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Difficulty: HardJoining the Motorway

You are on an acceleration lane preparing to join a busy motorway where traffic in lane 1 is travelling at 50 mph. Alongside you is a large goods vehicle (LGV) whose driver flashes their headlights once, but there is insufficient room ahead of the lorry to merge safely. Which action should you take?

  1. A
    Accelerate briskly into the small gap ahead of the lorry's cab, treating the headlight flash as an official signal granting you priority.
  2. Adjust your speed to ease in behind the lorry, carrying out thorough mirror and right-shoulder blind-spot checks before merging safely into an adequate gap.Answer
  3. C
    Match the lorry's exact speed and remain directly beside its passenger side until the driver changes into lane 2 to let you in.
  4. D
    Steer promptly into the gap behind the lorry using only your interior rear-view mirror to verify the space is clear.

Answer

Adjust your speed to ease in behind the lorry, carrying out thorough mirror and right-shoulder blind-spot checks before merging safely into an adequate gap.
Traffic already on the motorway has priority over traffic joining from a slip road. When space ahead of an alongside vehicle is limited, the joining driver must adjust their speed appropriately, avoid lingering in blind spots, verify clear space with comprehensive mirror and blind-spot checks, and merge smoothly behind the vehicle into a safe following gap.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Assess the main carriageway priority and recognize traffic conditions.
Acknowledge that vehicles on the motorway carriageway have priority under Highway Code Rule 259 and that flashing headlights must never be interpreted as an order or priority invitation.
Rule 110 of the Highway Code states headlight flashes only let other road users know you are there.
2
Avoid positioning in heavy vehicle blind spots.
Recognize that large goods vehicles have substantial blind spots along their left side and directly ahead of the cab.
Maintaining position alongside or cutting close in front of an LGV significantly increases collision risk.
3
Regulate acceleration lane speed and perform complete observational checks.
Ease off the accelerator to slip behind the lorry, check all mirrors, and glance over the right shoulder to cover blind spots before merging into a secure following distance.
Speed matching and comprehensive visual checks ensure a smooth merge without disrupting established traffic flow.

Key Concept

Highway Code Rule 259 - Joining the motorway and giving priority to main carriageway traffic
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Joining the Motorway

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