Road safety charity the IAM is offering weekly motoring tips from Britain’s top advanced driver, Peter Rodger. This week, he is advising on lane discipline on the motorway.
It is especially important to check all of your mirrors regularly when on the motorway, particularly before making any manoeuvre or lane change.
Signal early to give other road users time to react before you make a move – many people will be happy to let you out if given enough warning.
Change lanes gradually. Don’t expect or force other drivers to move out of your way.
Don’t compromise your safe following distance when changing lanes. Always look out for other cars aiming to move into the same space as you from another lane.
Never get in the way of other vehicles unnecessarily. Always try and stay on the left hand side of faster moving traffic.
Read the overhead gantry signs – they give useful information and can help you decide which lane to use.
If you are in lane two, watch the gaps in the traffic in lane one – that way you can spot that someone will want to move out into your lane, and be able to plan your own lane change earlier, rather than having to manage it at the last minute.
IAM chief examiner Peter Rodger said: “By using your mirrors, keep a 360 degree awareness of the traffic around you when on the motorway to make changing lanes easier and safer. Always check, and then check again before making your manoeuvre.”
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