Motorway rules
63 questions
What this topic tests
Motorway questions are mostly about lane discipline, the hard shoulder, and reading the gantry signs. They are consistent: the left-hand lane unless overtaking, and the hard shoulder is for emergencies unless a sign says otherwise.
- Keep left unless overtaking. This applies whatever speed you are doing.
- Stud colours: red on the left edge, white between lanes, amber on the right edge, green at slip roads.
- A red cross closes a lane. Over every lane, it means stop and wait.
- Towing: 60 mph, and not in the right-hand lane of a three-lane motorway.
- Joining: match the speed of the left-hand lane and filter into a gap — traffic already on the motorway has priority.
The mark people lose: Treating the hard shoulder as somewhere to sort things out. Tiredness, a phone call, a map — none of them is an emergency, and it is one of the most dangerous places to stop.
- How is bunching reduced on motorways?
- How should you position yourself when you use the emergency telephone on a motorway?
- How should you rejoin the motorway after a breakdown on the hard shoulder?
- How should you use the lanes on a motorway?
- On a three-lane motorway, which lane should you use if there's no traffic ahead?
- What colour are the reflective studs between a motorway and a slip road?
- What colour are the reflective studs between the hard shoulder and the left-hand lane of a motorway?
- What colour are the reflective studs between the lanes on a motorway?
- What do these motorway signs mean?
- What does this motorway sign mean?
- What helps to reduce traffic bunching on a motorway?
- What restrictions apply to people who have a provisional driving licence?
- What should you do if you're driving on a motorway and you miss the exit that you wanted to take?
- What should you do if you're joining a motorway from a slip road?
- What should you do immediately after joining a motorway?
- What should you do when going through a contraflow system on a motorway?
- What should you do when you're approaching roadworks on a motorway?
- What should you do while you're driving or riding along a motorway?
- What would you expect to find at a contraflow system on a motorway?
- What's the minimum engine size your motorcycle must have, if you want to ride it on the motorway?
- What's the national speed limit for a car or motorcycle on a motorway?
- What's the national speed limit on motorways for cars and motorcycles?
- What's the speed limit for a car towing a trailer on a motorway?
- When are you allowed to stop on a motorway?
- When may you stop on a motorway?
- When may you stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway?
- When should you use the left-hand lane of a motorway?
- When would you use an emergency area on a motorway?
- When would you use the right-hand lane on a three-lane motorway?
- Where are amber reflective studs found on a motorway?
- Where should you stop to rest if you feel tired while you're travelling along a motorway?
- Which vehicles are not allowed to use the right-hand lane of a three-lane motorway?
- Which vehicles are prohibited from using the motorway?
- Which vehicles should use the left-hand lane on a three-lane motorway?
- Why is it important to make full use of the slip road as you join a motorway?
- Why is it particularly important to carry out a check of your motorcycle before making a long motorway journey?
- Why is it particularly important to check your vehicle before making a long motorway journey?
- You have stopped in an emergency area. What must you do before you rejoin the carriageway?
- You stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway and use the emergency telephone. Where's the best place to wait for help to arrive?
- Your car gets a puncture while you're driving on the motorway. What should you do when you've stopped on the hard shoulder?
- Your vehicle breaks down on a motorway and you manage to stop on the hard shoulder. What should you do if you use your mobile phone to call for help?
- Your vehicle breaks down on a motorway and you need to call for help. Why might it be better to use an emergency roadside telephone rather than a mobile phone?
- Your vehicle broke down on the hard shoulder of a motorway, but has now been repaired. How should you rejoin the main carriageway?
- Your vehicle has broken down on a motorway. In which direction should you walk to find the nearest emergency telephone?
- Your vehicle has broken down on a motorway. What should you do if you’re not able to get onto the hard shoulder?
- You're driving on a motorway and have to slow down suddenly due to a hazard ahead. How can you warn drivers behind of the hazard?
- You're driving on a motorway. What does it mean if the car in front shows its hazard warning lights for a short time?
- You're driving on the motorway. Which lane should you get into well before you reach your exit?
- You're in the right-hand lane of a three-lane motorway. What do these overhead signs mean?
- You're joining a motorway from a slip road. How should you deal with traffic already on the motorway?
- You're on a motorway. The hard shoulder is not being used as a running lane. When should you use the hard shoulder?
- You're on a motorway. What does it mean if a red cross is showing above the hard shoulder and mandatory speed limits above all other lanes?
- You're on a motorway. What does it mean when a mandatory speed limit is displayed above the hard shoulder?
- You're on a motorway. What does it mean when a red cross is displayed above the hard shoulder?
- You're on a motorway. What must you do if there's a red cross showing above every lane?
- You're on a three-lane motorway. Which lane are you in if there are red reflective studs on your left and white ones to your right?
- You're riding at 70 mph on a three-lane motorway. Which lane should you use if there's no traffic ahead?
- You're riding on a motorway. Unless signs show otherwise, what's the national speed limit?
- You're riding on the motorway. Where should you position your motorcycle well before you reach your exit slip-road?
- You're towing a trailer along a three-lane motorway. When may you use the right-hand lane?
- You're travelling along a motorway. When are you allowed to overtake on the left?
- You're travelling along a motorway. Where would you find a crawler or climbing lane?
- You're travelling in the left-hand lane of a three-lane motorway. How should you react to traffic joining from a slip road?