I've just been watching a documentary on BBC2 (Life In The Fast Lane)
and the poor workers were dealing with breakdowns and accidents on the hard shoulder of the M6, which is now a Smart Motorway, so the hard shoulder is always a 'live' lane.

They had to put cones out to keep the traffic off while they worked, but many drivers ignored these and the workers were in mortal danger of being killed by huge lorries and fast cars steaming towards them.
They showed actual footage of an example of this.

Several of these folk are killed each year working beside UK Motorways.
One poor chap told the camera that he had taken out Life Insurance, and settled his affairs for his wife in the event of his death. Very shocking.