Motorway lessons for learner drivers could be on the cards

The RAC says that 86 per cent of learners have expressed a desire for motorway instruction

Learners are currently forbidden to drive on motorways, but in a long-overdue move that could help significantly improve road safety, all that could be about to change.

The Department for Transport (DfT) is considering allowing L-drivers to use the UK’s motorway network, as long as they are in a properly equipped dual-control driving school car and have a qualified instructor sitting at the other set of controls at all times. The proposal does not include plans to make motorway driving a compulsory part of the practical test; that would be voluntary.

The RAC says that 86 per cent of learners have expressed a desire for motorway instruction, while similar numbers have asked to be taught in challenging conditions such as in bad weather and the dark.

Currently, the only specific professional motorway tuition comes under the Pass Plus scheme, which motorists can choose to take after they’ve passed their L-test.