Unit 3: Driving a vehicle in accordance with The Highway Code
What you must be able to do and understand to follow The Highway Code.
The aim of this unit is to help you understand why it is important to understand and comply with The Highway Code.
It is important that you do not think of The Highway Code as just something that you have to learn to pass your Theory Test. You should think about what it has to tell you each time you go out on the road. Each time you come across a new situation on the road you should be thinking about what The Highway Code has to say about that situation.
‘Know Your Traffic Signs’ contains information on the traffic signs and signals that you will come across when driving. The Highway Code contains a wide range of advice and rules about how you should behave in particular situations whilst driving. If you understand what to do when you see a particular signal, or what the Code advises about how to handle a particular situation, it will make it much easier for you to understand what is happening around you when you are driving.
Failing to follow the advice and rules set out in The Highway Code can result in serious consequences for you, your passengers and other road users.
The 2 learning outcomes in this unit are:
This learning outcome covers:
Junctions and roundabouts
What you need to be able to do
You need to be able to:
- deal with all types of junction or roundabout safely and in line with the guidance given in The Highway Code
- use a safe and systematic routine such as ‘mirrors, signal, manoeuvre’ to deal with junctions and roundabouts
- turn left, turn right and go ahead correctly
- cross the path of oncoming traffic safely when turning right
- emerge into the traffic stream correctly from both left and right sides
- interact safely and appropriately with other road users
What you need to know and understand
You need to know and understand:
- the issues you will face when dealing with different types of junctions
- the signs and signals that you may see and the rules that apply at to each type of junction, including T junctions, Y junctions, staggered junctions, crossroads and roundabouts
- what The Highway Code says about how you should go ahead and turn left and right at junctions and roundabouts to make sure that you:
- are safe
- do not delay other road users
- do not put other road users at risk
- why it is important always to use a safe and systematic routine at junctions and roundabouts including:
- effective observation
- appropriate and timely signalling of your intentions
- how to cross the path of approaching traffic safely
- the signs and signals that you may see and the rules that apply when joining and leaving streams of moving traffic via controlled and uncontrolled acceleration or deceleration lanes
- that active traffic management systems (or managed motorways) may display signals that change the use of lanes and the priorities at junctions and on slip roads
- the importance of being aware of and giving consideration to vulnerable road users
- why some road users may position themselves differently at junctions or roundabouts to the way you would expect them to
Positioning
What you need to be able to do
You need to be able to:
- maintain a suitable position on the road
- keep to the left in normal driving, unless otherwise instructed
- use lanes as described in The Highway Code
- keep a safe position in the lane
- change lanes safely and responsibly when necessary
What you need to know and understand
You need to know and understand:
- what The Highway Code says about positioning your vehicle on the road
- the importance of maintaining a safe road position at all times
- the importance of lane discipline and suitable lane selection, including when driving on one way streets
- how to make effective observations and signal your intentions clearly and in good time before changing lanes
- how to judge where to position your vehicle and how to adjust your speed when approaching a bend, taking into account factors such as:
- the road type
- weather conditions
- how far you are able to see beyond the bend
- possible hazards (such as pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders)
- that you must not enter a road, lane or other route reserved for specific vehicles
This learning outcome covers:
Signals and signs
What you need to be able to do
When driving, you need to be able to:
- respond correctly to:
- warning signs
- information and direction signs
- comply with:
- mandatory and prohibitive signs giving orders
- all lights that control traffic
- deal legally and safely with all types of:
- pedestrian crossing
- railway or tram crossing
What you need to know and understand
You need to know and understand:
- the meaning of all signals, including lights, and all signs that you might encounter on the roads, including warning, mandatory, information and direction signs
- how you should respond to all signals and signs that you might come across on the roads, as detailed in The Highway Code
- the importance of observing the speed limits for the road you are on and your vehicle
- that your use of some roads, such as motorways, may be restricted by the category of your licence
- how to act when approaching all pedestrian crossings, whether controlled or uncontrolled
- how to act when approaching all railway or tram crossings, whether controlled or uncontrolled
Road markings
What you need to be able to do
You need to be able to comply with all markings on the carriageway.
What you need to know and understand
You need to know and understand:
- what all road markings mean, including:
- lines in the centre or along the side of roads
- lines at junctions
- segregation markings for buses, tram and cycles
- ghost islands
- traffic calming measures
- written signs
- how you should respond to all road markings that you find on the roads, in line with The Highway Code
Signals from authorised persons and other road users
What you need to be able to do
You need to be able to:
- comply with signals given by any authorised person including:
- police officers
- traffic wardens
- school crossing wardens
- Highways Agency Traffic Officers
- DVSA officials
- respond appropriately to signals given by other road users
What you need to know and understand
You need to know and understand:
- who has authority to stop or direct you on the road
- the meaning of the hand or arm signals they may use to direct you
- the importance of stopping when a school crossing patrol shows a ‘stop for children’ sign and what the law says about failing to stop in this situation
- the signals that may be given by other road users, and the potential for misunderstanding what other road users mean
- the risk involved in relying on a signal from another road user and the importance of making your own judgement in any particular situation