More than a fifth of drivers have ignored red X signs on smart motorways
Drivers risk £100 fine for ignoring lane closures, as they put could put lives at risk
More than a fifth (23 per cent) of drivers have driven in lanes marked with a red ‘X’ on a smart motorway, indicating a lane closure.
A survey by the RAC found that the majority of drivers do so only occasionally, and by accident (19 per cent) but a worrying one per cent do so often, and three per cent admit to driving in red X lanes on purpose.
The red X on a smart motorway indicates a full lane closure, and upon seeing one drivers should move across into another lane as soon as they can. They’re often used to clear the path for emergency services, or allow access for maintenance workers.
There’s no doubt among drivers as to what the signal means – 99 per cent of the 2,093 RAC member surveyed said they knew that it signified a lane closure.
The Highway Code states explicitly that: “If red lights on the overhead signals flash above your lane and a red X is showing, you must not go beyond the signal in that lane”. For 87 per cent of drivers surveyed, their immediate action is to move over – though 13 per cent admit that they might pass one or two of the signs before they do. This action is still illegal, and moving over as soon as is practically possible is the best course of action.
The fine for driving in a closed lane marked with a red X is £100 and three penalty points.
However, if police believe it to be an act of dangerous or careless driving, the penalties can be much more severe. The Road Traffic Offenders Act was amended in 2017 to allow red X offences to be captured by automated cameras, but the legislation has not yet been completed to allow the tech to be used in enforcement.
Those surveyed were in favour of using cameras to catch red X offenders – 66 per cent supported it.
A spokesman for the RAC, Simon Williams, said: “Smart motorways are now very much part of the fabric of England’s motorway network and will become even more commonplace in years to come with more being opened all the time.
“Red X signs, which denote when lanes are closed, are paramount in safety terms as any stricken driver who has not managed to reach an SOS area is at tremendous risk of being involved in a collision with vehicles that ignore them.
“It is also extremely dangerous if road workers or emergency service staff are attending to incident in the road.”
