Motorway Driving - Tips to Stay Safe

During your driving lessons, you’ll tend to get very used to and comfortable with driving on the usual mix of A and B-Roads, but the prospect of driving for the first time on the motorway after passing your driving test might be a daunting prospect. However, motorways are some of the UK's safest roads. Obviously, though, going straight onto the motorway without knowledge of the appropriate rules and regulations can be dangerous for you and other motorists. So, in order to give you a bit more confidence about driving on the UK’s fastest roads, here are a few tips to follow.

First of all, not just any vehicle can join the motorway. They should not be used by: pedestrians, holders of provisional motorcycle or car licences, motorcycles under 50cc, cyclists, horse riders, certain slow-moving vehicles and those carrying oversized loads. You may know from new stories in the past that mobility scooters are also prohibited from driving on the motorway also!

Joining a motorway safely

You'll always join the motorway from a slip road, which is a stretch of road that you can use to build up speed ready to join the traffic. The slip road will merge into the first lane of the motorway and you will need to navigate onto the first lane whilst being aware of other drivers who will be travelling at faster speeds of around 70mph. To do this safely you'll need to use your driver-side mirror and be aware of gaps in the traffic that you can safely slip into from the slip road. Gadging your speed is important so you can join the motorway safely and not as a hazard to other motorists

Driving on the motorway safely

Once joined, stay in the left-hand lane until you have brought your car up to the speed of the traffic. Always keep two cars length from you and, if the car in-front and if the car behind is dangerously close to your vehicle, it is considered safe practice to then put further distance between you and the motorist in front.