When you’ve just passed your test, the thought of driving on the motorway can be quite scary. But don’t worry, motorways can be the safest roads in the country.

Mistakes on the motorway can have very serious consequences. You're best to have a lesson to learn the rules of safe motorway driving first.

Here are some tips for driving on the motorway:

• Plan ahead.
• Make sure you know which junctions you need.
• Obey the speed limits (including lower limits due to congestion, weather or road works).
• Use your fog lights where there is poor visibility .
• Leave a gap between you and the vehicle in front of at least 3 seconds, 4 if in bad weather.
• Keep to the left lane; the other lanes are for overtaking.
• Never drive for more than two hours; you must take a break of at least 15 minutes to keep yourself fit for the journey.
• Tiredness can kill, and greatly increases your crash risk.

If you break down don't panic, just follow these simple steps:
STEP 1: If your car breaks down, turn on your hazard warning lights.

STEP 2: Get out from the vehicle using the doors nearest to the verge and keep well away from the traffic. Lock all doors except the passenger door nearest to you.

STEP 3: Call for assistance by using the emergency phones, which are placed on the hard shoulder. Marker posts indicating the direction of the nearest emergency telephone are situated every 100 metres on the hard shoulder. Phones are 1,000 metres apart so you never need to walk more than 500m.

STEP 4: Never cross the carriageway or a slip road to use an emergency telephone.

STEP 5: After you return to your vehicle, wait on the grass verge or nearby bank well away from the traffic until the emergency services arrive.

STEP 6: Don't accept help from passers-by. If someone approaches, get into the car, lock your doors and speak through a small gap in the window.