What should you do if you need to stop on the highway?

When you need to stop on the highway, the safest and most appropriate action is to pull off the road to a safe area and use hazard lights. This approach minimizes the risk of accidents by ensuring you are not obstructing traffic, which can lead to dangerous situations for both you and other drivers.

Pulling off the road allows you to remove your vehicle from the travel lanes, providing a safer environment where you can address any issues that require stopping, such as a mechanical failure or a need to take a break. By using hazard lights, you alert other drivers to your presence and the fact that you are not moving, which further enhances safety and encourages them to give you space.

Other options present significant risks. Stopping immediately in the travel lane can create a hazard for other vehicles, increasing the chance of collisions. Staying in the vehicle with the emergency brake engaged could still leave you vulnerable if another vehicle comes too close. Finally, while signaling and stopping at a rest area is safer than stopping in a travel lane, it could waste time if you need immediate attention elsewhere. Therefore, pulling off to a safe area with hazard lights is the most effective way to protect yourself and other road users.