ADI Free Test #6

If a medicine you need to take is making you feel drowsy, get advice from your doctor before driving.

All-round observation is essential throughout any manoeuvre. Drivers should use their mirrors and pay particular attention to the direction in which they're moving, to vulnerable road users, and to what might be happening in any blind spots.

If someone is suffering from severe burns, you should douse the burns with a clean, cool, non-toxic liquid. If any clothing is stuck to the wound, don't try to remove it.

Once you've joined a motorway, you need to stay in the left-hand lane for long enough to give yourself time to judge, and adjust to, the speed of motorway traffic.

Provided they're breathing, unconscious casualties shouldn't usually be moved. The exception to this is when there's further danger; for example, from other traffic or from fire. Moving a person unnecessarily could cause further injury.

Take care if a vehicle is approaching from the right and giving a left signal. The driver may have forgotten to cancel the signal or may wish to stop just past the junction. Don't emerge until you're sure of their intentions.

The colours of the reflective studs on the motorway, and their locations, are
- red - between the hard shoulder and the carriageway
- white - between the lanes
- amber - between the edge of the
carriageway and the central reservation
- green - along slip-road exits and entrances bright green/yellow - at roadworks and contraflow systems.

Before moving off from behind a parked car, you should use all the mirrors to check that the road is clear. Look around to check the blind spots and give a signal if it's necessary to warn other road users of your intentions.

Never obstruct drivers who wish to pass. Speeding up or driving unpredictably while someone is overtaking you is dangerous. If someone overtakes and pulls into the gap in front of you, drop back to maintain a two-second gap.

If you start to feel tired, stop at a safe place for a rest break. Every year, many serious incidents are caused by drivers falling asleep at the wheel.

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.

Catalytic converters are designed to reduce toxic exhaust emissions by up to 90%. They have a high normal working temperature and for this reason are inefficient when the engine is cold.

Diamond-shaped signs apply to tram drivers. You should know their meaning so that you're aware of the priorities and are able to anticipate the actions of the driver.

This is important because, when a learner encounters something on the road for the first time, they may not be able to decide whether it represents a risk. So they might not take the right action. With experience, they'll use the information available and get better at assessing risk.

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.

If the lights change to green at a pelican crossing, wait for any pedestrians to finish crossing. Allow them to cross the road in their own time, and don't try to hurry them by revving your engine.

When all four wheels are driven, there's less chance of the tyres losing their grip, compared with a two-wheel-drive vehicle. But this doesn't replace the skills you need to drive safely. The extra grip helps to prevent skidding when travelling on slippery or uneven roads.

When planning and delivering a lesson, it's important to remember that we all learn in different ways. Continuing to deliver in the same way, when the pupil is clearly not engaging or making progress, may reduce their motivation even further.

Buses that carry children to and from school may stop at places other than scheduled bus stops. Be aware that they might pull over at any time to allow children to get on or off. This will often be when traffic is heavy during the daily commute.

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.

A pupil should be advised to seek assistance if they can't see clearly behind when they're reversing. During the driving test, however, the examiner will select a corner where this won't be necessary.

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.

For safety reasons, any dual accelerator must be removed before a vehicle can be used by a candidate for their driving test.

Sometimes an insurance company will issue a temporary insurance certificate called a cover note. It gives you the same insurance cover as your certificate, but lasts for a limited period, usually one month.

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're driving a vehicle that breaks down on an automatic level crossing, don't delay in getting everyone out of the vehicle and well clear of the crossing. You should then use the emergency telephone to tell the signal operator of the obstruction.

Learners might not have confidence when they first start to drive. Allow them plenty of room and make allowances for their hesitation. We all learn from experience, but new drivers will have had less practice in dealing with all the situations that they meet.

Check the vehicle handbook: this should give you guidance on the correct tyre pressures for your vehicle. There may be recommendations to increase the tyre pressure when carrying heavy loads or when travelling continuously at higher speeds, such as when using a motorway.

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.

To reduce the risk of wheelspin when moving off on a slippery surface, use a higher gear than normal. This will reduce the amount of torque transmitted to the driven wheels. Gentle use of the accelerator will also make it easier for the tyres to keep their grip.