← Motorways
Rule 263: What you must never do on a motorway
Legal requirement — says MUST
On the motorway (rules 260 to 263)
Unless directed to do so by a police or traffic officer, you MUST NOT
- reverse along any part of a motorway, including slip roads, hard shoulders and emergency areas
- cross the central reservation
- drive against the traffic flow.
If you have missed your exit, or have taken the wrong route, carry on to the next exit.
Laws RTA 1988 sect 35 as amended by TMA sect 6, MT(E&W)R regs 6, 8 & 10, & MT(S)R regs 4, 5, 7 & 9
Why the capitals matter. The Highway Code writes a rule in capitals — MUST or MUST NOT — when it is backed by law, so breaking it is a criminal offence. The rules that do not use capitals are advice.
5 theory test questions on this rule
From the DVSA revision question bank. These are not the questions asked in the real theory test. Each one shows the answer, the explanation, and our own note on why every other option is not it.
Car
- What should you do if you're driving on a motorway and you miss the exit that you wanted to take? Motorway rules
- Where should you stop to rest if you feel tired while you're travelling along a motorway? Motorway rules
- What should you do if your vehicle has a puncture on a motorway? Incidents, accidents and emergencies