If the steering feels light when you're driving in heavy rain, it's probably due to water that has built up between your tyres and the road surface. Easing off the accelerator should allow your tyres to displace the film of water and they should then regain their grip on the road.

Giving the pupil a chance to reflect on their own performance helps them to consolidate their learning and to raise any issues that are concerning them. It gives the instructor a clearer insight into what the pupil is thinking and provides a good foundation for agreeing what to do in the next lesson.

Sometimes road markings can be obscured by queuing traffic, or you may be unsure which lane you need to be in. If you realise too late that you're in the wrong lane, don't cut across lanes or bully other drivers to let you in. Follow the lane you're in and find somewhere safe to turn around if you need to.

If your car is fitted with an anti-lock braking system (ABS), this will activate when you brake so hard that the tyres start to lose their grip on the road surface. At this point, the wheels would normally lock up and a skid would start. The ABS senses the wheel locking and releases the brake pressure just enough to avoid the skid. It then cycles through applying and releasing the brake pressure many times per second. This ensures maximum braking for the available grip is constantly applied without the wheels locking.

Letting your vehicle roll or coast in neutral reduces your control over steering and braking. This can be dangerous on downhill slopes, where your vehicle could pick up speed very quickly.

Fog lights are brighter than normal dipped headlights. If the weather has improved, turn them off to avoid dazzling other road users.

When parking a vehicle with automatic transmission, the gear selector should be moved to the 'P' (Park) position. This locks the transmission and prevents the vehicle from moving forwards or backwards. This will stop it from rolling away should the parking brake fail.

If you wish to turn right into a side road, take up your position in good time. When it's safe to do so, you should position just left of the centre of the road. This will allow following vehicles to pass you on the left. Early positioning will show other traffic what you intend to do.

On a motorway, all traffic should use the left-hand lane unless they're overtaking. Use the centre or right-hand lanes if you need to overtake. Make sure that you move back to the left-hand lane when you've finished overtaking. Don't stay in the middle or right-hand lane if the left-hand lane is free.

An MOT certificate will normally be valid for one year. The certificate doesn't warrant the condition of the vehicle at a later date, but simply shows that at the time the certificate was issued the vehicle met the MOT requirements. It's the driver's responsibility to ensure that the vehicle is roadworthy whenever it's driven.

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.

In good, dry conditions, an alert driver who's driving a vehicle with tyres and brakes in good condition needs to keep a gap of at least two seconds from the car in front. When the road surface is wet, the gap needs to be increased to four seconds - and if it's icy, then the gap needs to increase to as much as 20 seconds.

Approved driving instructors and trainee driving instructors are issued with an identification certificate. This must be displayed on the windscreen of a vehicle that's being used for a driving lesson.

Normally, an overtaking manoeuvre is carried out by passing the slower vehicle on its right. However, on a congested motorway where traffic on your right is moving more slowly than you are, it's acceptable to continue in the same lane and pass vehicles on their left.

Take care to understand what the approaching driver intends, as this may determine your approach. Turning behind the approaching vehicle, wherever possible, will ensure that your view of the road ahead isn't blocked. At some junctions, the layout may make it difficult to turn this way; if this is the case, be prepared to pass in front of the other vehicle. At some junctions, the lane markings direct you to turn this way.

Hazard warning lights mustn't be switched on in normal driving. The exception is when driving on a motorway or unrestricted dual carriageway and there's a need to warn drivers behind of a hazard or obstruction ahead.

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.

At junctions where the view is restricted, you need to make sure your pupil has time to assess the situation. Teach them to approach slowly and get a good look at the traffic situation before making a decision.

You must stop if there's a red cross with red lights flashing above every lane on the motorway. However, if the signs over any of the other lanes don't show this signal, you may move into one of those lanes and continue, if it's safe to do so.

Once a pedestrian has stepped onto the crossing, you must stop and let them cross. Don't forget to check your mirrors before slowing down. Wait until the pedestrian has finished crossing before you drive on.

If the wheels of your vehicle lock, the tyres won't grip the road and then you'll have no control over the steering. The anti-lock braking system will prevent this from happening.

Yellow lines are painted across the road on the approach to some roundabouts. The lines are usually found on dual carriageways, where traffic speeds are higher, or at the end of motorway exit slip roads. They provide a visual warning to remind drivers to check their speed.

If the road surface is loose, it's possible for the loose surfaces to slide over each other. A vehicle's tyres may grip the surface layer but this may slide across a lower layer. An anti-lock braking system would be less effective in this situation.

The steady amber light will be followed by twin flashing red lights, which mean you must stop. An alarm will also sound to alert you to the fact that a train is approaching.

Curving direction arrows are often found painted on the road before solid double white lines and hatch markings; they indicate the direction you should pass them. They're also painted on the road on the approach to low arched bridges, to mark the route high vehicles should take.

All warning signs are triangular, but the 'give way' sign is the only triangular sign that points downwards; this is to give it greater prominence as you approach a junction. When you see this sign, you must give way to traffic on the road that you're about to join.

Always stay in the middle of your lane until you need to change course. This is even more important when in narrow lanes; for example, at roadworks. Be aware of large vehicles that may have to straddle more than one lane.

At a roundabout, a horse rider wanting to turn right may feel safer keeping to the left all the way around the roundabout. Stay well back. Driving close behind or alongside could frighten the horse.

At the correct stage in a pupil's development, it's beneficial to practise steering the vehicle with one hand. They should then find it easier to change gear, operate another control or give arm signals as and when appropriate. Any tendency to drive with one hand without good reason should be strongly discouraged.

Before you start a motorway journey, make sure that your vehicle can cope with the demands of continuous high-speed travel. To reduce the risk of your vehicle breaking down, check the oil, water and tyres before setting off. If you're travelling a long way, it's also a good idea to plan your rest stops in advance.