Driver Knowledge Tests

How to drive through a flood

Flash floods are possible at any time. Some areas are particularly prone to them and you will see signposts, such as the one below, mounted on high poles. At the edge of a flood you will have standing water several…

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Road widths

How are road widths decided? Road widths are decided using: Vehicle type Volume (frequency) Speed Lane type required (e.g. is a turning bay required, or will long vehicles need to turn sharply and therefore need a larger swept path) Situation…

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Dealing with an insurance company after an accident

Who is to blame? When you have an accident an insurance company will decide who is to blame. How we use blame is slightly different to how insurance companies use blame. To them, ‘blame’ also carries with it the implication…

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Driving around horses

You will more likely encounter horses on rural roads, particularly if there are equestrian training facilities, pony clubs or larger lifestyle block properties where residents might keep one or two horses for their children. Collision risk Horses are prey animals…

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What causes traffic jams?

Phantom traffic and jamitons One single car can start a traffic jam. Phantom traffic when cars on the road stop for no (apparent) reason. Traffic is a function of flow, density of the vehicles (i.e. how close they are together) and the…

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Why are police sirens so loud?

The police (and other emergency services) use sirens as a warning to let motorists know they are coming. Modern sirens oscillate (i.e. the pitch goes up and down), usually in a band that sits between 1-3kHz (this is the pitch…

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How can you clear your demerit points?

Demerit points are penalty points applied against your licence for a range of driving offences. They are a punitive measure to encourage people to drive within the traffic laws. You can check your demerit points balance here. Demerit points expire…

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