Vulnerable Road Users Flashcards

A guide dog user is about to cross the road. How should a driver respond?

Answer: Be prepared to stop and give way; do not use horn or rev engine as it may distract the dog

Sudden noise or revving can distract a guide dog, disrupting their guidance of the handler; drivers must be patient and quiet when passing guide dog users.

When must you give way to pedestrians at junctions?

Answer: When turning into or out of a side road and pedestrians are crossing or waiting to cross

The 2022 updated Highway Code (Rule 170) requires drivers to give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross a road into which you are turning.

What additional consideration applies when passing a bus that has stopped to let passengers on or off?

Answer: Watch for passengers stepping off and walking into the road

When a bus stops at a bus stop, passengers may step out and walk across the road without looking; drivers must slow and be prepared to stop for pedestrians emerging from in front of or behind the bus.

An older pedestrian is crossing slowly on a green light for traffic. What should a driver do?

Answer: Wait patiently and give them time to complete the crossing safely

Older pedestrians may move slowly due to mobility limitations; drivers must be patient and not intimidate or rush them, prioritising their safety over traffic flow.

Which group of cyclists is hardest for drivers to see and requires extra vigilance at junctions?

Answer: Cyclists who are filtering between lanes or emerging from the left of large vehicles

Cyclists filtering between slow-moving traffic or positioned in the blind spot to the left of large vehicles are at greatest risk at junctions, where drivers may fail to check the left mirror before turning.

What specific risk do electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids pose to pedestrians and cyclists?

Answer: They are very quiet at low speeds, making it harder for pedestrians to hear them approaching

EVs and hybrids produce little sound at low speeds; pedestrians (especially those with visual impairments) may step out without hearing the vehicle approaching, creating a collision risk.