Speed management and following distance
Choosing a safe speed
The examiner judges speed against the posted limit, the road layout, visibility, surface and traffic. A limit is a maximum, not a target: in rain, dust or on sand-covered asphalt, the safe speed is lower. Approach junctions, pedestrian crossings, schools and speed humps already slow enough to stop within the distance you can see to be clear.
Following distance
Use the two-second rule in dry conditions: pick a fixed object, and when the vehicle ahead passes it, count one thousand and one, one thousand and two. If you reach the object before the count ends, you are too close. Double it to four seconds in rain, dust, darkness or when following a heavy vehicle that blocks your view. In stationary traffic, leave enough space to see the rear tyres of the car ahead.
Worked example
You are following a truck at 60 km/h on a desert road with blowing sand. The two-second gap looks adequate, but the truck hides potholes and slow vehicles, and visibility is reduced by dust. Drop back to four seconds, reduce speed and use dipped headlights. The reasoning: stopping distance rises on a loose surface, and the truck's bulk removes the visual lead you need to plan.
Traps that cost marks
Accelerating to the limit on a blind bend; late braking; tailgating to discourage a merge; coasting downhill in neutral; and failing to slow for a speed hump or school zone.