Mad moves drivers have made as AA survey shows UK's craziest M-way behaviour

04 June 2023 , 10:39
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The first learner driver took to the motorway five years ago (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The first learner driver took to the motorway five years ago (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Drivers have shared the craziest things they have seen on the UK’s roads in a new survey released by the AA.

The AA Driving School quizzed 13,000 drivers about the bonkers moves they have seen motorists make on the country’s motorways.

Nearly half of those questioned revealed they had seen another motorist crossing the chevrons to get back on a motorway after taking the wrong exit.

Meanwhile 49% also said they had seen other drivers zooming down the hard shoulder when it was not permitted.

A quarter of people said they had also seen someone pull up for a wee on the hard shoulder.

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Mad moves drivers have made as AA survey shows UK's craziest M-way behaviourSmart motorways allow the hard shoulder to be used as a lane in times of high traffic (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

More than half, 57%, of drivers said they still didn’t know that learner drivers can go on motorways if they are with a qualified instructor in a dual-control vehicle.

This comes despite the law change allowing them on motorways as made five years ago.

However it is still rare for lessons to take place on motorways, with some 83% of those questioned saying they had never seen a learner on the motorway.

Mark Born, head of instructor training at AA Driving School, said the figures suggested "some learners may not be making full use of the law change".

He said: "We hope that more learners will take up motorway driving lessons to give them a head-start in building confidence and experience around motorway etiquette.

"It may well quash the next generation of middle-lane-hoggers, tailgaters - and those inclined to take a cheeky toilet break on a hard shoulder."

The first learner to drive on a motorway was Finbar King, now 22, who took to the M25 with an AA instructor just after midnight five years ago.

He told sky: "The motorway lessons helped to give me the confidence to drive on motorways after I passed my test.

"I now use motorways a lot either going to play or watch football and the tuition certainly helped me to drive safely, although I'm no big fan of 'smart' motorways."

The project to convert Britain's motorways into ‘smart’ motorways, which allow drivers to sometimes use the hard shoulder as a lane, has been suspended over safety fears.

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