The answer options
- Select a lower gear
- Use a high engine speed
- Select a higher gear than usualCorrect
- Use the footbrake and parking brake
Why that is the answer
Moving off in a higher gear, such as second gear, reduces the torque delivered to the driven wheels. This lessens the risk of the tyres spinning and losing traction on slippery surfaces like snow. Selecting a lower gear or using high engine speeds provides too much power, causing the wheels to spin uselessly. The Highway Code advises using a higher gear to help maintain control when moving off.
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 avoid wheelspin when you’re driving on an icy road?
- 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?