What To Do If You Break Down in Ireland
The order to do things in, on the M9, on a Kilkenny back road, in town and at night. Read it now so you know it when you need it.
- Pull onto the hard shoulder as far left as you can and switch on your hazard lights.
- Get everyone out of the car through the left-hand doors and behind the crash barrier.
- Put on a hi-vis vest if you have one. Never stand between your car and the traffic.
- Do not try to change a tyre or fix anything on the hard shoulder.
- Note the nearest junction number and the blue marker posts, then call us.
- If you are in a live lane and cannot move the car, stay belted in and call 112 or 999 first.
- Hazard lights on and, if it is safe, roll the car in off the road or into a gateway.
- At night or in bad weather, stay visible: hi-vis vest, sidelights on, warning triangle well back.
- Keep passengers away from the road, especially on narrow county roads with no verge.
- Send us your Eircode or a Google Maps pin so we find you first time.
On the M9 or any motorway
The hard shoulder is the most dangerous place on the Irish road network. Vehicles pass within a metre of a stopped car at 100 to 120 km/h, and drivers who are tired or distracted drift onto it. The Road Safety Authority's guidance is clear: get off the carriageway, get out of the car on the side away from traffic, get behind the barrier, and stay there until help arrives.
Step by step
- As soon as the car starts to lose power, indicate left and get onto the hard shoulder. Keep rolling if you can to reach a slip road, an off-ramp or a wider section.
- Stop as far left as possible, wheels turned to the left, hazard lights on. At night or in poor visibility, sidelights on as well.
- Everyone out through the doors on the left, away from traffic. Leave animals in the car unless it is unsafe.
- Get behind the crash barrier or up the embankment, and move back from the car towards oncoming traffic (so that if your car is hit, it is pushed away from you).
- Note the last junction number and whether you are northbound (towards Dublin) or southbound (towards Waterford). The blue location signs on the verge every 500 metres show the road, direction and a distance figure: read that out and the truck knows exactly where you are.
- If anyone is injured or the car is in a live lane, ring 112 or 999 first. The orange emergency phones on the hard shoulder connect to the Motorway Traffic Control Centre (0818 715 100) and report your position automatically.
- Ring 087 288 2280. Give the junction, direction, vehicle and what happened.
- Do not attempt a repair. Do not change a tyre. Do not stand behind or beside the car. Do not cross the carriageway.
If you cannot get to the hard shoulder
If the car dies in a live lane and you cannot coast to the left, stay in the car with your seatbelt on, hazard lights on, and ring 112 or 999. Do not get out into moving traffic. The Gardai and the motorway operator will close the lane and get you to safety.
On a national road or the Kilkenny ring road
The N10, N76, N77, N78 and N24 are fast roads with limited hard shoulder. Treat them like a motorway: get the car in as far as you can, hazard lights on, everyone out and well away from the road on the side away from traffic. On the ring road roundabouts, do not stop on the roundabout itself if you can possibly roll off it onto an exit.
On a country road
Most of County Kilkenny is narrow roads with high hedges, no verge and deep drains. The danger here is a car coming round a bend and not seeing you. If the car can be rolled into a gateway or a wider spot, do it. Hazard lights on, warning triangle well back on the approach side if you have one, hi-vis vest on, and stand where you can see and be seen. Send us your Eircode or a Google Maps pin, because road names do not help much out here.
In town
In Kilkenny city the risk is lower but the inconvenience is higher. If you are blocking a lane or a junction, hazard lights on and, if you can, get help pushing the car to the side. Do not try to push a car alone on a hill. If you are in a car park, you are safe; just tell us the car park and the level.
At night
Visibility is everything. Sidelights and hazards on, hi-vis vest on, phone torch pointed at the ground beside you rather than at traffic. Stay behind the barrier even if it is cold and wet. If you are a lone driver and feel unsafe, lock the doors and stay in the car on quiet roads; on fast roads, get behind the barrier regardless.
With children, older passengers or a dog
Children first. On a motorway, out through the left-hand doors and behind the barrier, holding hands, before you do anything else. Dogs stay in the car on the motorway unless the car is in danger, because a loose dog on a motorway is a disaster. On quiet roads, keep everyone together and away from the road.
What to keep in the car
- Hi-vis vest for every seat, kept inside the cabin, not the boot
- Warning triangle
- Phone charger or power bank
- Torch
- A blanket and water in winter
- The recovery number saved in your phone: 087 288 2280
Common mistakes we see every week
- Trying to change a tyre on the M9 hard shoulder.
- Standing behind the car with the boot open, looking for the hi-vis.
- Walking along the hard shoulder to the next junction.
- Restarting a car that has just lost oil pressure or overheated, and finishing off the engine.
- Driving on a wrong-fuel car to "see if it is OK".
- Giving a location of "somewhere on the M9 near Kilkenny".
For specific situations, see our pages on M9 recovery, wrong fuel, flat tyres and accident recovery.
Breakdown safety questions
Should I stay in the car on the motorway?
No, unless you cannot get out safely. Leave through the left-hand doors and get behind the crash barrier. The only exception is if you are stuck in a live lane and cannot reach the hard shoulder: then stay belted in and ring 112 or 999.
Do I ring 112 or 999 in Ireland?
Both work. 112 is the European emergency number and works from any phone in Ireland, even without credit or signal on your own network.
Should I put out a warning triangle?
On a motorway, no: never walk along the carriageway to place one. On an ordinary road, yes, if you can do it safely, placed well back from the car on the approach side.
What if I have children in the car?
On a motorway, get them out and behind the barrier with you, holding hands. On a country road with no verge, it may be safer to keep them in the car with seatbelts on while you stand where you can see approaching traffic. Use your judgement and err on the side of distance from the road.
Will the motorway operator remove my car?
A vehicle that is a hazard, or left on the hard shoulder, can be removed to a safe location by the operator or the Gardai, with the cost recovered from the owner. Getting a recovery truck to you quickly avoids this.