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Alertness — free theory test practice
Alertness covers the routines that keep you informed: mirror–signal–manoeuvre, blind-spot checks, and how far ahead you should be looking on different roads.
It also deals with everything that pulls attention away — satnavs, phones, eating, tuning the radio — and with what to do when you lose concentration or feel drowsy.
Once you're passing this topic comfortably, try a full mock test under real timed conditions, brush up on UK road signs, or browse the full question bank. Ready to drive? See our intensive driving courses.
Alertness
Question 1 of 26
Before making a U-turn, what should you do?
What the DVSA tests on alertness
- Mirror–signal–manoeuvre and when each mirror is checked
- Blind spots and life-saver shoulder checks
- Correct signalling, including when not to signal
- Tiredness, breaks on long journeys and the 15-minute rest rule
- Phones, satnavs and hands-free distraction
Common mistakes in this topic
- Signalling so early that other drivers act on the wrong junction
- Checking mirrors after starting a manoeuvre rather than before
- Opening a window as a cure for tiredness instead of stopping
- Answering a hands-free call and assuming it is a safe alternative
Instructor tip: If a question offers 'stop somewhere safe and rest' for a tiredness scenario, that is almost always the marked answer.