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Safety and your Vehicle — free theory test practice
This band is about the condition of the car rather than your driving. The examiner's written questions mirror the 'show me, tell me' checks: tread depth, tyre pressures, fluid levels, warning lamps and what a particular dashboard colour means.
Environmental questions sit here too — smooth acceleration, avoiding unnecessary idling, and why harsh braking costs both fuel and brake life.
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.
Safety and your Vehicle
Question 1 of 76
A vehicle MOT test will include an exhaust emissions test. What is the reason for this?
What the DVSA tests on safety and your vehicle
- Legal minimum tread depth of 1.6mm across the central three-quarters
- Dashboard warning lamp colours and which mean stop immediately
- Braking, steering and suspension faults and how they feel
- Fuel economy, emissions and eco-safe driving technique
- Security, parking safely and where to leave a vehicle overnight
Common mistakes in this topic
- Quoting 1.6mm as an all-weather safe depth rather than the legal minimum
- Checking tyre pressures when the tyres are hot instead of cold
- Treating an amber warning lamp as something to ignore
- Forgetting that an over-inflated tyre wears in the centre, not the edges
Instructor tip: Learn the warning lamp colours as a traffic-light system: red stop, amber investigate, green or blue informational.