SG Singapore Driver
Knowledge base road rules 3 min read

Vehicle breakdown and the warning triangle

Official handbook and Highway Code duties if a vehicle breaks down on a public road: move it aside, switch on hazard lights, place a reflective warning triangle at least 20 metres behind, and arrange immediate towing. OneMotoring’s breakdown sign caption matches the 20-metre figure.

breakdown warning-triangle hazard-lights towing

Primary source: https://www.police.gov.sg/-/media/SPF/Knowledge-Hub/Traffic/BT-ENG-24126.pdf

You are not allowed to leave any broken-down or wrecked vehicle on any public road. If your vehicle breaks down, push it into a break-down bay if there is one, otherwise as close to the side of the road as possible, and arrange for it to be towed away immediately so as not to cause obstruction (SSO, Highway Code r 94).

The official Basic Theory of Driving handbook states the same duty and adds: switch on the hazard warning lights even during daylight and place a reflective warning triangle at least 20 metres behind the vehicle (SPF, Basic Theory of Driving).

OneMotoring’s warning-sign caption for the vehicle-breakdown sign is: these signs should be placed at least 20 metres behind the broken-down vehicle (OneMotoring, Driving Rules and Information).

Do not drive, move or stop on a road shoulder or verge unless in the event of a breakdown, accident or emergency (handbook wording) (SPF, Basic Theory of Driving).

Expressways and tunnels

Expressway and tunnel incident rules, including SOS phones and LTA recovery, are in expressway-and-tunnel-rules. The official handbook’s tunnel breakdown note includes: switch on hazard lights; when possible drive onto the road shoulder and stop; use the nearest emergency (SOS) phone next to the slow lane or dial 1800-CALL LTA (1800-2255582); LTA EMAS recovery will tow the stalled vehicle to the nearest designated car park (SPF, Basic Theory of Driving).

After an accident, the same handbook says you should avoid unauthorised tow-truck operators or repair workshops and call your insurer’s hotline for a tow truck (SPF, Basic Theory of Driving). Accident reporting is in reporting-a-traffic-accident.

Coverage debt

  • A standalone composition amount for failing to place a triangle is not isolated on the live TP penalties table fetched 2026-09-12.
  • Offences “while towing” (as a separate scheduled item) were not found as a distinct TP HTML row in that fetch; they stay off this article.

Sources