Theory Test: Motorway Rules

To learn all about the Motorway Rules category, watch the video or read the article below.

The theory test featuring questions from this category is at the bottom of the page.

Topics Include

  • Lane Rules – using the left-hand lane unless overtaking. How to join and exit a motorway.
  • Time of Day – when and where to use lights to see and be seen.
  • Speed – knowing motorway speed restrictions.
  • Breakdowns – knowing that you can only stop on a motorway in an emergency and how to use hard shoulder emergency phones.

For more detailed information on driving safely on motorways and what motorway signs mean see our motorway page.

Facts to Know

  • The national speed limit on motorways for cars and motorcycles 70 mph.
  • When joining a motorway, give way to traffic already on the motorway.
  • Vehicles towing trailers cannot travel in the right-hand lane of a motorway (unless all other lanes are closed). The maximum speed limit for them is 60 mph.
  • The left-hand lane can be used by any vehicle.
  • The left-hand lane should be used for normal driving. Use the centre and right-hand lanes for overtaking.
  • Green studs run between a motorway and its slip road.
  • White studs run between the lanes on a motorway.
  • Amber studs run between the central reservation and the carriageway.
  • Red studs run between the carriageway and the hard shoulder.
  • The hard shoulder should normally only be used for stopping in an emergency. You can however travel on the hard shoulder when signs direct you to do so.
  • An Emergency Refuge Area is an area on a motorway for use in cases of emergency or breakdown.
  • If you breakdown but can’t get to the hard shoulder you should turn on your hazard warning lights.
  • When leaving the hard shoulder to rejoin the main carriageway you should gain speed on the hard shoulder before moving out into the carriageway.
  • If you breakdown on a motorway and need to call for help it may be better to use one of the emergency roadside phones , as this way your location will be accurately known. If you use a mobile phone you can check your location from the marker posts on the left.
  • Most of the emergency phones are linked to the Highways Agency Control Centre.
  • Marker posts at 100-metre intervals point you in the direction of the nearest phone.
  • Highways Agency Traffic Officers are able to stop and direct anyone on a motorway.
  • A red cross displayed above a lane means do not travel in the lane.
  • A crawler lane on a motorway is found on a steep gradient.
  • A number displayed above a lane i.e. 50 means the speed limit for the lane is 50 mph.
  • If you get puncture on the motorway you should use an emergency phone to call for assistance.
  • Continuous high speeds make vehicle breakdowns more likely.
  • If traffic ahead of you slows or stops suddenly you can turn on your hazard warning lights for a short time to warn traffic behind you.
  • In a contraflow system there are likely to be lower speed limits.
  • When going through a contraflow: don’t switch lanes, don’t get too close to the vehicle in front.

You Should Stop on a Motorway

  • If red lights show above every lane
  • When told to by the police
  • When signalled by a Highways Agency Officer
If you have to stop on the hard shoulder:
  • Turn on your hazard lights
  • Switch on your side lights if visibility is poor
  • Don’t open the offside, those nearest the carriageway, doors
  • you and your passengers should leave the car from the nearside doors and wait on the embankment.

The following cannot use the motorway

  • Farm tractors and other slow-moving vehicles
  • Cyclists
  • Learner motorcyclists
  • Motorcycles under 50cc
  • Horse riders

Active Traffic Management (ATM)

ATM tries to reduce congestion and make journey times more reliable. Where in use, mandatory speed limit signs will show on the gantries above the motorway lanes.
  • In ATM area, the hard shoulder is sometimes used as a normal traffic lane. If a speed limit sign is active above the hard shoulder, then the hard shoulder can be used as a normal lane.
  • If A red cross shows above the hard shoulder, it cannot be used as a normal lane.

For more detailed information on driving safely on motorways and what motorway signs mean see out motorway page.

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Theory Test: Motorway Rules

Using your hazard lights, as well as brake lights, will give following traffic an extra warning of the problem ahead. Only use them for long enough to ensure that your warning has been seen.

1 / 25

You are driving on a motorway. You have to slow down quickly due to a hazard. You should

(mark ONE answer)

You’ll see the first advance direction sign one mile from the exit. If you’re travelling at 60 mph in the right-hand lane you’ll only have about 50 seconds before you reach the countdown markers. There will be another sign at the half-mile point. Move in to the left-hand lane in good time. Don’t cut across traffic at the last moment and don’t risk missing your exit.

2 / 25

You are intending to leave the motorway at the next exit. Before you reach the exit you should normally position your vehicle

(mark ONE answer)

When approaching a contraflow system reduce speed in good time and obey all speed limits. You may be travelling in a narrower lane than normal with no permanent barrier between you and the oncoming traffic. Be aware that the hard shoulder may be used for traffic and the road ahead could be obstructed by slow- moving or broken down vehicles.

3 / 25

You are on a motorway. There is a contraflow system ahead. What would you expect to find?

(mark ONE answer)

Mandatory speed limit signs above all lanes including the hard shoulder, show that you are in an Active Traffic Management (ATM) area. In this case you can use the hard shoulder as a running lane. You must stay within the speed limit shown. Look out for any vehicles that may have broken down and be blocking the hard shoulder.

4 / 25

You are on a three-lane motorway and see this sign. It means you can use

(mark ONE answer)

A red cross above the hard shoulder shows it is closed as a running lane and should only be used for emergencies or breakdowns. At busy times within an Active Traffic Management (ATM) area the hard shoulder may be used as a running lane. This will be shown by a mandatory speed limit on the gantry above.

5 / 25

You are on a three-lane mororway. A red cross is shown above the hard shoulder and mandatory speed limits above all other lanes. This means

(mark ONE answer)

The colours of the reflective studs on the motorway and their locations are
• red – between the hard shoulder and the carriageway
• white – lane markings
• amber – between the edge of the carriageway and the central reservation
• green – along slip road exits and entrances
• bright green/yellow – roadworks and contraflow systems.

6 / 25

You are on a three-lane motorway. There are red reflective studs on your left and white ones to your right. Where are you?

(mark ONE answer)

At roadworks, and especially where a contraflow system is operating, a speed restriction is likely to be in place. Keep to the lower speed limit and don't

• switch lanes
• get too close to the vehicle in front of you.

Be aware that there will be no permanent barrier between you and the oncoming traffic.

7 / 25

When going through a contraflow system on a motorway you should

(mark ONE answer)

Contraflow

White studs are found between the lanes on motorways. The light from your headlights is reflected back and this is especially useful in bad weather, when visibility is restricted.

8 / 25

What colour are the reflective studs between the lanes on a motorway?

(mark ONE answer)

Slow-moving, large vehicles might slow down the progress of other traffic. On a steep gradient this extra lane is provided for these slow-moving vehicles to allow the faster-moving traffic to flow more easily.

9 / 25

A crawler lane on a motorway is found

(mark ONE answer)

A vehicle with a trailer is restricted to 60 mph. For this reason it isn’t allowed in the right-hand lane as it might hold up the faster-moving traffic that wishes to overtake in that lane.

10 / 25

Which of these is not allowed to travel in the right-hand lane of a three-lane motorway?

(mark ONE answer)

You should give way to traffic already on the motorway. Where possible they may move over to let you in but don’t force your way into the traffic stream. The traffic may be travelling at high speed so you should match your speed to fit in.

11 / 25

When joining a motorway you must always

(mark ONE answer)

On a motorway it is best to use a roadside emergency telephone so that the emergency services are able to locate you easily. The nearest telephone is shown by an arrow on marker posts at the edge of the hard shoulder. If you use a mobile, they will need to know your exact location.
Before you call, find out the number on the nearest marker post. This number will identify your exact location.

12 / 25

You break down on a motorway. You need to call for help. Why may it be better to use an emergency roadside telephone rather than a mobile phone?

(mark ONE answer)

Wait for a safe gap in the traffic before you move out. Indicate your intention and use the hard shoulder to gain speed but don’t force your way into the traffic.

13 / 25

After a breakdown you need to rejoin the main carriageway of a motorway from the hard shoulder. You should

(mark ONE answer)

The studs between the carriageway and the hard shoulder are normally red. These change to green where there is a slip road. They will help you identify slip roads when visibility is poor or when it is dark.

14 / 25

What colour are the reflective studs between a motorway and its slip road?

(mark ONE answer)

On a three-lane motorway you should travel in the left-hand lane unless you’re overtaking. This applies regardless of the speed at which you’re travelling.

15 / 25

On a three-lane motorway which lane should you normally use?

(mark ONE answer)

Try to join the motorway without affecting the progress of the traffic already travelling on it. Always give way to traffic already on the motorway. At busy times you may have to slow down to merge into slow-moving traffic.

16 / 25

You are joining a motorway. Why is it important to make full use of the slip road?

(mark ONE answer)

There are some occasions when you may have to stop on the carriageway of a motorway. Those include when being signalled by the police or a Highways Agency Traffic Officer, when flashing red lights show above every lane and in traffic jams.

17 / 25

When may you stop on a motorway?

(mark THREE answers)

Stay in the left-hand lane long enough to get used to the higher speeds of motorway traffic.

18 / 25

Immediately after joining a motorway you should normally

(mark ONE answer)

You MUST stop if there are red lights flashing above every lane on the motorway. However, if any of the other lanes do not show flashing red lights or red cross you may move into that lane and continue if it is safe to do so.

19 / 25

You are allowed to stop on a motorway when you

(mark ONE answer)

You should move to another lane if it is safe to do so. This can greatly assist the flow of traffic joining the motorway, especially at peak times.

20 / 25

You are travelling along the left-hand lane of a three-lane motorway. Traffic is joining from a slip road. You should

(mark ONE answer)

Only overtake on the left if traffic is moving slowly in queues and the traffic on your right is moving more slowly than the traffic in your lane.

21 / 25

On motorways you should never overtake on the left unless

(mark ONE answer)

Active Traffic Management schemes are intended to reduce congestion and make journey times more reliable. In these areas the hard shoulder may be used as a running lane to ease congestion at peak times or in the event of an incident. It may appear that you could travel faster for a short distance, but keeping traffic flow at a constant speed may improve your journey time.

22 / 25

The aim of an Active Traffic Management scheme on a motorway is to

(mark ONE answer)

When traffic travels at a constant speed over a longer distance, journey times normally improve. You may feel that you could travel faster for short periods but this won’t generally improve your overall journey time. Signs will show the maximum speed at which you should travel.

23 / 25

Why can it be an advantage for traffic speed to stay constant over a longer distance?

(mark ONE answer)

Congestion can be reduced by keeping traffic at a constant speed. At busy times maximum speed limits are displayed on overhead gantries. These can be varied quickly depending on the amount of traffic. By keeping to a constant speed on busy sections of motorway overall journey times are normally improved.

24 / 25

On a motorway what is used to reduce traffic bunching?

(mark ONE answer)

If the left-hand lane is free you should use it, regardless of the speed you’re travelling.

25 / 25

You are driving at 70 mph on a three-lane motorway. There is no traffic ahead. Which lane should you use?

(mark ONE answer)

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