Motorway Driving Tips
Motorways are the backbone of the UK road network. They’re designed to move large volumes of traffic quickly and safely, making them ideal for longer journeys, airport runs, business trips and family holidays. For many drivers hiring a car, motorway driving can feel a little daunting, especially if you don’t do it often or you’re unfamiliar with the vehicle. The good news? With the right knowledge and a calm, confident approach, motorway driving can be a smooth way to travel. This guide is packed with practical tips for driving on the motorway to help you feel comfortable behind the wheel, make good decisions, and enjoy the journey from start to finish.
Get to know your car
If you’re not hiring a car, this might not apply to you. But for those who are, taking some time to familiarise yourself with your car can make a big difference, as every vehicle can feel slightly different. If your hire car includes driver assistance features such as cruise control, lane assist or speed limit recognition, check how they work. You don’t need to use them, but knowing what’s available can help you feel more relaxed on longer motorway stretches.
Plan your route in advance
Obviously, we live in a world of GPS and sat navs, but it’s always worth having a brief idea of where you’re going to save any moments of panic. Make a mental note of junction numbers you might need to join and leave at. Motorways are generally well signposted, but planning your route ahead of time reduces stress.
Check your vehicle
This is one of the most crucial motorway driving tips. Before any long journey, it’s important that you’ve done everything you can to ensure your vehicle is up to the task. If you’re nervous about driving on the motorway, then you’re going to want to do everything you can to avoid a breakdown. Vehicle daily checks aren’t really required, but we do recommend them before driving a long distance, to help you feel more secure on your journey.
Recommended checks include:
- Tyre pressure
- Tread depths
- Windscreen functionality
- Engine oil
- Brake fluid
- Coolant levels
- Mirrors (cleaner and positioned correctly)
- Headlights
- Brake lights
- Fog lights
Join the motorway safely
Despite being on a slip road, priority is given to the vehicles already on the motorway. Use the slip road to get up to speed, matching those already on there and use the full length of the slip road where possible. Signal early and clearly, check your mirrors and perform a quick shoulder check (blind spot check) before merging when there’s a safe gap in traffic. Drivers already on the motorway might move over to make space for you, but don’t rely on this as the responsibility is with you to join safely.
Some motorway slip roads do continue on to form the left lane of the motorway, so you don’t need to move lanes unless you’re overtaking.
Once on the motorway, know your lanes
There is no fast lane or slow lane on a motorway. Drivers should always drive in the left-hand lane unless overtaking on the right. Undertaking (i.e. overtaking on the left) is illegal. Only overtake when it is safe to do so. Once you’ve overtaken, safely move back into the left-hand lane. Take a final look over your left shoulder to make sure it’s clear before moving.
If you’re already following traffic in the left-hand lane but the right-hand lanes are moving slower than you, this is not an illegal undertaking. Take extra care and keep your distance around larger vehicles such as lorries — they have larger blind spots and may not see you. Vehicles such as speed-limited vehicles of 3.5–7.5 tonnes, any vehicle over 7.5 tonnes and vehicles with trailers are not permitted to use the right-hand lane.
Know the speed limits
Cars and motorcycles are expected to adhere to the 70mph speed limit on motorways, while HGVs, buses and coaches of more than 12 metres and any vehicles towing are expected to adhere to a 60mph maximum speed limit. If there is traffic ahead, there’s an issue on the road or weather conditions have taken a turn, motorway signals will advise accordingly, but do keep your wits about you and adjust your speed as necessary.
Look out for motorway signals
Motorway signals are available on motorways to advise of potential dangers ahead. That could be a change in weather, an incident, debris in the road, or an indication of spillages or workers in the road.
Signals to the central reservation apply to all lanes, while overhead signals may differ depending on lane (for example, when there’s a lane closure ahead — this will be indicated by red flashing lights and an ‘X’ indicating that you must not continue in that lane). If the red lights are in the central reservation, you must not go beyond that point in any lane. Amber flashing lights warn of a hazard ahead. These hazard lights may come accompanied by a temporary speed limit.
Consider the road conditions
If you know you’ll be driving when it’s dark, it’s worth checking that your headlights and brake lights are both clean and fully functional. As well as a quick check to fog lights, just in case. When driving at night, you should have your dipped beam headlights on, but it’s also handy to be aware of the colour coding of motorway cats’ eyes. Red reflective studs indicate the hard shoulder, amber reflective studs indicate a central reservation, white reflective studs show mid-lane divisions, while green reflective studs show the slip road.
If it’s raining and visibility is poor, reduce your speed and give extra space between your vehicle and the one in front. During these conditions, keep a lookout for surface water because this can cause aquaplaning, which is when a layer of water disrupts traction between the tyre and the road, causing a loss of control. If you do encounter large areas of surface water, ease off the accelerator, keep the steering wheel straight and avoid breaking.
Keep your distance
As the majority of vehicles on the motorway will be travelling at 70mph, it’s important to allow for greater space to stop. Follow the two-second rule as a rule of thumb in normal driving conditions, leaving at least a two-second gap between you and the vehicle in front. If driving in the wet or you encounter rain on your journey, it’s important to keep your distance from the car in front. Follow the four-second rule in wet or poorer weather conditions. Our tips for driving in snow include increasing your following distance and lowering your speed to a comfortable, safe level. Follow these same tips for driving on ice.
Speed cameras on the motorway
The 70mph speed limit will be applicable for most vehicles driving on the motorway. Many UK motorways use an Active Traffic Management system using variable speed limits. This means that your speed is measured between two separate cameras to track the speed you were doing in order to cover that distance. Therefore merely slowing down for the camera and speeding up between each will still land you a ticket!
If a speed limit is in a red ring, you must adhere to this speed. If a speed limit is accompanied by flashing amber lights, it’s more of an advisory speed limit to be aware of potential traffic ahead or poor weather conditions. If caught speeding on the motorway, you could be faced with a hefty fine.
Understand smart motorways
Some UK motorways are “smart motorways”, where the hard shoulder can be used as a live lane at certain times. Overhead signs will clearly show whether the hard shoulder is open or closed. It’s important that you never use the hard shoulder unless signage shows it’s open, or if there’s a genuine emergency. Smart motorways rely heavily on overhead gantries for speed limits, lane closures and warnings. Always pay attention to these signs and respond promptly but calmly.
Leaving the motorway
When the junction you want is coming up, there will be motorway signs at 1-mile and 0.5-mile markers, as well as a 3-line countdown for 300, 200 and 100 yards — ensure you’re in the left-hand lane as early as possible. This will save a last-minute panic to move over before the exit, putting yourself and other drivers in danger. Signal left at the first 3-line marker and maintain your speed until you’re on the slip road to come off.
Take a break!
You don’t have to have a Kit Kat, but if you are on a particularly lengthy journey, it’s wise to take a 15-minute break every two hours. You could always use service stations to stretch your legs, have a drink and maybe even something to eat. And of course, if you feel tired, then you should take a break as soon as possible. No schedule is more important than your safety!
Breakdowns
If your vehicle does happen to break down on the motorway, move into the hard shoulder as quickly as possible and put your hazard lights on immediately. Once stopped, exit the vehicle from the left-hand side once safe, call for help using a mobile phone while standing well away from the carriageway, or use one of the orange emergency phones which are dotted up and down the motorway — the nearest can be found by following the arrows at the side of the road. Each orange phone is trackable to the Highways Agency, so they can locate you.
Ready to hit the motorway with confidence?
We hope our UK motorway driving tips gave you some added confidence for when you’re next driving. If you’re looking for a rental car, whether it be for long journeys, commutes, or something to runaround the city, then you can hire a car with us. We have a range of car makes and types available across the UK, in locations such as London, Manchester, Bristol and more — all from local owners. Register today, or contact us if you have any questions. If you’re a car owner, then you can also rent out your car with us.
