Can you pull over on a motorway to check a map?

No. You may stop only in an emergency, in the emergency stopping lane, so check directions before you set off or at a rest area.

What do I do if I miss my exit on a motorway?

Keep going to the next exit and turn around on ordinary roads. Never stop, reverse or U-turn.

Regulatory sign · Lanes and zones

Motorway sign

You are now on a motorway, so no U-turns, no reversing and no stopping except in an emergency.

Road Rules 2014 (NSW) rule 177Asked in general knowledgeAsked in road safetyShown in 2 practice questions

What it means

What does the motorway sign mean in NSW?

On our green plate with its white border, a white bar crosses the top and two white road shapes taper up towards it, the outline of a divided carriageway passing under a bridge. It marks a motorway: fast traffic, no intersections, entry and exit by ramps. Keep left unless overtaking, and if you miss your exit, go on to the next one. Stopping is allowed only in an emergency, in the emergency stopping lane.

What to do

1
Match the traffic speed on the entry ramp and merge into a gap.
2
Check fuel and plan your exit before you join, not on the way.
3
Use the emergency stopping lane only for a breakdown or an emergency.

Practice questions with this sign

You see a gravel gap in the motorway median that would let you turn back the way you came. May you use it?

Right.Not quite. The answer is C.

You must never make a U-turn on a motorway. Go on to the next exit and turn back on the local roads.

Source: Safe driving practice

You want to stop on a motorway (freeway) to check a map. Where may you stop?

Right.Not quite. The answer is C.

Stopping on a freeway is only allowed in an emergency stopping lane, and only for an emergency or a breakdown, so check maps before you set off or at a rest area.

Source: Road Rules 2014 (NSW) rule 177

Common questions

Can you pull over on a motorway to check a map?: No. You may stop only in an emergency, in the emergency stopping lane, so check directions before you set off or at a rest area.
What do I do if I miss my exit on a motorway?: Keep going to the next exit and turn around on ordinary roads. Never stop, reverse or U-turn.

More in lanes and zones

NSW Learner mock exam screen: 45 questions, no time limit, two sections with their pass marks

A practice question in NSW Learner answered correctly, with the explanation card

Your L plate turns green when you would pass

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