If the thought of driving on a motorway fills you with dread, you’re not alone. There are a few rules and tips that you should know first, which is why we’ve put together these handy tips.
1. Lanes
Some motorways can have up to 5 lanes on each side of the central reservation, which can be daunting at first. Follow the rule that you should stick to the inside lane, and use the others to overtake, and you’ll be just fine. Be sure to pull back into the inside lane to avoid blocking the outside lanes. Remember, lane-hogging is a big driving no-no and could earn you a fine.
2. Slip roads
When entering a motorway, speed up on the slip road to meet the speed of the traffic in the inside lane. Then, attempt to slot in between the traffic in that lane. Cars will often move into the second lane in order to let you in. However, they don’t have to, as it is their right of way. Try to avoid stopping at the end of the slip road if you can, as you will struggle to get back up to the speed of the traffic. If you can’t get on, try to slow down and only stop if you need to.
3. Service stations
Service stations are spread out along major motorways, so make sure that you have plenty of fuel before entering the motorway. Also, fuel on the motorway is usually more expensive, due to less availability, so avoid filling up there if you can.
4. Overtaking
When overtaking, make sure you signal as you normally would. Once you have overtaken, be sure to move back into the inside lane if it’s clear. You may need to move into the outside lanes to overtake slow-moving vehicles, just make sure to move back to the inside lane in time to come off at a junction. This means planning ahead and knowing your exit. If you miss it, you’ll have to wait for the next one and navigate from there.
5. Breaking down
If you break down on a motorway, you must try to get your car into the hard shoulder, which is the space beside the inside lane. Make sure your hazard warning lights are on, but don’t use a warning triangle on the motorway.
You should get out of the car (always use the left-hand side, away from the road) and stand as far away from the car as possible, well away from the flow of traffic.
You should call for assistance immediately. If you’ve not got a mobile on you, walk to find the nearest emergency telephone – these are spread along the motorway at one-mile intervals and are bright orange in colour. You can also navigate yourself towards them using the arrows on posts on the hard shoulder. After this, return to your vehicle and wait for assistance.
Once the problem is fixed, make sure to re-join the motorway with care.
6. Lorries and other large vehicles
Many lorries, vans and livestock transportation vehicles have restricted speed – often of 56 mph. This means that they are slow when trying to overtake one another, and you may need to move into the outside lane to pass safely. Make sure you allow both vehicles plenty of room before pulling back into the inside lane, as the stopping distance of a lorry is longer than of smaller vehicles.
Correct at the time of publication. Information in this article has been gathered from various sources, therefore WiseDriving cannot be held responsible for any view or opinion expressed herein.
