Motorway lessons
Motorway sign
The sign that you are entering a road classed as a Motorway and subject to those regulations.
Competence - Confidence Loop
The competence to confidence loop is fed by experience.
Source motorway driving tips from a professional
Motorway driving lessons are a great way for drivers to gain their first experience of motorway driving. The confidence boost received when you realise that you understand what is going on around you and how you fit into the scheme of things is always welcome.
We have all been told that statistically the motorway network is mile for mile the safest type of road in the UK, and indeed it is. Allowing large volumes of traffic to travel efficiently in the same direction unburdened by obstacles to progress such as direct junctions or pedestrian crossings.
The current price of a motorway lesson, which requires two hours to be really useful, is shown on the Prices page.
This unique road type, while enabling its unique travelling efficiency, comes with its own set of considerations which include:
- Joining the motorway
- Observation
- Anticipation
- Signals
- Limits
- Lane discipline
- Overtaking
- Leaving the motorway
I only teach in my car
I have been asked to take people onto motorways in their vehicle and I have always refused. I have answered the question, "Will you teach me in my own car" on the frequently asked questions page which will open in a new tab at the relevent point if you use the link provided.
Pre-Motorway reading
Check out the regulations first
Whereas all of the information on the topics above is contained within the Highway Code to which I have provided a link that you can see at the side, this is no substitution for the experience of actually undertaking a motorway journey with a professional driving instructor.
I highly recommend that you read the Motorway regulations in the Highway Code before undertaking a Motorway driving lesson.
Taking the time to prepare in this way will increase the effectiveness of your motorway driving lesson by raising your awareness of the issues. You will also be better prepared to understand the points discussed before moving off, and you may have questions of your own, which I will be perfectly happy to address before we move off.
Having been an HGV driver before training to become a driving instructor I am sure that I have the required amount of knowledge and experience to safely guide you as to the etiquette, and lack of, that is on display dayly on our nations motorway network.
Do you think you will never need to drive on the motorway?
The ability to be comfortable whilst driving on motorways is one that every driver needs these days. We are all going to use the motorway network at some point. It would be a shame to find yourself needing to use one and not having enough time to access training before that need arises. Let's face it, life does tend to spring surprises.
For Provisional Driving Licence holders
Legislative changes June 2018
Since the legislative change in June 2018 driving instructors may take learner drivers on the motorway before they have attempted their practical driving test.
This can only be done in an instruction vehicle with dual controls displaying L-plates under the tuition of a fully qualified approved driving instructor.
I will be happy to provide my pupils with tuition on the motorway network once they have reached the stage where I have advised them to book their practical driving test.
I do make my pupils aware of their options at the relevent time
and let them make their own decision.
For holders of the Full UK driving licence
As a professional driving instructor, and very experienced road user, I am happy to provide motorway tuition to holders of a Full UK Driving Licence who wish to gain further driving experience.
If you have been driving regularly since passing your driving test and feel confident in your driving ability normally then you will be fine on a motorway driving lesson.
If however you have not driven regularly since passing your driving test, or if you are a nervous driver, then this is not a suitable thing for you to be doing just yet. In honesty I would have to recommend a refresher lesson first to make sure that you are properly prepared to undertake the motorway experience.
Q&A Section for your convenience:
There are more Questions and Answers covering other topics
on the Frequently Asked Questions page.
Will we drive directly to the motorway?
I will need to address a few points before we move off and make sure that you are aware of some relevent information but this should only take a few minutes. If this is a completely new subject for you and you have not read the Highway Code section beforehand then it can take longer.
How far will we be going?
Depending upon the prevelent driving conditions on the day we can go quite a long way. Because of our location within the national motorway network we really are in a good position to take in not only a lengthy motorway drive but motorway interchanges as well.
What sort of speeds will we be travelling at?
The national speed limit is seventy miles per hour and as you are holding the steering wheel any fines or points accrued on the drive will automatically be added to your driving licence. I think that answers the question don't you?
Does it matter if I don't read the Highway Code before taking a motorway lesson?
Oh yes! If you have prepared for the motorway experience then you will gain far more benefit from the first one and may well not need to repeat the experience. It is normally the ones who do not prepare who ask to do it again. The choice of course; is yours.
I cannot find my UK driving licence at the moment but I reassure you that I do have one. Will you take me please?
No I did not make this question up, instructors are asked this. No I cannot take you without sight of your UK driving licence and absolutelynothing that you can say will make the slightest difference.