All Questions

Hint

At junctions controlled by traffic lights, you must stop and wait behind the white line until the lights change to green. You may then proceed unless your exit road is blocked or it’s not safe to do so, such as when pedestrians are crossing in front of you. After the green light, the amber light will show on its own for a short period, followed by the red light. When the amber light shows on its own, you should stop, providing it’s safe to do so.

Hint

These lines are a device often found on the approach to a roundabout or a dangerous junction. They become closer together as you approach the hazard, warning you to slow down.

Hint

If people are waiting to use a pedestrian crossing, slow down and be prepared to stop. Don’t wave them across the road, as another driver may not have seen them or your signal and may not be able to stop.

Hint

Puffin crossings have infra-red sensors that detect when pedestrians are crossing and hold the red traffic signal until the crossing is clear. The use of a sensor means there’s no flashing amber phase, as there is with a pelican crossing; the lights follow the same sequence as traffic lights.

Hint

A green flashing beacon on a vehicle means the driver or passenger is a doctor on an emergency call. Give way to them if it’s safe to do so. Be aware that the vehicle may be travelling quickly.

Hint

Diamond-shaped signs apply to tram drivers. You should know their meaning so that you’re aware of the priorities and are able to anticipate the actions of the driver.

Hint

Before setting out on a long journey, check the oil level, as an engine can use more oil on a long journey than on shorter trips. Insufficient oil can lead to excessive wear and engine damage.

Hint

Traffic signs and continuous red lines painted along the edge of the road identify a Red Route. Parking is banned along these routes and enforcement officers have powers to remove any vehicle that’s illegally parked. These powers are in place to ensure the route remains unobstructed and so help the free flow of traffic.

Hint

Road humps, chicanes and narrowings are all traffic-calming measures designed to keep vehicle speeds low. They’re used to protect vulnerable road users near areas such as housing estates and shopping centres.

Hint

A black-and-white chevron sign gives an advance warning to drivers that the road ahead bends sharply in the direction indicated by the chevron. This advance information allows drivers to adjust their speed in good time and select the correct gear for their speed.

Hint

Toucan crossings are shared by pedestrians and cyclists. Cyclists are permitted to cycle across with pedestrians when they’re shown the green light together. The signals are push-button operated and there’s no flashing amber phase.

Hint

There are some crossings where cycle routes lead cyclists to cross at the same place as pedestrians. These are called toucan crossings. Always look out for cyclists, as they’re likely to be approaching faster than pedestrians.

Hint

As you approach a school crossing patrol, you may see two amber lights, one above the other and flashing alternately. This will be accompanied by a ‘school’ warning sign. The school crossing patrol will display a ‘stop’ sign, so you must stop. Don’t wave anyone across the road, get impatient or rev your engine.

Hint

If someone is deaf as well as blind, they may be carrying a white stick with a red reflective band. You can’t know whether a pedestrian is deaf. Don’t assume that everyone can hear you approaching.

Hint

Give way to buses if you can do so safely, especially when they signal to move off from a bus stop. Look out for people who’ve just got off the bus, as they may try to cross the road. Don’t try to accelerate past before the bus starts moving, and don’t flash your headlights; other road users may be misled by this signal.

Hint

The speed limit for a car on the motorway is 70 mph. Drive in the left-hand lane whenever possible. Only move to the right to overtake, even if you’re travelling at the national speed limit.

Hint

Red flashing lights above every lane mean you mustn’t go on any further. You’ll also see a red cross illuminated. Stop and wait. Don’t

• change lanes

• continue

• stop on the hard shoulder (unless in an emergency).

Hint

On motorways, reflective studs are set into the road to help you navigate in the dark and in conditions of poor visibility. Amber-coloured studs are on the right-hand edge of the main carriageway, next to the central reservation.

Hint

Reflective studs are placed along the edges and between the lanes on motorways. The colour of the stud can help you identify your position on the road when visibility is reduced; for example, when it’s foggy. Between the lanes, the studs are white. Red studs are used between the left-hand edge of the carriageway and the hard shoulder. Amber studs are used along the right-hand edge of the carriageway, and green studs are used where slip roads enter or leave the motorway.

Hint

The reflective studs between the carriageway and the hard shoulder are normally red. These change to green where there’s a slip road. They help you identify slip roads when visibility is poor or when it’s dark.

Hint

The speed limit on a dual carriageway or motorway is 70 mph for cars and motorcycles, unless there are signs to indicate otherwise. If your car or motorcycle is towing a trailer, then a lower national speed limit applies. The speed limits for different types of vehicle are listed in The Highway Code.

Hint

There’s usually a 30 mph speed limit where street lights are less than 185 metres (600 feet) apart.

Hint

Before giving any signal, you need to use your mirrors to check what’s behind and consider how other drivers may be affected by your signal. Sometimes a signal may not be necessary or you may feel it safer to give a signal earlier or later than normal.

Hint

The purpose of this road marking is to keep the junction clear of queuing traffic. You may only wait in the marked area when you’re turning right and your exit lane is clear but you can’t complete the turn because of oncoming traffic.

Hint

Pedestrians and cyclists can both cross at a toucan crossing; cyclists are permitted to ride across.

Hint

There are three main types of traffic sign: those giving orders, those warning and those informing. Signs giving orders are circular, warning signs are triangular, and direction signs are rectangular.

Hint

To make it easy to recognise, the ‘stop’ sign is the only sign that’s octagonal. The visibility from a junction where the ‘stop’ sign is used will be poor, even from the edge of the junction. You must stop and, if necessary, edge forward until you can see it’s safe to drive out.

Hint

The ‘stop’ sign is the only road sign that’s octagonal. This is so that it can be recognised and obeyed even if it’s obscured; for example, by snow.

Hint

All warning signs are triangular, but the ‘give way’ sign is the only triangular sign that points downwards; this is to give it greater prominence as you approach a junction. When you see this sign, you must give way to traffic on the road that you’re about to join.

Hint

Look at each sign that you pass on the road, so that you don’t miss any warnings, orders or information. The shape of the sign will tell you its purpose: triangular signs warn, circles give orders and rectangles inform.

Hint

Knowing the sequence of traffic lights allows you to plan your approach. This can help prevent excessive braking or hesitation at the junction.

Hint

Be aware that other traffic might still be clearing the junction. When the green light shows, make sure the way is clear before continuing.

Hint

As you approach traffic lights, look into the road you wish to take. If the road is blocked, hold back, even if the green light shows.

Hint

If it’s safe to do so, you may cross a solid white line to pass a road maintenance vehicle, pedal cycle or horse, if they’re travelling at 10 mph (16 km/h) or less. When safe, you may also cross the solid line to enter a side road, access a property or pass a stationary vehicle.

Hint

You must obey signals given by police officers, traffic officers, traffic wardens and signs used by school crossing patrols. When a police officer signals to you to stop, you should stop safely on the left and switch off your engine.

Hint

At night or in poor visibility, reflective studs in the road help you to judge your position on the carriageway; the colour of the stud will assist you further. Where slip roads join or leave the motorway, green studs are used.

Hint

On a single carriageway road, the national speed limit will apply, unless signs indicate otherwise. For a car, the limit is 60 mph unless the car is towing a trailer – in which case the limit is reduced to 50 mph.

Hint

If the lights change to green at a pelican crossing, wait for any pedestrians to finish crossing. Allow them to cross the road in their own time, and don’t try to hurry them by revving your engine.

Hint

A toucan crossing is designed to allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross at the same time. Look out for cyclists approaching the crossing at speed.

Hint

Catalytic converters are designed to reduce toxic exhaust emissions by up to 90%. They have a high normal working temperature and for this reason are inefficient when the engine is cold.

Hint

Check the tyre pressures when the tyres are cold. Warm or hot tyres may give a misleading reading.

Hint

A convex mirror gives a wide view of the scene behind. However, it won’t show you everything behind, or to the side of, your vehicle. Before you move off, look over your shoulder to check for anything that’s not visible in the mirrors.

Hint

Reflective studs on the motorway are there to help you in poor visibility. Different colours are used so that you’ll know which lane you’re in. These are

• red on the left-hand side of the road

• white between lanes

• amber on the right-hand edge of the carriageway

• green between the carriageway and slip roads.

Hint

If a bus is signalling to move off, give it priority as long as it’s safe to do so. Look for pedestrians who have left the bus and may be trying to cross the road.

Hint

At a ford, the road passes through a stream at a place where the water is normally shallow. When you’ve gone through the water, you should test your brakes and if necessary dry them out. To do this, first check that you won’t cause danger to traffic behind. Then apply a light brake pressure while moving slowly. Make sure your brakes are working properly before resuming normal driving.

Hint

The colours of the reflective studs on the motorway, and their locations, are

• red – between the hard shoulder and the carriageway

• white – between the lanes

• amber – between the edge of the carriageway and the central reservation

• green – along slip-road exits and entrances

• bright green/yellow – at roadworks and contraflow systems.

Hint

You may only stop on the carriageway of a motorway

• when told to do so by the police

• when a red cross with flashing red lights shows above every lane

• in a traffic jam

• in an emergency or breakdown.

Hint

A red cross with flashing red lights above your lane shows that your lane is closed. You should move into another lane as soon as you can do so safely. If the signal shows above all lanes, you must stop and not go beyond the signal.

Hint

You must stop and wait behind the white stop line when the red traffic light is showing. The white line is generally positioned so that pedestrians have room to cross in front of waiting traffic. Don’t move off while pedestrians are crossing, even if the lights change to green.

Hint

You should only flash your headlights to warn others of your presence. Don’t use them to

• greet others

• show impatience

• give up your priority. Other road users could misunderstand your signal.

Hint

A mirror with convex glass has a wide field of vision but makes it more difficult to judge the distance and speed of traffic behind. Vehicles seen in this type of mirror appear to be further away than they actually are.

Hint

If you see a vehicle with a flashing green beacon approaching, it means the driver or passenger is a doctor on an emergency call. Allow it to pass when you can do so safely. Someone’s life could depend on the driver making good progress through the traffic.

Hint

When an emergency vehicle is behind with its blue lights flashing, you must remain calm and look ahead for a safe place to move over to let it pass. If you’re waiting at red traffic lights, don’t attempt to clear the way by driving past the red light; this is both dangerous and a traffic offence.

Hint

Keep well back and allow the cyclist room to take up the correct position for the turn. Don’t get too close behind or try to squeeze past.

Hint

Elderly people may misjudge how far away you are and how fast you’re travelling. This may cause them to step into the road when you would expect a pedestrian to wait. They may also walk slowly and so could take a long time to cross the road.

Hint

Although cars are the least likely to be affected, side winds can affect anyone, especially • after overtaking a large vehicle

• when passing gaps between hedges or buildings

• on exposed sections of road.

Hint

If there’s a bend or other obstruction concealing a level crossing, you won’t be able to see the barriers, signals or any waiting traffic. Countdown markers, spaced equally at about 100 yard intervals, give you an early warning that you’re approaching a level crossing, so you can be prepared to stop if necessary.

Hint

As you approach traffic lights that have been on green for some time, anticipate that they’ll soon change. Check your mirror so that you know what traffic is behind you and how far away it is. If the lights change to steady amber, you should stop behind the stop line. If you’re so close to the stop line when the lights change that to stop may cause a collision, you should continue. You’ll only know the risk from traffic behind if you use your mirrors as you approach the lights.

Hint

When traffic lights are out of order, you should treat the junction as an unmarked crossroads. Be cautious, as you may need to give way or stop. Keep a lookout for traffic attempting to cross the junction at speed.

Hint

You must stop if there’s a red cross with red lights flashing above every lane on the motorway. However, if the signs over any of the other lanes don’t show this signal, you may move into one of those lanes and continue, if it’s safe to do so.

Hint

These lights warn that children may be crossing the road to a nearby school. Slow down so that you’re ready to stop if necessary.

Hint

The flashing amber lights are switched on to warn you that children may be crossing near a school. Slow down and take extra care, as you may have to stop.

Hint

You may be difficult to see when you’re travelling at night, even on a well-lit road. If you use dipped headlights rather than sidelights, other road users will see you more easily.

Hint

Use hazard warning lights when your vehicle is stationary, to warn that it’s temporarily obstructing traffic. Never use them to excuse dangerous or illegal parking. You may also use hazard warning lights while you’re driving on a motorway or unrestricted dual carriageway if you need to warn traffic behind of a hazard ahead.

Hint

If the lights at a level crossing continue to flash after a train has passed, wait, as there might be another train coming. Time seems to pass slowly when you’re held up in a queue. Be patient; there’s a good safety reason why the barriers have remained down and the lights continue to flash.

Hint

If your tyre pressures are lower than those recommended by the manufacturer, there will be increased rolling resistance. To overcome this, the engine will have to work harder, resulting in increased fuel consumption. Check your tyre pressures at least once a week.

Hint

Where there are double white lines in the middle of the road and the line nearest to you is broken, you may cross the lines to overtake, provided it’s safe and you can complete the manoeuvre before reaching a solid white line on your side.

Hint

This sign on the overhead gantry will be accompanied by flashing amber lights. The arrow directs you to move into the next lane. There might not be any visible signs of a problem ahead, but there might be queuing traffic or another hazard that you can’t yet see.

Hint

Fluorescent green/yellow reflective studs indicate temporary lane changes, such as at roadworks and contraflow systems. The lanes are often narrower than normal lanes. You should obey any speed restrictions through the roadworks.

Hint

Most power steering systems only work when the engine is running. If the power steering system fails (or the engine cuts out), much more effort will be needed to steer the vehicle.

Hint

Long white lines with short gaps mean there’s a hazard ahead. Often a warning sign will show you the nature of the hazard. Don’t cross the line unless you can see the road is clear well ahead and you wish to overtake or turn off.

Hint

At the end of a one-way street, vehicles turning left will position on the left-hand side of the road and those turning right will use the right-hand side of the road. The double broken ‘give way’ lines will therefore run across the full width of the junction.

Hint

Blue circular signs give a positive instruction (for example, turn left) or indicate a route available only to particular classes of traffic, such as buses and cycles.

Hint

Before you enter a roundabout, you normally give way to any traffic approaching from your immediate right. In a few cases, however, traffic on the roundabout has to give way to traffic entering. Look out for ‘give way’ signs, road markings and traffic lights on the roundabout.

Hint

The traffic that’s permitted to use a contraflow lane travels in the opposite direction to traffic in the other lanes on the road. This is to help public transport make full use of the road network in places that would otherwise be unavailable, such as one-way streets.

Hint

Automatic transmission sometimes changes up as you approach a bend, due to reduced pressure on the accelerator. To avoid this, slow down before you reach the bend, then accelerate gently as you turn.

Hint

The outside mirrors fitted to cars are designed to give the driver the best possible view of the traffic behind. To give a wide angle of view, the mirror is made convex, but this makes everything appear smaller and further away than it really is.

Hint

On a right-hand bend, cornering forces will transfer more weight to the nearside wheels. If the brakes are also applied, the transfer of weight forward, combined with the cornering forces, puts more weight on the nearside front tyre – and this makes the car less stable.

Hint

Some bus lanes only operate during peak hours and other vehicles may use them outside these hours. Make sure you check the sign for the hours of operation before driving in a bus lane. Where no hours are shown, the bus lane operates 24 hours a day.

Hint

A mirror with convex glass gives a wide field of vision. This makes everything appear smaller and further away than it would look in a flat mirror.

Hint

In icy and snowy weather, your stopping distance will be up to 10 times further than in good, dry conditions. To reduce the risk of skidding, take extra care when braking, accelerating and changing direction.

Hint

If your indicators don’t turn off automatically, you must cancel them. This might happen after a slight deviation, where the movement of the steering wheel hasn’t been enough to activate the auto-cancel mechanism. A signal that continues to show after it should have cancelled can mislead other road users.

Hint

A flashing amber light is shown at pelican crossings, but not at puffin crossings. Puffin crossings are controlled electronically and detect when pedestrians are on the crossing. The red light will remain showing to drivers until the system detects that the crossing is clear. The sequence of lights is then the same as for normal traffic lights.

Hint

You mustn’t drive in a bus lane when it’s in operation. If the bus-lane sign shows no times of operation, then the lane is in constant operation.

Hint

Engines burning fossil fuels produce harmful gases. We need to be concerned about the effect this has on our environment. A catalytic converter acts like a filter, removing most of the harmful compounds from the exhaust gas.

Hint

If your tyres don’t have enough air in them, they’ll drag against the surface of the road. This makes the steering feel heavy. As well as affecting steering, under-inflated tyres can affect braking, cornering and fuel consumption.

Hint

If any warning light shows while you’re driving, it indicates a fault that needs prompt attention. If the warning light for the anti-lock brake system shows, have the braking system checked before driving further.

Hint

To test your suspension, press down sharply on the bodywork above each wheel and release it. If the vehicle bounces more than once, take it to be checked by a qualified mechanic. A good shock absorber will dampen the movement immediately.

Hint

The action of sharply pressing the accelerator to the floor (kick-down) will send a signal to the transmission to select a lower gear. This is useful when wanting to accelerate briskly, such as when overtaking another vehicle.

Hint

Even an empty roof rack will create extra wind resistance and this in turn will increase the vehicle’s fuel consumption; for this reason, remove a roof rack when it’s not needed.

Hint

If you’re travelling on an icy road, extra care will be required to avoid loss of control. Keeping your speed down and using the highest gear you can will reduce the risk of the tyres losing their grip on this slippery surface.

Hint

When all four wheels are driven, there’s less chance of the tyres losing their grip, compared with a two-wheel-drive vehicle. But this doesn’t replace the skills you need to drive safely. The extra grip helps to prevent skidding when travelling on slippery or uneven roads.

Hint

When travelling down a steep hill, your vehicle will tend to increase speed. This will make it more difficult for you to stop. To maintain control and prevent the vehicle from running away

• select a lower gear – the engine will then help to control your speed

• use the footbrake to maintain control.

Hint

The steady amber light will be followed by twin flashing red lights, which mean you must stop. An alarm will also sound to alert you to the fact that a train is approaching.

Hint

The flashing amber light allows pedestrians who are already on the crossing to get to the other side before the green light shows to traffic. Give way to them and only proceed when the crossing is clear.

Hint

At a pelican crossing, the green light means you may proceed as long as the crossing is clear. If someone hasn’t finished crossing, be patient and wait for them.

Hint

When coasting, the engine is disconnected from the drive to the wheels. This means that the engine’s resistance can’t be used to help slow the vehicle, especially when travelling downhill. There will be a little coasting every time you change gear; this can’t be avoided, but it should be kept to a minimum.

Hint

Before starting any journey, make sure your windows and mirrors are clean and your lights are working. You need to be able to see clearly and be seen by other road users. This is especially important when visibility is reduced, as in fog or heavy rain.

Hint

A circular sign with a red border tells you what you mustn’t do. If the circle contains a speed limit, you mustn’t exceed the limit, whether the sign is temporary or not.

Hint

It’s illegal to drive or park in a cycle lane marked by a solid white line during its hours of operation. Parking in a cycle lane will obstruct cyclists; they may move into the path of traffic on the main carriageway as they ride around the obstruction. This could be hazardous both for the cyclist and for other road users.

Hint

At a level crossing, flashing red lights mean you must stop. If a train passes but the lights keep flashing, you must continue waiting. Another train will be coming.

Hint

Make sure you know what the different warning lights mean. An illuminated warning light could mean that your car is unsafe to drive. Don’t take risks. If you’re not sure about the problem, get a qualified mechanic to check it.

Hint

You’re responsible for making sure that anything you carry on your vehicle is fastened securely. The safest way to carry items on the roof is in a specially designed roof box. This will help to keep luggage secure and dry. Roof boxes also have less wind resistance than exposed loads carried on a roof rack, and this helps to reduce fuel consumption.

Hint

Selecting a low gear when travelling downhill will help you to control your speed. The engine will assist the brakes and help prevent your vehicle from gathering speed.

Hint

If you don’t have your vehicle serviced regularly, the engine will steadily become less efficient. This loss of efficiency will progressively cause an increase in fuel consumption, engine running problems and increased risk of the vehicle breaking down.

Hint

Cars are designed to have an aerodynamic shape; an empty roof rack causes drag and increased wind resistance. The increased wind resistance will waste fuel; it also increases emissions and causes unnecessary pollution to the atmosphere.

Hint

The diesel you use to run a vehicle is a form of oil and, as such, is very slippery when spilt on the road. The usual places to find diesel spillage are near filling stations and on bends or roundabouts. Overfilled fuel tanks and poorly fitting or missing fuel filler caps are often the cause of diesel spillage, so make sure you replace your fuel filler cap securely after refuelling.

Hint

The anti-lock braking system (ABS) activates automatically when the brakes are applied. It prevents the wheels from locking, so reducing the likelihood of a skid developing. ABS doesn’t remove the need for good driving practices such as anticipation and driving at the correct speed for the conditions.

Hint

To use anti-lock brakes in an emergency, you should brake firmly until you’ve come to a stop. The anti-lock mechanism will activate automatically if it senses the wheels are about to lock.

Hint

If the road surface is loose, it’s possible for the loose surfaces to slide over each other. A vehicle’s tyres may grip the surface layer but this may slide across a lower layer. An anti-lock braking system would be less effective in this situation.

Hint

If your car is fitted with an anti-lock braking system (ABS), this will activate when you brake so hard that the tyres start to lose their grip on the road surface. At this point, the wheels would normally lock up and a skid would start. The ABS senses the wheel locking and releases the brake pressure just enough to avoid the skid. It then cycles through applying and releasing the brake pressure many times per second. This ensures maximum braking for the available grip is constantly applied without the wheels locking.

Hint

A high-intensity rear fog light helps drivers behind to see that there’s a vehicle ahead, even though its outline can’t be seen due to fog.

Hint

The flashing amber light comes on after the red light, and people may still be crossing. If the crossing is clear and it’s safe, you may drive on without waiting for the green light.

Hint

If a police officer or traffic warden directing traffic signals you to stop, you must obey them. They’ll use the arm signals shown in The Highway Code. If they’re controlling traffic where traffic lights have failed, react to their signal as though it had been given by the traffic lights.

Hint

You mustn’t park within the area marked by zigzag lines on either side of a pedestrian crossing. You’ll be causing an obstruction by obscuring the view of both pedestrians and drivers.

Hint

If you don’t keep your tyres inflated to the recommended pressure, they may wear unevenly. Over-inflated tyres will tend to wear heavily in the centre tread area, while under-inflated tyres will tend to wear more on their outer edges. Check your tyres regularly and use a reliable gauge. Follow the manufacturer’s guide for the correct tyre pressure; check and adjust the pressure when the tyres are cold.

Hint

You should check the coolant level frequently, particularly before a long journey, and top it up as necessary. The need to top up often might indicate a leak or other fault in the cooling system. Have it checked by your garage or dealer.

Hint

If air gets into the hydraulic system, the brake pedal will feel spongy. When you press it, the air is compressed, causing the pedal to move further than normal. As a result, braking efficiency is reduced. Have the system checked by a qualified mechanic: brake faults are too important to be ignored.

Hint

Routine checks, particularly before a long journey, can help to save trouble and expense. Check the operation of all lights, including the brake lights, each time you use the vehicle.

Hint

Some junctions only have ‘give way’ lines. This is usually where there’s relatively little traffic. ‘Give way’ signs, and/or road markings, show you that traffic on the road you want to enter has priority.

Hint

Most motorway signs have a blue background with white lettering, numbers and borders. These signs not only confirm motorway status but are designed to give clear information to drivers travelling at motorway speeds.

Hint

This hatched area is bordered by broken lines; in normal driving, there shouldn’t be a need to enter or cross the hatched area. When exceptional circumstances arise (for example, the need to pass a temporary obstruction or a slow-moving vehicle), you may drive on a hatched area when you’re sure that it’s safe to do so. Where hatched areas are bordered by a solid line, you mustn’t enter the area except in an emergency.

Hint

You should always assess the depth of the water and avoid driving through deep or fast-flowing water. There’s a risk that water may stop the engine if it enters the combustion chamber via the air intake, obstructs the exhaust pipe or short-circuits the ignition system. In addition, there’s a risk of the vehicle being swept away by fast-flowing water. To drive through shallow water, you should drive slowly, because this will prevent a wave from washing over the engine. To ensure the exhaust pipe doesn’t become flooded, the engine speed should be kept high, which may require you to slip the clutch.

Hint

At the start of their training, a pupil needs to understand why the seating adjustment is important. They should familiarise themselves with all seat adjustment controls; without assistance, pupils should be able to move the seat into a position where they can reach all of the important controls comfortably.

Hint

When you park a vehicle facing uphill and on the left, turn the steering wheel to the right. If the parking brake fails, this will give the front wheels the least distance to travel before wedging against the kerb, preventing the vehicle from rolling further. It’s also a good idea to leave the car in gear, or select ‘P’ on an automatic.

Hint

Exterior mirrors are designed to be convex. This gives a wide angle of view and helps to reduce blind areas. However, a vehicle behind will appear smaller and further away in a convex mirror, so it could be closer than you think.

Hint

If you drive too fast in wet conditions, your steering may suddenly feel ‘light’. This indicates that the tyres have lifted off the surface of the road and are skating on the surface of the water. This is known as aquaplaning. While this is happening, you’ll be unable to steer the vehicle and your brakes will have no effect on your speed. To restore your tyres’ grip on the road, ease off the accelerator smoothly. Don’t brake or turn the steering until tyre grip has been restored.