Safety margins

Question 1

What distance should you give to the car in front?

Answer 1

Enough room between your vehicle and the one in front so you can pull up safely if it slows down or stops suddenly. Your overall stopping distance is the distance your car travels

• from the moment you realise you must brake
• to the moment the vehicle stops.

This is made up of thinking distance and braking distance

Question 2

In other conditions you’ll need to increase these distances to what?

Answer 2

When it’s raining or the road is wet - double the distance

When its icy - 10 times the distance

Question 3

Signals warn and inform other road user, including pedestrians of your intended actions. You should always:

Answer 3

• give clear signals in plenty of time, having checked it is not misleading to signal at that time
• use them to advise other road users before changing course or direction, stopping or moving off
• cancel them after use
• make sure your signals will not confuse others. If, for instance, you want to stop after a side road, do not signal until you are passing the road. If you signal earlier it may give the impression that you intend to turn into the road. Your brake lights will warn traffic behind you that you are slowing down
• use an arm signal to emphasise or reinforce your signal if necessary. Remember that signalling does not give you priority.

Question 4

You must obey signals given by who?

Answer 4

Police officers, traffic officers, traffic wardens and signs used by school crossing patrols.

Question 5

Police stopping procedures:

If the police want to stop your vehicle they will do what?

Answer 5

Attract your attention by

flashing blue lights, headlights or sounding their siren or horn, usually from behind

directing you to pull over to the side by pointing and/or using the left indicator.

Question 6

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency officers have the power to stop vehicles on all roads, including motorways and trunk roads. They will attract your attention by…

Answer 6

• flashing amber lights

either from the front requesting you to follow them to a safe place to stop
or from behind directing you to pull over to the side by pointing and/or using the left indicator.

Question 7

What are the typical stopping distances in dry good conditions?

Answer 7

20 mph - 12 metres (40 feet) 
30 mph - 23 metres (75 feet) 
40 mph - 36 metres (118 feet) 
50 mph - 53 metres (175 feet) 
60 mph - 73 metres (240 feet)
70 mph - 96 metres (315 feet)

Question 8

What are the speed limits for cars and motorcycles?

Answer 8

Cars and motorcycles

Built up areas - 30mph
Single carriageways - 60mph
Dual carriageways - 70mph
Motorways - 70mph

Question 9

Allow at least how many seconds between you and the vehicle in front

Answer 9

Two seconds.

Question 10

If driving a large vehicle in a tunnel you should allow how long a gap between you and the car in front?

Answer 10

Four second gap