Motorway driving tips

The best way to ensure that you stay out of trouble on the road, and thus minimise the risk of losing the no claims discount on your insurance policy, is to drive defensively. Many accidents come about as a result of motorway congestion, but if you show the right road etiquette, you can increase your safety as well as helping to avoid congestion.

Get up to speed on the slip road before you merge with traffic, as if the cars you are moving in front of have to slow down suddenly, this could cause a dangerous motorway pile up.

Unless you are actually in the process of overtaking the vehicle in front, you should drive in the leftmost lane at all times. Huge tailbacks can be caused by just one or two drivers obliviously hogging the overtaking lanes, leading to accidents and delays.

If the weather is dry, and visibility is fine, you should always leave at least two full seconds between you and the vehicle in front at all times to give you some room for manoeuvre if they should brake or change lanes suddenly. In wet conditions, you should leave four or more seconds between you and the vehicle in front.

Keep your speed constant, and avoid using your brakes unless you need to, as the motorist behind you may see an accidental or light touch of the brakes as a cue to slow down dramatically, which could cause an accident such as a pile up. If you leave a decent distance between yourself and the car in front, you will have less need of the brakes.

Before changing lanes, indicate your intentions far in advance of the manoeuvre, and before you move out, be sure to check your mirror and blind spot to see if the coast is clear.

Do not drive alongside other vehicles for longer than is absolutely necessary, as you may well be in their blind spot, which could lead to them trying to change lanes without seeing you, which could be very dangerous indeed.

When you are coming up to the rear end of a queue, alert the drivers behind you by using your brake lights, and if the conditions require it, your hazard lights as well. Keep a safe distance and check your mirrors on a regular basis for vehicles that are coming from behind.

Until you have entered the exit slip road, you should keep your speed up to prevent the problems caused by cars braking on the motorway. However, if the slip road is not very long or contains a tight bend, you may not be able to do this.

Keep a keen eye on the behaviour of the driver in front of you for signs that they may be planning to overtake, such as checking their mirrors or blind spot, drifting to the edge of the lane, or moving up close behind the vehicle in front of them, and make sure to give them extra space.

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