Motorway Driving

Motorways are dual carriageway roads which may not be used by certain kinds of small motorcycles except where tracks are provided.

Traffic travels faster on motor ways than on ordinary roads, and you will need to sum up traffic situations quickly.

Using your mirror and concentrating all the time are doubly important on motorways.

Make sure your vehicle is fit to cruise at speed, has correct tyre pressures, and enough petrol, oil and water to take you to the next service area.

When you join a motorway other than at its start, you will approach from a road on the right (a slip road).

Give way to traffic already on the motorway, and then accelerate in the extra lane (the acceleration lane) so that when you join the inside lane you are already travelling at same speed as the traffic on it.

Never reverse or turn in the road, or cross the central reserve, or drive against the traffic.

If you find that you are heading away from where you want to go, you must carry on until you reach the next exit.

Drive at a steady cruising speed within the limits of your vehicle, and do not break the speed limits for the motorways or for your vehicle. On wet roads, or in mist, keep your speed down.

Driving for long distances may make you feel sleepy. To help prevent this, make sure there is plenty of fresh air in your vehicle, or stop at a service area, or turn off at an exit, and walk around for a while.

Overtake only on the left, unless traffic is moving in queues in all lanes and traffic on the left is moving more slowly than you are.

Never move to a lane on your right to overtake. Never use the hard shoulder for overtaking.

Do not not overtake unless you are sure it is safe for you and others. Many accidents on motor ways are rear-end collisions, so before you start to overtake make sure that the lane you will be joining is clear far enough behind (use your mirror) and ahead.

Remember that traffic may be coming up behind much more quickly than you think.

Signal before you move out, be particularly careful at dusk and in mist, when it is more difficult to judge speed and distance. Remember mirror-signal manoeuvre.

Get back to the inside lane, or, if this is occupied, the middle lane as soon as you can after overtaking, but do not cut in on the vehicle you have just overtaken.

Do not accelerate when you are being overtaken. Slow down, if necessary, to let the overtaking vehicle pass.

If you are not going to the end of the motor way you will leave by a slip road on your right.

Watch for the signs letting you know you are getting near your turn off point, give a right signal, get into the right lane in good time, and stay in it.

Then get into the extra lane provided (the deceleration lane) in order to slow down before you join the slip road.

If you miss your turn off point, you must carry on until you reach the next one, do not reverse or turn back.

When you leave a motorway, remember to alter your driving to suit the different conditions on other roads.