← Breakdowns and incidents
Rule 278: Rejoining from the hard shoulder
Legal requirement — says MUST
Additional rules for motorways (rules 277 to 278)
To rejoin the carriageway after a breakdown from
- a hard shoulder, build up speed, indicate and watch for a safe gap in the traffic. Be aware that vehicles, obstructions or debris may be present on the hard shoulder
- an emergency area, you MUST use the emergency telephone provided and follow the operator’s advice for exiting the emergency area. A lane may need to be closed so that you can rejoin the carriageway safely.
Law RTA 1988 sect 36
Why the capitals matter. The Highway Code writes a rule in capitals — MUST or MUST NOT — when it is backed by law, so breaking it is a criminal offence. The rules that do not use capitals are advice.
5 theory test questions on this rule
From the DVSA revision question bank. These are not the questions asked in the real theory test. Each one shows the answer, the explanation, and our own note on why every other option is not it.