ADI Free Test #2

Y-junctions can be deceptive because they often call for little change in direction. However, turning right, your view to the left may be restricted. At the mouth of the junction, positioning your vehicle at right angles to the major road will improve your view. This is particularly important if your vehicle has restricted view to the side; for example, a van.

Horse riders often keep to the outside of the roundabout even if they're turning right. Give them plenty of room and remember that they may have to cross lanes of traffic.

Many large goods vehicles are fitted with spray-suppression equipment, but in heavy rain their tyres will still throw up a lot of spray. This spray can severely reduce your view ahead, even with your windscreen wipers on their high-speed setting. If you stay further back than normal, you'll be out of the spray thrown up by the lorry tyres and give yourself more time to stop if you have to.

Before you change lane in a traffic queue, look for motorcyclists who may be filtering between the lanes of traffic. Make sure you look properly, as a motorcycle is small and easy to overlook.

On main beam, your headlights are liable to dazzle a driver who's overtaken you. For this reason, you should dip your headlights as soon as the overtaking vehicle passes you. When following another vehicle at night, make sure that your headlights are on dipped beam and the light beam falls short of the vehicle in front.

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.

If you're waiting to emerge from a side road, watch out for motorcycles. They're narrower than cars and can be difficult to see. Be especially careful if there are parked vehicles restricting your view. A motorcycle might be approaching. If you don't know, don't go.

When approaching a zebra crossing where you intend to stop, using an arm signal can be helpful. This not only tells the vehicles behind that you intend to stop, but also informs approaching traffic and waiting pedestrians, who can't see your brake lights.

Sometimes, large vehicles may need more space than other road users. If a vehicle needs more time and space to turn, be prepared to stop and wait.

Motorcyclists, drivers of high-sided vehicles and those towing caravans are likely to have difficulty in windy weather. You should keep well back, as the motorcyclist could be blown off course - especially as they emerge from the shelter of the large vehicle.

The thinking distance is the distance that the vehicle travels from the moment the driver realises there's a need to brake, until they actually begin to apply the brakes. This reaction time can increase if a driver is tired or unwell.

The cockpit drill is a logical sequence of safety checks. New drivers should be trained to go through them methodically and in sequence every time they get into a vehicle. Briefly, these checks are
- doors closed
- parking brake set
- driver's seat position
- head restraint adjusted
- mirrors adjusted
- seat belts fastened
- gear lever in neutral (check parking brake again)
- fuel.

Never drive if you've taken medicine without first checking what the side-effects might be. Many over-the-counter medicines carry a warning that they may cause drowsiness. They can affect your judgement and perception, and therefore your ability to drive safely.

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.

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.

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.

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 heavy traffic. They may feel safer by keeping to the left all the way around the roundabout. Give them plenty of room and be prepared for them to take a different course to other traffic.

In good conditions, one useful method of checking that you've allowed enough room between you and the vehicle in front is the two-second rule. To check for a two-second time gap, choose a stationary object ahead, such as a bridge or road sign. When the car in front passes the object, say, 'Only a fool breaks the two-second rule'. If you reach the object before you finish saying this, you're too close.

If you're on the motorway and have to call the emergency services, the operator will need to know your exact location. Look for a number on the nearest marker post beside the hard shoulder. Give this number to the operator and be ready to describe where you are. For example, tell the operator the last junction or service area you passed. This will help the emergency services to reach you as quickly as possible.

If you're turning into a side road, pedestrians already crossing the road have priority and you should give way to them. Don't
-wave them across the road
-sound your horn
-flash your headlights
-give any other misleading signal - other road users may misinterpret your signal and you might lead the pedestrian into a dangerous situation.
If a pedestrian is slow or indecisive, be patient and wait. Don't hurry them across by revving your engine.

You shouldn't reverse from a driveway into a main road, because your view will be restricted. When using a driveway, you should reverse in, so that you can drive out forwards.

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.

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.

When driving on snow or frozen surfaces, your tyres will have very little grip. To avoid losing that grip, you'll need to accelerate, steer and brake very gently.

In some built-up areas, the speed limit may be reduced to 20 mph. Where there are traffic-calming features, the speed limit may be signed as a 20 mph zone with no repeater signs within the zone. Where there are no traffic-calming features, the 20 mph speed limit is signed at each end of the street and with repeater signs in between. Driving at a slower speed will help give you the time and space to see and deal safely with hazards such as pedestrians and parked cars.

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.

Large goods vehicles are fitted with speed limiters. This means it can take them a long time to overtake if the vehicle they're passing is travelling close to their limited speed. If a lorry is struggling to overtake you, slow down to let it pass. This helps the lorry driver and also other drivers following behind who want to travel faster.

Questions that require a simple 'yes' or 'no' are of limited value. To be effective, you should ask searching questions based on 'what', 'when', 'where', 'why' and 'how'. The power of effective questioning as an aid to learning is sometimes overlooked; it can help to motivate pupils.

You must always remain within the speed limit, but how fast you drive will depend on many other factors. Above all, you should never drive so fast that you can't stop within the distance you can see to be clear.