The answer options
- Drive at a slow speed in the highest gear possibleCorrect
- Drive in a low gear at all times
- Brake gently and repeatedly
- Use the parking brake if the wheels start to slip
Why that is the answer
When driving on ice, tyre grip is severely reduced. Selecting the highest practical gear reduces the engine torque delivered to the driven wheels. This makes the tyres far less likely to lose traction and spin when you move off or accelerate. Driving in a low gear increases torque, which easily breaks grip and causes wheelspin. Gentle use of all controls, as recommended in the Highway Code, is essential for staying safe in icy conditions.
How this comes up in the real test
Questions from safety margins appear throughout the 50-question multiple-choice section, and the wording changes between versions. Learn the rule rather than the sentence: the DVSA can ask the same point from the opposite direction, and a memorised answer falls over the moment the phrasing moves.
The pass mark is 43 out of 50, so seven wrong answers is your entire margin. If a whole category is shaky, run the topic practice below until you are getting every question right for the right reason, then go back to full mocks under the clock.
More safety margins questions
- What circumstances will cause an increase in your total stopping distance?
- As you approach a right-hand bend, you should keep well to the left. Why is this?
- How can the engine of your car be used as a brake?
- How can you tell if your vehicle's tyres are losing their grip on a wet road surface?
- How should you make sure your brakes are working properly after passing through floodwater?
- In very hot weather the road surface can become soft. What will be affected by this?