Topic
Motorway rules
Last updated
Motorway rules covers everything specific to motorways — joining via the slip road, lane discipline, the national speed limit, smart-motorway gantries and the red X, and what to do if you break down.
What’s tested
- National speed limit (70 mph cars/motorcycles; lower when towing)
- Lane discipline — left-hand lane unless overtaking
- Smart motorways: variable speed limits, hard shoulder running, red X
- Joining and leaving via slip roads
- Breakdown procedure — emergency areas, hazard lights, leaving the vehicle
Key Highway Code rules
Try a real DVSA question
Practice question
From the DVSA question bank
What's the national speed limit on motorways for cars and motorcycles?
Show explanation
The correct answer is D.
Travelling at the national speed limit does not allow you to hog the right-hand lane. Always use the left-hand lane whenever possible. When leaving a motorway, get into the left-hand lane well before your exit. Reduce your speed on the slip road and look out for sharp bends or curves and traffic queuing at roundabouts.
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Common mistakes
- Middle-lane hogging when the left lane is clear (offence since 2013)
- Driving in a lane closed by a red X
- Stopping on the hard shoulder when it is a running lane on a smart motorway
- Joining a motorway too slowly and forcing traffic behind to brake
Keep going
All 14 topics
- Alertness Staying focused: mirrors, observation, scanning the road, avoiding fatigue and distraction.
- Attitude Considerate driving: patience, following distance, behaviour at crossings and roundabouts.
- Safety and your vehicle Roadworthiness: brakes, tyres, lights, fluids, warning lights and securing the car.
- Safety margins Stopping distances, weather, road surface, and the space you need to react safely.
- Hazard awareness Anticipating risk: spotting clues, planning ahead, reading other road users’ behaviour.
- Vulnerable road users Pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, horse riders, children, older and disabled people.
- Other types of vehicle Sharing the road with lorries, buses, motorcycles, trams and emergency vehicles.
- Vehicle handling Driving in rain, fog, snow, dark and strong wind — how conditions change the car.
- Rules of the road Speed limits, junctions, roundabouts, parking, level crossings and one-way streets.
- Road and traffic signs The visual language of UK roads — shape, colour and meaning of every sign and signal.
- Documents Licence, insurance, MOT, V5C log book and SORN — the paperwork to be legally on the road.
- Incidents, accidents and emergencies First aid, CPR, AED, RTC procedure, breakdowns and tunnel safety.
- Vehicle loading Carrying passengers, luggage, roof loads and towing — and how each changes the car.