Theory Test Safety & Your Vehicle

To learn all about the Safety & Your Vehicle category, watch the video or read the article below.

The theory test featuring questions from the Safety & Your Vehicle category is at the bottom of the page.

Topics Include

  • Fault Detection: being able to detect vehicle problems real or potential and the consequences of them.
  • Vehicle Defects: understanding how and why a vehicle that isn’t roadworthy vehicle can endanger life.
  • Emissions: understanding the regulations that govern vehicle emissions.
  • Noise: preventing excessive noise.
  • Safety Equipment: knowing how to use any safety equipment a road vehicle may have.

The Environment

Many questions concern the the effects cars have on the environment. These effects are basically considered to be negative. In relation to the Theory test, cars pollute; consuming fuel is bad; using less fuel is good. So remember this when answering the questions, for example:

Question: Motor vehicles can harm the environment. This has resulted in (mark 3 answers)

1. air pollution

2. damage to buildings

3. less risk to health

4. improved public transport

6. using up natural resources

The correct answers are 1, 2 and 6.

Increased Fuel Consumption

The following increase fuel consumption, which is considered bad for the environment.
  • Under inflated tyres
  • Harsh braking
  • Harsh, rapid acceleration
  • A roof rack
  • Over-revving in low gear
  • Carrying unecessary weight
To reduce fuel consumption
  • Plan you journey
  • Use gently, steady acceleration
  • Get your car serviced regularly
  • Reduce your speed
  • Watch traffic and plan ahead
  • Avoid very short car journeys
  • Miss out some gears when conditions allow

Other Environment Facts to Know

  • Driving at 70mph uses 30% more fuel than driving at 50mph.
  • Catalytic Converters are part of the exhaust system. They reduce toxic exhaust emissions.
  • Road transport accounts for 20% of all emissions.
  • Red routes in cities exist to help the traffic flow.
  • Light Rapid Transit (LRT) systems are environmentally friendly because they are powered by electricity, so they don’t emit toxic fumes.
  • A roof rack fitted to your car will increase fuel consumption.
  • Servicing your car regularly will help give you better fuel economy.
  • Eco-safe driving leads to improved road safety and helps the environment by reducing exhaust emissions.
  • Missing out some gear changes can help save fuel by reducing the amount of time you are accelerating.

Avoiding Congestion

Avoiding congestion makes driving less stressful and can help you save fuel. Always try to:

  • plan your route before starting out
  • avoid driving at times when roads will be busy, as you are less likely to be delayed
  • allow plenty of time for your journey.

Plan you route by:

  • looking at a map
  • using sat-nav equipment
  • checking for road works with a motoring organisation
  • using a route planner on the internet.

Car Security

Common sense answers many of these questions. E.g. Question: When leaving your vehicle parked and unattended you should?
  1. park near a busy junction
  2. park in a housing estate
  3. remove the key and lock it
  4. leave the left indicator on
As I’m sure you know, the correct answer is 3.

Other Facts You Need to Know

  • When parking remove any valuables and take them with you. If you have to leave them then lock them out of sight.
  • Never leave vehicle documents in a car.
  • Etching the car number on the windows may deter car theft, as does adding an immobiliser.

Car Maintenance

  • Check tyre pressure when the tyres are cold.
  • Dispose of a used car battery and engine oil by taking them to a garage or local authority site.
  • The fluid used to top up a car battery is distilled water. The level you need to fill it to is just above the cell plates.
  • Uneven or excessive tyre wear can cause faults in the braking system, wheel alignment and the suspension.
  • Low levels of brake fluid can cause you to crash.
  • Brake fade is caused by overheating brakes and will make your brakes less effective.
  • Consult a mechanic immediately if your anti-lock brake light stays on or your vehicle pulls to one side when braking.
  • If the anti-lock brakes warning light comes on and stays on you should consult a mechanic immediately.
  • The legal minimum depth of tread for car tyres over 3/4’s of the breadth is 1.6mm.
  • The law requires you to keep headlights, windscreen and seat belts in a good condition.
  • Too much oil in the engine can cause oil leaks.
  • Dry steering (steering whilst the car is stationary) can cause damage to the tyres and steering.
  • Unbalanced wheels on a car can cause the steering to vibrate.

Driving with under inflated tyres can affect

  • Fuel Consumption
  • make the steering seem heavy
  • Braking

Seat Belts & Safety Devices

  • It is the responsibility of the driver to make sure anyone under the age of 14 who is a passenger in the car wears an appropriate seatbelt.
  • Car passengers must wear a seat belt or restraint if one is available, unless they are exempt for medical reasons.
  • A child under 1.35 metres tall who is a passenger in the back seat of your car must wear a suitable child restraint. If such a restraint isn’t available then they must use an adult seat belt.
  • Make sure any front passenger airbag is deactivated when carrying a child in the front passenger seat using a rear-facing baby seat
  • In a collision a properly adjusted head restraint will help reduce the risk of neck injury.

Don't Park Your Car

  • On front of a property entrance.
  • At or near a bus stop.
  • Near the brow of a hill where the limited view of the road ahead makes it difficult to see whether it’s safe to pass the obstruction.
  • At a dropped kerb, as this is the place for wheelchair and mobility scooter users to get onto the road or pavement.
  • On the zigzag lines at a pedestrian crossing.

When parking you car at night on a road with a speed limit of 40mph or above you should leave the parking lights on.

Other Facts to Know

  • You must not sound your horn between 11.30pm and 7am in a built-up area.
  • Before a long journey check the engine’s oil levels. Too much oil in the engine can cause oil leaks.
  • Red routes have been introduced in major cities to help the traffic flow.
  • Road humps, chicanes and narrowings are traffic calming measures. When you encounter them you should slow down
  • You should only sound your horn in a built-up area between 7am and 11.30pm.
  • When parking on the road at night, park in the direction of the traffic. Use your parking lights if the speed limit is over 30mph.
  • Planning your journey before you start out will result in you having a more pleasant and easier journey, it will also help to ease congestion. Plan an alternative route just in case your preferred route is blocked.
  • Wear suitable shoes when driving as this will help you maintain control of the pedals.
7 votes, 5 avg

Theory Test: Safety & your Vehicle

When leaving your vehicle unattended it is best to take valuables with you. If you can't, then lock them out of sight in the boot. If you can see valuables in your car, so can a thief.

1 / 31

What should you do when leaving your vehicle?

(mark one answer)

Other things to check include lights. Battery, a lot of these are now maintenance free. Steering, check for any play in the steering. Oil, water and suspension also need checking.

2 / 31

Which THREE does the law require you to keep in good condition?

(mark THREE answers)

Try not to use your car as a matter of routine. For shorter journeys, consider walking or cycling instead – this is much better for both you and the environment.

3 / 31

To help protect the environment you should NOT

(mark one answer)

The brakes on your vehicle must be effective and properly adjusted. If your vehicle pulls to one side when braking, take it to be checked by a qualified mechanic. Don’t take risks.

4 / 31

Your vehicle pulls to one side when braking. You should

(mark one answer)

When checking your tyres for cuts and bulges in the side walls, don’t forget the inner walls (ie. those facing each other under the vehicle).

5 / 31

It is illegal to drive with tyres that

(mark one answer)

Rapid acceleration and heavy braking lead to greater fuel consumption. They also increase wear and tear on your vehicle.

6 / 31

How can you, as a driver, help the environment?

(mark THREE answers)

If you’re involved in a collision, head restraints will reduce the risk of neck injury. They must be properly adjusted. Make sure they aren’t positioned too low, in a crash this could cause damage to the neck.

7 / 31

What will reduce the risk of neck injury resulting from a collision?

(mark one answer)

If you are carrying anything on a roof rack, make sure that any cover is securely fitted and does not flap about while driving. Aerodynamically designed roof boxes are available which reduce wind resistance and, in turn, fuel consumption.

8 / 31

A roof rack fitted to your car will

(mark one answer)

If your vehicle is fitted with drum brakes they can get hot and lose efficiency. This happens when they’re used continually, such as on a long, steep, downhill stretch of road. Using a lower gear will assist the braking and help prevent the vehicle gaining momentum.

9 / 31

The main cause of brake fade is

(mark one answer)

Keeping your vehicle’s tyres correctly inflated is a legal requirement. Your vehicle will use less fuel and have a shorter stopping distance with correctly inflated tyres.

10 / 31

Driving with under-inflated tyres can affect

(mark TWO answers)

Using the controls smoothly can reduce fuel consumption by about 15% as well as reducing wear and tear on your vehicle. Plan ahead and anticipate changes of speed well in advance. This will reduce the need to accelerate rapidly or brake sharply.

11 / 31

Rapid acceleration and heavy braking can lead to

(mark one answer)

Seat belts save lives and reduce the risk of injury. If you are carrying passengers under 14 years of age it’s your responsibility as the driver to ensure that their seat belts are fastened or they are seated in an approved child restraint.

12 / 31

You are carrying two 13 year old children and their parents in your car. Who is responsible for seeing that the children wear seat belts?

(mark one answer)

If possible, avoid the early morning and, late afternoon and early evening ‘rush hour’. Doing this should allow you to travel in a more relaxed frame of mind, concentrate solely on what you’re doing and arrive at your destination feeling less stressed.

13 / 31

By avoiding busy times when travelling

(mark one answer)

When parking at night, park in the direction of the traffic. This will enable other road users to see the reflectors on the rear of your vehicle. Use your parking lights if the speed limit is over 30 mph.

14 / 31

You are parked on a road at night. Where must you use parking lights?

(mark one answer)

When you check the tyre pressures do so when the tyres are cold. This will give you a more accurate reading. The heat generated from a long journey will raise the pressure inside the tyre.

15 / 31

It is essential that tyre pressures are checked regularly. When should this be done?

(mark one answer)

Catalytic converters are designed to reduce a large percentage of toxic emissions. They work more efficiently when the engine has reached its normal working temperature.

16 / 31

The purpose of a catalytic converter is to reduce

(mark one answer)

An immobiliser makes it more difficult for your vehicle to be driven off by a thief. It is a particular deterrent to opportunist thieves.

17 / 31

Which of these is most likely to deter the theft of your vehicle?

(mark one answer)

Never leave the vehicle’s documents inside it. They would help a thief dispose of the vehicle more easily.

18 / 31

Which of the following should not be kept in your vehicle?

(mark one answer)

If your tyre pressures are low this will increase the drag on the road surface and make the steering feel heavy. Your vehicle will also use more fuel. Incorrectly inflated tyres can affect the braking, cornering and handling of your vehicle to a dangerous level.

19 / 31

What can cause heavy steering?

(mark one answer)

You should carry out frequent checks on all fluid levels but particularly brake fluid. As the brake pads or shoes wear down the brake fluid level will drop. If it drops below the minimum mark on the fluid reservoir, air could enter the hydraulic system and lead to a loss of braking efficiency or complete brake failure.

20 / 31

Which of these, if allowed to get low, could cause you to crash?

(mark one answer)

It’s a good idea to plan an alternative route in case your original route is blocked for any reason. You’re less likely to feel worried and stressed if you’ve got an alternative in mind. This will enable you to concentrate fully on your driving or riding. Always carry a map that covers the area you will travel in.

21 / 31

As well as planning your route before starting a journey, you should also plan an alternative route. Why is this?

(mark one answer)

No one likes to spend time in traffic queues. Try to avoid busy times related to school or work travel. As well as moving vehicles you should also consider congestion caused by parked cars, buses and coaches around schools.

22 / 31

Why is it a good idea to plan your journey to avoid busy times?

(mark one answer)

Regular servicing will help to detect faults at an early stage and this will avoid the risk of minor faults becoming serious or even dangerous.

23 / 31

Excessive or uneven tyre wear can be caused by faults in which THREE of the following?

(mark THREE answers)

Trams are powered by electricity and therefore do not emitt exhaust fumes. They are also much quieter than petrol and diesel engined vehicles and can carry large number of passengers.

24 / 31

The pictured vehicle is environmentally friendly because it

(mark TRHEE answers)

Theory Test Tram

The humps are there for a reason – to reduce the speed of the traffic. Don’t accelerate harshly between them as this means you will only have to brake harshly to negotiate the next hump. Harsh braking and accelerating uses more fuel.

25 / 31

You enter a road where there are road humps. What should you do?

(mark one answer)

Trailers and caravans may be left in storage over the winter months and tyres can deteriorate. It’s important to check their tread depth and also the pressures and general condition. The legal tread depth applies to the central three quarters of its breadth over its entire circumference.

26 / 31

You are checking your trailer tyres. What is the minimum legal thred depth over the central three quarters of its breadth?

(mark one answer)

It is your responsibility as a driver to ensure that children are secure and safe in your vehicle. Make sure you are familiar with the rules. In a few very exceptional cases when a child restraint is not available, an adult seat belt MUST be used.

27 / 31

You are carrying an 11-year-old child in the back seat of your car. They are under 1.35 metres in height. You MUST make sure that

(mark one answer)

If the airbag activates near a baby seat, it could cause serious injury or even death to the child. It is illegal to fit a rear-facing baby seat into a passenger seat protected by an active frontal airbag. You MUST secure it in a different seat or deactivate the relevant airbag. Follow the manufacturers advice when fitting a baby seat.

28 / 31

You are using a rear-facing baby seat. You want to put it on the front passenger seat which is protected by a frontal airbag. What must you do before setting off?

(mark one answer)

If your vehicle is stationary and is likely to remain so for some time, switch off the engine. We should all try to reduce global warming and pollution.

29 / 31

You are parked at the side of the road. You will be waiting for some time for a passenger. What should you do?

(mark one answer)

Too much oil in the engine will create excess pressure and could damage engine seals and cause oil leaks. Any excess oil should be drained off.

30 / 31

You have too much oil in your engine. What could this cause?

(mark one answer)

Missing out intermediate gears when appropriate, helps to reduce the amount of time spent accelerating and decelerating - the time when your vehicle uses most fuel.

31 / 31

You can save fuel when conditions allow by

(mark one answer)

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The average score is 81%

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