To think that motorway driving should be taught to learners before they pass their driving tests?

[NeonMuffin]

I've been driving for over ten years now and I've never driven on a motorway. I'm quite a confident driver otherwise, but the idea of driving on a motorway absolutely terrifies me. I'm not sure why as I'm aware that they are statistically the safest roads to use, I think maybe it's because there a three lanes instead of two and I know there are certain rules about undertaking etc that I don't really understand.

It's holding me back and I want to change it, I'm going to book a refresher course to boost my confidence. But it's made me think, why is motorway driving not taught as standard to learner drivers? Am I correct in saying that the UK is the only country in Europe where motorway driving is not part of the driving test? Why is this? Surely it's something that all drivers should learn?

AIBU? Surely this would make our roads safer?

anyway the journey to the motorway is all dual carriageway, it's just under 60 miles at about 70mph

I think it normally takes about 40 -45 minutes but that might be travelling dangerously fast

I live at least 150 miles from the nearest motorway, so how would that work?

Quite honestly it's your issue if there's not an motorway close by

Well, no it's not my issue. I'm not absolutely terrified at the thought of driving on motorways.

When I took my test, I'd also never driven in snow or a flood.

Our nearest motorway is at least a couple of hours away. We have about half a mile of dual carriageway. A lot of people never venture on to a motorway, they have no need to

Maybe the Pass+ should become compulsory before being allowed alone on motorways but I've no idea how that would be policed

I find motorways fairly straightforward most of the time, tbh. Yes, the traffic is moving fast, but it's all going in one direction and there are no sharp bends to worry about. You (usually) get plenty of warning of turn-offs, lane changes etc, which makes it much easier than driving through a busy city centre.

I had a lot of practice on fast dual carriageways before my test - mostly not in lessons but I drove with my parents to university visits, holidays etc. I find very little difference between that and motorways. Though stalling on the end of the slip road onto the M6 was a little nerve-jangling!

Imagine a learner panick driving on a motorway they would be certain to have accidents and the driving instructor won't be able to control the car.
Maybe it should be that the pass plus is mandatory after passing driving lessons and it could be put on a system on your license that you are allowed on the motorway?

oops, I managed to lose half my post. I meant to say

When I took my test, I'd also never driven in snow or a flood, it snows here once in a blue moon, you can't cover every eventuality for learners before you pass your test - people live miles away from motorways, it snows rarely, floods rarely - or it would take forever and cost an absolute fortune. Motorway driving, etc are all things that come once you've been judged competent to be let loose in a car on your own

The difficulty when I passed my test in N.Ireland was that newly qualified drivers have to then display an R (restricted) plate for a full year.

That restricts you to 45mph which is fine but effectively bans you from the motorway as it isn't safe to go as slow as that really.

Isn't some dual carriage way driving part of most people's test? (I appreciate that in some rural places there won't be a dual carriage way nearby) but surely even then there must be some fast-ish A-road driving undertaken in either the test or the lessons?

Yes compos I think your right.

Learners here have to have lessons on a motorway. Some of them live a long way from one. You phone up a company that offers lessons near the motorway and book a lesson with them. Take the train or get a lift over there. Go out on the motorway with the instructor. Get your log book marked. Job done.

I don't think it should be compulsory, but I absolutely think if someone isn't confident then they should take the pass plus that includes motorway driving.

YABU mainly as so much of the country is so far from a motorway and most people wouldn't have the slightest difficulty in using them after having learnt on dual carriageways.

You were being unreasonable in not driving on motorways yourself but well done on finding a solution.

"Quite honestly it's your issue if there's not a motorway close by"

Why? Why should everyone be forced to spend huge amounts of time and money to spend a one-hour lesson on a motorway, if they live in an area where they are probably not going to have to drive on one again in the first year or two of driving, if ever?

What benefit would there be to road safety?

I learnt to drive on the Isle of Wight. No motorways. Some people there never drive anywhere else so would never need to go on a motorway.

Motorways also aren't where new drivers tend to have accidents, because they don't have complicated junctions and new and nervous drivers tend to stick in the left lane and only overtake when there's a plenty of space. So not much to gain from making it even more difficult and expensive to get a licence.

I drove on the North Circular and A1 on my successful driving test, then ended up driving on the M2/M20/M25 at 4am as my first motorway experience - I was crapping myself but MrNC pointed out reasonably (and drunkenly) that there really wasn't any other traffic to hit.

I then went and booked a motorway lesson - by the time I'd had 2 hours going round the A1(M)/M25/M1 triangle and braked to avoid a huge pile-up, there was no fear left. I don't think having to take an extra formal motorway test would have helped anything.

I would say it is your issue you are not confident on motorway driving.

I grew up in a very rural area nowhere near a dual carriageway, motorway, traffic lights or roundabouts. I did however pass my test having never encountered any of these and when i finally did 6 years later was more than capable of dealing with them.

People in rural communities often need to drive to get to work, etc so shouldn't be forced to go hundreds of miles in order to get motorway experience to pass a test to make up for less confident drivers.

The driving test can't cover everything. Motorway driving, is not a million miles away from driving on A-roads or dual carriage way, so the learning curve isn't that steep.

I would be more worried about sharing road space with a newly qualified driver who hadn't experienced driving at night, driving in fog, sleet or on icy or snowy roads, or was new to inner city rush hour driving.

Motorway is well down my list of fears.

75 miles to the nearest motorway from where I learnt to drive

I like the fact the distance people live from a motorway is 'their problem' but the fact that you are too scared to drive on a motorway should be everyone's problem op! I passed my test on April 1st and drove on the motorway in the June, with my mum, who at the time was a non driver. Best thing I did, got it out of the way. I had to book a 2 hour lesson to drive on a dual carriageway as the nearest one is getting on for 30 mins away, nearest motorway is an hour away.

NeonMuffin
Quite honestly it's your issue if there's not an motorway close by

Actually its YOUR issue if you are too scared to go on a motorway after 10 years of driving.

I was taught motorway driving in my driving lessons. I didn't actually go on one obviously but we looked at pictures and talked about how it all works and the rules. We went on dual carriageways so I knew how to over take safely. I was told on my way home from passing my test that I should go for a drive the next day and hop on the motorway to get the feel of it so my dh and I went for a drive on the motorway and I changed lanes safely and everything was fine. I have no worries about going on the motorway which was handy because I had to do an 8 hour round trip to collect my car a couple of months later.
My advice to anyone who is scared of motorway driving is to do pass plus driving course.

the bits that are 'scariest' of motorway driving for most people - joining the motorway and changing lanes - are exactly the same as for dual carriageways. motorways just have more lanes, and you can stay in the lane that is furthermost left if you want (and don't mind being sandwiched between lorries)

OP. I am concerned that you say you've been driving for 10 years and confident and there are rules about undertaking you don't understand. Surely you've driven on roads with more than one lane in the last decade and these rules apply!

In all seriousness, I drove to work on the motorway the day after I passed my test. They're just long straight roads- if you're not sure on the rules then read the Highway Code!

When ds1 passed his driving test we paid for him to have a 2 hour motorway lesson with his instructor. Will do the same for ds2. It's worth it (IMO) not just the logistics of getting on and off the motorway but dealing with the knobhead middle lane hoggers etc.