HIGHWAY CODE QUIZ

This short quiz tests your knowledge of a few rules of the Highway Code covering situations you are likely to encounter. In the Advanced Test, you are expected to demonstrate a good knowledge of the Highway Code by driving according to its rules and by correctly interpreting road signs. Fortunately, you will not normally be asked direct questions on it!

The webmaster is grateful to Joe Thomas of the IAM Council for some of these questions. If you have a favourite question you'd like to see added, email it to the webmaster at

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All references are to the 1999 edition of the Highway Code. Do you have an up to date copy? It only costs £1.49.

The answers are in the coloured boxes below the questions. To see the answer, click at the top left of the appropriate box and drag over to the bottom right to highlight the area. The answer should appear unless you have some odd colour defaults set. In case this method doesn't work for you, the answers are all duplicated at the bottom of the page.

Q1.	You are running your neighbour's four children to school. They are 9, 11, 13 and 15. Who can sit where? Must they all wear seat belts? Who is responsible if they don't wear seat belts?
A1.	They can all sit in any passenger seat, front or rear, except that neither the 9 nor the 11 year old may sit in the front seat unless a belt is fitted there. Anyone occupying a seat where a belt is fitted must wear it. The driver is, except for the 15 year old, who is responsible for him/herself. See Highway Code Rule 75.

Q2.	You take your car for a free tyre check at the local tyre and exhaust centre and they say you need two new front tyres because the edges of the tyres are bald. However, you note that the centre patterns have lots of meat on them and go all round the tyre. Are you being conned? What does the Highway Code say is legal?
A2.	Legally, it depends how much of the edge is bald (see the answer to 2). However, tyres that are badly damaged are not good news and should be replaced anyway. If the garage were any good, it might ask you whether you checked the pressures regularly or recommend that you have your tracking checked. Cars, light vans and light trailers MUST have a tread depth of at least 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the breadth of the tread, and around the entire circumference. It also says they MUST be correctly inflated and be free from certain cuts and defects. It recommends that you check pressures weekly before a journey when the tyres are cold. See Highway Code Pages 90-91

Q3.	You have borrowed a trailer to take some rubbish to the tip. What lanes can you use on the motorway? How fast can you go on a dual carriageway?
A3.	Any lane except the right most lane on a 3 or more lane motorway except in prescribed circumstances. 60 MPH unless a lower limit is displayed for all vehicles. See Highway Code rule 239 and page 26

Q4.	Are you allowed to overtake where there are double solid white lines down the centre of the road?
A4.	A double solid white line, or a double white line system where the solid line is on your side, means that you must not cross or straddle it unless it is safe and you need to enter adjoining premises or a side road. You may cross the line if necessary to pass a stationary vehicle, or overtake a pedal cycle, horse or maintenance vehicle, if they are travelling at 10 mph or less. Note that the rules only concern crossing or straddling the lines, not overtaking. If the road is wide enough, the vehicle you're overtaking is narrow enough, and you can leave enough clearance, you may overtake provided you can see it to be safe. In practice, such a combination of circumstances is rare! See Highway Code Rule 108.

Q5.	Are you allowed to drive over areas of white diagonal stripes?
A5.	Depends. If the area is bounded by a solid white line, you should not enter it except in an emergency. If the area is bordered by a broken white line, you should not enter the area unless it is necessary and you can see that it is safe to do so. See Highway Code Rule 109.

Q6.	May your 20 year old daughter, who passed her driving test last year, supervise her younger brother who is learning to drive?
A6.	No. Learners MUST be supervised by someone at least 21 years old who holds a full EC/EEA licence for that type of car (automatic or manual) and has held one for at least 3 years. See Highway Code page 85.

ANSWERS (again)

A1.	They can all sit in any passenger seat, front or rear, except that the 9 and 11 year old may not sit in the front seat if a belt is not fitted there. Yes, unless they are in a seat to which a belt is not fitted (but also see first answer). The driver is, except for the 15 year old, who is responsible for him/herself. See Highway Code Rule 75.

A2.	Legally, it depends how how much of the edge is bald (see the answer to 2). However, tyres that badly damaged are not good news and should be replaced anyway. If the garage were any good, it would recommend you to have your tracking adjusted. Cars, light vans and light trailers MUST have a tread depth of at least 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the breadth of the tread, and around the entire circumference. It also says they MUST be correctly inflated and be free from certain cuts and defects. It recommends that you check pressures weekly before a journey when the tyres are cold. See Highway Code Pages 90-91

A3.	Any lane except the right most lane on a 3 or more lane motorway except in prescribed circumstances. 60 MPH unless a lower limit is displayed for all vehicles. See Highway Code rule 239 and page 26

A4.	A double solid white line, or a double white line system where the solid line is on your side, means that you must not cross or straddle it unless it is safe and you need to enter adjoing premises or a side road. You may cross the line if necessary to pass a stationary vehicle, or overtake a pedal cycle, horse or maintenance vehicle, if they are travelling at 10 mph or less. Note that the rules only concern crossing or straddling the lines, not overtaking. If the road is wide enough, the vehicle you're overtaking is narrow enough, and you can leave enough clearance, you may overtake provided you can see it to be safe. In practice, such a combination of circumstances is rare! See Highway Code Rule 108.

A5.	Depends. If the area is bounded by a solid white line, you should not enter it except in an emergency. If the area is bordered by a broken white line, you should not enter the area unless it is necessary and you can see that it is safe to do so. See Highway Code Rule 109.

A6.	No. Learners MUST be supervised by someone at least 21 years old who holds a full EC/EEA licence for that type of car (automatic or manual) and has held one for at least 3 years. See Highway Code page 85.