You’re stuck in a queue of stationary traffic when your hand-held phone rings. What should you do?
Leave it until you’ve parked somewhere safe and legal You must not pick up and use a hand-held phone while driving, and that includes sitting still in traffic. Let it ring, or let it go to voicemail, and call back once you’ve parked safely.
You’re waiting at a junction and a driver on the main road flashes their headlights at you. What does the Highway Code say this means?
Only that they’re letting you know they’re there The Highway Code says you should only flash your headlights to let other road users know you’re there. Never take it as a signal to go. Make your own decision about whether it’s safe.
On a dry, fast road, what’s the smallest gap the Highway Code says you should leave behind the vehicle in front?
Two seconds On high-speed roads you should leave at least a two-second gap behind the vehicle in front. That gives you time to react and brake if it slows down suddenly.
It’s raining heavily. How should you change the two-second gap you leave on dry roads?
At least double it On wet roads your tyres grip less, so stopping takes longer. The Highway Code says the gap should be at least doubled in the wet, so leave at least four seconds.
You’re driving a car on a single carriageway road and pass this sign. What’s the fastest you may drive?
60 mph This is the national speed limit sign. For a car on a single carriageway road, the national limit is 60 mph. On a dual carriageway or motorway it’s 70 mph. It’s a limit, not a target, so drive slower when the road or weather calls for it.
You’re planning a long drive. How often does the Highway Code recommend taking a break?
At least 15 minutes after every two hours of driving The Highway Code recommends a break of at least 15 minutes after every two hours of driving. Tiredness creeps up on you, so plan the breaks before you set off.
What eyesight standard must every driver meet, with glasses or contact lenses if needed?
Read a number plate from 20 metres in good daylight You must be able to read a vehicle number plate, in good daylight, from 20 metres. If you need glasses or contact lenses to do that, you must wear them every time you drive.
You’re driving at 30 mph and want to overtake a cyclist. How much space should you leave, at least?
1.5 metres Leave at least 1.5 metres when you overtake a cyclist at speeds of up to 30 mph. Give them more space at higher speeds. If you can’t leave that much room, wait behind until you can.
You come up behind a horse rider on a narrow road. How should you pass them, when it’s safe to do so?
At under 10 mph, leaving at least 2 metres Pass horse riders at speeds under 10 mph and allow at least 2 metres of space. Horses can be startled and move suddenly, so go slowly and give them plenty of room.
You’re turning left into a side road. A pedestrian is waiting to cross that side road. What should you do?
Give way and let them cross At a junction you should give way to pedestrians who are crossing or waiting to cross the road you’re turning into or out of. This rule came in with the 2022 changes to the Highway Code.
The traffic lights change from green to amber as you approach. You’re not yet at the stop line and can stop safely. What must you do?
Stop at the white stop line Amber means stop. You must stop at the white stop line unless you’ve already crossed it, or you’re so close that stopping might cause a crash.
You come to a box junction with yellow criss-cross lines. You want to go straight ahead. When can you enter the box?
Only when your exit road or lane is clear You must not enter a box junction until your exit road or lane is clear. The one exception is turning right, where you may wait in the box if only oncoming traffic or other right-turning vehicles are stopping you.
You’re on a three-lane motorway with light traffic. Which lane should you normally drive in?
The left-hand lane, unless you’re overtaking Keep in the left lane unless you’re overtaking. Once you’ve passed the slower vehicles, move back to the left when it’s safe.
On a motorway you see a red X on the sign above your lane. What does it mean?
The lane is closed. Don’t drive in it, and move to an open lane A red X means the lane is closed. You must not drive in it. Follow the signs and move into an open lane in good time.
What does this sign tell you?
You must not overtake This is the no overtaking sign. A red circle gives an order, and most red circle signs tell you what you must not do. Here, you must not overtake until a sign shows the restriction has ended.
What does the colour of this direction sign tell you?
It leads to a motorway Blue direction signs are for motorways. This one points the way to the M1 at junction 23. Green signs are for primary routes, white signs for local routes and brown signs for tourist destinations.
What’s the minimum legal tyre tread depth for a car in Great Britain?
1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread, all the way round Cars must have at least 1.6 mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tread, around the whole tyre. Less than that is illegal and makes the car much harder to stop in the wet.
When does a car normally need its first MOT test?
Three years after it’s first registered Cars must normally pass an MOT three years from the date they were first registered, then every year after that.
Your car breaks down on an ordinary two-way road, not a motorway. Where should you place a warning triangle, if you have one and it’s safe?
At least 45 metres behind your car, on the same side of the road Put a warning triangle on the same side of the road, at least 45 metres behind your broken-down vehicle. Never use one on a motorway.
Someone at a crash scene has a burn. How long should you cool it with clean, cool water?
At least 20 minutes The Highway Code says to cool a burn for at least 20 minutes with plenty of clean, cool water. Don’t try to remove anything that’s stuck to the burn.
United Kingdom · Theory test
