The answer options
- It will give you more time to turn
- You will use less fuel
- You can turn without stopping
- Your view of oncoming traffic will be clearerCorrect
Why the other options are wrong
- “It will give you more time to turn” is a distractor. It does not meet the standard the question is testing, which your view of oncoming traffic will be clearer does. Picking it in the real test costs a mark you cannot get back, and with a pass mark of 43 out of 50 you only have seven to spare.
- “You will use less fuel” is a distractor. It does not meet the standard the question is testing, which your view of oncoming traffic will be clearer does. Picking it in the real test costs a mark you cannot get back, and with a pass mark of 43 out of 50 you only have seven to spare.
- “You can turn without stopping” is a distractor. It does not meet the standard the question is testing, which your view of oncoming traffic will be clearer does. Picking it in the real test costs a mark you cannot get back, and with a pass mark of 43 out of 50 you only have seven to spare.
Why that is the answer
Turning behind the oncoming vehicle keeps your view of the road ahead clear. This allows you to see any other oncoming traffic before you cross their path. If you turn in front of the vehicle, its bodywork will block your view of vehicles travelling straight ahead behind it. The Highway Code recommends turning offside to offside whenever possible, as it provides a much safer, unobstructed view for both drivers.
What rules of the road covers
- · National speed limits for cars, cars towing, and built-up areas
- · Priority at crossroads, roundabouts and unmarked junctions
- · Where waiting, loading and stopping are prohibited
- · One-way streets, bus lanes and contraflow systems
Mistakes learners repeat on this topic
- · Assuming street lighting always means 30mph without checking for repeater signs
- · Forgetting the reduced limits when towing on dual carriageways and motorways
- · Believing a roundabout always gives priority to the right regardless of markings
- · Parking within 10 metres of a junction because there were no yellow lines
Instructor tip: When a limit question names a vehicle type, answer for that vehicle — the trap is applying the car limit to everything.
How this comes up in the real test
Questions from rules of the road 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 rules of the road questions
- A single carriageway road has this sign. What’s the maximum permitted speed for a car towing a trailer?
- At a roundabout, how should you signal that you're going straight ahead?
- At an un-marked crossroads, who has priority?
- How else can you indicate to other drivers besides using direction indicators?
- How far are you allowed to reverse?
- How should you park at night on a road with a 40mph speed limit?