Hazard awareness

These markers must be fitted to vehicles over 13 metres long, heavy goods vehicles, and rubbish skips placed in the road. They're reflective to make them easier to see in the dark.

Look at the picture carefully and try to imagine you're there. The cyclist in this picture appears to be trying to cross the road. You must be able to deal with the unexpected, especially when you're approaching a hazardous junction. Look well ahead to give yourself time to deal with any hazards.

The car arrowed A is parked within the area marked by zigzag lines at the pedestrian crossing. Parking here is illegal. It also

• blocks the view for pedestrians wishing to cross the road

• restricts the view of the crossing for approaching traffic.

Look well ahead to see whether any hazards are developing. This will give you more time to deal with them in the correct way. The man in the picture is clearly intending to cross the road. You should be travelling at a speed that allows you to check your mirror, slow down and stop in good time. You shouldn't have to brake harshly.

When passing parked cars, there's a risk that a driver or passenger may not check before opening the door into the road. A defensive driver will drive slowly and be looking for people who may be about to get out of their car.

This sign indicates that the road will bend sharply to the left. Slow down in plenty of time and select the correct gear before you start to turn. Braking hard and late, while also sharply changing direction, is likely to cause a skid.

Keep well back and give the cyclist time and room to turn safely. Don’t intimidate them by getting too close or trying to squeeze past.

You may have to pull forward slowly until you can see up and down the road. Be aware that the traffic approaching the junction can’t see you either. If you don’t know that it’s clear, don’t go.

A bus or high-sided lorry will have to take a position in the centre of the road to clear the bridge. There's normally a sign to show this. Look well ahead, past the bridge and be ready to stop and give way to large oncoming vehicles.

The highest point of the bridge is in the centre, so a large vehicle might have to move to the centre of the road to have enough room to pass safely under the bridge.

The ‘stop’ sign has been put here because the view into the main road is poor. You must stop because it won't be possible to take proper observation while you're moving.

Be tolerant if a vehicle emerges and you have to brake quickly. Anyone can make a mistake, so don’t react aggressively. Be alert where there are side roads and be especially careful where there are parked vehicles, because these can make it difficult for emerging drivers to see you.

As people age, their reaction time gets slower. The rate of decline varies from person to person but you can expect them to take longer to react to a hazard and they may be hesitant in some situations – for example, at a junction.

Try to plan your journey so that you can take rest stops. It’s recommended that you take a break of at least 15 minutes after every two hours of driving or riding. This should help to maintain your concentration.

At level crossings, the red lights flash before and while the barrier is down. At most crossings, an amber light will precede the red lights. You must stop behind the white line unless you've already crossed it when the amber light comes on. Don't be tempted to zigzag around half-barriers.

When approaching a junction where the traffic lights have failed, you should proceed with caution. Treat the situation as an unmarked junction and be prepared to stop.

Some people might take a long time to cross the road. They may be older or have a disability. Be patient and don't hurry them by showing your impatience. If pedestrians are standing at the side of the road, don't signal or wave them to cross. Other road users might not have seen your signal and this could lead the pedestrians into a hazardous situation.

You should never overtake as you approach a junction. If a vehicle emerged from the junction while you were overtaking, a dangerous situation could develop very quickly.

Oncoming large vehicles may need to move to the middle of the road to pass safely under the bridge. There won't be enough room for you to continue, so you should be ready to stop and wait.

Although a convex mirror gives a wide view of the scene behind, you should be aware that it won't show you everything behind or to the side of your vehicle. Before you move off, you'll need to look over your shoulder to check for anything not visible in the mirrors.