Free Mock Theory Test 2026 — 50 Questions

Mock Exam

1. How should a load be carried on your roof rack?

Securely fastened with suitable restraints

Visible in your exterior mirror

Covered with plastic sheeting

Loaded towards the rear of the vehicle

2. What’s the minimum depth of tread on the tyres of a trailer?

1 mm

1.6 mm

2.2 mm

2 mm

3. You're travelling along this road. How should you pass the cyclist?

Leave them plenty of room as you pass

Sound your horn as you pass

Keep close to them as you pass

Change down one gear before you pass

4. What does this curved arrow road marking mean?

Overtaking traffic should move back to the left

The road ahead has a camber to the left

Heavy vehicles should take the next road on the left to avoid a weight limit

The road ahead bends to the left

5. You're being overtaken by a long, heavily laden lorry. What should you do if it's taking a long time for it to overtake?

Slow down

Hold your speed

Change direction

Speed up

6. You're approaching a zebra crossing. What should you do if pedestrians are waiting to cross?

Use your headlights to indicate they can cross

Give way to older and infirm people only

Wave at them to cross the road

Slow down and prepare to stop

7. What should you do when you're overtaking a horse and rider?

Sound your horn as a warning

Go past slowly and carefully

Flash your headlights as a warning

Go past as quickly as possible

8. What will happen if your car's wheels are unbalanced?

The steering will pull to one side

The steering will vibrate

The brakes will fail

The tyres will deflate

9. What could cause you to crash if the level is allowed to get too low?

Brake-fluid level

Anti-freeze level

Battery-water level

Radiator-coolant level

10. What should you do when leaving your vehicle parked and unattended?

Leave the left indicator on

Lock it and remove the key

Park in a housing estate

Park near a busy junction

11. How much can stopping distances increase in icy conditions?

Two times

Three times

Five times

Ten times

12. You're driving along a wet road. How can you tell if your vehicle’s tyres are losing their grip on the surface?

The engine will stall

The steering will feel very heavy

The engine noise will increase

The steering will feel very light

13. What should you do when you park a car facing downhill?

Turn the steering wheel towards the kerb

Turn the steering wheel away from the kerb

Park with two wheels on the kerb

Park close to the bumper of another car

14. What should the driver of the red car (arrowed) do?

Quickly drive behind the pedestrian in the road

Tell the pedestrian in the road she should not have crossed

Wait for the pedestrian in the road to cross

Wave towards the pedestrians who are waiting to cross

15. You're approaching a crossroads. What should you do if the traffic lights have failed?

Be prepared to brake sharply to a stop

Brake sharply to a stop before looking

Be prepared to stop for any traffic

Brake and stop only for large vehicles

16. Some two-way roads are divided into three lanes. Why are they particularly dangerous?

Traffic uses the middle lane for emergencies only

Traffic can overtake on the left

Traffic in both directions can use the middle lane to overtake

Traffic can travel faster in poor weather conditions

17. You're following a slower-moving vehicle. What should you do if there's a junction just ahead on the right?

Overtake after checking your mirrors and signalling

Slow down and prepare to overtake on the left

Only consider overtaking when you're past the junction

Accelerate quickly to overtake before reaching the junction

18. A driver’s behaviour has upset you. How can you get over this incident safely?

Gesture to them with your hand

Shout abusive language

Follow them, flashing your headlights

Stop and take a break

19. How can drinking alcohol affect your ability to drive or ride?

Your awareness of danger will be improved

Your confidence will be reduced

Your reactions will be faster

Your ability to judge speed will be reduced

20. You're about to reverse into a side road. What should you do if a pedestrian is waiting to cross behind your car?

Give way to the pedestrian

Wave to the pedestrian to stop

Reverse before the pedestrian starts to cross

Sound your horn to warn the pedestrian

21. You're driving past a line of parked cars. What should you do if a ball bounces out into the road ahead?

Stop and wave the children across to fetch their ball

Continue driving at the same speed and sound your horn

Slow down and be prepared to stop for children

Continue driving at the same speed and flash your headlights

22. You want to turn right from a main road into a side road. What should you do just before turning?

Check for traffic overtaking on your right

Select first gear

Stop and set the parking brake

Cancel your right-turn signal

23. You're about to overtake a cyclist. Why should you leave them as much room as you would give to a car?

The cyclist might be unsettled if you pass too near them

The cyclist might have to make a left turn

The cyclist might get off their bicycle

The cyclist might speed up

24. You're following a large vehicle as it approaches a crossroads. What should you do if the driver signals to turn left?

Wait for the vehicle to finish turning

Overtake if there are no oncoming vehicles

Wait for the driver to cancel their signal

Overtake if you can leave plenty of room

25. You're driving on a single carriageway road. Why should you keep well back while you're following a large vehicle?

To leave a gap in case the vehicle stops and rolls back

To get the best view of the road ahead

To give yourself acceleration space if you decide to overtake

To offer other drivers a safe gap if they want to overtake you

26. Why is it bad technique to coast when you're driving downhill?

The tyres will wear more quickly

The fuel consumption will increase

The vehicle will gain speed more quickly

The engine will overheat

27. You're driving on a motorway at night. Which lights should you have on if there are other vehicles just ahead of you?

Sidelights only

Front fog lights

Dipped headlights

Main-beam headlights

28. You're travelling on a road that has road humps. What should you do when the driver in front is travelling more slowly than you?

Sound your horn

Flash your headlights

Overtake as soon as you can

Slow down and stay behind

29. Traffic officers operate on motorways and some primary routes in England and Wales. What are they authorised to do?

Issue fixed penalty notices

Stop and arrest drivers who break the law

Stop and direct anyone on a motorway

Repair broken-down vehicles on the motorway

30. You have stopped in an emergency area. What must you do before you rejoin the carriageway?

Move away with your hazard lights on

Use the emergency telephone

Give an arm signal as you are moving off

Switch on your vehicle's headlights

31. When would you use the right-hand lane on a three-lane motorway?

When you're overtaking

When you're travelling above the speed limit

When you're trying to save fuel

When you're turning right

32. Your car gets a puncture while you're driving on the motorway. What should you do when you've stopped on the hard shoulder?

Use an emergency telephone and call for help

Only change the wheel if you have a passenger to help you

Try to wave down another vehicle for help

Carefully change the wheel yourself

33. You're on a motorway. The hard shoulder is not being used as a running lane. When should you use the hard shoulder?

When you're leaving the motorway

When you're stopping in an emergency

When you're joining the motorway

When you're stopping for a rest

34. Who has priority at an unmarked crossroads?

The larger vehicle

The smaller vehicle

No-one has priority

The faster vehicle

35. How should you signal if you're going straight ahead at a roundabout?

Signal right on the approach and then left to leave the roundabout

Signal right on the approach to the roundabout and keep the signal on

Signal left after you leave the roundabout and enter the new road

Signal left just after you pass the exit before the one you're going to take

36. What's the meaning of this sign?

National speed limit applies

Local speed limit applies

No waiting on the carriageway

No entry for vehicles

37. You're in the left-hand lane at traffic lights, waiting to turn left. Which signal means you must wait?

38. What does this sign mean?

Distance to public telephone ahead

Distance to parking place ahead

Distance to public house ahead

Distance to passing place ahead

39. How can you identify traffic signs that give orders?

They're triangular with a blue border

They're square with a brown border

They're rectangular with a yellow border

They're circular with a red border

40. What does this sign mean?

Tall bridge

End of dual carriageway

End of narrow bridge

Road narrows

41. You've stopped at a railway level crossing. What should you do if the red lights continue to flash after a train has gone by?

Phone the signal operator

Alert drivers behind you

Proceed with caution

Wait

42. What does this sign mean?

End of bus lane

No through road

No motor vehicles

End of motorway

43. What must you have when you apply to renew your vehicle tax?

The handbook

A valid driving licence

The vehicle's chassis number

Valid insurance

44. In order to supervise a learner driver you need to have held a full driving licence for the same category of vehicle, for at least three years. What other requirement must you meet?

To be at least 21 years old

To have a car with dual controls

To be an approved driving instructor

To hold an advanced driving certificate

45. Your insurer will issue you with an insurance certificate. When must you produce this document for inspection?

When buying or selling a vehicle

When your vehicle is having an MOT test

When a police officer asks you for it

When making a SORN

46. There's been a collision. How can you help a driver who's suffering from shock?

Offer them a cigarette

Reassure them confidently

Ask who caused the incident

Give them a drink

47. Your vehicle has stalled in the middle of a level crossing. What should you do if the warning bells start to ring while you're trying to restart the engine?

Get out of the car and clear of the crossing

Carry on trying to restart the engine

Run down the track to warn the signal operator

Push the vehicle clear of the crossing

48. You're going through a long tunnel. What will warn you of congestion or an incident ahead?

Hazard warning lines

Other drivers flashing their lights

Variable message signs

Areas with hatch markings

49.

What is the speed limit on this road for the car towing the caravan?

40 mph

50 mph

30 mph

60 mph

50.

You've stopped at the zebra crossing. When may you move off?

When the driver behind you sounds their horn

When the oncoming car moves off

When the pedestrians have cleared your side of the road

When the pedestrians have completely crossed

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