Motorway Driving (2nd edition): DVSA Safe Driving for Life Series

By DVSA The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency

This guide provides the latest advice and information on how to drive safely and confidently on UK motorways. Make sure you know how to tackle difficult driving conditions and what to do if you break down or are involved in an incident.

It also explains the new rules on learner drivers being allowed on UK motorways.

Five reasons to buy it:

1. Keep yourself safe – refresh your driving knowledge. Make sure you know the rules of the motorway to keep yourself and others safe

2. Stay up to date – this guide contains the latest information on smart motorways (formerly active traffic management or managed motorways) from Highways England

3. It's the law – explains key Highway Code rules that MUST be obeyed to avoid fines, penalty points, disqualification or even prison

4. For learners – this guide will help learner drivers and explain the new rules allowing them to drive on UK motorways from 4 June 2018.

5. Be safer on the road – explains what to do if your vehicle breaks down on the motorway, and how to deal with an incident or emergency

• Language: English
• Publisher: TSO
• Release date: Dec 20, 2013
• ISBN: 9780115536052

DVSA The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is an executive agency of the Department for Transport. We improve road safety in Great Britain by setting standards for driving and motorcycling, and making sure drivers, vehicle operators and MOT garages understand and follow roadworthiness standards. We also provide a range of licensing, testing, education and enforcement services.

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Safe Driving for Life Series

Motorway Driving

Preparing to drive

Essential information

Before you drive on a motorway

You must hold the appropriate full driving licence to drive your vehicle unaccompanied on a motorway.

You should have a thorough knowledge of all rules within The Highway Code, including those dealing with motorways.

You need to know and understand motorway warning signs and signals.

Learner drivers on the motorway

After 4 June 2018, learner drivers may drive on the motorway, but only with an approved driving instructor (ADI) and in a car fitted with dual controls that's also displaying L plates.

Your ADI will be able to tell you when you're ready to take lessons on the motorway. This should be after you’ve had experience on a wide range of roads, and you’re just about ready to take your driving test. At this point, you should be able to drive well and know the theory of motorway driving.

If you live in a rural area and it’s not possible to take motorway driving lessons, you should learn the theory of motorway driving. You can also practise driving on dual carriageways where the speed limit is the same as that on motorways.

Motorway driving may seem daunting at first, because of the speed and volume of the traffic. But don't worry; only 4% of all crashes happen on motorways, so they're actually fairly safe places to drive. Keep calm and stay safe by following The Highway Code motorway driving rules.

New drivers

Some learner drivers won't have the opportunity to have motorway driving lessons before passing their test. After passing their test, these drivers should consider taking further professional instruction before they drive on a motorway.

The Pass Plus training scheme aims to improve your driving skills and make you a safer driver, and it includes a section on motorway driving. You can get details of the Pass Plus scheme by visiting www.gov.uk or calling 0115 936 6504.

If you’ve recently passed your test, haven’t driven for a while, or your driving hasn’t included heavy, fast-moving traffic, you might not feel confident enough to use these faster roads. You should ask for advice from a professional instructor who can give you the lessons you need.

Use every chance to observe and learn as a passenger and select fairly quiet sections of motorway to practise on. Get used to driving at 60–70 mph (96–112 km/h) and keeping up with the flow of traffic.

Your vehicle

You must only drive a vehicle that’s allowed on a motorway.

The following types of vehicle must not be used on motorways

motorcycles under 50 cc

certain slow-moving vehicles with oversized loads – except with special permission

invalid carriages (powered vehicles used by disabled people) less than 254 kg unladen weight

agricultural vehicles.

Also, motorways must not be used by pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders or motorcycle riders who only have provisional entitlement for the motorcycle that they're riding.

Check your vehicle

Make sure that your vehicle is safe and in good working order

High speeds and long distances increase the risk of mechanical failure.

You should carry out the following checks on your vehicle before using a motorway.

Tyres They must be in good condition and inflated to the correct pressure. Follow the guidance given in the vehicle handbook, which may give different pressures to be used when the vehicle is loaded.

Brakes Check they can stop you safely.

Steering Check the power steering fluid level. If the steering feels strange or makes any unusual noises have it checked by a garage.

Instruments and warning lights Make sure they’re all working correctly.

Mirrors Make sure that they’re clean and correctly positioned.

Windscreen and windows Make sure that they’re clean. Top up