Theory Test #8

A mandatory speed limit sign above the hard shoulder shows that it can be used as a running lane between junctions. You must stay within the speed limit. Look out for vehicles that may have broken down and could be blocking the hard shoulder.

At some junctions the layout may make it difficult to turn offside to offside. If this is the case, be prepared to pass nearside to nearside, but take extra care as your view ahead will be obscured by the vehicle turning in front of you.

Sign informs drivers that they have priority over traffic approaching them from oncoming vehicles approaching them from the opposite direction.

Allow the sheep to clear the road before you proceed. Animals are unpredictable and startle easily; they could turn and run into your path or into the path of another moving vehicle.

Wait for a safe gap in the traffic before you move out. Indicate your intention and use the hard shoulder to gain speed but don’t force your way into the traffic.

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.

You should take extra care when you first encounter trams. You will have to get used to dealing with a different traffic system. Be aware that they can accelerate and travel very quickly and that they cannot change direction to avoid obstructions.

Don’t reverse into a main road from a side road. The main road is likely to be busy and the traffic on it moving quickly. Cut down the risks by reversing into a quiet side road.

Other things to check include lights. Battery, a lot of these are now maintenance free. Steering, check for any play in the steering. Oil, water and suspension also need checking.

Towing a large trailer or caravan can greatly reduce your view of the road behind. You need to use the correct equipment to make sure you can see clearly behind and down both sides of the caravan or trailer.

Bus-lane signs show the vehicles allowed to use the lane and its times of operation. Where no times are shown, the bus lane is in operation 24 hours a day.

Having an excess on your policy will help to keep down the premium, but if you make a claim you will have to pay the excess yourself.

If a motorcyclist is travelling slowly it may be that they are looking for a turning or entrance. Be patient and stay behind them in case they need to make a sudden change of direction.

Keep a lookout for traffic signs. If you're directed to change lanes, do so in good time. Don't push your way into traffic in another lane try to gain advantage by delaying changing lanes

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.

Don’t forget that you’re towing a trailer. If you’re towing a small, light, trailer, it won’t reduce your vehicle’s performance by very much. However, strong winds or buffeting from large vehicles might cause the trailer to snake from side to side. Be aware of your speed and don’t exceed the lower limit imposed.

If you see a motorcyclist take a quick glance over their shoulder, this could mean they are about to change direction. Recognising a clue like this helps you to be prepared and take appropriate action, making you safer on the road.

The draught caused by other vehicles could be strong enough to push you out of your lane. Keep both hands on the steering wheel to maintain full control.

As you approach the vehicle, assess the situation. Due to its slow progress you will need to judge whether it is safe to overtake.

You should move to another lane if it is safe to do so. This can greatly assist the flow of traffic joining the motorway, especially at peak times.

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

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

Take care if you have to pass a parked vehicle on your side of the road. Give way to oncoming traffic if there isn’t enough room for you both to continue safely.

The exit from a motorway is indicated by countdown markers. These are positioned 90 metres (100 yards) apart, the first being 270 metres (300 yards) from the start of the slip road. Move into the left-hand lane well before you reach the start of the slip road.

When traffic travels at a constant speed over a longer distance, journey times normally improve. You may feel that you could travel faster for short periods but this won’t generally improve your overall journey time. Signs will show the maximum speed at which you should travel.

Active Traffic Management schemes are intended to reduce congestion and make journey times more reliable. In these areas the hard shoulder may be used as a running lane to ease congestion at peak times or in the event of an incident. It may appear that you could travel faster for a short distance, but keeping traffic flow at a constant speed may improve your journey time.

Advance warning triangles fold flat and don't take up much room. Use it to warn other road users if your vehicle has broken down or there's been an incident. Don't use them on motorways.

You should give way to traffic already on the motorway. Where possible they may move over to let you in but don’t force your way into the traffic stream. The traffic may be travelling at high speed so you should match your speed to fit in.

Other traffic will have to pull out to pass you. They may have to use the other side of the road, and if you park near the brow of a hill, they may not be able to see oncoming traffic. It's important not to park at or near a bus stop as this could inconvenience passengers, and may put them at risk as they get on or off the bus. Parking near a junction could restrict the view for emerging vehicles.

Take extra care as the pedestrian may not be aware of vehicles approaching.

If a disabled driver's vehicle breaks down and they are unable to walk to an emergency phone, they're advised to stay in their car and switch on the hazard warning lights. They may also display a 'Help' pennant in their vehicle.

The names of towns and cities may be painted on the road at busy junctions and complex road systems. Their purpose is to let you move into the correct lane in good time, allowing traffic to flow more freely.

You should only flash your headlights to warn others of your presence. Don’t use them to, greet others, show impatience or give priority to other road users. They could misunderstand your signal.

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 or may stop in a hurry.

A mandatory speed limit sign above the hard shoulder shows that it can be used as a running lane between junctions. You must stay within the speed limit. Look out for vehicles that may have broken down and could be blocking the hard shoulder.