The first thing you should do is check the mirrors to see what following vehicles are doing. This will help you to decide on a safe course of action.

To make it easy to recognise, the 'stop' sign is the only sign that's octagonal. The visibility from a junction where the 'stop' sign is used will be poor, even from the edge of the junction. You must stop and, if necessary, edge forward until you can see it's safe to drive out.

The purpose of this road marking is to keep the junction clear of queuing traffic. You may only wait in the marked area when you're turning right and your exit lane is clear but you can't complete the turn because of oncoming traffic.

Motorways are open and exposed to prevailing weather conditions. In windy conditions, a high-sided vehicle may shelter you from the wind as you pass. As you emerge past it, you may suddenly be buffeted by the wind.

If your vehicle is stationary, only sound the horn if you think there's a risk of danger. Don't use it to attract attention. This causes unnecessary noise and could be misleading to other road users.

If visibility falls below 100 metres in fog, switching on your rear fog lights will help road users behind to see you. Don't forget to turn them off once visibility improves: they're very bright, so they might be mistaken for brake lights and they could dazzle other drivers.

Your safety and that of others may depend on the condition of your tyres. You must check that they're correctly inflated and have sufficient tread depth. The legal minimum tread depth for cars is 1.6 mm. This depth should be across the central three-quarters of the breadth of the tyre and around the entire circumference.

When leaving a motorway, your judgement of speed may be affected: 40 mph may seem more like 20 mph. Check your speedometer: it will give you an accurate speed. Motorway slip roads and link roads often have sharp curves that require accurate judgement of speed.

Try not to panic if a tyre bursts while you're driving. Take your foot off the accelerator and avoid braking suddenly. Try to steer a straight course while holding the wheel firmly.

If you see a bus ahead, watch out for pedestrians. They may not be able to see you if they're crossing behind the bus.

If you feel drowsy while driving on a motorway, find a safe and legal place to park as soon as you can. This will mean either leaving the motorway at the next exit or pulling in at the next service area.

If you can't restart your engine before the warning bells ring, stay calm, especially if you have passengers on board. Leave the vehicle and get yourself and any passengers well clear of the crossing without delay.

If you see a vehicle with a flashing green beacon approaching, it means the driver or passenger is a doctor on an emergency call. Allow it to pass when you can do so safely. Someone's life could depend on the driver making good progress through the traffic.

Generally, vehicles shouldn't park partially or fully on verges, footpaths or pavements. However, it's becoming more common for this to be allowed on some narrow streets. Special parking signs will show where it's allowed.

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.

In very wet weather, water can build up between the tyre and the road surface. As a result, your vehicle rides on a thin film of water and your tyres won't grip the road. Gravel or shingle surfaces also offer less grip and can cause problems when braking. An anti-lock braking system may be ineffective in these conditions.

Before giving any signal, you need to use your mirrors to check what's behind and consider how other drivers may be affected by your signal. Sometimes a signal may not be necessary or you may feel it safer to give a signal earlier or later than normal.

As you approach left-hand bends, keep to the middle of your lane. Don't move to the centre of the road to improve your view. This could put you too close to oncoming traffic. A vehicle coming the other way might be running close to or over the centre of the road as it comes around the bend.

Black ice makes a road look damp, and you may not be able to see that it's icy. Signs that indicate you may be on black ice include
- your steering suddenly feels light
- a lack of road noise from your tyres.

If you scan the road as you drive, you should see hazards developing. Once you've seen the danger, reduce speed and be prepared to stop if necessary.

A clearway is a section of road where no stopping is allowed on the main carriageway. However, a driver can stop on an urban clearway, during its times of operation, to set down or pick up passengers.

Look all around before and during any manoeuvre. Always stop and give way to any pedestrians who wish to cross the road behind your vehicle. The shape and size of your vehicle can restrict visibility; be aware that there may be a small child or a low obstruction hidden from view.

The 'stop' sign is the only road sign that's octagonal. This is so that it can be recognised and obeyed even if it's obscured; for example, by snow.

If you drive at speed in very wet conditions, your steering may suddenly feel lighter than usual. This means that the tyres have lifted off the surface of the road and are skating on the surface of the water. This is known as aquaplaning. Reduce speed by easing off the accelerator, but don't brake until your steering feels normal again.

The speed limit for a car on the motorway is 70 mph. Drive in the left-hand lane whenever possible. Only move to the right to overtake, even if you're travelling at the national speed limit.

These signs are directed at tram drivers. By knowing what they mean, you'll be able to anticipate the actions of the driver.

If you're travelling in a one-way street and wish to turn right, you should take up a position in the right-hand lane. This will enable other road users not wishing to turn to keep going on the left. Indicate your intention and take up your position in good time.

When parking, all ancillary controls should be switched off and the engine stopped. Make sure that the handbrake is applied firmly before leaving the vehicle.

Always use your headlights, even on motorways that are lit. Use dipped beam where necessary, to avoid dazzling other drivers.

Keeping a safe distance behind a large vehicle will increase your view of the road ahead and allow the other driver to see you in their mirrors. This will help you both to see, and act safely on, any hazards that might occur.