The organisation says that almost half of motorists know friends or family who avoid driving on motorways.

In addition, one in 50 people, 13,000 per day, who plan a route on AA Route Planner are driving extra miles by choosing routes that avoid motorways as they are too nervous to tackle the multilane roads, according to the AA Charitable Trust 

There are also a growing number of motorists who do not understanding the new ‘smart’ motorways where the hard-shoulder is used as a running lane. 

In response, the AA Charitable Trust is offering 2,000 FREE “Drive Motorway” two-hour courses, which will help eliminate motorway fears and phobias as well as updating drivers on changes to our motorway layout and rules. 

Edmund King, director of the AA Charitable Trust, said: “One of our concerns has been the lack of lay-bys on stretches of ‘smart motorway’ where the hard-shoulder has been removed. The current rules state you only need lay-bys every 2.5km (about 1.5 miles) whereas we would like to see twice as many. The hard-shoulder can also be a very dangerous place but it is not as dangerous as breaking down in a lane of live traffic. If you do get stuck in a live lane the advice is to ring 999. 

“Drive Motorway will give comprehensive advice on what drivers should do if they breakdown on such a stretch of motorway and will help alleviate fears about motorway driving.” 

Drivers can apply on-line for the free courses on the www.theAA.com or directly by clicking here.