Safety Of Vehicle Flashcards
List 9 items you must always check work properly
- Brakes
- Lights
- Steering
- Exhaust system
- Seat belts
- Horn
- Speedometer
- Wipers
- Washers
What fluid levels must always be checked?
Water, oil and brake fluid levels
What happens if you overfill with oil?
Leaks can occur
What could happen if you don’t check your brake fluid?
It could get very low and cause an incident
What could your battery need?
It could need topping up with distilled water to just above the cell plates if it is not maintenance-free
How often should you check your tyre pressure and when?
Once a week at least and when they are cold to get an accurate reading
What happens if your tyres are underinflated?
- The steering feels heavy
- Fuel consumption increases
- Could affect braking
What must your tyre conditions be?
The tread must be at least 1.6mm deep around 3/4 of the breadth of the tyre and around the entire circumference. You can stick a 20p in and it should sit in there. You cannot drive with tyres that have deep cuts in the sidewalls
What can cause uneven wear in the tyres?
- Faults in the braking system
- Faults in the suspension
- Faults in the wheel alignment
How can you tell if the wheels are unbalanced?
The steering vibrates
How do you know if your brakes need adjusting?
The vehicle will pull to one side when it brakes
What warning should go off when your vehicle is travelling 5-10 mph?
The ABS warning light will come on. Looks like a circle with brackets around it
How do you check the shock absorbers?
’ Bounce’ the vehicle by pushing down on each corner. it shouldn’t continue to bounce when released
Who is responsible for under 14s having their seatbelt on?
The driver
What should you use if a child restraint is not available?
The adult seatbelt
Where should you never put a rear-facing baby seat?
In a seat where there is an airbag. Always make sure it is deactivated first, otherwise, it could be fatal
What’s the trouble with convex mirrors?
They give a wider view but they also make things look further away than they are
How should you park on a 2-way road at night?
In the direction of traffic
What should you do if you’re parked in a zone over the 30mph limit at night?
Turn your parking lights on
When do you use hazard lights?
When you have broken down or when you are in traffic on a motorway or dual carriageway
What can you do to prevent your cart from being stolen?
- Engage the steering lock
- Always remove keys and lock the car
- Lock any valuables away from sight
- Don’t keep vehicle registration documents in the car
- Park in a well-lit area
- Add an anti theft alarm
Where shouldn’t you park your vehicle?
- in front of a property entrance
- near or at a bus stop
- near the top of a hill
- where the curb has been lowered for wheelchair access
- on a bend or opposite side of the road
- On the zig-zag lines of a pedestrian crossing
How can you lower your fuel consumption?
- reduce your speed as going 70mph wastes 30% more fuel than going 50mph
- plan your journey so you travel smoothly, no rapid acceleration or heavy braking
- have your vehicle serviced regularly
- make sure you have correctly inflated tires
What shouldn’t you do when you are trying to be more eco-efficient?
- Don’t over-rev in lower gears
- Don’t carry unnecessary weight
- Don’t leave the engine running unnecessarily
What test will you have to pass as part of your MOT if your car is more than 3 years old?
The emissions test
What must you bear in mind about noise pollution?
Don’t sound your car horn between 11.30 pm and 7 am in built-up areas unless there is danger
What are the mission charges you have to pay and where?
The ultra-low emission zone and the low emission zone charges in London
What is dry steering?
This is where you turn the steering wheel when the car isn’t moving and it can wear out your tyres and steering mechanism
What is a catalytic converter?
This is a device attached to your exhaust system and acts as a filter to lower emissions as it filters out the toxic waster
What are some speed calming measures?
Speed humps, road narrowings and chicanes can force you to slow down
What is a kick-down in an automatic car?
This is a device that gives quick acceleration when needed but if you use it too often you will burn more fuel
What are red lines on the side of the road used for?
These are ‘red routes’ and are used to reduce traffic flow as they prevent people from parking there. it’s normally in crowded cities like London
What is brake fade?
This is when the brakes become less effective because of overheating. This can happen when you continually use them like if you are going down a long steep downhill road. Lower gears will help the braking
What is a driving technique on a manual car that can help you save fuel?
Missing out some gears
What is the maximum amount of seats you can have in a category B car?
8 including drivers
What’s the maximum weight you can carry if you have a category B car?
3.5 tonnes
What does LPG stand for at a petrol station?
Liquid Petroleum Gas
How do you test if your mechanical parking brake is worn?
Pull it up and see if it stops the vehicle without you pulling it too high
What do you do if you are on a wet road and skidding and your vehicle doesn’t have anti-lock brakes?
Release the footbrake
