Advanced Motorway Driving

Motorway Driving On The Motorway

On The Motorway See & Be Seen

Make sure you start out with clean mirrors, windscreen, windows and lights.

Use your washers, wipers and demisters whenever necessary to ensure you can see clearly.

You need to use your mirrors frequently and much earlier. Because of the higher speeds on motorways, they are even more important.

Always try to avoid staying where you might be in another vehicles blind spot. This is especially important when the other vehicle is a large vehicle.

Observation Effective Observation

Keep your eyes moving between the road ahead and your mirrors, so that you always know what's happening all around you.

Continually reassess the movement of the vehicles

• directly ahead (in the near and far distance)
• alongside you
• behind you.

At high speeds, situations change rapidly. Effective observation helps you prepare for any sudden developments.

For example an increase in the number of vehicles ahead could mean that traffic is slowing down and 'bunching', or a flashing breakdown light will warn you to slow down until you're sure of what's happening.

If you see serious congestion ahead, you can use your hazard warning lights briefly to alert drivers behind you.

This can reduce the risk of rear-end collisions, especially in bad weather.

Observation Being Seen

Because of the higher speeds, your vehicle must be seen much earlier on a motorway than on an ordinary road.

Poor daylight

In poor daylight, you should use your headlights.

Fog

In fog, where visibility drops below 100 metres (328 feet) you may find it helpful to use fog lights in addition to your headlights.

Remember

You must switch your fog lights off when visibility improves. This is the law. They're misleading and can dazzle other drivers. They may also make your brake lights less conspicuous.

Headlight Flashing

The level of noise is higher on a motorway particularly in wet weather, and other road users may not be able to hear your horn.

If you think a warning is necessary, flash your headlights instead.

Watch out for such warnings intended for you.

Motorway Driving Keeping Your Distance

The faster the traffic, the more time and space you need for every driving action.

You must

• give yourself greater margins than on ordinary roads
• make sure there's enough space between you and the vehicle ahead.

Traffic normally travels faster because there are usually no

• ordinary junctions
• sharp bends*
• roundabouts*
• steep hills
• traffic lights.

Slow-moving vehicles are generally forbidden.

*Some motorway links, where motorway regulations also apply, have roundabouts and sharp bends.

How big a gap?

Leave a gap of at least one metre or Yard for each mph of your speed.

A useful method of judging this is to use the two-second rule described here.

This rule is reinforced on some motorways where there are chevrons painted on the carriageway. Keep at least two chevrons between you and the vehicle in front.

Adverse Weather

Leave at least double the space if the road is wet or slippery.

In extremely poor weather, you'll need up to ten times the stopping distance that you do for dry conditions.

Tailgating

This is a very dangerous practice, especially on motorways, where it is often the cause of serious accidents.

Motorway Driving Lane Discipline

Lane discipline is vitally important on motorways. You should normally drive in the left-hand lane.

Lane Discipline Changing Lanes

• Don't change lanes unless you need to.
• Keep your vehicle steady in the centre of the lane.
• Don't wander into another lane.

Lane Discipline M-S-P-S-G-L routine

Always use the M-S-P-S-G-L routine well before you intend to change lanes.

At higher speeds, you must start the routine much earlier.

Look and, if necessary, signal in good time. Remember vehicles might come up behind very quickly.

The sooner you indicate, the sooner other drivers are warned of your intended movement. They'll expect a change in the traffic pattern and have time to prepare for it.

Lane Discipline Two-Lane Discipline

On a two-lane motorway, the correct position for normal driving is in the left-hand lane.

The right-hand (offside) lane is for overtaking and once you have overtaken you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as it is safe to do so.

IT IS NOT THE FAST LANE!

Large goods vehicles are permitted to use either lane.

Lane Discipline Three- or Four-Lane Discipline

Because of the volume of traffic on three-lane motorways, many are being widened to four or more lanes in each direction.

Keep to the left-hand lane unless there are a great many slower vehicles ahead.

Avoid repeatedly changing lane - it's possible to stay in the centre or outer lanes while you are overtaking a number of slower moving vehicles, but don't stay in these lanes

• longer than you have to
• if you are delaying traffic behind you.

Drivers of large goods vehicles, buses, coaches or any vehicle towing a trailer are not allowed to use the extreme right-hand lane of a motorway with more than two lanes, unless one or more lanes are temporarily closed.

Don't stay in an overtaking lane longer than it takes you to move out, overtake and move in again safely. Make sure you don't block traffic which is not allowed to use the outer lane.

Lane Discipline Crawler & Climbing Lanes

A steep hill on a motorway might have a crawler or climbing lane to avoid heavy vehicles slowing down the flow of traffic.

Lane Discipline Braking

At motorway speeds, braking should normally be

• unhurried
• progressive.

Remember

• Leave plenty of space between yourself and the vehicle ahead for controlled braking.
• Always check in your minors before you brake.

Lane Discipline Drive Defensively

• Anticipate problems, take avoiding action before they develop.
• Slow down in good time.
• Keep your distance from the vehicle ahead.

Never brake suddenly

Defensive driving will reduce the likelihood of having to do so.

Lane Discipline Drive Defensively

Leave a safe distance between you and the vehicle you intend to overtake.

Use the appropriate parts of the M-S-P-S-G-L routine. For example

Mirror

Check behind to verify the speed, course and position of following traffic.

Position

You should be able to move out smoothly to the right without making any sudden movements.

Speed

Make sure you're going fast enough or can accelerate quickly enough to overtake without blocking any vehicle coming up behind.

Look

Look ahead and use your mirrors to check if there's anything preventing you from overtaking safely. For example, a lane closure ahead, or traffic coming up much faster from behind in the right-hand lane.

Try to anticipate if the vehicle ahead will move out to overtake.

Note

A quick sideways glance into the blind area might sometimes be necessary before you change lanes.

Remember

• Look
• Assess well ahead
• Decide - don't rush
• Act - only when you're sure it's safe.

Mirrors

You must use your mirrors regularly and sensibly.

Remember that vehicles coming up in the right-hand lane are likely to be moving faster than you are.

Watch for vehicles returning to the lane you intend to use.

Signal

You must signal well before you start to move out. This gives drivers behind you plenty of time to anticipate what you intend to do and could influence any manoeuvres they're planning.

Pulling out

Check your mirrors again, and take a quick sideways glance into the blind spot, before pulling out smoothly into an overtaking lane. Overtake as quickly and safely as possible.

Moving back left

Pass the vehicle and signal before moving back into the left as soon as you're sure it's safe to do so.

Don't cut in too soon in front of the vehicle you've just passed.

Look well ahead for any vehicles about to move out into the lane you intend to move into.

Allow plenty of room.

Make sure your indicator signal cancels.

Motorway Driving Busy Motorways

If you come up behind traffic moving more slowly than you are when you are overtaking, be patient and

• don't intimidate the driver ahead by repeatedly flashing your headlights and driving dangerously close behind
• wait until the vehicle ahead can move safely to the left, then proceed.

Motorway Driving Overtaking on the left

Never overtake on the left, unless

• the traffic is moving in queues

and

• the queue on your right is moving more slowly than the queue you are in.

Motorway Overtaking Drive Defensively

Let faster traffic pass you. If other drivers are breaking the speed limit, let them take their reckless driving somewhere else.

Don't add to the danger by trying to enforce the legal speed limit. It's not your job!

Don't move to a lane on the left to overtake.

Never use the hard shoulder to overtake

- unless directed to do so by traffic signs at road works, or by police officers.

Motorway Driving Changing Traffic Conditions

Traffic conditions can vary as much on a motorway as on an ordinary road.

There can be rush hour traffic near cities, heavy traffic near road works, and constantly busy sections in other places.

These differences will have a greater effect on two-lane motorways.

Drive defensively

• React to changes well in advance.
• Don't wait until you're forced to react.

Motorway Driving Motorway Interchanges

Where motorways merge or separate, you might be required to change lanes, sometimes more than once.

Pay attention to the overhead direction signs and move into the correct lane in good time.

Where the hatch markings indicate splitter islands, stay in your lane.

Assess conditions well ahead and watch for other drivers changing lane.