A
shoulder, often serving as an
emergency stopping lane, is a reserved lane by the
verge of a
road or
motorway, on the right in countries which drive on the right, or on the left side in Japan, the UK, Australia, and other left-side driving countries. Many wider U.S.
freeways have shoulders on both sides of each directional carriageway, in the median as well as at the outer edges of the road, for additional safety. Typically the shoulder is not for use by moving traffic.