Road Safety and Hazard Awareness
This domain tests how you spot hazards and respond before they become emergencies: scanning, vulnerable road users, weather and road conditions, and what to do after a breakdown or collision.
Scanning and hazard categories
- Static hazards: bends, potholes, parked cars, blind junctions.
- Dynamic hazards: pedestrians, cyclists, animals, other vehicles.
- Look for clues: brake lights ahead, side-road movement, shadows, and the behaviour of drivers.
- Potholes and broken road edges are common after heavy rain and can cause loss of control.
Vulnerable road users
- Pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, children and older people are least protected.
- Give them space and expect unpredictable movement, especially near schools, bus stops and markets.
Weather and road conditions
- Rain: reduce speed, increase the gap, and avoid standing water.
- Do not enter a flooded road if you cannot judge the depth; water can hide a washed-out surface.
- Night: use dipped headlights and do not dazzle oncoming drivers.
- Hills: select a lower gear instead of riding the brakes.
Breakdowns and collisions
- Move off the road, switch on hazard lights, and use a warning triangle if it is safe.
- After a collision: stop, give first aid, call the police, and exchange details.
Worked example
At night on a winding road, you see faint movement at the left verge. You should reduce speed and prepare to stop, not swerve. It could be a pedestrian or an animal. Sounding the horn may startle it into your path. Check your mirrors before braking so the driver behind is not taken by surprise.
Traps that cost marks
- Fixating on one hazard and missing a second.
- Swerving into oncoming traffic instead of braking.
- Braking without checking mirrors.
- Assuming a parked car will stay parked.
- Driving into flood water without knowing its depth.