legal
guide to UK motoring, sections for law enforcement, Driver licensing,
learner and new drivers, buying and selling, speeding fines, owning a
vehicle, wheel clamping, traffic information
Motorways
are statistically the safest roads - they carry 15% of
traffic and account for around 3% of accidents. But due
to the high speed and volume of traffic, any accidents
are usually serious.
• Your view of the road ahead is usually just the back
of a lorry and traffic stopping ahead will give hardly any if
no notice so leave a gap in between you and the vehicle ahead
that you could stop in if an emergency occurred. Remember that
stopping distances at motorway speeds are vastly increased.
• Sustained motorway driving will make you less aware of
your speed. Monitor your speed regularly and use cruise control
if you have it (Where it is safe to do so) Don't forget that
if you leave the motorway 30mph will feel like you are crawling.
• Remember to stay alert. Motorway driving can be boring
and even hypnotic, stress and tiredness will drastically lengthen
your reaction times. This can cause accidents so have a break
of about 15 mins every 3 hours.
• Avoid hogging the middle lane. This is tempting to do
so that you are not constantly pulling out to over take slower
vehicles but this is what you are meant to do. Driving in the
wrong lane increases congestion and can be very annoying to
other road users.
• Look ahead for signs of stopping traffic and be ready
to brake. Sometimes when you are looking far ahead the view
of the traffic makes them look as though they are stopped so
look out for brake lights. Over-braking can cause tail backs
and even accidents as the people behind you suddenly seeing
an unexpected brake light also brake and usually because it
may be a surprise they brake harder than you. The result is
a concertina effect in the traffic where the traffic further
back will actually have to come to a stop. This is what sometimes
causes those inexplicable traffic jams which seem to have no
cause.
• Don't rubber neck at accidents. You could have your own!
Also it slows down the traffic in the same way as over braking
and will increase the severity of the accidents impact to other
traffic.
• If the vehicle behind you is driving too close for comfort
don't slam your brakes on or start playing stupid games. Pull
over and let them pass.
If you breakdown
Stopping on the motorway hard shoulder is very dangerous; you
should only stop in an emergency or if directed to do so by
signs. Each year in the UK, about 250 people are killed or injured
in accidents on hard shoulders. But if you do have to stop...
• Get your car as far off the road as possible using the
hard shoulder where available. A leave your wheels turned away
from the road so that if your car is caught it won't be pushed
into the road.
• Put your hazard lights on and if visibility is poor put
your sidelights on.
• Leave the vehicle using left hand doors and stay out
of the vehicle.
• Lock all your doors except for the front passenger door
• Walk to the nearest emergency telephone following the
arrows or marker provided at the side of most motorways.
• Face the oncoming traffic while using a phone so that
you be aware of any traffic which looks like it may be on a
collision course with you or your vehicle. If you have a mobile
you can use this from the side of the road, away from the traffic.
• Wait near but not in your vehicle for help to arrive.
If possible climb up the embankment to get as far from the traffic
as you need.
• If you are alone and feel vulnerable waiting outside
your car then wait in your car in the passenger seat ( This
looks like you are waiting for another person, i.e. the driver,
and is safer) and put your seatbelt on and lock the doors.
