DTT Risk Perception — Questions and Answers
Question 1: You are driving at 100 km/h on a national road. Approximately how far will your car travel during a typical reaction time of 1.5 seconds?
- About 42 metres (Correct answer)
- About 20 metres
- About 60 metres
- About 10 metres
Correct answer: About 42 metres
At 100 km/h, you travel approximately 28 metres per second. With a reaction time of 1.5 seconds, the car travels about 42 metres (28 × 1.5) before you even begin to brake — this is called the 'thinking distance'.
Question 2: Which of the following factors most significantly increases the risk of a collision?
- Driver fatigue (Correct answer)
- The colour of the vehicle
- Having the radio on
- The age of the vehicle's registration plates
Correct answer: Driver fatigue
Driver fatigue is one of the most significant risk factors for collisions. It impairs reaction time, judgement, concentration, and hazard perception. Studies show that driving while fatigued can be as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol.
Question 3: Why are junctions the most common location for road collisions in Ireland?
- Multiple road users converge from different directions, creating numerous potential conflict points (Correct answer)
- Because speed limits are too high at junctions
- Because traffic lights malfunction frequently
- Because road surfaces at junctions are always in poor condition
Correct answer: Multiple road users converge from different directions, creating numerous potential conflict points
Junctions are where different streams of traffic cross, merge, or diverge. This creates multiple conflict points between vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians. Poor observation, failure to yield, and misjudgement of gaps cause most junction collisions.
Question 4: What effect does alcohol have on driving ability even below the legal limit?
- It impairs judgement, slows reaction times, reduces concentration, and gives a false sense of confidence (Correct answer)
- Alcohol below the legal limit has no effect on driving
- It only affects vision
- It makes drivers more cautious
Correct answer: It impairs judgement, slows reaction times, reduces concentration, and gives a false sense of confidence
Even small amounts of alcohol impair driving ability by slowing reaction times, reducing concentration, impairing judgement of speed and distance, narrowing the field of vision, and creating a false sense of confidence — all below the legal limit.
Question 5: You are driving behind a bus that has stopped to let passengers off. What risk should you anticipate?
- Passengers, especially children, may cross the road from in front of or behind the bus where you cannot see them (Correct answer)
- The bus will reverse
- No risk — passengers always use crossings
- The bus will remain stopped for a long time
Correct answer: Passengers, especially children, may cross the road from in front of or behind the bus where you cannot see them
When a bus stops, passengers may cross the road — often from the front of the bus where they are hidden from view. Children are particularly likely to cross unexpectedly. Wait until you can clearly see both sides before proceeding.
Question 6: What is the safest response when you realise you have missed your motorway exit?
- Continue to the next exit and find an alternative route back (Correct answer)
- Reverse along the hard shoulder to the exit
- Do a U-turn on the motorway
- Stop on the motorway and check your map
Correct answer: Continue to the next exit and find an alternative route back
Reversing, stopping, or making a U-turn on a motorway are extremely dangerous and illegal. The only safe and legal option is to continue to the next exit and find an alternative route. This may add time but prevents a potentially fatal situation.
DTT Risk Perception
You are driving at 100 km/h on a national road.
Approximately how far will your car travel during a typical reaction time of 1.5 seconds?