UK PCV Theory Test Passenger Safety and Care 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: On a coach fitted with seatbelts, who is legally responsible for ensuring an adult passenger (aged 14 or over) wears their seatbelt?
- The driver, who must personally fasten each passenger's belt before departure
- The passenger themselves, though the driver must remind them at the start of the journey (Correct answer)
- The coach operator's safety officer, who must inspect the vehicle before each trip
- There is no legal obligation for adult coach passengers to wear seatbelts
Correct answer: The passenger themselves, though the driver must remind them at the start of the journey
Under UK law, passengers aged 14 and over are personally responsible for wearing their own seatbelt on a coach. The driver's duty is to make an announcement reminding passengers to buckle up, but legal responsibility for compliance rests with each adult passenger.
Question 2: A wheelchair user boards your bus and wishes to remain in their wheelchair for the journey. What is the correct procedure?
- Ask the passenger to transfer to a standard seat, as wheelchairs cannot travel in the passenger cabin
- Position the wheelchair in the designated space, facing rearward if required by the design, and secure it with all provided restraints and the passenger with an appropriate seatbelt (Correct answer)
- Allow the passenger to position the wheelchair wherever they feel comfortable without using restraints on a short journey
- Secure only the wheelchair with tie-downs; a seatbelt for the passenger is optional
Correct answer: Position the wheelchair in the designated space, facing rearward if required by the design, and secure it with all provided restraints and the passenger with an appropriate seatbelt
Wheelchairs must be placed in the designated wheelchair space and secured using all provided tie-down restraints. The passenger must also be offered and encouraged to use the lap/shoulder belt. Proper securement in the correct orientation is a legal and safety requirement, regardless of journey length.
Question 3: A passenger becomes seriously unwell during a long-distance coach journey on a motorway. What is the correct immediate course of action?
- Continue to the next scheduled stop, which is five minutes away, then call for assistance
- Stop on the hard shoulder immediately and wait for the passenger to recover before continuing
- Pull off the motorway at the safest available exit or emergency area as quickly as possible, call 999, and provide first aid if you are qualified to do so (Correct answer)
- Ask other passengers to monitor the ill person and radio the depot for guidance before taking any action
Correct answer: Pull off the motorway at the safest available exit or emergency area as quickly as possible, call 999, and provide first aid if you are qualified to do so
In a medical emergency the driver should leave the motorway at the earliest safe opportunity (or use an emergency refuge area), call 999, and administer first aid within their competence. Stopping on the hard shoulder is dangerous and should be avoided unless there is no alternative. Continuing to a scheduled stop could critically delay care.
Question 4: On a local registered bus service, all seats are occupied and additional passengers wish to board. What is the legal position regarding standing passengers?
- Standing passengers are never permitted on any public service vehicle
- Standing passengers may be carried provided the vehicle has a certified standing allowance and the total number of passengers does not exceed the vehicle's permitted capacity (Correct answer)
- Any number of passengers may stand as long as they hold a handrail
- Standing is only permitted on single-deck buses, never on double-deckers
Correct answer: Standing passengers may be carried provided the vehicle has a certified standing allowance and the total number of passengers does not exceed the vehicle's permitted capacity
Standing passengers are permitted on PSVs that have been certified with a standing allowance (shown on the vehicle's certificate of initial fitness). The combined seated and standing total must never exceed the vehicle's permitted capacity. Drivers must refuse further boarding once this limit is reached.
Question 5: You are driving a long-distance coach and a child aged around seven boards alone with a valid ticket but no adult guardian present. What should you do?
- Refuse boarding immediately and call the police
- Allow the child to travel without intervention since they hold a valid ticket
- Follow your operator's written policy for unaccompanied minors, which typically includes notifying a supervisor, recording the child's details, and confirming any guardian arrangements at the destination (Correct answer)
- Seat the child next to another passenger you judge to be trustworthy and continue the journey
Correct answer: Follow your operator's written policy for unaccompanied minors, which typically includes notifying a supervisor, recording the child's details, and confirming any guardian arrangements at the destination
Operators of scheduled coach services must have a policy for unaccompanied minors. The driver's duty is to follow that policy — which usually means alerting a supervisor or controller, documenting the child's details, and ensuring a responsible adult will meet the child at the destination. Ad-hoc decisions (such as seating the child with a stranger) are not acceptable.
Question 6: A passenger complains of feeling dizzy and faint while standing near the front of the bus. What is the safest immediate action?
- Ask the passenger to sit down on the nearest available seat or priority seat and monitor them until the next stop (Correct answer)
- Continue driving and inform the passenger you will assist them at the terminus
- Open the bus doors to let in fresh air while maintaining speed
- Accelerate to reach the next stop more quickly so the passenger can disembark
Correct answer: Ask the passenger to sit down on the nearest available seat or priority seat and monitor them until the next stop
A passenger who feels faint is at serious risk of falling and injuring themselves or others. The driver should direct or assist the passenger to sit down immediately in the nearest seat (using a priority seat if necessary), slow down if safe, and monitor the situation. Continuing at speed increases the risk of a fall.
UK PCV Theory Test Passenger Safety and Care 1
On a coach fitted with seatbelts, who is legally responsible for ensuring an adult passenger (aged 14 or over) wears their seatbelt?