Rules of the Road
Core concepts
Rules-of-the-road questions test whether you can apply give-way logic calmly and consistently. You must know the general priority rules: at an uncontrolled intersection you give way to traffic approaching from your right; when turning across oncoming traffic you give way to vehicles going straight ahead; when entering a road from a driveway, car park, or private land you give way to all traffic already on the road, including cyclists and pedestrians. Understand following distance (the two-second gap in good conditions, widened in rain or at night), speed limits in built-up and rural areas, and the rules on overtaking, indicating, and roundabouts. Know who must wear seatbelts, how to share the road with cyclists and motorcyclists, and the meaning of stopping, parking, and clearway restrictions.
Traps in questions
Watch for absolute words such as always and never, and for scenarios where a courtesy wave invites you into a dangerous move. A common trick is a pedestrian waiting at a crossing or a cyclist alongside you as you turn left; the safe answer is to give way. Another is an emergency vehicle with lights and siren: you must make way safely without breaking the law, not stop abruptly in a dangerous spot. Questions about U-turns, overtaking on the left, and merging often hinge on whether your manoeuvre would force another road user to change speed or direction.
Worked example
You approach a four-way uncontrolled intersection and want to turn right. A car is approaching from the opposite direction, going straight, and another car approaches from your left. The car opposite has priority because you are crossing its path; the car on your left does not, because it is not on your right. Rule of thumb: give way to the right, and to anyone whose path you cross.