A third of drivers feel unsafe on smart motorways
A smart motorway is a section of motorway that uses technology to manage traffic flow, and reduce congestion.The first smart motorway was trialled on the M42 in 2006, with the opening of the hard shoulder to traffic at times of peak congestion.
Motoring journalist Maria McCarthy said: "I think a lot of people have felt very sceptical and anti-smart motorways since they were introduced and since then there has been lots of concerns and deaths that could have been preventable. "National Highways latest figures suggest that if you breakdown on a smart motorway without a hard shoulder that you are three times more likely to be killed or seriously injured."National Highways said many more new emergency areas are being installed, and statistically smart-motorways are the safest kind of road.Ms McCarthy said: "I think traditionally we have always had a hard shoulder and it's been there for a reason."If you are in any sort of difficulty, if you run out of fuel, always pull over to the hard shoulder and I think that gives people a sense of comfort."Ms McCarthy explained "the technology doesn't always work, there is a thing called stopped vehicle detection which is meant to work out if somebody is in difficulties."That is then conveyed to the control room and it takes another three minutes for the big red cross sign to be switched on."
In 2022, Pulvinder Dhillon, a 68-year-old grandmother, was killed after her car broke down on the M4 westbound near Theale, in lane four.Ms Dhillon's story was covered in a look into smart-motorways by the BBC's Panorama team.The team spoke with families who said they were let down by the technology that was meant to save their loved ones.
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