More than 40 per cent...

More than 40 per cent of "Bad Samaritans" say it"s safer for recovery firms to deal with a breakdown, and 15 per cent claim they"d be unable to assist if they did pull over. One in three women feels too vulnerable to stop.

Tesco Personal Finance funded the survey, and a spokesman said: "Motorists should call a breakdown service. Flagging down other drivers could be dangerous." In 2004, 180 people were killed or injured while stopped on the hard shoulder.