Road Safety and Shared Road Space
The safety mindset
Road safety questions test whether you manage risk before it becomes an emergency. That means matching speed to conditions, maintaining a safe following distance, using mirrors and signals in good time, and anticipating the mistakes of others. Heavy vehicles need far more space to stop than cars, so the gap you leave must reflect your mass and load.
Vulnerable road users
Pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and children are the highest-risk groups. Give them room, expect the unexpected near schools, bus stops, markets and crossings, and remember that a heavy vehicle's blind spots are large and close to the cab. Never assume a pedestrian has seen you. At crossings, approach so you can stop, and give way as required.
Following distance
A useful rule of thumb is the two-second gap in good conditions, doubled to four seconds when the road is wet or visibility is reduced, and extended further when loaded or descending. In poor conditions or at night, increase again.
Traps
Questions often present a legal manoeuvre that is unsafe in the circumstances, such as overtaking within the limit but with a hidden junction ahead. The right answer respects both the law and the hazard. Another trap is treating a green light as an unconditional right to proceed.
Worked example
You are following a car at two seconds on a dry road when it begins to rain. The correct response is to ease off and increase the gap to at least four seconds, not simply to switch on wipers and continue at the same distance.