Driving Codes Of Practice

Question 0

What is the essential aspect of police driving?

Answer 0

Time to react!

Question 1

What are the 5 phases to the police driving technique that should be considered on approach to every hazard?

Answer 1

Position
Speed
Gear
Accelerate

INFORMATION -spans all of the above and entails a constant review of plans

Question 2

Stopping - what must you always be capable of?

Answer 2

You should be capable of Stopping well within the distance you can see to be clear on your own side of the road

Question 3

5 key Principles of safe cornering?

Answer 3

Positioning - correct position for the approach

Speed - travelling at right speed

Gear - have the right gear for the speed

Accelerate - use the accelerator to maintain a constant speed through the bend

Information -spans all of the above - constantly scan the road for information such as;

• Traffic in front and behind
• Road surfaces and effect of weather conditions on them
• Look across bends, through gaps in hedges or between buildings
• Look at line/curvature of hedgerows and lamp posts to gain more info on severity of bend

Question 4

Position phase for cornering.. How position for right hand bends?

Answer 4

Position vehicle towards left of road space

Be wary of nearside dangers such as:
Pedestrians
Pot holes
Blind junctions/exits
Adverse camber

Question 5

Position phase for cornering.. How position for left hand bends?

Answer 5

Position vehicle towards centre of road.

Consider:
Approaching traffic
Your position might be misleading

Whether any advantage is gained

Question 6

What 2 advantages does positioning for cornering give you ?

Answer 6

1) Earlier view round the bend

2) reducing the tightness of the bend

Question 7

What to consider re speed when cornering?

Answer 7

The Vehicle’s handling characteristics

The road and road surface conditions

Traffic conditions

Weather conditions

Question 8

When cornering, when should you engage an appropriate gear

Answer 8

When you have achieved the correct speed and
Before entering the bend

Select the gear that gives you the greatest flexibility

Question 9

When cornering, when should you accelerate?

Answer 9

Before you enter the bend

Question 10

Planning -

How should you use information gained from observation when driving?

Answer 10

To anticipate hazards
To order hazards by importance
To decide what to do

Question 11

What is the purpose of planning?

Answer 11

To put you in the right position, speed, gear in order to negotiate hazards safely and efficiently

Question 12

Common causes of skidding?

Answer 12

Excessive speed for circumstances
Coarse steering
Harsh acceleration
Sudden or excessive breaking

Question 13

What hours you do if you start to skid?

Answer 13

Remove the cause of the skid!!

Ie: excessive speed, coarse steering, harsh acceleration, sudden or excessive braking

Question 14

Anagram for basic vehicle mechanics - the drill of checks done prior to using police vehicle.

Answer 14

POWDER

Petrol
Oil
Water
Damage
Electrics (tyres and wipers)
Rubber

Question 15

What is involved in the ‘Starting’ vehicle drill

Answer 15

1) Check bonnet security
2) Check handbrake applied / if in gear
3) Close door
4) Adjust seat
5) Fasten seatbelt
6) Static brake test (one press and keep foot on pedal)
7) Select neutral (keep foot on clutch) and switch on Ignition to P1 to check warning lights and fuel level.
8) Start engine and Acknowledge brake and power steering are functioning
9) Consider ancillaries (wipers, lights, ventilation etc)
10) Adjust mirrors

11) Describe vehicle (‘this is a ford focus, front wheel drive standard response vehicle. It has three active safety features, they are anti-locking brakes, traction control and electronic stability control system’.)

12) Select gear. Check mirrors/blind spots
13) Move off after releasing handbrake when it is safe to do so

Moving brake test (ASAP and when safe) - ‘remembering that no starting drill is complete without carrying out a moving brake check. This will be done in a straight and level road at 20mph in second gear, braking down to 10mph an taking up the drive without use of the clutch’

‘The brakes are pulling squarely and with no adverse affect in the steering. That completes the starting drill’.

Question 16

What is involved in a moving brake test ?

Answer 16

Moving brake test (ASAP and when safe to do so:

Moving brake test:

• Inform passengers of intention
• attain appropriate speed 20-40mph on straight road
• remain in appropriate gear (2/3rd)
• ensure no vehicles coming up behind
• apply footbrake reducing speed by 10mph

Question 17

What is involved in the ‘stopping’ vehicle drill?

Answer 17

1) come to halt
2) apply handbrake
3) select neutral
4) ancillaries off
5) engine off
6) select parking gear
7) stow seatbelt
8) check mirrors and blind spots before exiting

Question 18

Commentary - 5 items to build up commentary?

Answer 18

1) physical features of road, road signs and markings
2) movement of traffic and pedestrians
3) what you anticipate will happen including observation links
4) road craft theory as appropriate
5) prioritise hazards within this framework