Learner drivers now allowed on motorway after law change

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Glanza

Glanza

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44350285 said:
Learner drivers in England, Wales and Scotland are now allowed to have lessons on the motorway.

Previously only those who have passed their test could do so, but lessons are now allowed in a dual-control car with an approved driving instructor.

The government says the move will help learners gain experience to drive safely.

The law change has been welcomed by the AA and RAC Foundation, among other motoring groups.

Road safety minister Jesse Norman said: "Britain's roads are among the safest in the world, but road collisions remain the second biggest killer of young people.

"Allowing learner drivers to have motorway lessons with a qualified road safety expert will help more young drivers to gain the skills and experience they need to drive safely on motorways."

As many as 8% of licence holders avoided motorways for at least six months after passing their test, an AA poll of more than 20,000 motorists suggests.

More than a quarter said they felt scared when they did drive on a motorway for the first time.

Edmund King, director of the AA Charitable Trust, said: "Young drivers are drastically over-represented in crashes.

"This change, which will help broaden the opportunities they have while learning, is very positive.

"It is somewhat perverse that five minutes after passing the driving test a new driver could venture alone on to a motorway without having had any motorway tuition."
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I remember when I passed I did the Pass Plus scheme that was supposed to help drop your insurance premium and included motorway driving.
 
If it teaches people to move the **** left so I can make decent time then im all for it.
 
kindai said:
If it teaches people to move the **** left so I can make decent time then im all for it.
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lol.

but hopefully it'll teach people how to use the motorway because I genuinely believe many have no idea that hogging middle lane is not what you should do.
 
grudas said:
lol.

but hopefully it'll teach people how to use the motorway because I genuinely believe many have no idea that hogging middle lane is not what you should do.
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Indeed - I am sure that they made this illegal? Its not really enforced anyway but really ****** me off when people dont move over. Particularly on late night runs up the M1/M25/M11/M62 (the only motorways I use)
 
Schizo said:
I'm about to go for my lessons so going on the motorway will seem weird.
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You’ll have quite a long lesson to get to a motorway from Ipswich!

I think this is a good idea - I dread encountering new drivers with P plates on motorways as they are usually a danger to themselves and those around them (at least they make themselves identifiable though)

I do feel it should be compulsory rather than at the instructors discretion.

Long overdue.
 
skaif said:
Indeed - I am sure that they made this illegal? Its not really enforced anyway but really ****** me off when people dont move over. Particularly on late night runs up the M1/M25/M11/M62 (the only motorways I use)
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I must have driven 50k miles over the last 2 years up and down the m5/m6/m56 and i've never seen anyone pulled for staying in the middle lane. Even when there's been a police car around. I guess it's just one of these laws that's too much effort to enforce but just by making it a law they're hoping more people abide by it.
 
Good. When I passed (many years ago) I went on a road trip to Wales with my mates. Never been on a motorway before... Looking back it was an accident waiting to happen, be we survived somehow
 
My Motorway introduction was a week after passing my test and here's the keys to your company car. Friday rush hour and I had to drive down the M42/M6/M5. No experience and a new car. I learned very quickly!

Things happen much more quickly and at higher speeds so hesitancy can be dangerous and guidance is welcome.
 
skaif said:
Indeed - I am sure that they made this illegal? Its not really enforced anyway but really ****** me off when people dont move over. Particularly on late night runs up the M1/M25/M11/M62 (the only motorways I use)
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it is, I've heard of people getting pulled over but it is something that's difficult to enforce.

I didn't get any motorway training either, simply bought my first car 80 miles away from home and 5 minutes after jumping into it I was on the motorway on the way home lol.

I did watch some youtube videos before to get a feel for it.
 
Compared to the usual around town stuff, motorway driving is easy boring as sin but easy. I don't get the fear/struggle some people have with it.
 
tom_e said:
Compared to the usual around town stuff, motorway driving is easy boring as sin but easy. I don't get the fear/struggle some people have with it.
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I agree with this - boring but don't see the issue.
But then my wife came along and being a Londoner she had never driven on a motorway, just about managed dual carriageways with the various A roads in London.
I coached her when we went on drives on the motorway and it dawned on me some of the issues people have.
Mainly but no limited to
  1. Spatial awareness - knowing how big your car is and when to switch lanes
  2. MOMENTUM! - this was a big one, wifey thought that its ok to slow down when switching lanes jackiechanwtf.jpg
  3. Plan ahead - looking as far ahead as possible to maintain speed etc was a new thing
  4. Small input = big change - wife learned this the hard way when changing lanes yanking the wheel about and wasnt ready for how the car reacted
  5. Don't use the brakes for no reason - I kinda drilled this into her as I hate it when people brake for no reason as it causes others to brake and so on - plan ahead and maintain speed!
Think that was it for now, oh also the fear of big things - trucks, busses, vans, birds...
 
I don’t think it’s a bad thing at all but it isn’t a massive game changer. When I was learning to drive my instructor took me on the A34 which was more or less the same as driving on a motorway anyway. A decent dual carriageway with proper junctions is pretty much the same experience. Even the amount of lanes isn’t too big an issue as there are 2 lane motorways and 3/4 lane dual carriageway A roads.

Obviously a lot of the country has no nearby motorways, but I’m pretty sure there are half decent dual carriageway A roads almost all over.
 
tom_e said:
Compared to the usual around town stuff, motorway driving is easy boring as sin but easy. I don't get the fear/struggle some people have with it.
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I agree! but it is the speed that scares people, going by my girlfriend for e.g. who nearly slammed on her brakes when on the ramp.

speed, acceleration etc scares new drivers.

she could drive fine around Croydon which is packed and tight narrow roads but big wide motorways or A roads scared her to a point that she gave up driving completely.
 
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