DVSA Hazard Perception 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When driving at night, what is a key hazard perception challenge?
- Your car uses more fuel at night
- Reduced visibility means hazards appear later, giving less time to react (Correct answer)
- Speed limits are lower at night
- Traffic is always heavier at night
Correct answer: Reduced visibility means hazards appear later, giving less time to react
At night, your vision is limited to what your headlights illuminate and any street lighting. Pedestrians in dark clothing, unlit cyclists, and animals are particularly hard to see. Hazards emerge from darkness with very little warning, so you should reduce speed.
Question 2: What hazard should you anticipate near a line of parked cars?
- A speed camera
- A pedestrian or child stepping out from between the parked cars (Correct answer)
- Road surface damage
- A bus stop ahead
Correct answer: A pedestrian or child stepping out from between the parked cars
Parked cars create blind spots. Pedestrians, especially children, may step out suddenly from between them. You should reduce speed, be prepared to stop, and watch for feet visible beneath cars or movement between vehicles.
Question 3: How does wet weather affect your hazard perception?
- It has no effect on driving conditions
- Spray reduces visibility, road surfaces become slippery, and stopping distances increase (Correct answer)
- Only visibility is affected
- Only stopping distances are affected
Correct answer: Spray reduces visibility, road surfaces become slippery, and stopping distances increase
Wet weather creates multiple hazards: spray from other vehicles reduces visibility, road markings become harder to see, the road surface becomes slippery reducing grip, and stopping distances at least double. You must scan more carefully and react earlier.
Question 4: When approaching a bend, what should you be scanning for?
- Only road signs
- Oncoming vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, changes in road surface, and the correct road position (Correct answer)
- Just the speed limit
- Only the road markings
Correct answer: Oncoming vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, changes in road surface, and the correct road position
On approach to a bend, you should scan for oncoming traffic that may be over the centre line, pedestrians walking in the road, cyclists, changes in road surface or gradient, and assess the sharpness of the bend. Position your vehicle correctly and adjust speed before the bend.
Question 5: What does the term 'reading the road' mean in hazard perception?
- Reading road signs aloud
- Using clues in the environment to predict what might happen next (Correct answer)
- Following a sat nav
- Memorising the route before driving
Correct answer: Using clues in the environment to predict what might happen next
Reading the road means using visual clues to anticipate hazards. Examples include: a ball rolling into the road (a child may follow), reflections of headlights at a junction (a vehicle may emerge), or a gap in a hedge (a vehicle or animal may appear). Good drivers constantly interpret these clues.
Question 6: Why is it important to check your mirrors before slowing down?
- To see if your lights are working
- To check if the vehicle behind is following too closely, so you can brake progressively (Correct answer)
- To look for speed cameras
- It is not important — you only check mirrors before signalling
Correct answer: To check if the vehicle behind is following too closely, so you can brake progressively
Checking mirrors before slowing down tells you how close the vehicle behind is. If they are close, you should brake earlier and more gently to give them time to react. Sudden braking without mirror awareness risks being rear-ended.
DVSA Hazard Perception 2
When driving at night, what is a key hazard perception challenge?