Motorway driving lessons
Many new drivers worry about their first time alone on a motorway, or perhaps you have not been on a motorway for some time, even after passing your driving test. Blue will offer a comprehensive training package that will provide you with a safe and confident approach to future motorway driving.
Motorways are safer, than normal roads, but they are also faster. Sometimes things do happen quicker, and you have to concentrate.
When you join the motorway you will normally approach it from a road on the left (a slip road) or from an adjoining motorway.
You should give priority to traffic already on the motorway check the traffic on the motorway and adjust your speed to fit safely into the traffic flow in the left-hand lane not cross solid white lines that separate lanes stay on the slip road if it continues as an extra lane on the motorway
remain in the left-hand lane long enough to adjust to the speed of traffic before considering overtaking.
On the motorway
When you can see well ahead and the road conditions are good, you should
drive at a steady cruising speed which you and your vehicle can handle safely and is within the speed limit. keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front and increase the gap on wet or icy roads, or in fog.
You MUST NOT exceed 70 mph, or the maximum speed limit permitted for your vehicle. If a lower speed limit is in force, either permanently or temporarily, at roadworks for example, you MUST NOT exceed the lower limit. On some motorways, mandatory motorway signals (which display the speed within a red ring) are used to vary the maximum speed limit to improve traffic flow.
You MUST NOT exceed this speed limit.
The monotony of driving on a motorway can make you feel sleepy. To minimise the risk, follow this advice:
Driving when you are tired greatly increases your accident risk. To minimise this risk:
- make sure you are fit to drive. Do not undertake a long journey (longer than an hour) if you feel tired.
- avoid undertaking long journeys between midnight and 6am, when natural alertness is at a minimum.
- plan your journey to take sufficient breaks. A minimum break of at least 15 minutes after every two hours of driving is recommended.
- if you feel at all sleepy, stopn in a safe place. Do not stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway.
- the most effective ways to counter sleepiness are to take a short nap (up to 15 minutes) or drink, for example, two cups of strong coffee. Fresh air, exercise or turning up the radio may help for a short time, but are NOT as effective.