Safety & Economical Driving: DGT theory test questions in English

Traffic crashes are a serious social problem that affects everyone and has a large economic impact, including health care costs. Most crashes involve human error, so drivers can prevent the majority of them.

Sunlight gradually destroys a vest's reflective properties until it becomes useless. You must carry an approved reflective vest in the vehicle (ideally one per occupant), kept within easy reach but out of the sun.

The gap between your head and the headrest should be as small as possible and no more than 4 cm. The center of the headrest should also be level with your eyes. Comfort alone isn't the rule, and more than 4 cm is too far.

You shouldn't cut corners on safety features, because your vehicle needs to protect you in any situation you might face. Spending on vehicles and roads does improve safety, so it isn't wasted money.

Defensive driving is based on anticipation: besides following the rules, you expect that other drivers may commit violations and prepare for them. Following the rules is required, but it never makes the risk zero.

Driving with the windows closed reduces air resistance and saves fuel. Open windows increase drag, and running the air conditioning constantly also raises fuel use. Other tips: avoid hard braking, keep tires properly inflated and don't carry extra weight.

Unnecessary gear changes increase fuel use, whatever the engine type. To save fuel, shift at low RPM, keep a steady speed, avoid sudden acceleration and anticipate changes in traffic.

If you're stopped in a tunnel for more than two minutes, turn off the engine and leave your parking (position) lights on. This cuts down on toxic fumes like carbon monoxide in an enclosed space, and the lights keep you visible. Leaving the engine running adds pollution, and high beams would dazzle other drivers.

Dense urban traffic often creates confusing moments, so you should ride defensively: anticipate what others may do and increase your following distance when needed. Speeding up only raises the risk, and high beams dazzle other road users instead of helping.

Rear passengers travel at the same speed as those in front and are thrown forward just as hard in a crash or sudden stop. A seat belt can save their lives and keep them from hitting and seriously injuring other occupants. Belts are needed on every type of road, and an unbelted rear passenger endangers everyone in the car.

After a crash, check your seat belts even if they look fine, and replace any that are damaged. A belt can be weakened by the force of the impact even when the buckle still works, so it may not protect you next time.

If a fall can't be avoided, stay relaxed and let your body slide until you come to a complete stop. Sliding reduces sudden impacts and awkward twisting. Rolling causes repeated hits and loss of control, and trying to stand while still moving can make you fall again.

When you get out of your vehicle on the roadway or shoulder of an interurban road, you must wear a certified high-visibility reflective vest. The rule applies day or night, because the danger comes from passing traffic. Just any reflective garment isn't enough; it must be a certified vest.

The lap belt should sit low across your hip bones, below the abdomen. If it's over your abdomen, it can cause serious internal injuries in a crash. A badly placed belt doesn't work properly and doesn't make driving safer.

Passive safety systems reduce injuries once a crash happens: seat belts, airbags, head restraints, and helmets for motorcycles and mopeds. Brakes, tires, lights, suspension, and steering are active safety systems, which help prevent a crash in the first place.

Checking or adjusting the GPS takes your eyes off the road, even if only for a few seconds. Handling the GPS while driving, by touching the screen or buttons, is a serious offense that can cost you a fine and points on your license. Checking your mirrors and using the wipers are normal parts of safe driving.

In Spain, height is what counts: children at least 135 cm tall can ride in front using the seat belt properly. Shorter children must normally ride in the back in an approved child restraint suited to their height and weight. Age alone is not the rule, and 150 cm is not the limit.

All motor vehicles must stay within the legal limits for smoke, polluting gases, and noise. A car that goes over the exhaust limits may not be driven anywhere, and traffic officers can immobilize it. There's no exception for rural roads or for supposedly harmless gases.

The WHO considers road crashes a major public health problem around the world. They are one of the leading causes of death among young people, so they are neither a minor issue nor just an educational one.

A Low Emission Zone (ZBE) sign bans motor vehicles from entering the area to cut pollution. The exception is vehicles with the environmental badge shown at the bottom of the sign, which proves they meet the zone's emission rules. The other options get it backward: the badge grants entry, it doesn't block it.

Long hours at the wheel cause tiredness, fatigue and distraction for any driver. Taking breaks prevents this, and you should stop and rest about every two hours or every 200 to 300 kilometers. This applies to everyone, not just new or professional drivers.

Traffic crashes are one of the leading causes of death and serious injury among young people aged 15 to 29. Inexperience, weaker hazard perception and risky behavior like speeding, distraction, or alcohol and drug use raise their risk. Older people and children are not the group most affected.

Delivery drivers who make frequent loading and unloading stops a short distance apart don't have to wear a seat belt, but only while driving within a town. On interurban roads they must always wear it. So the exemption isn't valid on every road, and "never" is also wrong.

Traffic crashes are one of the leading causes of death and serious injury among young people aged 15 to 29. Inexperience, a lower sense of danger and sometimes risk-taking behavior put this group most at risk. That's why road safety education matters so much for young drivers and riders.

The law requires the driver of a car to carry one approved high-visibility reflective vest. A vest for a passenger isn't mandatory, but carrying a second one is a good idea so a passenger can wear it if they need to get out. Two vests or one per occupant is not a legal requirement.

As an exception to the general limits on horn use, you may sound a horn that isn't shrill to prevent a possible accident. This applies on all types of roads, not only on narrow, winding ones. It's especially relevant on narrow roads with many curves in town. Saying "no" or limiting it to winding roads is wrong.

Drivers of vehicles built to carry goods, such as trucks, must carry an approved high-visibility reflective vest, just like drivers of cars, buses and mixed-use vehicles. It's mandatory, not optional. A second vest for a passenger isn't required but is recommended.

Efficient driving saves fuel and cuts emissions: keep a steady speed when you can, avoid sharp acceleration and unnecessary braking, and start the engine without pressing the gas pedal. Driving at one fixed speed at all times isn't realistic or safe, and avoiding public transportation increases pollution.

Traffic crashes cause injuries and major damage to vehicles, roads and the environment. That cost reaches all citizens, directly or indirectly, through things like healthcare, repairs and public spending. It isn't limited to the drivers involved or to insurance companies.

In Spain, everyone in a car, front and back, must wear a seat belt whenever the seat has one. In a crash or hard braking, an unbelted passenger can be thrown around and injure themselves and others. Children must use a suitable child restraint, and the driver is responsible if a minor isn't buckled up.