When you are studying for the car theory test you will need to study and practice 14 car theory test subjects. These subjects range from your attitude towards road users around you to the rules regarding the motorway.
Road and Traffic Signs – the largest subject of all in the car theory test with 133 questions in total. Road and traffic signs question bank ranges from amber traffic lights to how would a police officer signal a road user to stop.
Let us start with the first question of the two:
At traffic lights, what does it mean when the amber light shows on its own?
- Prepare to go
- Go if the way is clear
- Go if no pedestrians are crossing
- Stop at the stop line
This question has been confusing not only learner drivers but full licence holders for years. Many people believe that solid amber/ yellow lights mean ‘prepare to go’ but unfortunately that is incorrect. The other two answers ‘go if the way is clear’ and ‘go if no pedestrians are crossing’ are also both incorrect. The correct answer to the car theory test question above is ‘stop at the stop line’. When you see the amber light showing on its own it means stop if it is safe to do so. So when you are approaching the traffic lights, you should come off the gas to reduce some speed and if the lights change to amber then you should come to a safe stop behind the white line. If it is not safe to stop i.e. there’s a vehicle dangerously close behind you that may hit you if you stop, if its not safe to stop as you’ll need to break harshly in order to stop in time or if the lights change and its too late to stop then it is ok to continue. Remember amber light on its own means stop if its safe to do so.
Another question on the car theory test that regularly causes confusion is:
How will a police officer in a patrol vehicle signal for you to stop?
- Flash the headlights, indicate left and point to the left
- Overtake and give a slowing down arm signal
- Use the siren, overtake, cut in front and stop
- Pull alongside you, use the siren and wave you to stop
There are many ways in which a police officer can signal for you to stop but the most safest and common way of asking you to stop is to ‘flash the headlights, indicate left and point to the left’ which is done when the police officer is following you from the rear. This is because the police officer can remain behind your vehicle without having to perform something more dangerous like pull in front of you. It is important to check your interior mirror regularly and if you notice that a police officer is signalling for you to pull over then try to find somewhere safe and convenient and then pull over giving a left signal in the process to confirm that you have seen the signal from the police officer and are preparing to pullover. The option ‘overtake and give a slowing down arm signal’ can be used if the police officer feels that they don’t have your attention or if you are behind them and they want to speak with you about something. ‘Use the siren, overtake, cut in front and stop’ is quite a serious way in which a police officer can pull you over as well as very dangerous too and this may be in a case when the driver that the police officer wants to stop is not responding and possibly fleeing from the scene or the police. The final incorrect answer to the car theory test question above is ‘pull alongside you, use the siren and wave you to stop’ can also be performed if there are multiple lanes going in the same direction and the police officer wasn’t able to get behind you so they decided to pull up next to you in order to gain your attention. This method is becoming more popular these days as more and more drivers are using their mobile phones whilst driving and its easier for the police officer to spot this when they are beside the driver and not behind them. Please remember that if or when a police officer is trying to gain your attention that you notice it as early as possible and that you pull over when it is safe to do so.