The answer options
- With the traffic flow
- Against the traffic flow
- Towards the nearest exit
- In the direction shown on marker postsCorrect
Why the other options are wrong
- “With the traffic flow” is a distractor. It does not meet the standard the question is testing, which in the direction shown on marker posts 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.
- “Against the traffic flow” is a distractor. It does not meet the standard the question is testing, which in the direction shown on marker posts 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.
- “Towards the nearest exit” is a distractor. It does not meet the standard the question is testing, which in the direction shown on marker posts 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
Marker posts placed along the motorway hard shoulder feature arrows indicating the direction to the nearest emergency telephone. Following these arrows ensures you take the shortest route to help, minimising the time you spend in a vulnerable position. Simply walking with or against the traffic flow could lead you away from the closest phone. Emergency phones connect directly to control centres and automatically identify your exact location.
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?
- How should you deal with traffic already on the motorway when joining from a slip road?
- 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?