Smart motorways: most drivers don’t know the rules

Love 'em or hate 'em, smart motorways are here to stay. But, there’s a problem.

We’ve done some research with road safety charity Brake, and less than half of drivers actually understand smart motorway rules.

The facts and figures

We surveyed 2,000 UK drivers* to see just how smart people are when it comes to smart motorways. Here’s what we found out.

48% know what a smart motorway is and know the rules for driving on one.

27% know what a smart motorway is, but don’t know the rules for driving on one.

25% don’t know what a smart motorway is, and therefore, don’t know the rules.

This means that more than half of drivers don’t know the rules when they’re on a smart motorway. And that’s not good news.

Improving public understanding

Back in March, the Government released its stocktake and action plan, which earmarked an additional £5m investment to improve public understanding of smart motorways, and what to do if there’s an emergency when you’re on one.

As our very own Head of Service Delivery, Damon Jowett, explains, raising awareness is key to keep roads safe.

“While the smart motorways system allows for drivers to get to their destination more easily, understanding of the rules is paramount to ensure road safety.

“Our latest report has highlighted concerning gaps in driver awareness, and here at Green Flag, we want to help increase this awareness for motorway driving to ensure these roads are as safe as possible.”

Joshua Harris, director of campaigns at road safety charity Brake, echoes this point.

“We welcome the measures the Government has outlined to improve smart motorway safety and urge them to follow this evidence-led approach for all UK roads. With more than 75 deaths and serious injuries on our roads, every day, improving road safety must be a priority for this Government.”

To stay safe, it’s vital every driver knows the rules. So, if you’re unsure, do the smart thing, and check our guide on what to do in an emergency on a smart motorway.

You can read the Green Flag and Brake report in full here.

* Survey of 2,010 drivers undertaken by independent market research company, SurveyGoo, on behalf of Brake and Direct Line. Survey question: Do you know what a smart motorway is and, if so, do you know the rules for driving on one?