Vehicle Controls
Domain overview
Vehicle-control questions check that you can operate a car or motorcycle smoothly and know what each control does before you move off. They cover the pre-drive check, the clutch–accelerator–brake relationship, steering, mirrors, gears, parking brake and warning lights.
Pre-drive checks
Walk around the vehicle for obstructions, children and animals; check tyres, lights, mirrors and fuel. Adjust the seat so the clutch can be fully pressed, set the mirrors to reduce blind spots, and fasten the seat belt before starting. On a motorcycle, check the chain, tyres, brakes and stand.
Controls
- Clutch: connects and disconnects engine power; use it to start, change gear and stop without stalling.
- Accelerator: increases engine speed; apply it smoothly.
- Foot brake: slows and stops the vehicle; the handbrake holds it when parked.
- Gears: low gears for pulling away and hills, higher gears for cruising; do not coast in neutral.
- Steering: use pull–push technique with both hands; avoid turning the wheel while stationary.
- Mirrors and blind spot: mirror checks plus a shoulder check before moving off or changing lanes.
Worked example
Starting on an uphill slope: keep the handbrake on, select first gear, bring the clutch to the biting point, add a little accelerator, then release the handbrake smoothly as the vehicle begins to pull. Releasing the handbrake too early makes the vehicle roll back; too much accelerator with the clutch fully down causes clutch wear.
Traps
Riding the clutch, coasting downhill in neutral, braking and steering sharply at the same time on wet roads, and relying on mirrors alone without a blind-spot check are frequent errors. Ignoring a red warning light is also unsafe.