The answer options
- Match the speed of cars in the left-hand lane and filter safely into an appropriate gapCorrect
- Stop at the end of the slip road and wait for a gap
- Accelerate past the traffic on the motorway
- Carry on the hard shoulder until there is a gap
Why the other options are wrong
- “Stop at the end of the slip road and wait for a gap” is a distractor. It does not meet the standard the question is testing, which match the speed of cars in the left-hand lane and filter safely into an appropriate gap does. Picking it in the real test costs a mark you cannot get back, and with a pass mark of 43 out of 50 you only have seven to spare.
- “Accelerate past the traffic on the motorway” is a distractor. It does not meet the standard the question is testing, which match the speed of cars in the left-hand lane and filter safely into an appropriate gap does. Picking it in the real test costs a mark you cannot get back, and with a pass mark of 43 out of 50 you only have seven to spare.
- “Carry on the hard shoulder until there is a gap” is a distractor. It does not meet the standard the question is testing, which match the speed of cars in the left-hand lane and filter safely into an appropriate gap does. Picking it in the real test costs a mark you cannot get back, and with a pass mark of 43 out of 50 you only have seven to spare.
Why that is the answer
When joining a motorway from a slip road, match your speed to the traffic in the left-hand lane so you can filter smoothly into a safe gap. Traffic already on the motorway has priority, so adjust your position without forcing others to brake or change lanes. Stopping at the end of the slip road or driving along the hard shoulder is extremely dangerous, as trailing vehicles will not expect you to stop.
What motorway rules covers
- · Joining and leaving via slip roads and matching traffic speed
- · Lane discipline and who may not use the right-hand lane
- · Red X signals, variable limits and emergency refuge areas
- · Breakdowns, hard shoulder use and where to wait
Mistakes learners repeat on this topic
- · Treating the right-hand lane as a permanent fast lane rather than for overtaking
- · Stopping on the hard shoulder for a phone call or a rest
- · Driving in a lane marked with a red X because it looks clear
- · Reversing back along a slip road after missing an exit
Instructor tip: Every breakdown answer follows the same order: get left, get out on the nearside, get behind the barrier, then call.
How this comes up in the real test
Questions from motorway rules appear throughout the 50-question multiple-choice section, and the wording changes between versions. Learn the rule rather than the sentence: the DVSA can ask the same point from the opposite direction, and a memorised answer falls over the moment the phrasing moves.
The pass mark is 43 out of 50, so seven wrong answers is your entire margin. If a whole category is shaky, run the topic practice below until you are getting every question right for the right reason, then go back to full mocks under the clock.
More motorway rules questions
- Before making a journey on the motorway it is important to check your vehicle fully. Why is this?
- Following a breakdown on the hard shoulder, how should you rejoin the motorway?
- How do smart motorways avoid traffic clustering?
- In England and Wales, traffic officers work on motorways as well as some secondary routes. What powers do they have?
- On a motorway, how are the lanes to be used?
- On a three lane motorway, there are red reflective studs on your left and white ones on your right. Which lane are you in?