This weekend is expected to be the busiest of the year so far and thousands of motorists are expected to head for Cornwall or Devon.

Bank holiday drivers are being urged to "top up before they travel" because of the high number of vehicles that are running out of fuel on the region's motorways.

Drivers are risking injury or even their lives if they run out of fuel on the motorway, according to the Highways Agency's Traffic Officers who patrol motorways in the South West. Drivers stopping on the carriageway or even the hard shoulder face the prospect of their vehicle, or themselves, being struck by traffic.

The South West Traffic Officer Service with its Regional Control Centre (RCC) on the M5 at Junction 18 is now dealing with an average of 121 incidents every day. More than half of the incidents dealt with by the Traffic Officers are breakdowns on the motorway. Some 93 per cent of these breakdowns were on the hard shoulder - with many of these due to drivers simply running out of fuel.

The Highways Agency is urging anyone taking to the region's motorway network to ensure they have enough fuel for their journey.

Andrew Page-Dove, Network Operations Manager in the South West RCC, said: "The hard shoulder can be a dangerous place and breakdowns which are simply down to people running out of fuel are unnecessary and putting lives in danger. People think of the hard shoulder as a place of safety, but in fact you can be at risk of being struck by another vehicle.

"Drivers should reduce the risk to themselves and their passengers by being fully prepared for the journey they are making. Don't wait for the red light to come on or leave it to guesswork as to how much fuel you will need.

"Remember that it may not be enough to rely on the accuracy of the car's fuel gauge or the on-board computer if you have one. When you are getting to low levels of fuel it may not be accurate. Make sure you top up before setting out on a journey, as well as having everything else you need."

The Highways Agency advise anyone breaking down on the hard shoulder to make sure that they put on hazard warning lights and get everyone out of the vehicle, exiting the vehicle using the side furthest away from the moving traffic and stand in a place of safety - over the barrier if it is safe to do so, or on the grass verge. Always remain vigilant and pay attention to traffic coming towards you. To get assistance use one of the orange and emergency telephones beside the motorway. This will pin-point your position and enables the Highways Agency to get help to you more quickly The Traffic Officer Service in the South West patrols the motorways in the Bristol area, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Somerset and Devon. The aim of the service is to keep traffic moving by tackling incidents which cause congestion and to improve safety on the motorway and trunk road network.

Traffic Officer patrols stop at hard shoulder breakdowns and offer motorists safety advice; however, they do not carry spare fuel in their vehicles. Drivers are responsible for finding their own fuel if they run out, and could face a hefty bill from a recovery agent if they are not already a member.