Advanced Motorway Driving

Motorway Driving Signs & Signals

Signs Leading To The Motorway

Direction signs from ordinary roads to the motorway have white lettering and figures on a blue panel, often bordered in white.

These signs may

• stand alone
• be included in other larger signs of various colours.

Signs On The Motorway

You may find the following types of sign on the motorway

• advance direction signs
• countdown markers
• signs giving information about service areas
• signs which have a brown background indicate tourist attractions which can be reached by leaving at the next exit

All these signs are very much larger than those on ordinary roads because you need to be able to see them, from a distance. This is a good reminder that you must leave more room for all manoeuvres on motorways.

Each junction has an identifying number which corrresponds with current road maps, to help you plan your route and know where you need to leave the motorway.

Signs Speed Limits

• Signs which display a speed limit within a red ring indicate mandatory maximum speed limits. You must obey these signs. If you don't, you risk prosecution.
• Black and white rectangular signs recommend maximum speed limits which you should observe.

Signs Signals

Signals will warn of dangers ahead, such as

• accidents
• fog
• icy roads.

Motorway Driving Getting Onto A Motorway

You can get onto motorway

• where a main road becomes a motorway. This is indicated by a specially-worded sign
• by joining at any entry point. A slip road leads onto the motorway.

Motorway Driving Joining A Motorway

At an entry point where a slip road leads to the motorway, adjust your speed to that of the traffic already on the motorway before joining it.

Give priority to traffic already on the motorway.

Join where theres a suitable gap in the left-hand lane*

Use the M-S-P-S-G-L routine.

A quick sideways glance might be necessary to verify the position of other vehicles. Try to avoid stopping at the end of the slip road unless queuing to join other slow-moving traffic.

*In a very cases, the lane merges from the right. Take extra care when joining or meeting traffic at these locations.

Do

• indicate your intention to join the motorway
• make sure you can be seen
• assess the speed of the traffic on the motorway before you try to merge in.

Don't

• force your way into the traffic stream
• drive along the hard shoulder.

Once you've joined the motorway, keep in the left-hand lane* until you've had time to judge and adjust to the speed of the traffic already on the motorway.

When other vehicles join the motorway

After you pass an exit, there's usually an entrance where other vehicles can join.

• Don't try to race them while they're on the slip road.
• Look well ahead if there are several vehicles joining the motorway - be prepared to adjust your speed.
• If it's safe, move to another lane to make it easier for joining traffic to merge.

Motorway Driving Leaving A Motorway

Unless you're going to the end of the motorway, you'll leave by moving left from the left-hand lane into the slip road. Get into that lane in plenty of time.

Plan well ahead, particularly on three- or four-lane motorways.

Leaving Road signs

Use the road signs and markers to help you time your exit and use your mirrors and indicators appropriately.

You'll have plenty of time to observe the signs and markers so there's no need to rush.

One mile before the exit

A Junction sign with road numbers. Unless there are exits very close together.

Half a mile before the exit

A sign with the names of places accessible from that exit.

From 270 metres (300 yards) before the exit

Countdown markers at 270 metres (300 yards), 180 metres (200 yards) and 90 metres (100 yards) before the start of the slip road.

Motorway Driving To Leave The Motorway

Use your mirrors and signal in good time. Remember M-S-P-S-G-L

Get into lane early, unless you're already in the left-hand lane.

On a three- or four-lane motorway, this could mean changing lanes more than once, and you must follow the MSM routine for each change of lane.

Do

• Use your mirrors and signal left in good time to move into the left-hand lane.

Don't

• cut straight across into the slip road
• move to the left more than one lane at a time
• cut across at the last moment, especially from the second lane of a three- or four-lane motorway.

The hard shoulder is NOT an exit road, and you must avoid queuing on it.

Occasionally, where motorways merge, there may be an exit just prior to the one you intend to take. In these cases, or where there are service areas near to exits, look well ahead for the advance warning signs.

If you miss your exit, carry on to the next exit.

Motorway driving End of motorway

There will be 'End of Motorway' Signs at all exits. These mean that the road you're joining will have different rules.

Remember to watch for any signs telling you what these are, particularly

• speed limits
• dual carriageway
• two-way traffic
• clearway
• motorway link road
• part-time traffic lights.

Speed when leaving a motorway

After driving at motorway speeds for some time, your judgment of speed will almost certainly be affected: 40 or 45mph seems more like 20mph.

• Adjust your driving to suit the new conditions.
• Check your speedometer. It will give you the accurate speed.

Reduce speed at first

For the sake of safety, reduce your speed until you're accustomed to the change of conditions.

It could take you time to adjust.

Motorway slip roads and link roads often have sharp curves which should be taken at much lower speeds.

Look ahead for traffic queuing at a roundabout or traffic signals.

Remember

Because of the change in traffic conditions you need to watch for pedestrians, cyclists and other road users prohibited on motorways.