Broken down on a Hampshire A-road or trunk route?

Safety before recovery

Do not attempt repairs in a live lane or remain in a dangerous position to protect the vehicle. Follow police, National Highways, local road authority and emergency-service instructions for the actual scene. Passenger safety, children, animals, disability, weather and visibility all need considering.

Private recovery begins only when the vehicle can be approached lawfully and safely. The recovery company cannot close a road, control traffic or replace emergency services at an active incident.

Finding the correct carriageway

State the road and direction of travel as clearly as possible. On the M27, M3, A3(M), A34, A31, A27 and other divided routes, reaching the opposite carriageway can require a long legal diversion. The nearest junction, service area, emergency area or marker helps confirm the approach.

A phone map pin can be useful when it is taken from a safe position. Do not walk into traffic or move somewhere dangerous to obtain a better location. Use the information that is safely available.

Describing the vehicle and breakdown

Tell us the registration, vehicle type and what happened before it stopped. Warning lights, loss of power, smoke, impact damage, a puncture or a wheel that will not turn can change the safest recovery plan. Mention whether the vehicle starts, rolls, steers, selects neutral and has keys.

For accident damage, describe the wheels, suspension, steering and any loose bodywork. Do not touch leaking fluids, exposed components or a damaged high-voltage vehicle. Emergency or specialist instructions take priority.

Choosing where the vehicle should go

Common destinations include home, a garage, dealership, bodyshop or secure storage. Check that the destination is open and can receive the vehicle. A busy road is not the place to discover that the chosen garage has closed or cannot accept an immobile vehicle.

When the destination is undecided, call to discuss the practical options. The route and destination affect the quote, so a final price may need to wait until a suitable place has been agreed.

What affects road-recovery pricing

Pricing can include travel to the correct carriageway, loaded mileage, vehicle type, damage, loading condition, waiting and out-of-hours timing. Waiting for scene control or road-authority clearance may also affect the job where private recovery cannot begin immediately.

Give accurate information at the first call. A locked wheel, missing key, accident damage or route on the opposite carriageway can change the equipment and distance compared with a straightforward breakdown in a safe lay-by.

Main Hampshire road routes

AtWheel provides guidance for the M3, M27, A3(M), M275, A34, A303, A31, A27, A32, A35 and other important routes across Hampshire and the Solent. The road guides show the nearby towns and the location details that are useful before calling.

Choose the road the vehicle is actually on, then give us the exact live position. The guidance can help you gather the right details, but we still need the direction, nearest junction and a safe map pin before setting off.

Waiting safely for the recovery vehicle

Stay in the safest available place and follow the instructions given by the emergency services, police, National Highways or the relevant road authority. Do not stand between the vehicle and moving traffic, attempt a repair in a live lane or walk along the carriageway to look for a driver. The vehicle can be replaced; personal safety cannot.

Keep your telephone charged and available where possible. The driver may need to confirm the carriageway, junction, marker or safe meeting point, especially where a map pin is imprecise or several roads run close together. Tell us immediately if the vehicle is moved by police, a road-authority contractor or another recovery service.

When the recovery vehicle approaches, wait for the driver’s instructions before returning to the vehicle or moving belongings. Loading may require the driver to position, winch and secure the vehicle while monitoring passing traffic and limited working space. Children, passengers and animals should remain away from the loading area.

Before the vehicle is moved, agree the destination and make sure it can receive the vehicle at the expected time. A motorway hard shoulder or busy A-road is not a suitable place to telephone several garages for the first time. Where no destination has been arranged, explain that at the initial call so the practical options can be discussed before the recovery vehicle sets off.

After the vehicle is clear of the road, check that passengers have onward travel and that essential belongings have not been left behind. Recovery moves the vehicle; it does not automatically provide passenger transport, replacement vehicles or accommodation unless a separate arrangement has been confirmed. Ask about this before booking when passenger needs affect the plan.