learn to drive Archives : Broughton School of Motoring

Driving on the motorway – a guide for new drivers

Steve Watson — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 11:49:44 +0000

Updated September 2024

In terms of road traffic collisions per mile, motorways are safer than any other type of road even though they account for 21% of road traffic. In 2022 they accounted for a much smaller proportion of road fatalities (6%) and casualties (4%).¹

But when collisions happen on motorways they tend to be serious due to the high speeds of the vehicles involved.

So all drivers - but especially new drivers - need to be aware of the risks and actively manage them. This article will help you stay safe on Britain's motorway network.

Is your car ready?

It's really important to avoid mechanical problems - or running out of fuel - on motorways.

If your car breaks down you'll be forced to stop on the hard shoulder or - if you're driving on a so-called 'smart' motorway - in a live traffic lane.

These are places you do not want to be. More than 100 people are killed or injured at the side of the motorway every year.²

So it's very important to carry out these simple vehicle checks before every motorway journey. Your life could depend on it.

Tyre pressures, (including the spare, if you have one);
Tread depth, (the legal minimum is 1.6mm but don't let the tread depth get below 3mm in the summer or 4mm in the winter);
Engine oil,
Lights,
Brake fluid,
Windscreen wipers, (make sure they're in good condition);
Engine coolant level;
Fuel, (make sure you've got enough to reach your destination).

Make sure you take a fully charged mobile phone with you in case of a breakdown or other emergency.

Are you ready?

Driving for prolonged speeds on motorways makes bigger than usual demands on you as well as your car.

If you’re feeling tired or are unwell you should not drive on a motorway and maybe you shouldn’t be driving at all.

If you’re unsure, seek medical advice especially if you’re taking medication.

Never drive for more than two hours without a break. Your concentration and alertness will gradually reduce over time without you noticing. More about driving when tired.

If you do feel tired, open a window, turn off the heating in the car, play loud music and/or turn off the motorway at the first opportunity so you can take a break in a safe place.

NEVER stop to take a break on the hard shoulder.

Keep your distance!

The most common cause of collisions on motorways is drivers driving too close to each other so...keep your distance!

You should follow the two second rule - staying AT LEAST two seconds behind the vehicle in front in good weather and at least double that if it's raining. In icy conditions, it needs to be increased even further.

How to work it out: as the car in front passes a fixed point, such as a sign or a bridge, start to say ‘only a fool breaks the 2-second rule’ at a normal rate.

The phrase takes about 2 seconds to say, so if you pass the same fixed point before you’ve finished saying it, you’re too close and should leave more room.

If you are being tailgated you should:

if necessary, increase the distance between you and the vehicle in front. It should be at least three seconds in the dry, six seconds if it's raining. Don't brake suddenly to do this, just ease your foot off the accelerator.
move into the inside lane, if it is safe to do so – make sure to apply the two second rule to any vehicle you move behind.

Use your mirrors!

It's important to always know what's going on behind and around you. You may have to make a move into another lane at short notice if the driver in front of you suddenly slows or moves out of their lane.

So you should be using your mirrors regularly, not just before you want to change lanes,

But remember that what you see in your mirrors may not be the whole story.

There are blind spots that can be big enough to prevent you from seeing a car or motorbike approaching from behind.

So you may need to take a quick glance over your right shoulder (or left shoulder if you're moving to the left) to check that all is clear before you change lanes - it could be a life saver.

What to do if you breakdown on a motorway

If your car develops a fault try to get to the next service area or turn off the motorway.

If you can’t you’ll need to stop on the hard shoulder. But be careful – the hard shoulder is a dangerous place.

Remember, you're only allowed to stop on the hard shoulder, (or the emergency refuge areas on a smart motorway), in an emergency.

Emergencies include when your car suffers a mechanical breakdown, if you get a puncture or if you have a medical emergency.

You can't stop on the hard shoulder if you want to make or receive a phone call, if you're tired or need to go to the toilet - that's what service stations are for and you should plan your rest stops around them.³

Do not try to change a wheel on the hard shoulder (call for assistance) and do not use a warning triangle - walking down the hard shoulder to place the triangle behind your car is too dangerous.

How to use the hard shoulder

Try to stop near an emergency SOS phone if you can;
Park as far to the left as possible, with your wheels turned AWAY from traffic;
Put your hazard lights on;
Get out of your car from the LEFT PASSENGER DOOR and stand behind a safety barrier if possible or as far away from the traffic as you can;
Preferably, use an emergency SOS phone to call for assistance (the operator will know exactly where you are) or your mobile phone;
Stay behind the barrier, as far away from traffic as possible.

...and how NOT to use the hard shoulder

Do not stay in the car to wait
Do not stand close to the car as you could be hurt if it's hit;
Do not use the right hand door to get out of the car;
Do not let pets out of the car as they could run into the road;
Do not stand between your car and another vehicle, as one of them could be hit.

Re-join the carriageway carefully. Be patient and wait for a safe gap in the traffic. Always use the hard shoulder to build up speed so you’re entering the carriageway at the same speed as the vehicles in lane 1.

How to join and leave a motorway

When joining a motorway from a slip road, you should match your speed to that of the vehicles travelling in the left hand lane.

Wait for a suitable gap and then merge safely into the traffic flow.

If necessary, adjust your speed before you reach the end of the acceleration lane to avoid braking and coming to a stop.

When it comes to exiting the motorway, you should move into the left-hand lane in plenty of time.

Motorway exits are clearly marked one mile and half a mile before the exit. You will also see three signs that count down to the exit junction in 100 metre increments. You should start indicating at the 200 metre mark. Indicate in plenty of time. If you can, try to avoid braking until you’re on the slip road.

When you have left the motorway, remember to keep an eye on your speed to make sure you have slowed down enough.

Overtaking on a motorway

First ask yourself, is it necessary, is it legal and is it safe to overtake?

If the answer to any of these questions is NO then don’t do it.

Mirrors

You must make full effective use of the mirrors, and check them regularly to update your information.

Before you overtake - check behind you again to assess other vehicles' speed, course and position.

Watch out for traffic changing lanes behind you - they will be coming towards you quickly and may move back into your lane without signalling.

If you don't feel it's safe – stay where you are.

Look ahead

Check well ahead to see if there is anything which will cause problems or prevent you from overtaking - like road works, or lane closures.

Try to anticipate if the vehicle you want to overtake is about to do something or move in such a way as to prevent you doing it.

Signal

Once you've decided that it's safe to overtake, signal before you move. After you signal, check again to make sure it's still safe.

Position

Move out smoothly and progressively without any sudden movements.

Speed

You must be able to accelerate enough to overtake without causing difficulties for following traffic but you mustn't break the speed limit.

Overtake as quickly and safely as possible and always check in the interior mirror for the car you have just overtaken prior to moving back in front of it.

If you can see it in your interior mirror then you can be sure you have passed it and it's ok to move back in.

Don’t forget to signal your intention to move back to the left BEFORE you move.

Overtaking on the left

You must never do this unless:

there is a traffic queue in the other lane;
the queue on your right is moving along much more slowly than in your lane or
when directed to do so by signage or the police.

Why? Because it’s not safe. A vehicle in the right hand lane might suddenly decide to move to their left and might not see you.

Lane discipline

There is no such thing as the 'fast lane'.

Drivers should always travel in the left hand lane, (lane one) unless overtaking slower traffic, in which case lanes two and three can be used.

If you are overtaking a number of slower vehicles, it may be safer to remain in the middle lane rather than continually changing lanes. But once you’ve finished overtaking, you should always move smoothly back into lane one.

Know your signs!

You need to know what the signs mean on motorways.

Motorway signs and signals are used to warn of a danger ahead such as an accident, fog, or road workers on the carriageway.

You must understand what they mean and obey them.

Signals situated on the central reservation apply to all lanes, whereas amber flashing lights warn of a hazard ahead, or of a temporary maximum speed limit.

If red lights on the overhead signals flash above your lane and a red ‘X’ is showing, you must not go beyond the signal in that lane. If red lights flash on a signal in the central reservation or at the side of the road, you must not go beyond the signal in any lane.

A white diagonal arrow overhead indicates that you should change lanes in the direction shown.

Read the Highway Code (free download)

References

1. Department of Transport, Reported road casualaties Great Britain, annual report 2022

Understanding the Strengths and Weaknesses of Britain's Road Safety Performance, 2016

2. Highways England

3. Auto Express, How to Use the Hard Shoulder, 14th May 2020.

The post Driving on the motorway – a guide for new drivers appeared first on Broughton School of Motoring.

How to choose a driving instructor

Steve Watson — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 19:46:46 +0000

How to choose a driving instructor

It’s important to take your time over choosing a qualified driving instructor or driving school.

After all, you could be sitting next to him or her for upwards of 40 hours, maybe be sharing some challenging times learning to cope with today’s busy roads and spending over £1k on your driving lessons - if you take the average 45 hours @ £35 per hour - it soon adds up!

If you live in the Scunthortpe or Brigg area we think that the Broughton School of Motoring should be your number 1 choice Click here to read some reviews and testimonials.

Here's some tips:

In the UK, driving instructors are licensed by the Driving Standards Agency (DVSA). Only licensed instructors (ADIs) or DVSA licensed instructors under training can charge you for driving instruction.

How can I tell if a driving instructor is DVSA approved?
It is important to check the badge in the driving instructor’s windscreen. A green octagonal badge shows the instructor is fully qualified and an ADI.

A pink triangular badge shows the instructor is not yet fully qualified, but undertaking practical training. They are allowed to charge for driving instruction but should they really charge the same as a fully qualified instructor?

How can I find a driving instructor?

You can find a local driving instructor using the DVSA's ‘find a driving instructor’ facility.

Or, you can ask your friends and family to recommend a driving instructor or driving school. (But remember, they must be an ADI or a DVSA licensed driving instructor under training if they are charging you for lessons.)

Driving schools or independent?
Some driving instructors work by themselves, while others are part of bigger driving schools such as the AA, BSM or Red. Whichever driving instructor you decide to go with, try to talk to the instructor (not a salesperson) before booking any lessons.

If you call the Broughton School of Motoring on 0784 00 55 462 you'll definitely speak to your instructor. You can also arrange a free home visit before you book.

What qualities should you expect in a good driving instructor?
Like any teacher, some driving instructors will be better than others. We have heard of one driving instructor who had a penchant for 1970s’ heavy metal on the car stereo.

Another driving instructor built in a trip to the butchers to pick up the shopping for his wife as an essential part of every driving lesson. But luckily this sort of poor behaviour is rare.

Good driving instructors should make the most of your lesson time. You should have their full attention throughout the lesson, with no stops to pick up or drop off, fill-up with fuel or make phone calls. They shouldn’t shout or make you feel uncomfortable in any way, even if things go wrong.

Your driving instructor should always:

Be punctual;
Arrive in a clean well-maintained car;
Have a prepared lesson plan based on the DVSA Syllabus;
Have clear, fair and well communicated terms and conditions.

Driving instructor checklist:

What car do they use and is it fitted with dual controls? Our car is a smart, dual controlled Ford Fiesta.
Does the driving instructor pick-up other students during a lesson? (This could impact on your lesson time and divert the driving instructor’s attention.) We NEVER do that.
Are any additional study aids such as DVDs or workbooks included in the price? All our students get free theory test training.
Do they offer home visits? We're always happy to visit you in your home so you can meet your instructor and see the car you'll be driving before you book any lessons.

Call, send a text or a WhatsApp message to Steve Watson on 07840055462 to ask a question, arrange a home visit or book your driving lesson.

Other ways to contact us.

The post How to choose a driving instructor appeared first on Broughton School of Motoring.

Are you ready to take your driving test?

Steve Watson — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 19:44:00 +0000

Everybody wants to take their driving test as soon as they can.

Driving lessons are expensive (up to £40 per hour) so it's not surprising, especially in the current economic climate, that learner drivers want to take as few lessons as possible.

And who wants to take the bus or keep asking for lifts a moment longer than necessary?

But taking a driving test before you're 100% ready is a big mistake.

Failing a driving test is not only embarrassing, it damages your self confidence and makes passing next time even harder.

The top ten reasons why people don't pass their driving test.

But if you take a driving test before you're a safe, independent driver there is a outcome that's worse than failing - you might pass!

Driving examiners can only assess you on what they have seen so if you get an easy route, the roundabouts are empty and nothing much happens you could pass only to go out on your own the next day in rush hour traffic or on fast country roads and have an 'accident'.

Globally, road traffic crashes are a leading cause of death among young people, and the main cause of death among those aged 15–29 years.¹
Brake

So before you take your driving test make sure that:

1. You do not need prompts from your driving instructor.

2. You do not make silly mistakes when you’re driving.

3. You pass mock driving tests.

4. You can control your nerves.

5. Your driving instructor agrees you’re ready.

Source: DVLA, Ready to pass? 2022

If you're not ready, be honest with yourself.

Rearrange your driving test and take more lessons. You could save some money by getting some provisional licence insurance and practice with family members too.

Then go and pass first time!

¹ Brake, Why young drivers are at risk and what can be done about it, Nov 2022.

Driving lesson prices in Scunthorpe and Brigg

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