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DVSA revision material with source-checked Lanekind learning corrections. Lanekind is not a DVSA product and is not endorsed by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. The Highway Code is Crown copyright, reproduced under the Open Government Licence.

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LanekindThe Highway CodeBreakdowns and incidentsRule 280

Breakdowns and incidents · Obstructions (rule 280)

Rule 280: If anything falls from a vehicle on to a motorway or other high-speed road

If anything falls from a vehicle on to a motorway or other high-speed road, DO NOT remove the obstruction yourself. Stop in a place of relative safety (see Rule 275) and call the emergency services on 999.

On other roads, you should only remove obstructions if it is safe to do so.

Source note (app): Rule 280 refreshed from the Department for Transport’s GOV.UK Highway Code, checked 2026-09-06. This corrects the imported passage only; the rest of the archive has not been refreshed. © Crown copyright. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Licence details: The National Archives, Open Government Licence v3.0. No government endorsement is implied.

In the Highway Code, MUST and MUST NOT identify legal requirements. Advice using should, should not, do or do not can still be used as evidence in court proceedings under the Traffic Acts to establish liability. The introduction explains this distinction.

The rules either side

The Code reads in order, and each of these names the rule it goes to rather than saying only ‘next’.

Rule 279: Disabled driversThe rule before this one Rule 281: Warning signs or flashing lightsThe rule after this one

Obstructions (rule 280)

1 rules

The rules the Code files beside this one, in its order.

Rule 280: If anything falls from a vehicle on to a motorway or other high-speed roadDO NOT remove the obstruction yourself. Stop in a place of relative safety (see Rule 275) and call the emergency…

Breakdowns and incidents

Rules 275 to 287

The other groups in this part of the Code, and the rest of it.

Place of relative safety (rule 275)1 rule Breakdowns (rule 276)1 rule Additional rules for motorways3 rules Obstructions (rule 280)1 rule Incidents3 rules Incidents involving dangerous goods2 rules Documentation2 rules

All of Breakdowns and incidentsRules 275 to 287 on one page Road signs and markingsEvery sign this rule refers to, each one on a page you can link to.