Highway Code Quiz

QUESTION 1

At which pedestrian crossing is a cyclist legally allowed to cycle across, when the ‘green man’ and ‘green cyclist’ are lit?

HC Rule 25: Cyclist may cycle across a Toucan Crossing when the Green Man and Green Cycle icons are showing.

QUESTION 2

You are driving through town and there are double yellow lines along the edge of the road. Are you legally allowed to stop on the double yellow lines in order to either let someone out of your car, or to pick someone up?

HC Waiting Restrictions page 115

Yes

Waiting restrictions indicated by yellow lines apply to the carriageway, pavement and verge. You may stop to load or unload (unless there are also loading restrictions) or while passengers board or alight.

QUESTION 3

It is dark and you are driving along a main road where the National Speed Limit is in force. You feel tired and decide to pull up in a properly marked layby in order to rest for half an hour or so. Once stationary in the layby, you switch off the engine, but are you legally required to have parking lights on?

HC Rule 249

Yes

All vehicles MUST display parking lights when parked on a road, or a layby on a road with a speed limit greater than 30mph.

QUESTION 4

It is an offence to use fog lights unless visibility is less than a certain specified distance. What is this distance?

HC Rule 226

You MUST use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced, generally when you cannot see for more than 100 metres. You may also use front or rear fog lights but you MUST switch them off when visibility improves.

QUESTION 5

It is illegal to sound your car horn in a built up area at night: unless it is used to warn another road user of impending collision. At what time does this restriction come into force and at what time is it lifted?

HC Rule 112

The horn. Use only while your vehicle is moving and you you need to warn other road users of your presence. Never sound your horn aggressively. You MUST NOT use your horn:

• While stationary on the road

• When driving in a built-up area between the hours of 11:30pm and 7.00 am

QUESTION 6

Are you legally allowed to stop in an active Bus Lane during its hours of operation, in order to load or unload your vehicle?

HC Rule 141

Yes

Bus lanes. These are shown by road markings and signs that indicate which (if any) other vehicles are permitted to use the bus lane. Unless otherwise indicated, you should not drive in a bus lane during its hours of operation. You may enter a bus lane to stop, to load or unload where this is not prohibited.

QUESTION 7

What differences are there between a Pelican Crossing and a Puffin Crossing?

HC Rule 196

Pelican Crossings. These are signal controlled crossings where flashing amber follows the red ‘Stop light’. You MUST stop when the red light shows. When the amber light is flashing and there are no pedestrians on the crossing, you may proceed with caution.

HC Rule 199

Toucan, Puffin and Equestrian Crossings. These are similar to pelican Crossings, but there is no flashing amber phase; the light sequence for traffic at these crossings is the same as at traffic lights. If the signal controlled crossing is not working, proceed with extreme caution.

QUESTION 8

Are you legally allowed to overtake a cyclist, by crossing the solid white line nearest to you in the centre of the road?

HC Rule 129

It depends on the speed of the cyclist!

You may cross the line if necessary, provided the road is clear, to pass a stationary vehicle, or overtake a pedal cycle, horse or road maintenance vehicle, if they are travelling at 10mph or less.

QUESTION 9

What is the minimum safe following distance to be observed from the vehicle ahead, when driving on a dry road where the National Speed Limit applies?

HC Rule 126

Allow at least a two-second gap between you and the vehicle in front on roads carrying faster traffic and in tunnels where visibility is reduced. The gap should be at least double on wet roads and increased still further on icy roads.

Note: Advanced Drivers and Riders would leave a 3 second minimum gap to the vehicle ahead on a dry road surface; 4 seconds in the wet. This is because a 2 second gap does not comply with the requirement to be further back than the Overall Stopping Distance, at speeds above 40mph.

QUESTION 10

What does this road sign mean?

HC Traffic Sign page 106

No vehicles except bicycles being pushed.

QUESTION 11

When parked outside a town house at night in a built up area with a 30mph speed limit, you are required to park on the left, in the direction of traffic flow, showing red reflectors to the rear. However, there is an exception to this rule, which allows you to park on the left, any way round you like. What is this exception?

HC 248

You MUST NOT park on a road at night facing against the direction of the traffic flow unless in a recognised parking space.

Highway Code Quiz

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