Drivers clueless about smart motorways

A majority of drivers either don’t understand smart motorways or don’t trust them, despite them being active for a full year.

Smart motorways operate either without a hard shoulder or with a hard shoulder on demand alongside variable speed limits but, a year after the new systems were introduced, a study by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has found that 71% of drivers feel less safe driving on a motorway without a hard shoulder.

To compound the issue, 40% of those who responded to the survey were sceptical that monitoring systems on Smart motorways, such as traffic detectors and CCTV, would protect them if forced to stop their car in an active lane. 

Speaking about the findings, Sarah Sillars, IAM chief executive officer, said: “There are many different motorway users out there and some are still confused and nervous about using Smart motorways – if they are aware of them at all.

“Highways England must analyse incident data on a continuous basis and ensure that any lessons learned from the real world use of SMART motorways are implemented quickly. Ultimately, the smartest way to build awareness would be to allow learner drivers to use motorways under expert supervision.”

Last month a report was issued by Transport Focus, the organisation which represents drivers on motorways and A roads. Titled Road User Needs and Experiences, the report stated that: “While some drivers were aware of smart motorways, some were not. Even those who have driven on smart motorways were not always familiar with the term, nor did they understand clearly how they operated.”

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