Car Theory UK Exam Questions & Answers 2026 (11–20)

Question 1

You are driving at night on an unlit rural road and an oncoming vehicle fails to dip its headlights. What is the correct response?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Slow down, look towards the left edge of the road, and avoid staring into the glare. Rule 114 of the Highway Code advises looking away from oncoming glare towards the nearside edge of the road and slowing down; retaliating with full beam or aggressive steering worsens visibility for both drivers.

Question 2

Research cited in DVSA guidance shows that using a hands-free mobile phone while driving is dangerous primarily because of which factor?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

The cognitive distraction of a conversation reduces hazard perception even without hand use. DVSA guidance and Rule 149 of the Highway Code explain that hands-free phone use can be equally distracting to handheld use because the mental engagement of a conversation — not the physical handling — degrades hazard awareness and reaction time.

Question 3

You are driving in a 30 mph zone and a ball rolls into the road ahead of you. No child is visible yet. What should your attitude and action be?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Anticipate that a child may follow and be prepared to stop, slowing progressively. The Highway Code specifically uses a ball rolling into the road as an example of a hazard requiring anticipation; a child is likely to follow without looking, so progressive slowing and readiness to stop is the correct attitude.

Question 4

A driver cuts in front of you aggressively on a motorway and then slows down. You feel a surge of anger. Which response is safest and consistent with the Highway Code's attitude guidance?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Take a breath, drop back to re-establish a safe gap, and avoid any retaliatory action. The Highway Code explicitly states that drivers should be courteous, avoid confrontation, and never react aggressively; retaliating by tailgating, using the horn in anger, or undertaking escalates danger for all road users.

Question 5

You are travelling at 60 mph on a dry single carriageway. A child runs into the road 100 metres ahead. Which component of your total stopping distance is most likely to be the deciding factor in whether you stop in time?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Braking distance, because it is longer than thinking distance at this speed. At 60 mph the braking distance (73 metres) is considerably longer than the thinking distance (18 metres), so braking distance is the dominant component of the 91-metre total stopping distance.

Question 6

A driver travelling at 30 mph on a wet road needs to stop urgently. Approximately how much longer is their total stopping distance compared with the same stop on a dry road, according to the Highway Code guidance?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Twice as long. The Highway Code states that in wet conditions your stopping distance can be at least twice the dry stopping distance, because reduced tyre-to-road friction approximately doubles the braking distance component.

Question 7

You are following a large lorry on a motorway at 65 mph in good visibility. Which gap should you maintain to satisfy the two-second rule?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

The gap that takes you at least two seconds to cover after the lorry passes a fixed point. The two-second rule requires you to count at least two seconds between the vehicle ahead passing a fixed point and your own vehicle reaching it — the actual distance this represents increases with speed.

Question 8

It starts to rain heavily while you are on a dual carriageway. What adjustment should you make to your following distance?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Double the gap you were keeping in dry conditions. The Highway Code advises that in wet weather you should at least double the gap you would leave in dry conditions, because wet roads significantly increase braking distances.

Question 9

Your car begins to skid while cornering on a bend. Which action is most likely to correct a rear-wheel skid?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Steer gently into the direction of the skid and ease off the accelerator. To correct a rear-wheel skid you should steer gently into the skid (in the same direction the rear is sliding) and ease off the accelerator, allowing the tyres to regain grip gradually.

Question 10

You are about to drive on a motorway and notice the road surface is covered in packed snow. How should you adjust your following distance compared with a dry motorway?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Increase it to at least ten times the normal dry distance. In snow and ice stopping distances can be up to ten times greater than on a dry road, so the Highway Code recommends leaving a gap that is at least ten times larger than in dry conditions.

Car Theory UK Exam Questions & Answers 2026 (11–20)

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