MOTORWAYS

Motorways should be the safest and easiest of roads to drive on,but unfortunately many of drivers that use them have had no training on how to use a motorway.I strongly recommend that once having passed your driving test that you do not venture onto a motorway until you have had some training with a qualified Driving Instructor.

When you join a motorway you should use the slip road as an acceleration lane,building up your speed to join the carriageway at the speed thetraffic is flowing at.If the motorway is busy and there no safe gaps to fir into then you should slow down or stop until there is.You have no priority to go onto the carriageway.There are give way lines where the slip road meets the main carriageway.Once on the motorway get used to the driving conditions before you start overtaking etc.

Drive in the centre of the lane you are using not wandering from side to side.If the left hand lane is clear and you are not gaining distance on any car in front then you should drive in the left lane.Countless times I have seen cars driving in the middle lane at 60 MPH when there is nothing in the left lane.This is dangerous and you can be prosecuted for doing it.Don’t be a lane squatter.If you are towing a caravan etc you are governed by the rules of HGV Vehicles.You must not use the 3^rd lane except in the case of an emergency and the maximum speed you can drive at is 60MPH.

Make sure you leave the correct seperation distance between you and traffic in front.In good conditions it should be 2 seconds.The way to get the gap is find a fixed point ie a stationary object.When the vehicle in front of you reaches it,say to yourself ONLY A FOOL BREAKS THE 2 SECOND RULE.If you have got to the object before repeating this ditty you are TOO CLOSE.In bad weather the gap will need to be increased as stopping distances increase.

If you are gaining on traffic in front of you do not leave it too the last minute to overtake.Constantly use your mirrors.If it meant that youwaited for the 2 second gap to run out and cars would be too close in the lane next to you go out earlier if they are far enough back.Numerous car crashes are caused by drivers changing lanes at the last minute.If you change lanes go out a lane at a time doing your MSM ROUTINE EACH TIME.The same applies for moving back in.

The hard shoulder is only to be used in an emergency and not to stop and answere your mobile phone,you can be prosecuted for stoping needlessly.

If you are on a long journey take a break in one of the service areas.TIERDNESS CAN KILL.

When you come off the motorway the slip road is now the deceleration lane.Slow down as there will be  a roundabout or junction at the end of it.Check your speed as the roads you will now be using will have lower speed limits than the motorway and everything will seem a lot slower than it really is.

contents                                 hard shoulder

seperation distances              acceleration lane

overtaking                             lane discipline

breaking down                      leaving motorway

adverse weather