoulder as far left as you can, get everyone out through the left-hand doors, wait behind the crash barrier and call the Gardaí. Don’t put out a warning triangle. This checklist follows the Rules of the Road step by step and covers tunnels, ordinary roads and what to keep in the car. Learners can’t drive on motorways, so it is aimed at newly qualified drivers and at learners who want to know the drill before they pass.
Key facts
- You may stop on a motorway only if you break down, a Garda signals you to, there is an emergency, at roadworks or at a toll plaza.
- The law requires you to move the vehicle off the carriageway to the left if you possibly can, and to notify the Gardaí from the nearest phone as soon as possible.
- Never place a warning triangle on a motorway. The RSA says it is too dangerous.
- Carry at least two high-visibility vests.
- Stopping or parking on a motorway without a valid reason: €40 fixed charge.
Motorway breakdown checklist
1. Get off the live lanes
- Look for a marked parking area or lay-by if the car is still moving.
- Otherwise pull onto the hard shoulder and park as far left as you can, with no part of the car on the carriageway.
- Switch on your hazard warning lights. If you can’t reach the hard shoulder, hazards are your main way to warn other drivers.
2. Get everyone out, on the left
- Put on a high-visibility vest before you get out.
- Leave by the left-hand doors, and make sure passengers do the same.
- Leave animals in the car. In an emergency, keep them under control on the verge.
- Don’t walk on the motorway. Keep everyone, especially children, away from the lanes and the hard shoulder.
3. Wait in a safe place
- Wait on the embankment side, well behind the crash barrier.
- If you can’t get out safely, stay in the car with your seat belt on and hazards flashing.
4. Call for help
- Use the roadside emergency phone if you can. It tells the Gardaí your exact location automatically.
- On a mobile, you will need to give your location. Use the marker signs described below.
- Accept help from a Garda or from road authority staff. The law says you must not leave the vehicle on the motorway longer than necessary.
5. Don’t
- Don’t put a warning triangle on the motorway.
- Don’t try to repair the car on the hard shoulder.
- Don’t try to remove debris from the road. Report it instead.
6. Rejoining
Build up speed on the hard shoulder before merging into traffic, and watch for other vehicles stopped on the hard shoulder ahead.
How to tell the Gardaí where you are
Many motorways and dual carriageways have two kinds of location marker:
| Marker | Where | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Location Reference Indicator (LRI) | Upright sign on a pole | Road number, direction of travel (N, S, E or W) and kilometres from the start of the road |
| Location Reference Marking (LRM) | Painted on the hard shoulder | Route and direction, distance from the start of the route, and the direction to the nearest emergency phone |
The Rules of the Road example: an LRM reading M7 heading west at 72.5 km tells the Gardaí exactly where to send help.
If you break down in a tunnel
- Switch off the engine and switch on hazard lights.
- Listen to the tunnel radio station for instructions.
- Go to an emergency station and use the emergency phone to tell the tunnel operator.
- Check the electronic signs for information.
If there is smoke or fire in your own vehicle, switch off, get out at once, use the emergency phone and leave by the nearest exit. More in motorways and tunnels in Ireland.
Breaking down on other roads
Off the motorway the same principles apply: get off the road if you can, hazards on, vest on, passengers out on the safe side. The Rules of the Road says you can use a reflective warning triangle on other roads, placed far enough back to give approaching traffic enough warning, and not where it would be unsafe to place it. Near a bend, make sure traffic from both directions gets a warning. Heavy goods vehicles and buses must carry a triangle.
If your car stalls on a railway level crossing, follow the separate steps in railway level crossings, low bridges and tunnels.
What to keep in the car
The Rules of the Road suggests:
- at least two high-visibility vests (it says to carry two for motorway driving)
- a torch
- a first aid kit
- a warning triangle (required for HGVs and buses)
Before a long motorway journey, check tyre pressures, oil, coolant and fuel. See vehicle safety checks in Ireland.
Common questions
Can I use the hard shoulder to make a phone call?
No. You may stop on a motorway only for a breakdown, an emergency, roadworks, a toll plaza or a Garda signal. Leave at the next exit or use a service area.
Should I put a warning triangle behind my car on the motorway?
No. The RSA says not to place any warning device on a motorway because it is too dangerous.
Who do I call if I break down on a motorway?
The Gardaí, using the roadside emergency phone where possible. In an emergency, dial 999 or 112.
Should I stay in the car or get out?
Get out by the left-hand doors and wait behind the barrier if you can do so safely. If you can’t, stay in with your seat belt on and hazards flashing.
Is there a fine for stopping on the motorway?
Stopping or parking on a motorway without a lawful reason carries a €40 fixed charge as of November 2026. A genuine breakdown or accident is an exception.
What if I realise I am driving the wrong way?
The Rules of the Road says to pull onto the hard shoulder immediately, stop, and dial 999 or 112. Don’t try to turn the car. Wait for help in a safe place.
Related: what to do at the scene of a crash and after you pass in Ireland. Back to learning to drive in Ireland.
Sources
- Road Safety Authority, “Rules of the Road”, Section 4 Vehicle safety, Section 11 Motorways and tunnels (Stopping and parking, What to do if your vehicle breaks down, Tunnels) and Section 14 Correct behaviour at the scene of an accident (Revision 5, hosted on garda.ie)
- Irish Statute Book, “S.I. No. 182/1997, Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997”, article 33 (irishstatutebook.ie)
- Irish Statute Book, “S.I. No. 227/2024, Road Traffic Act 2010 (Part 3) (Fixed Charge Offences) Regulations 2024”, Schedule 8 (irishstatutebook.ie)