Riding in tunnels

It is important to know what to do, and particularly to know what not to do, when riding in a tunnel. Especially if you come to stop in a tunnel due to a breakdown, or because of an accident.

Lighting

It is required to turn on your dipped headlights in a tunnel. If you have not turned on the headlights by default, turn them on well before entering the tunnel. Never use the rear fog light or full-beam headlight in a tunnel, this can blind other traffic.

Keep in mind that, when exiting a tunnel, your surroundings suddenly become brighter again. This can cause you to see a little less, because your eyes need to adjust to the light.

Behaviour

In a tunnel, there is little space to swerve. If you must overtake on the half of the road for oncoming traffic, do not overtake. In tunnels, ride extra defensive and do not take risks. Aggressive and antisocial driving behaviour is never a good thing, but in tunnels this leads to an unnecessarily high risk of (deadly) accidents.

Breakdown

If you breakdown with your motorcycle in a tunnel, then, first try to still exit the tunnel. Turn on your warning lights if you become an obstacle or danger when doing so. For example, when your vehicle can no longer ride at the normal speed or can turn off at any moment.

If you can no longer exit the tunnel while riding, immediately turn on your warning lights and stop as far to the right as possible. Put the motorcycle in neutral and not on steering lock. Never stay close to the motorcycle but walk with your possible passenger in the direction of traffic, to the nearest emergency post or exit.

Contact the road traffic operators via the emergency phone in the aid station and follow their instructions. Calling with your own phone is often not possible due to connection with poor coverage in tunnels.

Accident

In case of an accident, a few things are extremely important:

• personal safety;
• someone else’s safety;
• marking the accident site;
• notifying emergency services;
• providing necessary aid.

In addition, you must think of a few other things when in a tunnel:

• Smoke
  If there is smoke or a fire in a tunnel, this is extremely dangerous. In that case, try to leave the tunnel immediately via the escape route or via the tunnel exit. Do keep in mind other traffic. Do not cause extra danger by, for example, riding against the flow of traffic.
• Key in the ignition
  If you must leave your vehicle in the tunnel due to smoke or other dangerous situations, then leave the key in the ignition. In that case, emergency services can then move your vehicle if necessary.
• Poorer coverage
  Keep in mind that, in a tunnel, you have poorer coverage with your mobile phone. Use the emergency phone in the tunnel or, if necessary, walk out of the tunnel.

You can tell from these signs in which direction it is best to walk towards nearest emergency exit. Do keep in mind that walking against the flow of traffic in a tunnel is always more dangerous than walking with the flow of traffic from your stationary vehicle. In that case, following drivers have already seen your motorcycle and are then more alert for pedestrians on the carriageway.