Driving Theory Test Notes
Section one - Alertness - being alert to surroundings is vital to driving safety and avoiding dangerous situations
Observation and Awareness
● Things to be aware of while driving - other road users, pedestrians, signs and road markings, weather
conditions , the area you are driving through
● Before you move off you should - use mirror to check how actions will affect traffic behind you, look around for a
final check including blind spot of the car (the area behind you that your unable to see in mirrors), signal if
necessary
● Getting a clear view - if you cant see behind you when reversing ask someone to help guide, if your view is
blocked by parked cars when coming out of a junction move forward slowly until you get a clear view
● Overtaking - observation is particular important when overtaking - looking out for; vehicles coming towards you,
whether your near a junction (vehicles could come out of the junction when your overtaking), whether the road
gets narrower, bends or dips in the road (may make it difficult to see oncoming traffic), road signs that indicate
no overtaking
● Before you overtake them check that - it's safe, legal and necessary + you have enough time to complete the
overtaking manoeuvre
● Being seen by others - important that other road users know that you are there - switch lights on when it starts
to get dark even if street lights aren't on, when you can't be seen such as at a hump bridge you may need to
use the horn, if your following a large vehicle remember to stay back so you can be seen in their mirrors
(remember if you can't see a large vehicles mirrors the driver can't see you)
Anticipation - can help avoid problems and incidents and drive more safely
● Use road signs and markings - these give information about hazards - follow their advice + slow down if
necessary
● Circles - give orders
● Triangles - give warnings
● Rectangles - give information
● When turning onto a dual carriageway (a road that has a central reservation to separate the carriageways)
check that the central reservation (an area of land that separates opposing lanes of traffic) is wide enough for
the vehicle to stop in - do this in case you have to wait before joining the traffic
● If your approaching traffic lights that have been green for some time prepare to stop as they may change
● Road conditions can affect how easy it is to indicate what might happen - it is more difficult when - weather is
very wet or windy, light is poor, traffic volume is heavy, route your driving is new - in these conditions need to be
particularly aware of what's happening around you
● Anticipating what other road users might do - be aware of more vulnerable road users… Pedestrians
approaching a crossing especially young, older or diabled people who may need more time to cross the road,
cyclists - always pass slowly and leave plenty of room especially if young as they have less experience of
dealing with traffic, motorcyclists who may be difficult to see, horses - who may be startled by noise of vehicle
so go slowly and leave plenty of room
● Always be ready to stop - no matter how prepared you may still have to stop quickly in an emergency, keep
both hands on the wheel as you brake to keep control of your vehicle
Staying focused - driving safely requires a lot of concentration - stay focused on driving and don't get distracted
● Always plan your journey so that - you know which route you need to take + have regular rest stops
● Avoiding tiredness - you won't be able to concentrate properly if your tired (especially at night) - don't drive
continuously for more than 2 hours, keep fresh air circulating in the car, if you start to feel drowsy leave at the
next exit and find a safe and legal place to stop and take a break (have a cup of coffee or another caffeinated
drink however this is only a short term solution and not a substitute for proper rest if possible take a short nap)
● Distraction - devices + navigation etc can divide your concentration between the road ahead and what your
hearing - taking your eyes off the road for just a second could be disastrous - at 60mph your vehicle will travel
27 meters in 1 second (60mph = 27m/s or 29.5 yards) + be careful that your passengers don't distract you
Using your phone while driving is illegal and drastically increases your chance of getting involved in a collision,
even a hands free phone isn't safe because you could be distracted from driving by making a call. Be safe and
, switch off ir out it to voicemail - if your driving on a motorway you should leave the motorway and stop in a safe
place before using your phone + if you have a navigation system stop in a safe place before reprogramming +
could be distracted by something that's happened on the road - don't slow down to see an incident etc carry on
with your journey and keep your concentration on your driving
● Meeting the standards
- You must be able to - decide if your fit to drive (too tired, ill, emotional, under influence of drugs or alcohol),
manage passengers so that they don't stop you from driving safely, be aware what's around you (nearby and far
away) at all times, drive at such a speed that you can always stop in the clear space ahead of you)
- You must know and understand - how a poor seating position and posture can make you tired, how to deal with
passengers who make it hard for you to concentrate on the road that some cars have large pillars that block
your view and how to deal with thism how to read the road ahead and be prepared for the unexpected
Section two - Attitude
Good manners on the road
● Be considerate to other road drivers - cyclists and horse riders etc have as much as right to use the road as you
● Important to be patient with other road users - not everyone obeys the rules - maintain calm and tolerant
● Helping other road users - can be done by showing other users what your going to do - signalling and
positioning correctly
● If your driving a slow moving vehicle consider drivers behind you - if there's a long queue pull over as soon as it
is safe to do so and let the traffic past
● If a large vehicle is trying to overtake you but is taking a long time, slow down and let it pass (it will need more
time to pass than a normal car would)
● If your travelling at the speed limit and a driver comes up being flashing their headlights or trying to overtake
keep a steady course and allow them to overtake
● Using your horn and lights - only use your horn if there's danger and you need to let others know you're their -
not through impatience
● At night don't dazzle other road users dip your headlights when… 1) following another vehicle 2) meeting
another vehicle coming towards you
● If your queuing in traffic at night use your handbrake rather than keeping your foot on the brake, as the brake
lights could dazzle drivers behind you
● You should only flash your headlights to show other road users you are there
● Animals on the road - horses can be frightened easily - when passing - keep speed down and give them plenty
of space - take care when other animals eg. sheep or if your asked to stop and switch off your engine
Following safely
● Driving too closely behind another vehicle is known tailgating is intimidating and distracting for road users in
front and very dangerous as could cause an incident if vehicle in front comes to a sudden stop
● Travelling too closely to the vehicle in front also means you can see less of the vehicle in front and less likely to
spot hazards especially if it is a larger vehicle
● Keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front - in dry conditions leave a 2 second gap and in wet weather
(double) so a 4 second gap and ten times in icy conditions so a 20 second gap
● Use a fixed point like a road sign to measure the distance between you and the car in front
● When your following large vehicles they may move to the centre before turning left as they need more room to
move so don't try and pass them at this point
● If the road user behind is following too closely gradually increase the gap between you and the vehicle in front -
this will give a greater safety margin
Giving priority to others
● Who has priority on a road can change depending on road signs - BUT other drivers may not see the sign
● Emergency vehicles - alway give priority to emergency vehicles - pull over as soon as it is safe - blue flashing
lights (Emergency services, HM coastguard, Mountain rescue, bomb disposal, blood transfusion) and doctors
vehicles may have a green flashing light when answering emergency calls
● Priority to buses - give priority when pulling out from bus stops if possible and safe - be aware of road signs and
markings so that you don't use bus lanes while they in operation
● Unmarked crossings - no one has priority - slow down and look both ways
, ● Pedestrian crossings
- Zebra crossings - watch out for pedestrians at or approaching - be ready to slow down and stop, be patient if
crossing slowly, don't encourage them by waving or flashlights as there may be a vehicle coming the other way
- Pelican crossing - if amber light is flashing - give way to pedestrians on crossing and don't move until crossing
is clear
- Puffin crossing - electronically controlled - red light until pedestrian has safely crossed the road - don't have
flashing amber light, steady amber light like normal traffic lights
- Toucan crossings - work similar to pelican crossings allow cyclists to cross at the same time as pedestrians
● Meeting the standards
- You must be able to - help other road users what you intend to do by signalling correctly, support signals with
the position of vehicle, control reaction to other road users, give other users enough time and space
- You must know and understand - what can happen if you wronky use headlights or horn as a signal, what lane
disoline is and why important, why it's an offence to drive without due care and attention and reasonable
consideration of other road users
Section three - Safety and your vehicle
Looking after your car
● Regular maintained will make sure your car is fit for the road and use fuel efficiency and keep exhaust
emissions to a minimum
● Check the following items on a regular basis
- Seat belts, speedometer, horn, steering wheel, wipers and washers, lights, exhaust system, brakes
- Windscreen - should be free of cracks and chips
- Battery - may need topping up with distilled water unless its a maintenance free battery
- Oil and coolant levels - especially important for long journey (make sure not to overfill with oil as this can leak)
- Brake fluid - if this is low air may enter the system causing the breaks not to work properly
- Tyre pressure - check at least once a week when the tyres are cold to get an accurate reading - under inflated
tyres - make steering feel heavy, increase fuel consumption, increase stopping distance
- Tyre condition - uneven wear can be caused by faults in the braking system, suspension or tracking. If the front
wheels are unbalanced they could make the steering vibrate - the tyres must have at least 1.6mm tread across
the middle ¾ of the tyre
● Dry steering - when you turn the steering wheel while teg car is not moving causing unnecessary wear to the
tyres and steering mechanism
● To check the condition of the shock absorbers ‘bounce’ the vehicle - push down hard on each wheel there
should be no more than one rebound when released
Dealing with faults
● Warning lights - use the vehicle handbook to what the warning light indicates and don't ignore the warning as it
could affect your safety
● The anti-locking braking system (ABS) warning light should go out when the cars travelling at 5-10mph - if not
get it checked by a mechanic
● Brake fade - is when the brakes become less effective because of overheating - use a lower gear to help control
your vehicle's speed
● Visit a garage as soon as possible if - the steering vibrates as it may require balancing + if the vehicle pulls to
one side when braking - your brakes may need adjusting
● Balancing - making sure that the wheels and tyres are adjusted to minimize any vibrations in the vehicle
Safety equipment
● Seat belts and restraints - the driver is responsible for making sure that children under 14 wear a suitable
restraint - Adults, children over 12 or over 1.35m MUST wear a seatbelt unless exempt, Children 3-12 and
under 1.35m must wear a suitable child restraint if not available then an adult seatbelt must be used, children
under 3 must wear a suitable child seat never fit a rear facing baby seat in a seat protected by an active air bag
(must be deactivated first)
● When you get into the car (safety before starting to drive) - adjust seat so can reach all controls comfortably,
adjust headrest to avoid neck injury on collision, wear suitable shoes to maintain control of pedals, adjust mirror
Section one - Alertness - being alert to surroundings is vital to driving safety and avoiding dangerous situations
Observation and Awareness
● Things to be aware of while driving - other road users, pedestrians, signs and road markings, weather
conditions , the area you are driving through
● Before you move off you should - use mirror to check how actions will affect traffic behind you, look around for a
final check including blind spot of the car (the area behind you that your unable to see in mirrors), signal if
necessary
● Getting a clear view - if you cant see behind you when reversing ask someone to help guide, if your view is
blocked by parked cars when coming out of a junction move forward slowly until you get a clear view
● Overtaking - observation is particular important when overtaking - looking out for; vehicles coming towards you,
whether your near a junction (vehicles could come out of the junction when your overtaking), whether the road
gets narrower, bends or dips in the road (may make it difficult to see oncoming traffic), road signs that indicate
no overtaking
● Before you overtake them check that - it's safe, legal and necessary + you have enough time to complete the
overtaking manoeuvre
● Being seen by others - important that other road users know that you are there - switch lights on when it starts
to get dark even if street lights aren't on, when you can't be seen such as at a hump bridge you may need to
use the horn, if your following a large vehicle remember to stay back so you can be seen in their mirrors
(remember if you can't see a large vehicles mirrors the driver can't see you)
Anticipation - can help avoid problems and incidents and drive more safely
● Use road signs and markings - these give information about hazards - follow their advice + slow down if
necessary
● Circles - give orders
● Triangles - give warnings
● Rectangles - give information
● When turning onto a dual carriageway (a road that has a central reservation to separate the carriageways)
check that the central reservation (an area of land that separates opposing lanes of traffic) is wide enough for
the vehicle to stop in - do this in case you have to wait before joining the traffic
● If your approaching traffic lights that have been green for some time prepare to stop as they may change
● Road conditions can affect how easy it is to indicate what might happen - it is more difficult when - weather is
very wet or windy, light is poor, traffic volume is heavy, route your driving is new - in these conditions need to be
particularly aware of what's happening around you
● Anticipating what other road users might do - be aware of more vulnerable road users… Pedestrians
approaching a crossing especially young, older or diabled people who may need more time to cross the road,
cyclists - always pass slowly and leave plenty of room especially if young as they have less experience of
dealing with traffic, motorcyclists who may be difficult to see, horses - who may be startled by noise of vehicle
so go slowly and leave plenty of room
● Always be ready to stop - no matter how prepared you may still have to stop quickly in an emergency, keep
both hands on the wheel as you brake to keep control of your vehicle
Staying focused - driving safely requires a lot of concentration - stay focused on driving and don't get distracted
● Always plan your journey so that - you know which route you need to take + have regular rest stops
● Avoiding tiredness - you won't be able to concentrate properly if your tired (especially at night) - don't drive
continuously for more than 2 hours, keep fresh air circulating in the car, if you start to feel drowsy leave at the
next exit and find a safe and legal place to stop and take a break (have a cup of coffee or another caffeinated
drink however this is only a short term solution and not a substitute for proper rest if possible take a short nap)
● Distraction - devices + navigation etc can divide your concentration between the road ahead and what your
hearing - taking your eyes off the road for just a second could be disastrous - at 60mph your vehicle will travel
27 meters in 1 second (60mph = 27m/s or 29.5 yards) + be careful that your passengers don't distract you
Using your phone while driving is illegal and drastically increases your chance of getting involved in a collision,
even a hands free phone isn't safe because you could be distracted from driving by making a call. Be safe and
, switch off ir out it to voicemail - if your driving on a motorway you should leave the motorway and stop in a safe
place before using your phone + if you have a navigation system stop in a safe place before reprogramming +
could be distracted by something that's happened on the road - don't slow down to see an incident etc carry on
with your journey and keep your concentration on your driving
● Meeting the standards
- You must be able to - decide if your fit to drive (too tired, ill, emotional, under influence of drugs or alcohol),
manage passengers so that they don't stop you from driving safely, be aware what's around you (nearby and far
away) at all times, drive at such a speed that you can always stop in the clear space ahead of you)
- You must know and understand - how a poor seating position and posture can make you tired, how to deal with
passengers who make it hard for you to concentrate on the road that some cars have large pillars that block
your view and how to deal with thism how to read the road ahead and be prepared for the unexpected
Section two - Attitude
Good manners on the road
● Be considerate to other road drivers - cyclists and horse riders etc have as much as right to use the road as you
● Important to be patient with other road users - not everyone obeys the rules - maintain calm and tolerant
● Helping other road users - can be done by showing other users what your going to do - signalling and
positioning correctly
● If your driving a slow moving vehicle consider drivers behind you - if there's a long queue pull over as soon as it
is safe to do so and let the traffic past
● If a large vehicle is trying to overtake you but is taking a long time, slow down and let it pass (it will need more
time to pass than a normal car would)
● If your travelling at the speed limit and a driver comes up being flashing their headlights or trying to overtake
keep a steady course and allow them to overtake
● Using your horn and lights - only use your horn if there's danger and you need to let others know you're their -
not through impatience
● At night don't dazzle other road users dip your headlights when… 1) following another vehicle 2) meeting
another vehicle coming towards you
● If your queuing in traffic at night use your handbrake rather than keeping your foot on the brake, as the brake
lights could dazzle drivers behind you
● You should only flash your headlights to show other road users you are there
● Animals on the road - horses can be frightened easily - when passing - keep speed down and give them plenty
of space - take care when other animals eg. sheep or if your asked to stop and switch off your engine
Following safely
● Driving too closely behind another vehicle is known tailgating is intimidating and distracting for road users in
front and very dangerous as could cause an incident if vehicle in front comes to a sudden stop
● Travelling too closely to the vehicle in front also means you can see less of the vehicle in front and less likely to
spot hazards especially if it is a larger vehicle
● Keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front - in dry conditions leave a 2 second gap and in wet weather
(double) so a 4 second gap and ten times in icy conditions so a 20 second gap
● Use a fixed point like a road sign to measure the distance between you and the car in front
● When your following large vehicles they may move to the centre before turning left as they need more room to
move so don't try and pass them at this point
● If the road user behind is following too closely gradually increase the gap between you and the vehicle in front -
this will give a greater safety margin
Giving priority to others
● Who has priority on a road can change depending on road signs - BUT other drivers may not see the sign
● Emergency vehicles - alway give priority to emergency vehicles - pull over as soon as it is safe - blue flashing
lights (Emergency services, HM coastguard, Mountain rescue, bomb disposal, blood transfusion) and doctors
vehicles may have a green flashing light when answering emergency calls
● Priority to buses - give priority when pulling out from bus stops if possible and safe - be aware of road signs and
markings so that you don't use bus lanes while they in operation
● Unmarked crossings - no one has priority - slow down and look both ways
, ● Pedestrian crossings
- Zebra crossings - watch out for pedestrians at or approaching - be ready to slow down and stop, be patient if
crossing slowly, don't encourage them by waving or flashlights as there may be a vehicle coming the other way
- Pelican crossing - if amber light is flashing - give way to pedestrians on crossing and don't move until crossing
is clear
- Puffin crossing - electronically controlled - red light until pedestrian has safely crossed the road - don't have
flashing amber light, steady amber light like normal traffic lights
- Toucan crossings - work similar to pelican crossings allow cyclists to cross at the same time as pedestrians
● Meeting the standards
- You must be able to - help other road users what you intend to do by signalling correctly, support signals with
the position of vehicle, control reaction to other road users, give other users enough time and space
- You must know and understand - what can happen if you wronky use headlights or horn as a signal, what lane
disoline is and why important, why it's an offence to drive without due care and attention and reasonable
consideration of other road users
Section three - Safety and your vehicle
Looking after your car
● Regular maintained will make sure your car is fit for the road and use fuel efficiency and keep exhaust
emissions to a minimum
● Check the following items on a regular basis
- Seat belts, speedometer, horn, steering wheel, wipers and washers, lights, exhaust system, brakes
- Windscreen - should be free of cracks and chips
- Battery - may need topping up with distilled water unless its a maintenance free battery
- Oil and coolant levels - especially important for long journey (make sure not to overfill with oil as this can leak)
- Brake fluid - if this is low air may enter the system causing the breaks not to work properly
- Tyre pressure - check at least once a week when the tyres are cold to get an accurate reading - under inflated
tyres - make steering feel heavy, increase fuel consumption, increase stopping distance
- Tyre condition - uneven wear can be caused by faults in the braking system, suspension or tracking. If the front
wheels are unbalanced they could make the steering vibrate - the tyres must have at least 1.6mm tread across
the middle ¾ of the tyre
● Dry steering - when you turn the steering wheel while teg car is not moving causing unnecessary wear to the
tyres and steering mechanism
● To check the condition of the shock absorbers ‘bounce’ the vehicle - push down hard on each wheel there
should be no more than one rebound when released
Dealing with faults
● Warning lights - use the vehicle handbook to what the warning light indicates and don't ignore the warning as it
could affect your safety
● The anti-locking braking system (ABS) warning light should go out when the cars travelling at 5-10mph - if not
get it checked by a mechanic
● Brake fade - is when the brakes become less effective because of overheating - use a lower gear to help control
your vehicle's speed
● Visit a garage as soon as possible if - the steering vibrates as it may require balancing + if the vehicle pulls to
one side when braking - your brakes may need adjusting
● Balancing - making sure that the wheels and tyres are adjusted to minimize any vibrations in the vehicle
Safety equipment
● Seat belts and restraints - the driver is responsible for making sure that children under 14 wear a suitable
restraint - Adults, children over 12 or over 1.35m MUST wear a seatbelt unless exempt, Children 3-12 and
under 1.35m must wear a suitable child restraint if not available then an adult seatbelt must be used, children
under 3 must wear a suitable child seat never fit a rear facing baby seat in a seat protected by an active air bag
(must be deactivated first)
● When you get into the car (safety before starting to drive) - adjust seat so can reach all controls comfortably,
adjust headrest to avoid neck injury on collision, wear suitable shoes to maintain control of pedals, adjust mirror
