As you approach a left turn, maintain your normal driving position on the left. Don't swing out before you turn, and make sure that you've reduced your speed and are in the correct gear. Look into the road before you turn and give way to any pedestrians who are crossing.

Give way to traffic already on the motorway. If you've matched the speed of traffic in the left-hand lane, you should be able to join where there's a suitable gap in the traffic. Try to avoid stopping at the end of the slip road - but you might have to do so if the motorway is very busy and there isn't a safe gap in the traffi

Always use your headlights, even on motorways that are lit. Use dipped beam where necessary, to avoid dazzling other drivers.

When you start to feel tired, it's vital to stop in a safe place as soon as you can. If there's no service area for several miles, leave the motorway at the next exit and find somewhere to rest. While finding somewhere to stop, keep the car well ventilated with fresh air. Don't stop on the hard shoulder to rest.

If your vehicle breaks down, switch on your hazard warning lights. The lights will draw attention to the position of your vehicle, so other road users can avoid it. Only leave the vehicle when you can safely get clear of the carriageway.

Sometimes, large vehicles may need more space than other road users. If a vehicle needs more time and space to turn, be prepared to stop and wait.

If you're on the motorway and have to call the emergency services, the operator will need to know your exact location. Look for a number on the nearest marker post beside the hard shoulder. Give this number to the operator and be ready to describe where you are. For example, tell the operator the last junction or service area you passed. This will help the emergency services to reach you as quickly as possible.

If you have to stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway, you should park as far to the left as you can and leave the vehicle by the nearside door. If you're on a smart motorway you should stop in an emergency refuge area. Don't attempt even simple repairs. Use the emergency telephone and phone for assistance. While waiting for assistance to arrive, wait near your car, keeping well away from the carriageway and hard shoulder.

Many large goods vehicles are fitted with spray-suppression equipment, but in heavy rain their tyres will still throw up a lot of spray. This spray can severely reduce your view ahead, even with your windscreen wipers on their high-speed setting. If you stay further back than normal, you'll be out of the spray thrown up by the lorry tyres and give yourself more time to stop if you have to.

A pupil should be advised to seek assistance if they can't see clearly behind when they're reversing. During the driving test, however, the examiner will select a corner where this won't be necessary.

In good, dry conditions, an alert driver who's driving a vehicle with tyres and brakes in good condition needs to keep a gap of at least two seconds from the car in front. When the road surface is wet, the gap needs to be increased to four seconds - and if it's icy, then the gap needs to increase to as much as 20 seconds.

It's important to be seen as well as be able to see. In conditions of reduced daytime visibility, you should switch on your dipped headlights. This increases your visibility without the risk of dazzling approaching drivers.

You need to understand how your headlights are designed to operate. The main beam is aimed far ahead and to the left, while the dipped beam is aimed a short distance ahead and to the left. On the road, this means that on left-hand bends your headlights are aimed directly at the approaching driver, so you need to dip early to avoid dazzling them. Similarly, if you stop on the offside at night, even your dipped beam will dazzle oncoming drivers, as it's now aimed directly at them; using parking lights will avoid any dazzle.

When turning right from a side road across a dual carriageway, make sure that the central reservation is wide enough to contain your vehicle. If it isn't, you'll have to treat the dual carriageway as one road and only emerge when it's clear in both directions. Drivers of longer vehicles and vehicles towing trailers or caravans will need to assess this carefully. If any part of an emerging vehicle obstructs the right-hand lane of the dual carriageway, it could have serious consequences.

On motorways, the higher speed of traffic requires direction signs to be placed well before junctions. The first sign will usually be found one mile before the exit, then another sign half a mile before the exit. Where junctions are close together, this distance may be reduced to two-thirds and one-third of a mile.

On occasions, other road users may make a mistake or lack judgement. When this happens, try not to let it annoy you. Don't react by showing anger, sounding your horn, flashing your headlights or shouting. A safe driver remains calm and makes allowances for others.

Learners might not have confidence when they first start to drive. Allow them plenty of room and make allowances for their hesitation. We all learn from experience, but new drivers will have had less practice in dealing with all the situations that they meet.

You can overtake other traffic on either side when travelling in a one-way street. Make full use of your mirrors and ensure that it's clear all around before you attempt to overtake. Look for signs and road markings and use the most suitable lane for your destination.

Long vehicles might have to take a slightly different position when approaching the roundabout or going around it. This is to stop the rear of the vehicle cutting in and mounting the kerb. Horse riders and cyclists might stay in the left-hand lane although they're turning right. Be aware of this and allow them room.

Keeping a safe distance behind a large vehicle will increase your view of the road ahead and allow the other driver to see you in their mirrors. This will help you both to see, and act safely on, any hazards that might occur.