Britain’s first motorway, the Preston Bypass, was opened on December 5th 1958 by the then Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan; four hours after the opening ceremony, Harold Bradshaw earned a place in UK motoring history when he became the first recorded motorway casualty after falling from a bridge above the road. Hot on the heels of the Preston Bypass came the M1, the first 72 miles of which were opened on April 11th 1960 bridging the great North/South divide and providing a test track for high-performance sports cars!

Despite the fact that the motorway network is now several thousand miles longer than it was when I had my first motorway adventure back in the early 1970's, there is still no requirement for compulsory motorway tuition or testing. Anyone who has passed the practical driving test can jump into a car and dive headlong into an experience similar to my own!

What has changed, however, is that although learner drivers are not permitted on motorways, the Theory-Test (compulsory for all new drivers) requires candidates to answer questions about motorway driving. This leads me to wonder how many learner drivers know more about motorway rules and regulations than the full licence holders who have been driving on motorways for years!

Whether or not motorway training becomes a compulsory requirement, there might well come a time when it will no longer be an issue. One idea that has been researched, and for which the technology already exists, is that of linking cars together on motorways. Using onboard computers coupled with speed/distance sensors, it is possible to form a motorway train. After ‘logging on’ to the train, you could read a newspaper, fall asleep or simply sit back and enjoy the ride. For now though, sleeping safely on the motorway remains a distant dream.

So how safe are you?

Although statistics suggest that motorways are our safest roads, they do pose significant risks, especially for those who don’t regularly drive at higher speeds. Statistics also tell us that driver error is present in 90% of motorway accidents (with mechanical failure accounting for only 10%). So how safe are you now and what can you do to maximise your future safety on the motorway?

Most motorway accidents are caused by one, or a combination of the following:

	Following too closely
	Weather
	Tiredness and lack of concentration
	Problems associated with breakdowns

Click on the bullets above for information about each topic (or use the navigation arrows below).