Vehicle Safety Systems and Occupant Protection
What you must know
This domain covers the systems that protect occupants and other road users. Candidates should understand seatbelts and their correct routing, head restraints, child restraints and the rules for their use, airbags and the need to sit at a safe distance from the steering wheel, anti-lock braking systems (ABS), electronic stability control, and tyre-pressure monitoring. Know how ABS changes braking technique: firm continuous pressure, no pumping, and the ability to steer while braking. Understand that airbags supplement, not replace, seatbelts.
Traps in questions
Questions often test the interaction between systems: an airbag is most effective when the occupant is belted and correctly seated. A rear-facing child restraint must not be placed in front of an active frontal airbag. ABS does not shorten stopping distance on all surfaces, especially loose gravel or snow, but it helps maintain steering control. Head restraints protect against whiplash and should be adjusted so the top is level with the top of the head.
Worked example
You must brake hard in an emergency in a car with ABS. Should you pump the brake pedal? No: press firmly and hold continuous pressure; the system prevents wheel lock-up, and you can steer around the hazard while braking. Rule of thumb: with ABS, brake and steer; without ABS, brake firmly and release just before lock-up.
Rule of thumb
Belts first, then airbags: restraints work as a system, and correct adjustment matters.