Motorway driving can be both exhilarating and daunting, and it also requires a unique set of skills and awareness. When it comes to knowing how to drive on the motorway – there are several key things to remember. Maintaining a steady speed, using your mirrors to stay aware of your surroundings, and adhering to proper lane discipline are all great motorway driving tips.
To help give you the confidence to tackle this type of road, we’ve created this handy motorway driving guide to ensure that you drive safely to your destination.
From merging techniques to maintaining safe distances and handling high-speed environments, keep reading to discover invaluable tips to follow when driving on the motorway as a novice or experienced driver.
Merge with confidence
When entering the motorway, you need to seamlessly merge into the oncoming flow of traffic. Use your indicator and match your speed with the vehicles already on the motorway, finding a suitable gap to merge into safely.
The UK speed limit on motorways for cars, motorcyclists and vans is 70mph. However, if there is a temporary speed limit in place (for roadworks, for example), then you must adhere to that speed. The new limit will be clearly marked with signs. The same rule applies to if you’re driving on a smart motorway.
Do not moved out across hatchings or solid white lines - wait for the dotted line which marks where the slip road meets the motorway. Also, never force your way out. Drivers might move out of the left-hand lane to make room for you, but it’s up to the driver joining the motorway to pull into a safe gap.
Maintain a constant speed
Once you have successfully joined the motorway, remember that motorways thrive on consistency. Avoid any unnecessary lane changes, maintain a steady speed, and allow traffic to flow smoothly. Any sudden acceleration or breaking will disrupt the rhythm of the road.
Although there is no minimum speed limit, if you are driving slowly enough to cause a disruption, then you could be fined for dangerous driving. Pick a comfortable cruising speed and stick to it.
Know your lanes
When it comes to driving on the motorway, the highway code states that drivers should remain in the left-hand lane when the road is clear and return to this lane once they have overtaken another vehicle and it is safe to do so.
There is a misconception that motorway lanes have a ‘fast lane’ and a ‘slow lane’. This is not the case. Instead, the lane on the far left is the normal driving lane, and lane two in the middle and lane three on the far right are both overtaking lanes.
What you don’t want to be is a middle-lane ‘hogger’. This is when drivers sit in the middle lane for longer than they need to. The middle lane is meant for overtaking slower vehicles in the left-hand lane, so ‘hogging’ it will force other drivers into the right-hand lane. This can cause congestion, as only one lane is left open for overtaking, instead of two.
Be mindful of blind spots
Regularly check your blind spots, especially before changing lanes or merging onto the motorway. Use your mirrors effectively and check over your shoulder when needed.
Remember, if you are trying to change lanes, you should never force your way out. This will cause another driver to slow down, which could result in an accident.
Speed cameras & average speed limits
Watch out for speed cameras and average speed limit zones. Make sure you are always well within the limits. Keep a safe distance between yourself and the car in front of you. Particularly when driving in bad conditions (such as heavy rain, snow or ice), you should stay even further away from the car ahead of you as stopping distances drastically increase on wet or icy roads.
Take a break
Sometimes, you can be driving on a motorway for a long time. When it comes to tips for motorway driving, one of the most important pieces of advice is to take a break! Boredom and tiredness can lead to accidents, so remember to pause and stretch your legs every couple of hours at your nearest service station.
How to exit the motorway
Be alert and aware of when you plan to exit the motorway, knowing which exit you will be taking in advance.
Ensure that you are to the left of the motorway, ready to exit well before you reach the junction. There will be clear signs that the junction is coming up. Do not sweep from one of the outer lanes at the last minute, as this is very dangerous.
Indicate left to show that you plan on leaving the motorway, giving other road users plenty of time to understand what you are doing. Try not to brake until you have pulled up onto the slip road. If there is more than one lane on the slip road, move into the correct one as soon as it is safe to do so.
What is the hard shoulder?
If you’ve ever wondered about what a hard shoulder is and how to use it, you’re not alone - it can be a source of confusion for motorway drivers.
The hard shoulder is a hard (unsurprisingly) emergency lane that runs along the motorway on the far left-hand side and is separated by a solid white line. It is 3.3metres wide and has a ridged surface which makes vehicles judder when they cross it to signal when drivers have strayed too far to the left.
It is illegal to drive on the hard shoulder. The only times you can use it are you are in an emergency, such as if you breakdown, or if you are directed to by traffic police or Highway Patrol - like in the event of a road accident. The other exception is on smart motorways, which can turn the hard shoulder into a running lane, signalled by the overhead signs.
What do you do if you breakdown on the motorway?
If you do happen to breakdown on the motorway, pull onto the hard shoulder and stop. Put your hazard lights on and get out of the car while you call for help (when it’s safe to do so). Try to keep as far left as possible, away from fast-moving traffic.
You want your vehicle to be as visible as possible, so you may want to put your fog lights on if it’s dark. If you keep a high-vis jacket in your car, make sure to put this on too. Stand behind the safety barrier on the bank of the motorway and wait for help.
Can learner drivers drive on the motorway?
Until 2018, learner drivers were not allowed on the motorway in the UK. However, new legislation now permits learner drivers to venture onto motorways with a driving instructor in a dual-control car. This is purely optional and motorway driving is still not part of the UK driving test.
Can you drive on the motorway with a provisional licence?
No. You cannot drive on the motorway with a provisional licence unless you are with an instructor in a dual-controlled car.
- Use headlights in low-visibility conditions, such as rain or fog
- Familiarise yourself with emergency procedures on the motorway in case of a breakdown
- Follow the two-second rule (four-second rule if the road conditions are bad) – this means keeping a minimum of a two-second time gap between you and the vehicle in front
- Never undertake another vehicle (overtake from the left-hand side)
- Indicate in good time before changing lanes
- Check your mirrors and blind spots often
- Take extra care around trucks and other large vehicles
Mastering motorway driving requires skill and situational awareness. By following the tips in this guide, you’ll know how to drive confidently and safely on a motorway. If you need to make sure your vehicle is motorway-ready, then book an MOT test or car service at one of our professional garages around the UK. Find your nearest Eurorepar centre.
