Identifying the right motorway

Motorway approach

Speed and speed limits

Joining the motorway

Awareness of the traffic

Lane discipline

Use of the hard shoulder

Breakdowns

Service stations

Road signs

Roadworks

Hazards

Leaving the motorway

Traffic Lights On Exits

2pass.co.uk motorway guide lines

Motorway Driving

Topics Discussed

.



.  

Make sure that you select  the right direction to travel in as you may
have a choice.  It may be described as North or South, East or West,
or a place name of a major town or city.  Once you enter the
motorway system you are committed.

Remember you are not allowed to reverse, cross the central
reservation, or to drive up a slip road unless it is an exit so if you
are travelling in the wrong direction drive to the next exit and leave
the motorway and return using the opposite carriageway.

Identifying The Right Motorway

Motorway Approach

The entrance to the motorway may be an exit off of a roundabout or
slip road taking you directly onto the motorway it self.  When
approaching a motorway from a roundabout, make sure that you
choose the correct lane as soon as possible.

The lane will take you onto the slip road which may then turn into
an acceleration lane enabling you to merge with the motorway
traffic on the right or  the slip road may turn into an additional lane
of the motorway.

Speed And Speed Limits

Obey the speed limits.   For motorway users the maximum speed
limit  is 70mph if you are driving a car.   The motorway maximum
speed limit is 60mph if travelling in a car towing a caravan or trailer.
There may be other speed restrictions in force on motorways

especially where they are roadworks and contra flows in practice.
Usually the signs will have yellow flashing lights. Even if speed
restrictions are not in force you should always slow down in busy
conditions, bad weather or if there has been a road accident.

Joining The Motorway

When joining a motorway by means of a slip road.that leads to an
acceleration lane. The rule here is not to interfere with the traffic
already on the motorway. Try to match your speed to that of the traffic
already on the motorway. Vehicles already on the motorway usually
realise you need to join the main carriageway and they try and move
over to the other lane. (This is not always possible if the traffic is busy).
This makes room for you to join the first lane of the motorway. If the traffic
cannot move over and you cannot enter the motorway you must wait in

the acceleration lane for a break in the flow of traffic . When it is
clear accelerate and join the main carriageway. Mirrors and signals
must be used correctly to avoid interfering with the following traffic.
Full and proper observation as you enter involves looking over your
right shoulder as well as using your door mirrors. Don't rely on
mirrors alone.When you are on the main carriageway of the
motorway, remain in the first lane until you get used to the speed.

Awareness Of The Traffic Around You

When travelling on the motorway keep a lookout for traffic on your
left joining from a slip road and calculate how to act so they can
merge with the traffic which they need to join, or other motorways
joining yours.

You may need to change lanes to join another motorway and other
vehicles may need to join yours.  Keep a careful watch on all
vehicles so that you can change lanes if necessary.

Quiet motorways are boring, so you need to concentrate on the road
and traffic conditions way ahead and not let your mind wander. Busy
motorways need your full attention so you must be aware at all times
of all the traffic around you.  Use your mirrors frequently so that if you
need to overtake you will be aware of traffic behind which will be
travelling faster than yourself allowing you to overtake safely without
causing any vehicles to slow down or change lanes to avoid you. Look
far ahead and try to anticipate when you may need to change lanes to
overtake or when you need to exit the motorway.

Lane Discipline

Traffic on motorways generally travels faster so it is important to look
much further ahead and use your mirrors more regularly than you
would on normal roads.

In congested conditions, the traffic in the adjacent lanes may move at
equal speeds, or the traffic in the left-hand lanes may at times move
faster than traffic to the right. In this case you may keep up with the
traffic in your lane even if this means passing the traffic on your right.

Before you overtake look into your mirrors and your right blind spot
(over your right shoulder).  If it is safe to do so signal, pull out and
pass the traffic on your left, return to your lane as soon as you safely
can.

When driving along motorways always remain in the left lane unless
you are travelling faster than traffic ahead of you and it is safe to move
over to the right hand lanes. If you use these lanes you must return to
the left lane as soon as it is safe to do so.

Stay in the left lane, except when overtaking.

Do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to overtake.

Do not weave in and out of lanes to overtake.

If you need to overtake you must return to the first lane as soon as
possible but only if its safe to do so! Many motorists try to stay in the
overtaking lanes for normal driving. This is bad practice it can cause
inconvenience, tailbacks and annoy other motorists.

Keep a safe distance. A rough guide in good weather conditions is
the two second rule. Watch the vehicle in front pass a marker and
then count slowly to two ("one thousand, two thousand"), if you pass
the marker before the count of two you are too close. In busy traffic
or bad weather leave a bigger gap ( four seconds).

If there are many slower vehicles in the left hand lane it may be safer
to stay in the overtaking lane only returning to the left hand lane when
you have passed all of the slower vehicles.

Night Driving And Bad Weather

When driving at night on a motorway use dipped headlights and keep
a good distance between you and the traffic ahead (four seconds).
Be aware that the lights of the traffic on the opposite carriageway can
'flicker' because of the central barrier and it can mesmerise you.
In bad weather conditions again have a bigger gap from the vehicle in
front.  A wet carriageway will create lots of spray and you will need to

have plenty of water in your washers.  Carry extra in your car and use
the service areas to stop and top up.  In windy weather your vehicle will
feel light and blown about.  If you overtake a large vehicle it will shield
you from the wind and after passing it be aware that your vehicle may
veer to one side as the wind gets hold of you.

Use Of The Hard Shoulder

Do not enter the hard shoulder unless it's an emergency
Two hours is all the time you have got before you are towed away
If you need to stop for any other reason like the toilet, map reading or

to make a mobile phone call, wait until you arrive at a service station,
or leave the motorway, do not use the hard shoulder.  For further
information why not read the Highway Code.

Break Downs

If you do break down then the hard shoulder is there to help you.
When you are stopping on the hard shoulder (remember, only use the
hard shoulder in an emergency), try to stop at one of the emergency
telephones, there will be emergency phones every 1500m (one mile).
This will save you time if you have to walk to the phone. Switch on your
hazard lights and try to stop as near to the left as possible. Keep a high
visibility vest behind your seat and put it on before getting out of the car.
If you have passengers get them out of the car, off the hard shoulder,
and as far away from danger as possible. Do this before you go to use
the phone The phone is always within half a mile from any spot on the
motorway. Look at the arrows on the nearest post.

These will tell you the direction to walk to the nearest phone.  The
phones are free to use, and connect  you straight to the police who
control that stretch of  motorway. When you return to your vehicle to
wait for help, do not get  back into the car, but stay on the
embankment, or as far away from the traffic a possible. If you have a
mobile phone it's O.K. to use this initially, but the police  do prefer
you to use the roadside phones to confirm your exact location.

Remember that motorways are safe, but they are fast, you need to
concentrate because things happen quicker than a normal road

Service Stations

There will be a sign informing you that a service station is coming
up and it will tell you how far it is.  It will provide toilet facilities, food
outlets, shops, phones and petrol, some have overnight parking
areas or a motel.  If you need to use the service station get into the
left lane early and signal your intention to leave the motorway.

You may find that some service stations are actually off the motorway
and are in a town which is close by.  Some service areas have
restricted parking times.  When rejoining the motorway accelerate
down the slip road using your mirrors and right blind spot and when
you can safely do so pull into the left lane.

Road Signs

On some motorways each lane of traffic has an electronic signal
system which applies to traffic in each lane. Or it may be a single
matrix sign offering information regarding speed or a lane
closure or slow traffic ahead. Care needs to be taken to make sure
you know the various symbols and what they mean. Motorway signs
are being used with increasing frequency to warn you of hold ups or

accidents ahead.  At a junction on some thee–lane motorways, Lane–1
becomes the slip road off of the motorway, leaving the motorway with
only two lanes. After passing  the junction the slip road onto the motorway
may  turn into lane -1  again changing the motorway back into 3 lanes.
Look out for overhead signs showing which lane to use and make sure
you get in the correct lane early.

Road Works

Drive carefully at roadworks. When passing through roadworks get in
the correct lane early and slow down, there will be speed restrictions in
place but it may not be safe to drive that fast. Be alert for broken down
vehicles, particularly if the hard shoulder is closed. Pay attention
to the road ahead and don't be distracted by the roadworks themselves .

A contraflow is a temporary road layout where the traffic travels in both
directions on a stretch of road which normally  is restricted to one
direction only , ie one carriageway of  a motorway or dual carriageway
road.  The traffic is separated by a line of cones or temporary barriers.
The lanes may be narrower than usual with speed restrictions

Hazards

If there has been a traffic accident pay attention to your own journey
and don't "rubber neck". Many accidents occur due to drivers being
pre-occupied with accidents and not fully concentrating on their own

driving. Be prepared to stop or meet stationary  traffic queuing until
the road is clear.  You may have to filter into another lane due to lane
closures.

Leaving The Motorway

To get off the motorway the normal procedure is to look for the first
advance warning sign (1 mile from the exit). This sign gives the exit
number and the road number. At half a mile from the exit a second
sign identifies the towns for the exit. Then at 300 yards from the
deceleration lane there is a three line countdown marker, (at this point
you should begin to signal left to say you are turning off - but don't slow
down yet), followed by the 200 yd and 100 yd marker signs. Only when

you have crossed into the deceleration lane should you begin to
slow  down. You may exit onto a roundabout or a major road which
should be treated as a normal junction.

Once you get back on to ordinary roads you need to watch your
speed until you are acclimatised to the new lower speeds on the
road.  Don't forget too, that these roads are likely to have
roundabouts, oncoming traffic, and sharp bends on them

Traffic Lights On Exit

When leaving the motorway and you are travelling in the exit slip road
be aware that you may have traffic lights at the end of the lane.

Get into the correct lane early and remember as you continue on
your journey the slower speed restrictions.

Andrea Holland female Driving instructor driving school in Thame, Oxford & Aylesbury 5, Albury view, Tiddington, Thame, Oxfordshire  OX9 2LY

driving lessons for nervous people