Driver Attitude and Awareness 1 Flashcards

You are running several minutes behind schedule due to heavy traffic. How should this affect your driving?

Answer: Maintain your normal safe driving standard regardless of the delay

Timetable pressure must never compromise safety. PCV drivers are trained to absorb delays within safe driving practices, and operators have systems to manage schedule recovery without putting passengers or other road users at risk.

A passenger shouts at you aggressively over a ticketing dispute while you are stationary at a stop. What is the safest course of action?

Answer: Stay calm, speak in a low measured tone, and if necessary call your control room for support

Remaining calm de-escalates tension and keeps you in control. Shouting back or making sudden decisions under stress increases the risk of the situation becoming dangerous. Contacting your control room gives you backup while keeping the vehicle and passengers safe.

When following a large lorry on a dual carriageway, what is the primary reason a PCV driver should maintain a greater following distance than a car driver?

Answer: A greater gap gives more time to react and a longer stopping distance, accounting for the bus's heavier mass

A fully laden bus has significantly greater mass than a car, meaning it requires a longer distance to stop safely. Maintaining an extended following distance behind any large vehicle also improves the driver's forward visibility and reaction time.

You notice that a driver behind you is following very closely and appears impatient. What should you do?

Answer: Maintain a steady speed and safe following distance from the vehicle ahead, and ignore the pressure

Allowing another driver's behaviour to influence your speed or following distance is a form of peer pressure that can lead to dangerous driving. A professional PCV driver maintains safe standards regardless of the actions of other road users.

Which of the following best describes a 'commentary drive' technique used in PCV driver training?

Answer: Verbalising hazards, intentions, and observations continuously while driving to improve hazard perception

Commentary driving requires the driver to speak aloud what they see, anticipate, and plan to do. This develops systematic hazard scanning habits and makes thought processes visible, which is why it is widely used in professional driver training.

You are approaching a zebra crossing and see a pedestrian waiting on the pavement but not yet stepping out. What should a professionally aware PCV driver do?

Answer: Begin to slow early, make eye contact if possible, and be prepared to stop

A professional driver anticipates that the pedestrian is likely to step out and prepares to stop in good time. Early deceleration is smoother for passengers and demonstrates awareness. Eye contact signals your intention and reassures the pedestrian it is safe to cross.