Visibility & Road Hazards: DGT theory test questions in English

Ice, heavy rain and snowfall are good reasons to drive below the minimum speed, so 40 km/h on an icy freeway is allowed. Driving slowly helps you keep control and react in time. It doesn't count as abnormally slow here, and you don't have to move to the shoulder.

When the road is covered in water, your tires grip the surface less and can slip. Braking also works worse, so you need more distance to stop and the risk of a crash goes up. Water doesn't improve braking, and overheating brakes isn't the issue.

Defensive driving means matching your speed to each stretch of road and staying ready for the unexpected. It also means leaving more space to the vehicle ahead when needed. Night driving brings its own risks, and one fixed speed on every road doesn't suit conditions.

Snow and ice cut your tires' grip. To pull away, accelerate gently in the highest gear you can use, usually second or third, so the wheels don't spin. First gear or hard acceleration makes the wheels spin, and fourth gear is too high to move off.

Gusts are sudden and unpredictable, so they can push a motorcycle sideways without warning. The risk is highest when you pass or ride alongside large vehicles: they block the wind for a moment, then it hits you again as you clear them. Steady wind from the front or from behind is much easier to predict and control.

On ice, you should slow down and use the highest gear you can, accelerating gently and smoothly. A high gear sends less torque to the wheels, so they are less likely to spin and lose grip. Low gears make wheelspin more likely, and ice is a hazard at any time of day, not just in daylight.

Distraction and lack of experience on the cyclist's part cause most crashes involving bicycles. Cyclists should avoid earphones, GPS devices and phones while riding, as well as risky passing and chatting while riding side by side. So the claims that distraction plays no role, or that cyclists are rarely distracted, are wrong.

The frame's main job is to hold and protect the occupants. In a crash, it keeps outside objects from entering the cabin and preserves a minimum survival space around the people inside. Looks and aerodynamics are not its main purpose.

In heavy rain, grip drops, so brake gently, slow down and leave more distance to the vehicle ahead. If the downpour is very intense, stop in a place where stopping is allowed and safe, and keep your parking lights on until it passes. Speeding up is dangerous on a wet road, and stopping on the roadway itself risks a collision.

Adjust your mirrors to your height and seating position before you start driving, with the vehicle stopped on a flat, straight stretch of road so you can set them to cut down blind spots. Adjusting them while moving distracts you from driving, so it does matter whether you are stopped.

Turn signals let other road users know what maneuver you are about to make, so they are a way to communicate your intentions. They are used for more than just turns, such as changing lanes, passing or pulling over, and they matter in all traffic conditions, not only heavy traffic.

This warning sign (P-16a) means a stretch with a steep downhill grade is ahead, so you should take care. The percentage shown on the sign is the grade of the slope. A steep uphill grade and falling rocks or snow have their own separate signs.

On snow or ice, drive in the highest gear possible and accelerate gently and smoothly, because a high gear makes wheelspin less likely. Low gears send more force to the wheels and make them slide more easily. Braking hard, especially in curves, can make you lose control.

On roads covered with gravel, sand or leaves, increase your following distance so that stones thrown up by the vehicles ahead do not hit and crack your windshield. Speeding up makes impacts harder, not softer, and a clean windshield is no protection against flying stones.

All motorcycles must have a left rearview mirror. If the motorcycle's top speed is 100 km/h or less, the right mirror is optional; if it can go faster than 100 km/h, the right mirror is also required. So a single mirror on either side is not enough.

Spanish traffic rules ban using a cell phone while driving unless the call is made without using your hands and without headphones or earphones, through a hands-free system, and only for short periods. Stopping at a red light still counts as driving, and reading or sending messages is never allowed.

This sign (P-28) warns of loose gravel on the road that passing vehicles can throw up. Slow down and keep more distance from the vehicle ahead. It doesn't warn about landslides or puddles; other signs cover those hazards.

Your windows must give you a clear view of the road, so film and shades aren't allowed where they block your vision. They are allowed on the rear windows only if the car has two approved exterior mirrors, one on each side. Time of day doesn't matter, and "never" is too strict.

A strong crosswind can push a motorcycle sideways and out of its lane. Leave extra side space from other vehicles and be ready to correct your line. A headwind or tailwind mainly changes your speed, which is easier to control.

Climbing slowly at a steady speed helps your tires keep their grip, so the car doesn't slip. Use the highest gear you can, not the lowest, because low gears send too much power to the wheels and make them spin. Going fast makes you more likely to lose control.

Lighting and putting out a cigarette distracts you and takes a hand off the wheel. The smoke can also irritate your eyes and blur your view. It doesn't improve your focus, and drowsiness isn't its typical effect.

Rain and puddles can soak your brakes and make them less effective. Now and then, press the brake pedal gently to dry the discs and drums and check they still work. Raising tire pressure reduces grip, and avoiding the clutch makes no sense.

Gusty crosswinds can suddenly push a motorcycle sideways. Take extra care when you pass or ride next to large vehicles: they block the wind for a moment, and then the gust hits you again as you clear them. Headwinds and tailwinds mostly affect speed, not your line.

Slow down, use a low gear, and keep a steady throttle so your tires keep contact with the road. Speed raises the risk of hydroplaning, and a high gear gives you less control. Once you're through, press the brake lightly to dry it and check that it works.

A motorcycle that can't reach 100 km/h must have a left mirror, and the right one is optional. Two mirrors are only required when the top speed is over 100 km/h. The right mirror is never the only required one.

In thick fog, lower your speed so you can stop in time for anything that appears ahead. You must also turn on your rear fog lights. Driving on the shoulder isn't allowed, and front fog lights alone aren't enough.

Mopeds must always have a left mirror. The right one is optional because mopeds can't go over 100 km/h. Two mirrors are only required on motorcycles that can exceed that speed.