Alertness

Why B? And why not the others?

Correct answer: B. No — using a hand-held phone is banned whenever you are driving, even when temporarily stopped in traffic

The rule that bans hand-held phone use applies to driving, which includes being temporarily stopped in traffic or at lights with the engine running, not just while the car is actually moving; only stopping somewhere you have legitimately parked removes the restriction. The option treating a stationary vehicle as exempt confuses 'not moving' with 'not driving' — the ban applies throughout the journey, including short stops caused by traffic control. The option distinguishing messages from calls is wrong because the ban covers any interactive use of a hand-held device, not just phone calls — texting, browsing, or using apps hand-held all breach the same rule. The option about using the speaker while still holding the handset is wrong because it is the act of holding and operating the device, not how the audio is routed, that makes the use illegal — the phone must be secured in a cradle or mount to be used hands-free.

Source: The Highway Code, Rule 149 (GOV.UK)

Why D? And why not the others?

Correct answer: D. It can mask sounds such as sirens or another vehicle's horn that you need to hear

Rule 148 lists loud music among the things to avoid because safe driving needs concentration, and it specifically flags that loud music can mask other sounds — the emergency siren, a horn, or a warning shout that alerts you to a hazard you would otherwise miss. Fuel use is not part of the concern; loud music has no meaningful effect on consumption, so that option invents a mechanism the Code never mentions. Insurance is not automatically voided by playing music loudly — that is not how motor insurance contracts work, and no such clause appears anywhere in the Code. The car's electrical system is not put at risk by higher volume either — a stereo drawing more current does not overheat a modern vehicle's wiring, so that explanation is invented rather than a genuine safety mechanism the Code identifies for why the practice is discouraged.

Source: The Highway Code, Rule 148 (GOV.UK)

Why A? And why not the others?

Correct answer: A. Pull up in a safe place before programming or adjusting the device

Rule 150 warns that in-vehicle systems such as satellite navigation can distract a driver, and the guidance is to avoid being distracted by maps or screen-based information while driving or riding — the safe approach is to stop somewhere suitable first. The option allowing a brief glance treats distraction as purely a matter of duration, but even short glances take your eyes and attention off the road at the exact moment a hazard could appear, so the rule does not carve out an exception for quick looks. The 'quiet road' option is wrong for the same reason — a pedestrian stepping out or an animal on the road is not ruled out just because traffic happens to be light. Handing the device to a passenger does not address the guidance the rule actually gives about the driver's own attention, so it is not what the Code recommends either.

Source: The Highway Code, Rule 150 (GOV.UK)

Why C? And why not the others?

Correct answer: C. Use your mirrors and, if necessary, take a quick sideways glance before moving across

Rule 133 says that before changing lane you should first use your mirrors and, if necessary, take a quick sideways glance, to make sure you will not force another road user to change course or speed — the check comes before the manoeuvre, not during or after it. Sounding the horn is not the method the rule describes for confirming safety; a horn alerts others to your presence but tells you nothing about what is sitting in your blind spot, so it does not replace a mirror check. Hazard lights are meant to warn others of a hazard or obstruction, not to accompany the routine act of changing lane, so leaving them on for a normal lane change is not what the rule asks for. Signalling before checking reverses the correct order — you need to know the lane is clear before you commit to moving, otherwise the signal alone gives no protection against a vehicle you haven't yet seen.

Source: The Highway Code, Rule 133 (GOV.UK)

Why B? And why not the others?

Correct answer: B. Mirrors, blind spot check, signal, final check

Rule 159 sets out the moving-off routine as: use all mirrors to check the road is clear, look round to check the blind spots the mirrors can't show you, signal if it's needed to let others know what you intend to do, and then take a final check immediately before actually moving off. The option that signals first has the sequence backwards — signalling before you know whether it is even safe or necessary risks confusing other road users about a manoeuvre you might not go on to make. The option checking the blind spot before the mirrors also reverses the intended flow, since the mirrors give you the wide picture first and the blind-spot glance fills the specific gap the mirrors leave. The remaining option still places the signal too early, ahead of confirming there is nobody in the area the mirrors cannot cover, so it does not match the recommended sequence either.

Source: The Highway Code, Rule 159 (GOV.UK)

Why D? And why not the others?

Correct answer: D. Look all around using your mirrors and by turning to check the blind spot, both before starting and throughout the manoeuvre, looking mainly through the rear window

Rule 202 says you should look carefully before starting to reverse, using all your mirrors and checking the blind spot behind you for pedestrians, cyclists, or obstructions, and then keep checking all around as you reverse slowly, looking mainly through the rear window rather than only at a mirror. Relying on the interior mirror alone is wrong because it cannot show the full width behind a vehicle, particularly close to the rear corners, which is exactly where the blind spot lies. Fitted sensors or a camera can help but are described as an aid, not a replacement for looking round yourself, so treating them as a substitute misstates the rule. Checking only at the start and then looking forward misses developing hazards, such as a child or cyclist moving into the path partway through the manoeuvre, which is why the Code calls for continuous observation rather than a one-off glance.

Source: The Highway Code, Rule 202 (GOV.UK)

Why A? And why not the others?

Correct answer: A. A break of at least 15 minutes after every two hours of driving, avoiding long journeys between midnight and 6am where possible

Rule 91 recommends a minimum break of at least 15 minutes after every two hours of driving, and advises avoiding long journeys between midnight and 6am where possible, since natural alertness is at its lowest in that window, and it also tells drivers to plan sufficient rest stops in advance rather than waiting until they already feel drowsy. The five-minutes-every-hour option invents a much shorter, more frequent interval than the Code specifies, and the 9am restriction has no basis in the rule at all. The option claiming there is no specific interval is wrong because the Code does give a concrete figure — 15 minutes every two hours — precisely so drivers have a plannable rule rather than relying on guesswork. The 30-minutes-every-four-hours option roughly doubles the recommended gap between breaks and drops the midnight-to-6am guidance entirely, understating how directly the Code addresses the highest-risk period for fatigue.

Source: The Highway Code, Rule 91 (GOV.UK)

Why C? And why not the others?

Correct answer: C. Check with your doctor or pharmacist about the medicine's effects and do not drive if it is likely to impair your ability to do so safely

Rule 96 makes clear that you must not drive under the influence of drugs or medicine, and it directs drivers to check with a doctor or pharmacist if unsure whether a particular medicine affects the ability to drive safely, then to avoid driving if it does — a prescription being legal does not make it safe to drive on if the medicine impairs you. The option treating any doctor's prescription as an automatic override gets this backwards: being legally prescribed a medicine does not exempt you from the underlying safety rule if that medicine impairs your driving. The option requiring a printed warning symbol before you act is wrong because the rule relies on you checking and using the medical advice you are given, not on packaging alone, and ignoring a pharmacist's spoken warning would go directly against that guidance. The fixed 24-hour rule is invented — the Code gives no blanket waiting period, because different medicines affect people differently and for different durations, which is exactly why it tells you to seek specific advice rather than follow one number for everything.

Source: The Highway Code, Rule 96 (GOV.UK)

Why B? And why not the others?

Correct answer: B. Slow down and, if necessary, stop until you can see clearly again

Rule 237 states that if you are dazzled by bright sunlight, you should slow down and, if necessary, stop, because continuing at normal speed while unable to see the road properly greatly increases the risk of a collision with a hazard you simply cannot see coming. Speeding up is the opposite of what is needed — less time to react while your vision is impaired makes the situation more dangerous, not less. Closing one eye is not guidance given anywhere in the Code and would only reduce your usable field of vision further, offering no real protection. Hazard lights are meant to warn other drivers of an obstruction or a stopped vehicle, not to compensate for the driver's own reduced vision while continuing to move at speed — the rule calls for reducing speed and stopping, not signalling to others while carrying on regardless.

Source: The Highway Code, Rule 237 (GOV.UK)

Why D? And why not the others?

Correct answer: D. Be able to read a vehicle number plate, in good daylight, from 20 metres (20.5 metres for old-style plates); if you need glasses or contact lenses to do this, you must wear them at all times while driving

Rule 92 sets a specific, testable eyesight standard: being able to read a vehicle number plate in good daylight from 20 metres away, or 20.5 metres for the older style of plate, and if glasses or contact lenses are needed to reach that standard, the rule says you must wear them at all times while driving, not just when convenient. The 10-metres option understates the actual distance required, which would let drivers with genuinely poorer eyesight pass a standard the Code sets higher. Treating the eye test as a one-off event at licence application misses the point that the standard is an ongoing requirement you must keep meeting every time you drive, which is also why the police retain the power to test a driver's eyesight at the roadside at any time, not only when a new licence is issued. The option making the distance requirement conditional on a police request confuses the standard itself, which always applies, with the police's separate power to check compliance with it.

Source: The Highway Code, Rule 92 (GOV.UK)