Photo: Mike Bird / Pexels. Illustrative photograph.
Your first motorway drive after passing your test in Great Britain comes down to four things the Highway Code spells out: join from the slip road by matching your speed to the left lane and giving priority to traffic already there; keep left unless overtaking; overtake only on the right; and move into the left lane in good time to leave. Learners can only drive on a motorway with an approved driving instructor in a dual-controlled car, so for many new drivers this is the first time on their own. This guide walks through the trip in order, using Highway Code Rules 253 to 274.
Key facts
- Speed limit: 70 mph for cars, 60 mph when towing, unless signs show a lower limit (Rules 124 and 261).
- Keep left unless overtaking (Rule 264).
- Overtake on the right only. Do not move to a lane on your left to overtake (Rules 267 and 268).
- Red X: the lane is closed. You MUST NOT drive in it (Rule 258).
- Missed your exit? Carry on to the next one. You MUST NOT reverse, cross the central reservation or drive against the traffic (Rule 263).
- Breaks: at least 15 minutes after every two hours of driving is recommended (Rule 91).
A note on rule numbers: the GOV.UK Highway Code page is titled “Motorways (253 to 274)”, and Rule 274 (speed after leaving) sits in this section. The page address still reads 253 to 273.
Before you set off
- Check the car. Fuel or charge, tyres, lights, screen wash. A breakdown on a motorway is far more dangerous than on a town road. See basic car maintenance.
- Plan the route and exits. Know the junction number you need and the one before it. Set the sat nav before you move off.
- Pick a quiet time. Rule 91 says avoid long journeys between midnight and 6 am, when natural alertness is at a minimum. A daytime trip outside rush hour is a sensible first run.
Rule 253 lists who MUST NOT use a motorway: pedestrians, provisional motorcycle licence holders, riders of motorcycles under 50 cc, cyclists, horse riders, certain slow-moving vehicles, vehicles with oversized loads (except by special permission), agricultural vehicles, and powered wheelchairs and mobility scooters. Learner car drivers may use one only with an approved driving instructor, in a dual-controlled car showing L plates (D plates in Wales).
Joining the motorway (Rule 259)
You will normally join from a slip road on the left, or from another motorway. Rule 259 says you should:
- Give priority to traffic already on the motorway. They do not have to move over for you.
- Check the traffic and match your speed to fit safely into the flow in the left-hand lane. Use the slip road to build up speed.
- Do not cross solid white lines separating lanes, and do not use the hard shoulder.
- Stay on the slip road if it continues as an extra lane on the motorway.
- Stay in the left lane long enough to adjust to the speed before you think about overtaking.
Use your mirrors and a quick look over your right shoulder to find your gap. Rule 254 reminds you that traffic on motorways is usually faster, so use your mirrors earlier and look much further ahead than on other roads.
Judge the gap as it moves, not as it looked when you first saw it. A space can close as another driver changes lane, and the slip road itself can hold slow or queuing traffic. If the gap shrinks, adjust your speed and look for the next one rather than forcing your way in because the slip road is running out. Your indicator shows what you plan to do; it does not oblige anyone to make room. Once you are on, rebuild your following gap before thinking about another lane change.
On the motorway (Rules 260 to 263)
- Cruise steadily at a speed you and your car can handle safely, within the limit (Rule 260).
- Keep your distance. Leave at least a two-second gap, more in the wet, on ice or in fog (Rules 126 and 260). See stopping distances.
- Obey red-circle speed signs. You MUST NOT exceed a speed limit shown in a red circle, including on overhead signs (Rule 261).
- Watch for tiredness. Rule 262 warns that motorway driving can make you sleepy. Use the service areas. Rule 91 says do not stop on the hard shoulder or in an emergency area for a rest.
Signals over the lanes
| You see | What to do |
|---|---|
| Amber flashing lights | Hazard ahead. Slow down and be ready. Only speed up again after a signal that is not flashing, or a national speed limit sign or “END”, when safe (Rule 257) |
| Speed limit in a red circle | A legal maximum. You MUST NOT exceed it (Rule 261) |
| Red X or red flashing lights over your lane | Lane closed. You MUST follow the signs to move to an open lane and MUST NOT drive in the closed lane (Rule 258) |
| Red lights and all lanes closed | Road closed. You MUST NOT go past the sign in any lane or use the hard shoulder unless police or traffic officers direct you (Rule 258) |
For more, read smart motorways, red X signals and emergency areas and motorway signs and signals.
Lane discipline (Rules 264 to 266)
- Keep in the left lane unless overtaking. After overtaking, return to the left when it is safe (Rule 264). Sitting in the middle lane with an empty left lane is poor lane discipline.
- If people or vehicles are stopped on the hard shoulder or in an emergency area and you are in the left lane, move into the next lane if it is safe, to give them more room (Rule 264).
- On a motorway with three or more lanes, vehicles towing a trailer MUST NOT use the right-hand lane, except in prescribed circumstances (Rule 265).
- Approaching your junction, look well ahead for overhead signs and change lanes early. Some lanes lead directly off the motorway; only use them if you want that exit (Rule 266).
Overtaking (Rules 267 and 268)
Overtake only on the right, and only when you are sure it is safe and legal. Rule 267 says:
- Check your mirrors and take time to judge the speeds correctly.
- Make sure the lane you are joining is clear ahead and behind. Traffic may be coming up very fast.
- Take a quick sideways glance into your blind spot. Look out for motorcyclists.
- Signal in plenty of time, then move out.
- Do not cut in on the vehicle you have overtaken.
Rule 268 says do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to overtake. The exception is congestion: if lanes are moving at similar speeds and the left lane happens to move faster, you may keep up with your lane. Do not weave between lanes.
Leaving the motorway (Rules 273 and 274)
- Watch for the signs counting down to your exit.
- Move into the left-hand lane well before the exit.
- Signal left in good time, and slow down on the slip road as needed (Rule 273).
- Check your speedometer. Rule 274 warns that after the motorway your speed may be higher than you realise: 50 mph may feel like 30 mph. Some slip roads and link roads have sharp bends.
If you realise late that you are in the wrong lane, or a sat nav instruction comes too late, do not swerve across lane markings or into an occupied lane. Stay on a safe route, carry on to the next junction and let the sat nav recalculate. Before a first trip, decide which junction you would use if you missed your exit.
Never on a motorway
| You MUST NOT | Rule |
|---|---|
| Reverse, including on slip roads, hard shoulders and emergency areas | 263 |
| Cross the central reservation or drive against the traffic | 263 |
| Use the hard shoulder except in an emergency or when directed | 269 |
| Stop on the carriageway, hard shoulder, slip road, central reservation or verge except in an emergency or when told to | 271 |
| Pick up or set down anyone, or walk on the motorway, except in an emergency | 272 |
Rule 271 also says do not stop anywhere on a motorway to make or receive phone calls, except in an emergency. If something goes wrong with the car, follow what to do if your car breaks down.
Building up your experience
If you want help before going solo, Pass Plus is a course of at least 6 hours with an instructor, and one of its 6 modules covers motorways. As a learner you can also have motorway lessons with an approved driving instructor in a dual-controlled car with L plates (D plates in Wales), as Rule 253 allows. See learners and motorways, and what Pass Plus adds.
Common questions
Can I drive on the motorway straight after passing?
Yes. In Great Britain there is no waiting period after passing the car test. The learner restriction in Rule 253 ends once you hold a full licence.
What speed should I join a motorway at?
Fast enough to match the traffic in the left lane. Rule 259 says check the traffic and match your speed to fit safely into the flow.
Which lane should I drive in?
The left lane, unless you are overtaking (Rule 264).
What if I miss my junction?
Carry on to the next exit. You MUST NOT reverse or turn round (Rule 263).
Can I undertake on a motorway?
Rule 268 says do not overtake on the left or move left to overtake. In congested traffic you may keep pace with your own lane even if it passes slower traffic on your right.
How often should I take a break?
Rule 91 recommends at least 15 minutes after every two hours of driving. Stop at a service area, not on the hard shoulder.
Back to the main guide: Learning to Drive in Great Britain.
Sources
- Department for Transport, “The Highway Code: Motorways (253 to 274)” (gov.uk)
- Department for Transport, “The Highway Code: General rules, techniques and advice for all drivers and riders (103 to 158)” (gov.uk)
- Department for Transport, “The Highway Code: Rules for drivers and motorcyclists (89 to 102)” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Pass Plus: How Pass Plus training works” (gov.uk)