Safer Driving on a Motorway

Motorway driving

Statistically motorways are our safest roads as the traffic is all flowing one way and there are no other hazards such as pedestrians, roundabouts, tractors or traffic lights.
However, driving on motorways can become tedious and drivers can easily become distracted about other things so it is important that on motorways a driver stays alert.

Here are some basic rules for safe motorway driving.

Joining a Motorway

•  Keep plenty of space between you and the vehicle in front
•  Assess the traffic flow by using your mirrors and looking over your right shoulder into your blind spots
• Consider giving a right signal before entering the motorway to inform other traffic that you wish to join
• Use the slip road to accelerate to a speed that matches the flow in the left-hand lane
• Remember traffic already on the carriageway has priority
• Road positioning and safe distances
• Exercise good lane discipline
• Drive in the left hand lane unless overtaking or directed by road signs or markings
• Maintain a safe following distance of at least two seconds between you and the vehicle in front
• This is a minimum safety gap and in the wet or if being tailgated this gap should be double
• Look ahead and use your mirrors
• Look well ahead and move your eyes(Rotate them far distance-mid distance-foreground-mirrors far distance etc) Remember, traffic on motorways travels a lot faster than on other roads, so you have less time to react
• Use your mirrors on a regular basis especially when planning for an overtake
  Overtaking
• When overtaking don't wait until you are on top of the vehicle you wish to overtake but move out when you are still within a safe following distance
• In heavy rain or in high crosswinds take extra care whilst overtaking large vehicles or motor cycles
  Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre
• Before changing lanes always signal in good time and remember, a signal is an indication of an intention, it doesn't give the right to carry out the manoeuvre unless it's safe.
  

Leaving a Motorway

• Move to the left-hand lane in good time when preparing to leave a motorway
• At the end of most exit slip roads, there will be a roundabout or a junction
• If there is a blind bend be prepared for queuing traffic
• Check your speedometer as you leave the motorway to ensure that you have slowed down sufficiently and watch your speed in areas where the speed limit is lower

Other Rules

• Only overtake only on the right, unless traffic is moving more slowly in queues on your right. In these circumstances you can overtake on the left to keep up with the traffic in your lane
• Tiredness or stress affects your ability to concentrate. Take a twenty-minute break from driving every two hours, even if you don't feel tired. Some exercise and light refreshments during the break can help too
• If you break down, stop on the hard shoulder and use the nearest emergency telephone to contact the Police Motorway Control. Don't stop on the hard shoulder unless it's an emergency.

Contributor: Rob Sefton ADI.  January 2008

Rob has been an ADI for the last 24 years, and is as enthusiastic now as he was on day one!  He is also a Fleet Driver Trainer, and carries out advanced on road tuition on behalf of Driver Skills throughout North Yorkshire.