Mixed practice questions

Answer: Vehicles doing the minimum speed limit

On a road with two or more lanes going your way you keep left, and move right only to overtake or to turn right. So the left lane is where the slower traffic runs and faster vehicles pass it on the right. The answer this paper takes is the vehicles down at the minimum speed limit.

Answer: Pull into a side road nearest to the right before reversing back into the main road in the right direction

The Code says never drive on the wrong side of the road, and avoid reversing where you can. The answer this paper works to is to turn into the nearest side road on your right, then reverse out so you rejoin the main road facing the right way. A three point turn on a busy main road leaves you across the traffic.

Answer: Suspension

The suspension holds each wheel square to the road. When a spring, damper or bush is worn, bent or leaking, the tyre no longer sits flat and it wears away in patches instead of evenly. Worn suspension parts must not be used. A gearbox or exhaust fault leaves no mark on a tyre at all.

Answer: Overtake the motorcyclist as wide as possible

The Code says reduce speed in windy weather and reminds cyclists that gusts can make them swerve; the same goes for a motorcyclist. Overtake as wide as possible, so that if a gust pushes the rider sideways there is room between you. Passing close or at speed leaves no room for the swerve.

Answer: Check the person's airways, breathing and stop any heavy bleeding

An unconscious person cannot keep their own airway open, so breathing comes before everything else. Check for danger, then response, then the airway, then breathing, and stop any heavy bleeding you find. Do not move them, and leave names and clearing up until the injured are being looked after.

Answer: It will help ease the bleeding

The Code's first aid rules say comfort and reassure the casualty, but it gives no instruction on bleeding. The reason this paper works to is that holding a bleeding arm up above the heart eases the bleeding. It does not stop the pain, and getting it out of your way is no reason at all.

Answer: On the left side of the road, with parking lights on

You keep left in Zimbabwe, and that holds when you stop as well. If you have to leave the vehicle on the open road at night, pull as far to the left as you can and put your park lights on so a driver coming up behind picks you out in time. Parking on the right puts you facing that traffic.

Answer: Pedestrians

A left turn takes you across the pavement where the side road joins, which is exactly where people are crossing on foot, and a vehicle turning left gives precedence to any pedestrian in its path. Look into the side road as you slow down, and let anyone crossing get clear before you turn in.

Answer: In the event the vehicle stops abruptly

The Code says keep a longer following distance than normal in adverse weather. In fog you see the vehicle ahead only when you are close to it, so if it stops suddenly a short gap leaves you no room to stop. Stay well back so you can pull up in the distance you can see.

Answer: Not under any circumstances

The Code says when a vehicle behind wants to overtake, give the driver the opportunity by moving over to the left and keeping a constant speed. It is never your job to stop another driver overtaking, whatever your speed. Blocking or speeding up only makes the pass more dangerous.

Answer: Only if you deem it essential

The Code's first aid rules say do not remove a motorcyclist's helmet. Taking it off can make a neck or head injury worse, so leave it on unless it is essential, for instance to keep the rider breathing. Do not take it off just because the rider asks, or as a matter of course.

Answer: Four seconds

The normal following gap is the two second rule, and you are told to leave more than that on a wet or slippery road, because you need far more room to pull up. The Code does not put a figure on the wet gap. The gap this paper works to is four seconds.

Answer: Get out of the car and look

The Code says do not enter a junction unless you are satisfied it is safe to do so. When parked vehicles block your view, the answer this paper works to is to get out of the car and look. A shop window reflection or a passenger looking the other way cannot tell you the road is clear.

Answer: Once you have stopped in a legally-permitted place

You must not hold a communication device while you are driving, and being sure it will not distract you is not an exception to that. So the call waits. Stop first, somewhere you are allowed to stop, and answer it there with the vehicle standing still.

Answer: Remain stationary until they have reached a pedestrian footpath

A green light lets you go, but it does not take away the precedence of someone already on the crossing, and this person is halfway over with nowhere to go but in front of you. Stay where you are until they have reached the far side and are off the road, then drive on.

Answer: You are getting to a property

A footpath is built for people on foot, so a vehicle has no business running along one, and an empty footpath is still not a road to overtake on. The one case this paper allows is crossing it to reach a property, done slowly and giving way to anyone walking.

Answer: Switch on your hazard lights and call your breakdown company

The Code says if you break down, use your hazard warning lights to warn other traffic and get the vehicle off the road if possible. In a tunnel you cannot get off the road, so warn traffic first; calling your breakdown company is what this paper adds. Do not stand in the lane flagging drivers down.

Answer: Tractors

The Highway Code lists tractors among road vehicles but does not say how to overtake one. The answer this paper works to is to allow a tractor extra room. It is wide and slow, often has a trailer or implement behind it, and may turn off into a field or gateway with little warning.

Answer: The driver's name, address, number and insurance details

After a collision each driver owes the other their name and address and those of the vehicle's owner. Someone has been hurt and your vehicle is damaged, so you need the insurance details and a number to reach them on as well. How long they have driven, or crashed before, settles nothing.

Answer: Allow the cyclist time and room to move

The Code says cyclists are especially vulnerable because they have little protection, and the driver has a special responsibility to them. At the lights, let the cyclist move off first with time and room to get going and balanced. Crowding or moving before them can bring them down.

Answer: Switch on your hazard lights

The Code says use your hazard warning lights to warn other traffic when you have broken down, and gives no rule for slowing quickly on a motorway. The answer this paper works to is to switch on your hazard lights so the traffic behind sees you are slowing hard for a hazard. The horn and headlights say nothing to them.

Answer: Competitive

The Code says the desire to overtake for the sake of it can become an obsession, and that you must fight it. A competitive driver treats other traffic as something to beat, takes chances and puts everyone on the road at risk. Cautious and responsible driving is what the Code asks for.

Answer: Slow down and let it turn

The Code says watch the signals of the vehicle ahead and keep a safe following distance. A large goods vehicle turning right often moves left first, because it needs the room to swing into the turn. Slow down and let it turn. Passing on its right or sounding your horn puts you where it is about to go.

Answer: Pull up on the left

The Code says you must obey signals given by police officers, and their instructions override everything except a traffic light. Flashing headlights and pointing left means pull over and stop on the left. Braking hard in the road or turning off at the next side road is not what was asked.

Answer: Be prepared to slow down and give way if the bus suddenly moves

The Code tells you to anticipate what the driver in front is going to do. A bus at a stop can pull out at any moment, and passengers may step out from in front of it or behind it. Be ready to slow down and give way if it moves. Racing past or hooting at the driver is not safe.

Answer: Drive past slowly and give plenty of room

Reduce speed whenever you meet animals on the road. A horse takes fright at a vehicle that comes past fast or close, and the rider has very little to hold it with. Slow right down well before you reach them, leave plenty of room as you pass, and do not use your lights or your horn.

Answer: Test your brakes to see they are functioning normally

Water gets into the brakes as you go through, and they will not bite as they should until it has cleared. You do not want to find that out at the next corner. Once you are through the water, press the brakes gently while you are still going slowly, and keep doing so until they pull you up normally.

Answer: Get out of the car and check

The Code says before reversing you must use all mirrors, check the blind spots and look for pedestrians and cyclists behind you, and get someone reliable to direct you if necessary. If you are still not sure the road is clear, get out and check. Side mirrors alone leave a child behind the car unseen.

Answer: Stop at the scene

After a collision you are obliged to stop immediately, before anything else, and then see whether anyone has been hurt and help them. Driving on is an offence in itself. Your details, the report and the insurance call all come after you have stopped at the scene.

Answer: For a longer period of time than you need to

The Code says avoid reversing as much as possible and, if you must, choose an appropriate place. Reversing for longer than you need keeps you in a position where your view is poor and the front of the car swings out. There is no fixed length of one car; the rule is to keep it as short as you can.

Answer: A year

The Code asks you to have your vehicle inspected regularly so that faults are caught before they turn dangerous, but it does not set the interval. The period this paper works to is one year, so the first roadworthiness certificate for a new car falls due a year after you buy it.

Answer: A properly adjusted head restraint

The Highway Code does not deal with head restraints. The answer this paper works to is that a properly adjusted head restraint stops your head whipping back in a collision, which is what injures the neck. Driving without a seat belt is against the Code, and a collapsible steering wheel protects the chest, not the neck.

Answer: For the purpose of overtaking

On a road with more than one lane going your way you keep left, and move to the right only to overtake or to turn right. So the right hand lane of a three lane road is not a lane to sit in at speed. It is there for passing other vehicles, and you come back to the left once you are by.

Answer: One year

The Code says a learner must be accompanied by a fully licensed driver, but gives no length of time the licence must have been held. The figure this paper works to, taken from the EC/EEA rules it names, is one year. In Zimbabwe the person accompanying you simply holds a full licence.

Answer: Resit all tests after their period of disqualification has concluded, applying as a new driver

A disqualification takes the licence away, it does not park it. Once the period of disqualification has ended, the route this paper works to is to apply as a new driver and sit all the tests again. A duplicate licence is only a copy of a licence you still hold, so it is no way back.

Answer: Wait

Never drive onto a level crossing until the road is clear, and where you have to stop, stop at least 3 metres from the track. A red light still flashing after a train has gone means the crossing is not yet clear, and on double tracks a second train may be coming. Wait for the light to stop.

Answer: Carry on until you reach the next junction you can exit at

The Code says never make or act on last minute decisions at a junction; rather overrun the junction and return to it. If you miss your exit, carry on to the next one and come back. Reversing on the hard shoulder or turning through the central reservation puts you against fast traffic.

Answer: Your fuel consumption to increase

A roof rack sits up in the airflow, so the engine has to work harder to push the car through the air at the same speed. That extra work is burnt fuel, whether the rack is loaded or empty. Fitting one puts your fuel consumption up, so take it off when you are not using it.

Answer: Be a breach of the law

Fog lights are for use when visibility is poor, and the Code tells you to switch them off once visibility improves. Left on in clear air, rear fog lights dazzle the driver behind you and drown out your brake lights. Driving on after the fog has cleared with them still lit breaks that rule.

Answer: Deaf and blind

The Highway Code asks you to be patient with the blind and assist them, but does not describe sticks. The answer this paper works to is that a red and white stick is carried by a person who is both deaf and blind. They cannot see you and cannot hear your horn, so stop and give them time.

Answer: Keep travelling at your chosen speed, the driver will overtake when they themselves deem it safe to do so

The Code says when a vehicle behind wants to overtake, give the driver the opportunity by moving to the left and keeping a constant speed. Keep to your chosen speed and let the driver overtake when they decide it is safe. Braking sharply or racing away only makes their move more dangerous.

Answer: Give way to oncoming traffic on your right

Traffic in a circle runs clockwise, so a vehicle already going round reaches you from your right, and you must give precedence to it. A small circle is worked the same way as a big one. Look to your right, wait for a gap you can take without making anyone brake, then join.

Answer: Nobody

No one holds a right of way at an intersection. A stop or give way sign only takes rights away from the traffic facing it. Where a crossroads carries no signs, no markings and no robot, nobody has priority, so slow down, be ready to stop, and give precedence to the road on your right.

Answer: Turn the steering wheel towards the kerb and put on the handbrake

When you park, put the handbrake on and take whatever other step stops the vehicle rolling. Facing downhill, gravity is pulling the car forwards, so turn the front wheels towards the kerb. If it does creep, the front wheel runs into the kerb instead of out into the traffic.

Answer: Ensure that your headlights are on and in a dipped setting

Use your headlights wherever visibility is limited, and rain with spray coming off other vehicles is exactly that. Keep them dipped. Dipped headlights light the road in front of you and let the traffic ahead and behind pick you out of the spray without being dazzled.

Answer: Select a low gear and use the brakes carefully

Going down a steep hill, let the engine hold the vehicle back. Select a low gear before the slope steepens, then use the brakes carefully in short applications. Brakes held on all the way down heat up and fade, and a high gear leaves the engine holding nothing back at all.

Answer: Immediately before making a left-hand turn

You must not overtake at a junction. If a cyclist is in front of you and your turn is the next one to the left, going past means cutting straight across them as you turn in. Stay behind, let the cyclist get past where the side road joins, and then make your turn.

Answer: Your fuel consumption to increase

A roof rack sits up in the airflow, so the engine has to work harder to push the car through the air at the same speed. That extra work is burnt fuel, whether the rack is loaded or empty. Fitting one puts your fuel consumption up, so take it off when you are not using it.

Answer: Keep your lights on full beam

In fog use your headlights so you can see and be seen, and leave a longer following distance than you would in clear weather. Two seconds is a fine weather gap, and following the tail lights ahead is driving on another driver's judgement. The Code sets no rule on beam, so this paper answers full beam.

Answer: You will have better control over the pedals

The Highway Code does not mention footwear. The answer this paper works to is that sensible shoes give you better control over the pedals. Loose, thick or slippery shoes can slip off the pedal or catch under it at the moment you need to brake.

Answer: Because a lorry is longer than a car

To overtake you need enough clear road to get past and settle back on the left. A lorry is much longer than a car, so you spend far longer alongside it and need a far longer clear stretch to do it in. That length, not its weight or its speed, is what makes it the bigger risk.

Answer: Offer someone who is involved a cigarette to calm them down

The Code says at a collision use hazard lights to warn other traffic, and do not give a casualty anything to eat or drink. The answer this paper works to adds a cigarette to that list: with spilt fuel about, a flame at the scene can start a fire. Warning other drivers and asking for engines off are both right.

Answer: When you are in a built up area between 11.30pm and 7.00am

The Code says only blow your horn for safety and never in an offensive manner, and gives no hours. The figures this paper works to are that in a built up area the horn may not be sounded between 11.30pm and 7.00am, except to avoid danger. It may be used during the day when there is a real need.

Answer: Four seconds

The Code gives the two second rule for normal conditions and tells you to keep a longer following distance in bad weather, but it puts no figure on wet roads. The gap this paper works to, once it has been raining and the road is wet, is four seconds behind the vehicle in front.

Answer: Amber

The Highway Code does not describe reflective studs. The answer this paper works to is that the studs marking the left hand edge of the motorway are amber, so in fog you can tell the edge from the white studs between lanes. Green marks a slip road joining or leaving.

Answer: Never

The Code says if you must stop on the open road at night, pull off as far to the left as you can and use your park lights so others can see you. The answer this paper works to is never park on the right at night: your lights face oncoming drivers and your rear reflectors point the wrong way, lamp post or not.

Answer: Pedestrians and cyclists

The Code says a vehicle turning left must give precedence to any pedestrian in the crossing, and that cyclists keep left, so they may be on your inside as you turn. Look for pedestrians about to cross the side road and for a cyclist coming up on your left before you turn.

Answer: Braking

Your tyres must be correctly inflated to the figures the maker gives. The pressure is what holds the tread flat and firm on the road, and an under inflated tyre lets the tread squirm about instead of gripping. Grip is what stops you, so braking is what suffers first.

Answer: Attend to anyone who is screaming

The Code says if anyone has been injured, give all the help you can, and that you should warm, comfort and reassure the casualty. A person who is screaming is hurt and frightened, so go to them. Do not get everyone out of their vehicles; the Code says not to move a casualty.

Answer: Be prepared to stop

The Code says watch the signals ahead and anticipate what is going to happen. A light that has been green for some time is due to change, so approach ready to stop if it goes to amber. Braking hard for a light that is still green catches out the driver behind you.

Answer: After a long journey

The Code tells you to keep your tyres correctly inflated to the maker's figures and to check them regularly, but it does not say at what moment to take the reading. The time this paper works to is after a long journey.

Answer: Apply to take their driving test within twelve months

The Code says a learner must hold a learner driver's licence and be accompanied by a fully licensed driver, and sets no time limit. The answer this paper works to is that a learner must apply to take the driving test within twelve months of getting the licence. Penalty points are not part of the rule.

Answer: Their reaction times may not be as quick as they used to be

The Code asks you to be patient with old people and assist them where possible. The reason this paper works to is that reaction times slow with age, so an older driver may take longer to brake or respond. It is not true that they cannot read signs or get lost more easily.

Answer: When you are waiting to turn right but are prevented from doing so by oncoming traffic

The Code says you must not enter a box junction until your exit road or lane is clear. The answer this paper works to allows one exception: you may wait in the box when turning right and only oncoming traffic is stopping you. You may never sit in the box because the queue ahead has not moved.

Answer: The emergency roadside phone allows the emergency services to know where you are

The Highway Code does not deal with motorway phones. The answer this paper works to is that the emergency roadside phone tells the emergency services exactly where you are, which a mobile phone cannot. Mobiles do not interfere with their radios, and the phone does not connect you to a garage.

Answer: The left side of the road with your hazard lights on

You keep left, so you park on the left side of the road, facing the way the traffic on your side is going. The Code says that if you must stop on the open road at night you should use your park lights. The answer this paper works to is the left side with your hazard lights on.

Answer: An animal ambulance

The Code says fire engines, ambulances and police vehicles use flashing beacons and take precedence over other traffic. The answer this paper works to is that an animal ambulance may also carry a blue flashing beacon. A gritting lorry shows amber, and a doctor's car does not show blue.

Answer: Because the tyres are worn

A skid is your vehicle losing its grip on the road, and grip comes from the tyres. Worn tyres, below the 1mm of tread the Code sets as the minimum, cannot clear water or hold the surface, so they let go first. Other road users do not make your car skid, your tyres do.

Answer: Next to the hard shoulder

A crawler lane is an extra lane for slow heavy vehicles, put in on the left, the side you keep to, so that faster traffic can still get past on the right. That places it on the outside of the road, next to the hard shoulder. The Code does not deal with crawler lanes.

Answer: The police carrying out duties that are not emergencies

The Highway Code does not mention green beacons; it says emergency vehicles use flashing beacons. The answer this paper works to is that a green flashing beacon is the police carrying out duties that are not emergencies. A gritting lorry shows amber, and a doctor's car is not the answer here.

Answer: Twice what they are in good conditions

Wet roads take longer to pull up on, and the Code tells you to keep a longer following distance in bad weather without putting a figure on it. The figure this paper works to is that in very heavy rain your stopping distance is twice what the same stop would take in good conditions.

Answer: Not overtake until you are certain that it is safe to do so

Never overtake until you have seen for yourself that the road ahead is clear, and it is your own responsibility to be sure of that. If you cannot tell whether you can get past the tractor safely, then you have your answer. Stay behind it until you are certain, however long that takes.

Answer: Never

When a driver behind wants to overtake, give them the chance: move carefully over to the left and keep a steady speed. Your own speed being legal does not make you the judge of theirs, and a car held out on the wrong side of the road is a danger to everyone. So you never try to stop the driver.

Answer: A head restraint that is properly adjusted

A head restraint adjusted so its top is level with the top of your head stops your head snapping back when the car is hit from behind, which is what injures the neck. An air sprung seat and a collapsing steering wheel protect other parts of you. This is the answer the paper works to; the Code does not cover it.

Answer: If you park on a road that has a speed limit of more than 50kph

If you have to stop on the open road at night, pull off as far to the left as you can and use your park lights so that others can see you. The figure this paper works to is a speed limit above 50 km/h: on such a road traffic arrives fast, and an unlit parked car is a danger, so the park lights stay on.

Answer: Make sure that your rear fog light is on

The Highway Code says nothing about lights in a tunnel; it only tells you never to overtake in or approaching one. The answer this paper works to is that in the dark of a tunnel your rear lights, including the rear fog light, are on so the driver behind can pick you out.

Answer: A breakaway cable

A trailer must be securely attached, and in addition to the draw bar, safety chains must be fitted. A breakaway cable does the same job as the chains: if the hitch fails it holds the trailer or applies its brakes. A jockey wheel only props the nose when the trailer is unhitched, and a second hitch is no safeguard.

Answer: Your visibility will be impeded

Keep well back from a large vehicle. Sitting close behind it, the vehicle fills your view and you can see nothing of the road in front of it, so you cannot pick up a hazard early or tell whether it is clear to overtake. Your view is the first thing you lose, and you must see before you move.

Answer: Warn other drivers

Other drivers are still coming towards a rider lying in the road. The first thing to do is warn them, with your hazard lights and your warning triangles, so nobody runs into him or into you. Do not move an injured motorcyclist and do not take the helmet off; leave that to the ambulance crew.

Answer: Distilled water

A battery is topped up with distilled water only. Tap water carries minerals that coat the plates, and oil or coolant would ruin the battery outright. The Highway Code does not cover battery care; this is the answer the paper works to.

Answer: Pull over as soon as it is safe to do so

Give precedence to an ambulance sounding its siren or flashing its lights: move out of its course and stay stopped until it has passed. Move over and stop as soon as it is safe, not by braking dead in the road, which could put a crash in front of it. Driving on as normal leaves it stuck behind you.

Answer: Have your attention diverted

You must not hold a communication device while driving, and the hand is only half of the trouble. A conversation pulls your mind away from the road, so you look without seeing and act late. A hands free set keeps both hands on the wheel and still takes your attention off the driving.

Answer: Indicate as soon as you think about pulling over until you find a safe place to make the manoeuvre

Signal well before you brake, and give the stop signal in good time. So indicate as soon as you decide to pull over, and keep the signal on while you look for a safe place to stop. Pulling over at once without looking is dangerous, and checking your mirrors is only one step of the drill, not the whole of it.

Answer: Stop and give way to allow pedestrians waiting on the kerb to cross

At a pedestrian crossing away from a junction you must stop and give precedence to anyone on the crossing or waiting to cross. A flashing amber is not telling you to go. Stop, and let the people standing at the side of the road cross before you drive on.

Answer: On an open road

A side wind pushes hardest where nothing shelters the road. On an open road there are no buildings, hedges or trees to break it, so a gust hits the car full on, worst when you pass a large vehicle or a gap in the trees. A busy road or a country road with hedges gives more shelter. Hold the wheel firmly.

Answer: Wait for a gap in the traffic, pull onto the carriageway and then build up your speed

The Highway Code has no motorway rules, so the answer this paper works to is the rule for joining any fast road: wait for a gap in the traffic, pull onto the carriageway and build up your speed. A flash from another driver gives you no right to move; the Code says such signals never relieve you of the responsibility.

Answer: Between the carriageway and the central reservation

The Highway Code does not describe reflective studs. The colours this paper works to are white between lanes, red along the left edge by the hard shoulder, amber along the right edge beside the central reservation, and green where traffic joins or leaves. So amber marks the right hand edge of the carriageway.

Answer: Otherwise the driver of the large vehicle will not be able to see you through the mirrors

A large vehicle has no view out of the back, so its driver knows you are there only from the wing mirrors. Tucked in close behind, you sit in the space those mirrors do not cover and the driver cannot see you at all. Keep well back and stay where the mirrors reach you.

Answer: Keep driving at the same speed; it will get past you soon

When you are being overtaken, keep well left and maintain a constant speed. Speeding up keeps the heavy vehicle out on the wrong side of the road for longer, and slowing suddenly can confuse its driver as it judges the gap. Hold your speed and let it get past.

Answer: It will give you a maximum view of the road

On a right hand bend the inside of the curve is on your right, and that is where your view is shortest. Keeping well to the left lets you see as far round the bend as possible, so you spot oncoming traffic early, and it keeps you clear of any vehicle cutting the corner. The Code says never cut blind corners.

Answer: The driver of the vehicle

The driver is answerable for the vehicle on the road. The Code says you must ensure proper control by not overloading it, and you should not tow more than the law allows. Whoever loaded it, and whoever owns it, it is the driver who takes an overloaded vehicle onto the road, so the driver is responsible.

Answer: Never

You must not stop or park at or near a pedestrian crossing. A vehicle standing there hides the people waiting to cross from the drivers coming up, and hides the traffic from them. The zigzag lines mark that ground, so it is never a place to park, at any time of day or night.

Answer: When you begin the manoeuvre

Do not reverse into a busy road, and remember that the front of your vehicle swings out as you turn. The moment you begin, your whole car is still across the main road with the front about to swing, and passing traffic has to go round you. That is when you are the biggest hazard, so look all round before you start.

Answer: Steer into the skid

The Code does not set out how to get a vehicle out of a skid. The answer this paper works to is to steer into the skid, turning the front wheels the same way the back of the car is sliding, and to stay off the brakes until the car is running straight again.

Answer: If you have stopped and are not driving

You must not hold any communication device while driving. There is no quiet road exception, and no exception for a driver who believes the call will not affect the driving. Without a hands free set, the call waits until you have stopped somewhere safe and parked properly.

Answer: Using high gears

An engine pulling in too high a gear for the speed labours, and a labouring engine drinks fuel. Change down and let the engine rev before you change up, above all on hills or with a load on. The Code does not deal with fuel use; using high gears is the cause this paper names.

Answer: Keep at the same speed, they will have to wait for you

Traffic entering a major road from a minor one gives precedence to the traffic already on it. That holds for a slip lane joining a motorway: you are on the through road, so keep your lane and a steady speed and the joining drivers fit in ahead of or behind you. Slowing or swerving into another lane invites a crash.

Answer: Aquaplaning

In heavy rain the water can build up between the tyres and the road faster than the tread can clear it away. The tyres end up riding on a layer of water rather than gripping the surface, and the car slides on with no steering and no braking. That is aquaplaning.

Answer: When you want to get lawful access to a property

A footpath is built for people on foot, and a vehicle has no business on one. The single reason you may drive across it is to get lawful access to a property that it lies across, and then slowly, giving way to anyone walking. A wide path or an empty one is not a reason.

Answer: Tinted

At night, do not use anything that obscures your vision unless it has been prescribed for night vision. Tinted lenses cut the little light there is and make dark objects harder to see, so leave them off after dark. Bi-focals and designer frames are a matter of prescription and style; they do not darken your view.

Answer: The middle lane

The right hand lane of a three lane road is kept clear for overtaking, so it is not a lane to travel in. Of the three lanes running your way, the one this paper marks as the normal driving lane is the middle one, leaving the right hand lane free for traffic that is passing.

Answer: Check the person's airways, breathing, and attempt to stop any bleeding

If you are trained in first aid, the Code's drill is DRABC: check for danger and response, then the casualty's airway, then breathing, then chest compressions if there is no pulse. You are also obliged to give all the help you can, and stopping bleeding is part of that. Names come later; driving past is not allowed.

Answer: Blind and deaf

The Code asks you to be patient with the blind and infirm but does not describe sticks. The meaning this paper works to is that a white stick shows a pedestrian is blind, and a white stick with red bands shows the person is blind and deaf. They can neither see nor hear you coming, so give them all the time they need.

Answer: Wait

Never drive onto a level crossing until the road is clear, and where you have to stop, stop at least 3 metres from the track. The red light still flashing after the train has gone tells you the crossing is not clear yet, and another train may be coming. Wait until the light stops.

Answer: Pull up on the left as soon as possible

You must obey signals given by police officers. A police vehicle behind you flashing its headlights and pointing to the left is telling you to pull over to the left and stop. Do so as soon as you safely can, not by stopping dead where you are, and not by driving on to some other place.

Answer: For overtaking other vehicles

On a road with more than one lane going your way, keep left and move to the right only to overtake or to turn right. The furthest right lane of a three lane road is therefore for overtaking. Use it to pass, then settle back to the left as soon as there is room.

Answer: Overtake the motorcyclist, giving them as much room as possible

In windy weather slow down and be ready for sudden gusts. A gust can blow a motorcyclist a long way across the lane, and your own vehicle first shields the rider from the wind and then hands it back. Give the rider as much room as you can as you go past, and do not linger alongside.

Answer: Allow the vehicle to overtake you

If you have been watching your mirror you will know when a driver behind wants to overtake. Give them the opportunity by moving carefully over to the left and keeping a steady speed. Braking hard or flashing fog lights at the driver only invites a collision. Let the vehicle overtake you.

Answer: Turn on your hazard lights and get in touch with your breakdown company using an emergency telephone or your mobile telephone

If you break down, the Code says use your hazard warning lights to warn other traffic. In a tunnel there is nowhere to get off the road, so switch the hazard lights on at once and call for help by the emergency telephone or your mobile. Waiting for someone else to report you leaves traffic running into a dark car.

Answer: Get out of the car and check it is clear

Before reversing, look carefully behind you and check the blind spots; if you still cannot tell whether the road is clear, the Code says get someone reliable to direct you. If there is nobody, get out and look yourself. Mirrors leave blind spots, and you must know the road is clear before you move, not as you go.

Answer: Drive past slowly and provide plenty of room

A horse is easily frightened, and a frightened horse can put its rider under your wheels. The horn is only for safety purposes and flashed lights would startle it, so use neither. Hold back until you have room, then go past slowly with plenty of space between you.

Answer: Allow the vehicle to overtake you safely

A flash of headlights from behind usually means the driver wants to pass. Give them the opportunity: move carefully over to the left and keep a constant speed while you are overtaken. Braking hard and pulling over is sudden and dangerous, and rear fog lights are for poor visibility, not for answering other drivers.

Answer: Resit all of the tests and driving examinations when the disqualification has ended, applying as a brand new driver

The Highway Code does not cover disqualification. The procedure this paper works to is that once the ban has ended the driver applies as a brand new driver and sits everything again: the test on the rules of the road and signs, then the driving test. A duplicate licence is only for a lost one, and bribery is a crime.

Answer: Suspension problems

Have your vehicle inspected regularly so that faults are found before they become serious. Worn springs, shock absorbers or joints let a wheel sit at the wrong angle and bounce on the road, and the tyre scrubs its tread away unevenly. Suspension trouble shows up as heavy tyre wear.

Answer: The name, address, number and car insurance details of the driver

After a collision the Code obliges each driver to give their name and address, and those of the vehicle's owner, to anyone with reasonable grounds to ask. You must also be insured against injury to third parties. With someone hurt and your car damaged, you need the other driver's name, address, number and insurance.

Answer: Slow down and allow the vehicle to turn

A long vehicle needs room to turn: to get its length round a right turn it may first swing out to the left. Its right signal tells you where it is going. Do not try to pass on the right, where it is about to swing, and do not stop dead in the road. Slow down, hold back and give it room to complete the turn.

Answer: Give way to your right

Traffic already going round a circle has absolute priority, and because a traffic circle runs clockwise, that traffic comes at you from your right. A small circle is worked the same way as a large one. Look right, wait for a gap you can take without making anyone brake, then go.

Answer: Help to prevent a neck injury

In a collision from behind your body is pushed forward with the seat while your head stays put, then whips back. A head rest adjusted level with the top of your head catches it and prevents a neck injury. Comfort and relaxation are not what it is for. The Code does not cover this; it is the answer the paper works to.

Answer: Provide plenty of room and drive past the horse slowly

A horse is easily startled, and a startled horse can throw its rider into the road. Flashed headlights and a quick pass would both frighten it. Stay back until the road gives you room, then go by slowly with plenty of space, ready to stop if the rider signals you to.

Answer: Turn your steering wheel in the direction of the kerb, and make sure you turn on the handbrake

When you park, use the handbrake and take whatever other step stops the vehicle rolling away. Facing downhill, gravity is pulling the car forwards, so turn the steering wheel towards the kerb. If it does creep, the front wheel meets the kerb instead of running into the traffic.

Answer: Competitive

Competitive driving is racing the driver beside you, refusing to be overtaken and overtaking for the sake of it, which the Code warns can become an obsession you must fight. Defensive and cautious driving expect other people's mistakes and leave room for them. It is the competitive driver who puts everyone at risk.

Answer: Give way to coming traffic on your right

Traffic already circulating has absolute priority, and because a traffic circle runs clockwise, that traffic reaches you from your right. A small circle is no different. Coming up to it, look to your right, wait until you can enter without making anyone brake, and then go.

Answer: All of these answers are correct

Both of the steps listed cut the work the engine has to do. A roof rack left on spoils the airflow and burns fuel on every trip, and the air conditioning is driven by the engine, so running it when you do not need it costs fuel too. Neither one is the whole answer, so all of them are right.

Answer: When the pedestrian has completely crossed the road

At a zebra crossing you stop and give precedence to any pedestrian crossing or waiting to cross. The red car has stopped in the left lane, and the pedestrian is just past the central island, still on the crossing. A person on the crossing is still crossing, island or not, so wait until they have stepped off the road.

Answer: Prepare to stop if the lorry enters your lane.

A long vehicle needs the width of the road to turn. The lorry is coming out of the side road on your left and its cab is already swinging across your lane, with a red car coming the other way. You are the blue car. Slow down and be ready to stop so the lorry can finish its turn; speeding up would put you in its path.

Answer: No horses permitted beyond this point.

A red circle round a black symbol prohibits whatever the symbol shows, the same way the overtaking prohibited sign works. This one shows a horse and rider, so ridden horses may not go past this point. A warning that horses may be about would be a red triangle, and a route for horses would be a blue sign.

Answer: No vehicle entry

The round red sign with a white bar is the no entry sign: no vehicle may pass it. It stands where you would otherwise drive into a one way road against the traffic, or into a road shut to vehicles. Road works ahead is a red triangle, and the end of a speed limit is a white round sign with a black stripe.

Answer: The opposing lane has priority.

A red circle is a prohibition sign. The large black arrow pointing towards you is the oncoming traffic; the small red arrow is you, and red is the one held back. Where the road narrows ahead, you give way to vehicles coming the other way. The opposing lane has priority, so wait until it is clear before you go through.

Answer: You will have to give way ahead.

Road markings are painted to emphasise a regulation ahead. A white triangle painted across your lane, its point towards you, is the give way marking: a junction is coming where you must give precedence to traffic on the road you are joining. Slow down and be ready to stop. A level crossing is warned by a red triangle.

Answer: In an area where you cannot stop, park, load, or unload

The blue round sign with a red ring and a red cross is the no stopping sign. It forbids more than parking: you may not stop here at all, not even for a moment to load, unload or set down a passenger. A red ring with a single red stripe forbids parking only; the cross forbids stopping as well.

Answer: To the right edge of your lane

Keep left unless you are about to overtake or turn right. To turn right, move over in good time to the right edge of your lane and signal right. The red car is waiting there for a gap in the oncoming black cars, and traffic behind it can still pass on its left. In the middle of the lane you would block that.

Answer: Continue through, but only if you cannot safely stop in time.

The picture shows the middle lamp lit, with red and green dark. You must stop on the amber, so pull up at the stop line if you can do it safely. The Code does not write out the exception, and the answer this paper works to is to carry on only when you are already too close to stop.

Answer: No buses are allowed on this road.

A red circle round a symbol prohibits what the symbol shows. Here the symbol is a bus, so buses may not use this road; every other vehicle may. A road kept for buses alone would be a blue round sign, and a bus stop is never shown by a red circle.

Answer: National speed limits now apply.

This white round sign with a black diagonal stripe ends the limit. The Code's own de-restriction sign puts a red cross over the old message, but the meaning is the same: the lower limit no longer applies and the national limit for that road takes over. The road is not closed, and trams do not come into it.

Answer: When the cycle lane is bordered by a broken white line and crossing the border is unavoidable

A broken white line may be crossed when you are satisfied it is safe; a continuous line may never be crossed. The cycle lane here has a broken line, so the red car may enter it only when there is no other way, say to pass a parked vehicle, and only when no cyclist is there. Behind a solid line it is for cycles alone.

Answer: Do not overtake.

This is the overtaking prohibited sign: a red circle round two cars side by side. The Code says it tells you not to overtake another vehicle travelling in the same direction, and the ban runs for 500 metres beyond the sign. It says nothing about who has priority or about the road ahead being two way.

Answer: Road is uneven ahead

A red triangle warns of a hazard ahead. The symbol is a rough, bumpy surface, so the road ahead is uneven: slow down so the bumps do not throw the car about or bounce a wheel off the road. Speed bumps and steep hills each have their own warning sign.

Answer: Motorists can pass an island or obstacle on either side.

A blue round sign gives an instruction. The keep left sign in the Code has one arrow showing which side of an obstacle to pass. This one has an arrow down each side, so you may pass the island or obstacle ahead on either side to reach the same road beyond. It says nothing about parking and is not a junction warning.

Answer: Both A and B

Traffic runs clockwise round a circle, with the island on your right. Red car A comes down the top road and follows the circle right round to leave by the road on its right. Blue car B comes up the bottom road and goes straight on. Each keeps left on approach and holds one line, so both are right.

Answer: Wait for the pedestrian to finish crossing.

A green light lets you go, but not drive at a pedestrian. The Code says give the pedestrian a chance to cross the road safely. Here the person is just past the central island and still on the crossing in front of you, so wait until they have finished crossing. Sounding your horn at them is not allowed.

Answer: A level crossing without a barrier

The Code's railway crossing sign is a red triangle before the crossing. This red cross is the sign this paper works to at the crossing itself: a level crossing with no gate or barrier, so nothing stops you but your own care. Slow down, look and listen, and stop at least 3 metres from the track if a train comes.

Answer: The motorway ends here.

A red bar across a sign cancels what the sign shows, the same way the Code's de-restriction signs cancel a limit. The blue sign with a bridge over two carriageways is the motorway symbol, so with the red bar it marks the end of the motorway. It does not close the road or warn of a bridge; ordinary rules apply again.

Answer: Treat each roundabout separately.

Small circles set close together are still separate circles, so take them one at a time. At each one, give precedence to the traffic already going round it, which comes from your right, and signal for the exit you want. The red car settles the circle it is at now, then works the next one.

Answer: Your lane has priority.

This is a blue sign, which gives information, not a red circle. The large white arrow pointing your way is you, and the small red arrow is the oncoming traffic, which is the one held back. Where the road narrows ahead, your lane has priority over vehicles coming the other way. The red circle version makes you give way.

Answer: B only

You must not turn right in front of oncoming traffic, and you keep left of the centre until you turn. In A the red and blue cars cut the corner and each turns across the front of the other. In B they pass each other right side to right side and turn behind one another, each keeping the other on its right. B is legal.

Answer: No vehicles are allowed past this point.

A red circle prohibits. With no symbol inside it, the prohibition falls on all vehicles: nothing on wheels may go past this sign, though pedestrians may. The end of a speed limit is a white round sign with a black stripe, and a closed road ahead would be signed in words.

Answer: A and C

Traffic entering a major road from a minor one gives precedence to all the traffic on the major road. Car B is waiting in the side road on the left, behind the broken line across its exit. Car A is coming down the main road and Car C is going up it, so both drive on. Car B waits for both, whichever way it is turning.

Answer: Any vehicle that is turning right or overtaking

Keep left, and move right only to overtake or turn right. On a three lane road with two way traffic the centre lane is shared by both directions for those two things. The red car keeps to its left lane and the blue car to its own far side; either may use the centre lane to overtake or turn right, never to stay in.