An investigation into factors associated with hard shoulder stoppages

In the summer of 1999 the Highways Agency instigated a questionnaire survey of drivers stopped on the hard shoulders of motorways. This had the aim of determining the factors contributing to motorway accidents, with respect to those relating to weather, time of day and visibility, road characteristics and driver and vehicle related factors. Data were collected between June and September with the co-operation of police forces throughout the UK and the exercise was co-ordinated by the Cheshire Constabulary. TRL analysed the data from the study and reported the findings. (A)