It's dangerous for vehicles to travel too close together. Visibility is reduced and there's a higher risk of collision if a vehicle brakes suddenly to avoid a hazard. By increasing the separation distance between you and the vehicle in front, you have a greater safety margin. If necessary, this will allow you to reduce speed gradually and so avoid the vehicle behind being unable to stop within the space it has allowed.

The closer a driver gets to the vehicle in front, the less they can see of the road ahead. The safety aspects of keeping well back to gain a better view need to be emphasised and practised. It takes a long time to overtake a long vehicle and a good view of the road ahead is necessary to see that there's enough room to overtake safely.

Regardless of a driver's experience, the Mirrors - Signal - Manoeuvre (MSM) routine should be an integral part of their driving. The Manoeuvre part is broken down into P - Position - Position your vehicle correctly and in good time. S - Speed - Adjust your speed as necessary for the manoeuvre. L - Look - Look for other traffic or road users when you reach a point from which you can see. Assess the situation, then decide whether it's safe to proceed and act accordingly.

If you have to pass an obstruction, such as a parked vehicle on your side of the road, you'll need to cross, either partly or fully, to the other side of the road. This could put you at risk from approaching traffic. You should give way to oncoming traffic if there isn't enough room for you both to continue safely.

When driving in traffic, keep within your lane. Driving in the centre of your lane ensures there's as much space as possible between you and the traffic on either side. You should always follow the lane markings, which are there for two reasons: they make the best possible use of road space and they guide the traffic.

Always check the label on any medication you take, as some medicine can make you feel drowsy and slow your reactions. Your doctor or pharmacist will be able to give you advice about possible side-effects of both prescribed and over-the-counter medicines.

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.

If a driver makes a mistake and emerges from a side road into your path, you should show tolerance and not react aggressively. If you're shaken or upset by the experience, slow down and - if necessary - stop in a convenient place. Take a break until you can safely continue on your journey.

A long white line with short gaps means that you're approaching a hazard. Don't cross the line unless you really need to. If you do need to cross the line, make sure that the road ahead is clear before doing so.

Dual accelerators aren't normally fitted to training vehicles. If one is fitted, it must be removed while the vehicle is being used for a driving test.

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.

Large, long vehicles need extra room when making turns at junctions. They may move out to the right in order to make a left turn. Keep well back and don't attempt to pass on the left.

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.

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.

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.

Strict controls on exhaust emissions require a catalytic converter to be fitted to the exhaust system of all new vehicles. Catalytic converters remove most of the carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and unburned hydrocarbons from the exhaust gases.

If you operate the brakes when air is in the hydraulic system, they'll have a spongy feel and braking efficiency will be reduced. This is because the air in the system is being compressed as you brake; hydraulic brake fluid alone can't be compressed. If you notice there's a fault with your brakes, have them checked as soon as possible. Don't drive with faulty brakes.

It's advisable to use headlights when visibility is poor, but they must be used when visibility is seriously reduced. This is generally when you can't see more than 100 metres (328 feet). Front and rear fog lights may also be used, but you must switch them off again when visibility improves.

In a crash, the occupants of a vehicle can be thrown violently forward and then back again. The head restraint should be adjusted so that it gives maximum protection to the neck as the occupant is thrown backwards.

If you're driving along a main road and find you need to turn around and drive in the opposite direction, you'll have to find a safe place to turn. Don't attempt to turn around on the main road but find a quiet side road. Choose a place where you won't obstruct an entrance or exit. Look out for pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, as well as other traffic.

The motorcyclist is in a vulnerable position, exposed to further danger from traffic. You need to warn approaching traffic without putting yourself or anyone else at risk. Use your hazard warning lights and, if you have one, a warning triangle to alert other road users.

Psychomotor activities relate to practical skills. When driving a vehicle, a pupil will need to learn how to use each control competently. The next stage of learning will be to combine the use of these controls and coordinate actions smoothly to complete a task. In the early stages of learning, an example would be to move away smoothly without stalling.

To prevent your headlights from dazzling the driver of the car in front, wait until you've overtaken before switching to full beam.

There's no better protection against skids than driving in a way that will avoid them; drivers cause skids, not road and weather conditions. When steering to correct a skid, be careful not to overcorrect with too much steering, as this may lead to another skid in the opposite direction.

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.

Yellow lines can be found on the approach to some roundabouts and dangerous junctions. The lines may be raised, which will change the sound of your car's contact with the road. In this way, you'll have both visible and audible warnings to adjust your speed.

If you want to turn left and there's a cyclist in front of you, hold back. Wait until the cyclist has passed the junction and then turn left behind them.

To design an effective programme of learning, it's important to understand what a pupil brings to the process. This will enable you to decide the level at which instruction can begin. It will also encourage the pupil to engage with the learning process if they're not forced to go over material they already know.

Selecting a low gear will help the engine's resistance, known as engine braking, to control your vehicle's speed. This is especially useful when travelling downhill.