Smart motorway advice as third of drivers still | Tech News

Drivers have been urged to comply with two tricks to keep assured while travelling on a sort of highway a important quantity of Brits really feel unsafe utilizing. Whilst the Government prevented the additional roll-out of good motorways in April 2023, they’re still a common sight throughout the UK. However, in response to a survey carried out by the AA on over 13,500 drivers, one in three motorists still doesn’t really feel protected on these varieties of motorways. 

James Harding, tyre specialist at Blackcircles, recommended that drivers ought to all the time examine whether or not the motorway they’re utilizing is an all-lane working highway to remain assured. He suggested: “To check if a motorway has a hard shoulder, look for a solid white line separating the leftmost lane from the rest of the carriageway; if there is a clear solid white line, it indicates a hard shoulder is present. If there is no solid white line, it’s likely an ‘all-lane running’ smart motorway with no hard shoulder, and you should use designated emergency areas instead.”

According to Blackcircles, one of the simplest methods through which drivers can increase their confidence is by retaining within the left-hand lane wherever potential.

Whilst drivers might obtain penalties for hogging the center of fast lanes on any sort of motorway, retaining to the left is especially important on a good motorway, with drivers not having to cross a number of lanes in an effort to enter an emergency refuge space (ERA) within the occasion of a breakdown.

Keeping to the left lane may also help motorists keep away from inflicting congestion, with different highway customers simply and safely in a position to overtake them if needed. However, drivers ought to all the time keep away from travelling in a lane that has been closed, that are marked with a purple ‘X’ on an overhead gantry.

The company additionally recommended that motorists study precisely what they need to do in the event that they encounter an situation with their vehicle while travelling on an all-lane working good motorway.

In most instances, drivers ought to attempt to attain the closest ERA, that are sometimes situated at intervals of much less than 1.5 miles and have a vivid yellow floor. Once they’ve stopped, drivers ought to get out of their vehicle and away from shifting visitors earlier than calling for help.

However, if their vehicle can’t be pushed to an ERA, motorists ought to put their hazard warning lights on and dial 999 instantly, the place visitors officers will close the lane in an effort to forestall accidents with different highway customers.