One of the factors is that motorists do not know what the different types of Smart Motorway are and how to use them properly and this is partly due to the Highway Code only just being updated to provide this information.
As the OP says there are barriers and no verges on Smart Motorways so the advice is to get out of your vehicle and over the barrier even if you can get to an Emergency Refuge Area. To push a car 50 yards in a running lane to a ERA must have been a nightmare and highly dangerous.
When you get to an ERA you are told to phone the control centre on the SOS phone and they are supposed to send the Highways Agency to help to you exit the ERA or shut a lane to allow you to exit. It seems in the OPs case that system failed too.
Another problem is that Smart Motorways are supposed to have Standing Traffic Alert to alert the control centre of breakdowns etc but despite this it takes 17 minutes on average for the rescue services to get to you. The reason for STAs is that cameras arenot trained on the spot you are about to breakdown on 24/7 and in some circumstances such as in the dark and in dense fog, cameras are useless or next to useless for locating broken down vehicles.
Also if you break down on a Smart Motorway and you cant get to an ERA or SOS phone you should dial 999 or 112 from your mobile once safely over the barrier.
Use the Driver Location Signs (located every 500 metres in England) to give Motorway, Carriageway and Distance reference or 100 meter marker post info for distance.
