Commonly-ignored road sign explained as drivers risk £100 fine if not followed

AA’s president Edmund King shared advice for drivers who may unknowingly ignore the red signs – as you could not only get fined for doing so but put yourself and other road users at risk

This year has been a busy one for drivers, with many admitting they’ve learned some pretty big lessons over the past twelve months. From drivers who didn’t understand the ‘no return within one hour’ parking rule, to those who got mixed up over the meaning behind this common road symbol, not everyone’s knowledge has been in tip-top shape.

Thankfully, at each turn experts were on hand to share their best advice. Well, 2022 isn’t quite over yet, and there’s one more lesson all drivers ought to take note of. The AA has issued a warning for everyone who ignores a common motorway sign – and it’s one all drivers must follow.

Not only do drivers risk a fine and points on their licence if they don’t follow it, but they could be putting themselves and other road users in danger. ‘What is the major sign? How do people miss it?’ you might ask.

Well, it’s the red ‘X’ you can find on an overhead gantry while driving on a smart motorway. If you’ve ever driven on such a motorway before it is likely you’ve spotted at least one. You’ve probably seen several.

Whether people think the sign is advisory, or simply choose to ignore it, it is vital to pay attention to the X, as Edmund King, AA President explains.

“These signs aren’t optional – you must move over if you see a red ‘X’ above the lane you are in,” he says, or else you risk a £100 fine and three points on your licence. The sign serves as an important safety feature.

“The red ‘X’ can be used to close a lane if there are people working in the road, someone’s broken down or there’s a different type of obstruction,” explains the expert. “You must not drive in the closed lane until the signs tell you that you can.”

More advice on what to do when you see a lane with a red ‘X’ and about driving on smart motorways is available on the AA website.

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