Theory Test #5

When a car is three years old (four years old in Northern Ireland), it must pass an MOT test and have a valid MOT certificate before it can be used on the road. Exceptionally, you may
• drive to a pre-arranged test appointment or to a garage for repairs required for the test
• drive vehicles that are more than 40 years old without an MOT test, but they must be in a roadworthy condition before being used on the road. See GOV.UK for more details.

A last check in the offside mirror and blind spot will allow you sight of any cyclist or motorcyclist overtaking as you wait to turn.

A heavy load on your roof rack will reduce the stability of the vehicle because it moves the centre of gravity away from that designed by the manufacturer. Be aware of this when you negotiate bends and corners. If you change direction at speed, your vehicle and/or load could become unstable and you could lose control.

Regular servicing will help to detect faults at an early stage and this will avoid the risk of minor faults becoming serious or even dangerous.

If you want to keep a vehicle off the public road you must declare SORN. It is an offence not to do so. You then won’t have to pay road tax. If you don’t renew the SORN declaration or re-license the vehicle, you will incur a penalty.

If you are driving at night or in poor visibility, tinted lenses will reduce the efficiency of your vision, by reducing the amount of available light reaching your eyes.

When surface spray reduces visibility switch on your dipped headlights. This will help other road users to see you.

Always look out for motorcyclists, and cyclists, particularly at junctions. They are smaller and usually more difficult to see than other vehicles.

You should plan your overtaking to take into account any hazards ahead. In this picture the marking indicates that you are approaching a junction. You will not have time to overtake and move back into the left safely.

Be especially careful if you’re on a motorway in fog. Reflective studs are used to help you in poor visibility. Different colours are used so that you’ll know which lane you are 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

A contraflow system means that traffic will be flowing along lanes in the opposite direction to the norm. As such, when you approach a contraflow system you should reduce your speed in plenty of time.

You MUST NOT park or stop on a road marked with double white lines (even where one of the lines is broken) except to pick up or set down passengers.

Make a note of the date that your MOT certificate expires. Some garages remind you that your vehicle is due an MOT but not all do. You may take your vehicle for MOT up to to one month in advance and have the certificate post dated.

Trailers and caravans may be left in storage over the winter months and tyres can deteriorate. It’s important to check their tread depth and also the pressures and general condition. The legal tread depth applies to the central three quarters of its breadth over its entire circumference.

Only travel if you have to. Making unnecessary journeys in bad weather can increase the risk of having a collision. It’s important that you can see and be seen. Make sure any snow or ice is cleared from lights, mirrors, number plates and windows.

You should slow down and be cautious. The bridge is narrow and there may not be enough room for you to pass an oncoming vehicle at this point. There is also no footpath, so there may be pedestrians in the road.

If there's a bend just before a level crossing, you may not be able to see the level-crossing barriers or waiting traffic. These signs give you an early warning that you may find these hazards just around the bend

Anti-lock brakes will not be required when braking normally. Looking well down the road and anticipating possible hazards could prevent you having to brake late and harshly. Knowing that you have anti-lock brakes is not an excuse to drive in a careless or reckless way.

Hold back and allow the cyclist to move off. In some towns, junctions have special areas marked across the front of the traffic lane. These allow cyclists to wait for the lights to change and move off ahead of other traffic.

You should be slowing down and selecting the correct gear in case you have to stop at the level crossing. Look for the signals and be prepared to stop if necessary.

Always check the road signs. Triangular signs are warning signs: they inform you about hazards ahead and help you to anticipate any problems. There are a number of different signs showing pedestrians. Learn the meaning of each one.

Triangular signs give you a warning of hazards ahead. They're there to give you time to prepare for the hazard; for example, by adjusting your speed.

Do not move a casualty unless therev is further danger, for example, from other traffic or fire. They may unseen or internal injuries. Moving them unnecessarily could cause further injury. Do NOT remove a motorcyclist's helmet unless it is essential.

If you’re planning to make a journey when it’s foggy, listen to the weather reports on the radio or television. Don’t travel if visibility is very poor or your trip isn’t necessary. If you do travel, leave plenty of time for your journey. If someone is expecting you at the other end, let them know that you’ll be taking longer than normal to arrive.

Harsh use of the accelerator, brakes or steering are likely to lead to skidding, especially on slippery surfaces. Avoid steering and braking at the same time. In icy conditions it’s very important that you constantly assess what’s ahead, so that you can take appropriate action in plenty of time.

Talk to the casualty and keep them calm. Do not attempt to move them as this could cause further injury. Call an ambulance at the first opportunity.

Sign warns road users that they are approaching a Zebra crossing and should be prepared to stop if necessary.

There are several factors that can affect the distance it takes to stop your vehicle. Adjust your driving to take account of how the weather conditions could affect your tyres' grip on the road.

It is your legal responsibility to keep the details of your Vehicle Registration Certificate (V5C) up to date. You should tell the licensing authority of any changes. These include your name, address, or vehicle details. If you don’t do this you may have problems when you sell your vehicle.

When an Active Traffic Management (ATM) scheme is operating on a motorway you MUST follow the mandatory instructions shown on the gantries above each lane. This includes the hard shoulder.

You don’t have to carry the documents for your vehicle around with you. If a police officer asks to see them and you don’t have them with you, you may be asked to produce them at a police station within seven days.

It is illegal to use a hand-held mobile phone while driving, except in a genuine emergency. Even using hands-free kit can distract your attention. Park in a safe and convenient place before receiving or making a call or using text messaging. Then you will also be free to take notes or refer to papers.

Always check the road into which you are turning. Approaching at the correct speed will allow you enough time to observe and react. Give way to any pedestrians already crossing the road.

Cyclists approaching a roundabout in the left-hand lane may be turning right but may not have been able to get into the correct lane due to the heavy traffic. They may also feel safer keeping to the left all the way round the roundabout. Be aware of them and give them plenty of room.

Before overtaking assess the situation. Look well ahead to see if the cyclist will need to change direction. Be especially aware of the cyclist approaching parked vehicles as they will need to alter course. Do not pass too closely or cut in sharply.

If you see a triangular sign with a row of cars on it, it's warning you that you're approaching a congested area, so be prepared to stop. The queues ahead might be hidden, so make sure you're aware of vehicles behind you that could be following too closely.

Stay in the left-hand lane long enough to get used to the higher speeds of motorway traffic.