DVSA Hazard Awareness 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: You are driving in heavy rain and your vehicle begins to aquaplane. What should you do?
- Brake hard to regain grip
- Steer sharply to the left
- Ease off the accelerator and avoid braking until you regain grip (Correct answer)
- Accelerate to drive through the water
Correct answer: Ease off the accelerator and avoid braking until you regain grip
Aquaplaning occurs when water builds up under the tyres faster than the tread can disperse it, causing a loss of contact with the road. You should ease off the accelerator smoothly and avoid braking or steering until the tyres regain grip.
Question 2: What is the main hazard of driving through a ford or flood water?
- Your brakes may become less effective afterwards (Correct answer)
- The water may damage your exhaust pipe
- Other vehicles may splash water onto your windscreen
- Your sat-nav may stop working
Correct answer: Your brakes may become less effective afterwards
After driving through water, your brakes may be wet and less effective. You should test your brakes gently after passing through water and dry them out by applying light pressure while driving slowly.
Question 3: You see brake lights come on several vehicles ahead of you on a motorway. What does this suggest?
- The vehicles are keeping the correct distance
- There may be a hazard or traffic queue forming ahead (Correct answer)
- The road surface has changed
- There is a speed camera ahead
Correct answer: There may be a hazard or traffic queue forming ahead
Multiple brake lights ahead on a motorway indicate that traffic is slowing — there may be a hazard, congestion, or a queue forming. You should reduce your speed early and check your mirrors in case you need to change lanes or warn drivers behind you.
Question 4: You are driving on a country road at 50 mph. How much distance should you allow for thinking distance alone?
- 9 metres (30 feet)
- 12 metres (40 feet)
- 15 metres (50 feet) (Correct answer)
- 18 metres (60 feet)
Correct answer: 15 metres (50 feet)
At 50 mph, the thinking distance is approximately 15 metres (50 feet). A useful rule of thumb is that thinking distance in feet roughly equals your speed in mph — so at 50 mph, thinking distance is about 50 feet (15 metres).
Question 5: You are driving behind a bus that pulls up at a stop. What hazard should you anticipate?
- The bus may reverse towards you
- Pedestrians may cross the road from in front of the bus (Correct answer)
- The bus may turn right without indicating
- Other buses may overtake you
Correct answer: Pedestrians may cross the road from in front of the bus
When a bus stops, passengers may alight and cross the road, sometimes emerging from in front of the bus where you cannot see them. Be prepared to stop and watch for pedestrians stepping into the road.
Question 6: What effect does tiredness have on your driving ability?
- It improves concentration as you try harder to focus
- It has no effect if you keep the window open
- It significantly increases your reaction time and impairs judgement (Correct answer)
- It only affects you on long motorway journeys
Correct answer: It significantly increases your reaction time and impairs judgement
Tiredness significantly increases reaction times, impairs judgement, and can cause microsleeps where you briefly lose consciousness. It is a major factor in road collisions. The only effective countermeasure is to stop and rest.
DVSA Hazard Awareness 2
You are driving in heavy rain and your vehicle begins to aquaplane.
What should you do?