Use the slip road appropriately. Bring yourself up to speed with vehicles on the motorway before joining the traffic.
Stick to the inside lane. The inside (leftmost) lane should be used at all times except when it becomes a filter lane for traffic leaving the motorway or you are overtaking. Driving in an outside lane unnecessarily leads to congestion and is inconsiderate to other road users.
Do not tailgate. Tailgating increases the risk of accidents. If you are tailgating someone look to overtake or slow down. You should always leave a gap of at least two seconds between you and the car in front – this should be doubled in wet weather. If you are being tailgated see if you can move into an inside lane allowing the vehicle behind you to get past.
Be aware of large vehicles. Lorries frequent the motorway and their drivers may behave differently to you in a regular vehicle. For example when they are travelling uphill they may need to maintain their cruising speed and this may result in them driving close behind you. Also be aware that if two lorries are travelling close together on an uphill stretch it may lead to one pulling out suddenly to maintain its speed. Never dawdle alongside large trucks or HGVs as you may find yourself in their blind spot, which is roughly alongside their cab – if they change lanes without seeing you, you may find yourself having to take evasive action, or worse.
Check your blind spot. When changing lanes check your mirrors and glance over your shoulder to ensure you have a clear passage. Indicate well in advance and watch out for motorcyclists, particularly in slow or stationary traffic.
