A driver's decision to get out of his broken-down car while waiting for help probably saved his life after it was hit by a second vehicle just moments later.

West Midlands Ambulance Service received a call to a road traffic collision on the A38, near to the junction with the A5192, in Lichfield at 6.09am on Friday, October 6, and sent one ambulance and a paramedic officer to the scene.

Now, the emergency service has issued a warning to motorists to always move away from a broken down car while waiting for roadside recovery.

The man's car has broken down, the driver got out and minutes later after car crashed in to it. The second car ended up on its roof. The driver of the first car had left his vehicle and was thankfully stood safely out of the way when the crash happened.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "We arrived to find a car on its roof that had crashed into the central reservation after colliding with a stationary car.

"The driver of the stationary car, which had broken down, had moved to a place of safety at the roadside, a decision which has potentially saved his life given the collision that followed.

"The ambulance service urges all occupants to get out and move to a place of safety on the roadside if you are unfortunate enough to break down whilst travelling.

"It really is not worth the risk of sitting in your vehicle because, as proved in this case, it has the potential to lead to extremely serious consequences.

"The driver of the overturned car, a man believed to be in his 40s, was assisted out of the vehicle, treated for back pain and immobilised before being taken to Queen's Hospital, Burton," said an ambulance service spokesman.

What to do if you break down

Motoring association the AA had this advice if you break down:

Remember that the hard shoulder is only for emergencies, not for making calls, having a stretch or toilet stops.

Breaking down can be dangerous, particularly if you’re on a motorway. Here’s what you need to do to stay safe before you call us, and while we're on our way.

* Make sure you’re in a safe place. Move your vehicle off the road if possible (watch out for any soft verges), or pull up onto the hard shoulder if you’re on a motorway and can’t turn off at the next exit. Make sure you stop as far to the left as you can, with the wheels turned to the left.

* Put your hazard warning lights on. If it’s dark or foggy, keep your sidelights on too.

* Stay well away from moving traffic. It’s usually safest to get out of your car (using the doors facing away from passing traffic) and wait behind a barrier. If you’re on a motorway, move up the bank if you can. Leave animals in the car.

* Wear a reflective jacket if you have one.

* Don’t put a warning triangle on the hard shoulder if you’re on a motorway – it’s not safe. If you’re on a road and it’s safe, you can put a warning triangle at least 45m (50 yards) behind your vehicle.

*Don’t attempt even a simple repair if you’re on a motorway.

If you don’t have a mobile, walk to an emergency phone on your side of the carriageway. Follow the arrows on the posts at the back of the hard shoulder – the phone is free and connects directly to the police.

Remember that the hard shoulder is only for emergencies, not for making calls, having a stretch or toilet stops.

On a smart motorway

There’s no hard shoulder, so follow these steps instead.

* Stop at an emergency refuge area, motorway service area or leave at the next junction.

*If this isn’t possible, try and get the vehicle off the carriageway.

*If you have to stop in a traffic lane, turn on your hazard lights as soon as possible.

*If you’re in the left-hand lane, and it’s safe to do so, get out of the vehicle on the left-hand (passenger) side and wait behind the barrier.

*If you can’t get out, or you’re in another lane and it’s not safe to leave the vehicle, stay in the car with your seatbelt on and dial 999.

* If you stop in an emergency refuge area, you must use the SOS phone to contact the regional control centre when you stop, and before you leave.