In a left-hand-drive vehicle, use of the mirrors and awareness of blind areas is very important. Being seated on the car's left makes the blind area on your right more difficult to overcome. For example, when joining a dual carriageway or motorway from a slip road, traffic on the carriageway will be approaching in the blind area on your right and could easily be overlooked.

An incorrectly adjusted head restraint will offer reduced protection against whiplash injury. When adjusting the head restraint, set it so that it's at least as high as the eyes or top of the ears.

Try not to panic if a tyre bursts while you're driving. Take your foot off the accelerator and avoid braking suddenly. Try to steer a straight course while holding the wheel firmly.

Road humps are there to reduce the speed of traffic. Don't accelerate between them, as their purpose is to slow traffic along the whole street. This is to protect vulnerable road users in the area.

At a puffin crossing, an electronic device will keep the red light showing until it detects that the pedestrians have reached a safe position. Don't proceed until the green light shows - and then, only if it's safe to do so.

Letting your vehicle roll or coast in neutral reduces your control over steering and braking. This can be dangerous on downhill slopes, where your vehicle could pick up speed very quickly.

Holding the clutch down or staying in neutral for too long will cause your vehicle to freewheel. This is known as 'coasting' and it's dangerous, because it reduces your control of the vehicle.

If your front wheels are out of balance, the steering will vibrate. You'll have to take your vehicle to a garage or tyre-fitting firm, where they can balance your wheels; it isn't a fault that will rectify itself.

A high-intensity rear fog light helps drivers behind to see that there's a vehicle ahead, even though its outline can't be seen due to fog.

Selecting a low gear when travelling downhill will help you to control your speed. The engine will assist the brakes and help prevent your vehicle from gathering speed.

At a level crossing, flashing red lights mean you must stop. If a train passes but the lights keep flashing, you must continue waiting. Another train will be coming.

When travelling down a steep hill, your vehicle will tend to increase speed. This will make it more difficult for you to stop. To maintain control and prevent the vehicle from running away
- select a lower gear - the engine will then help to control your speed
- use the footbrake to maintain control.

At puffin crossings, an infra-red sensor detects when pedestrians are crossing. This controls when the lights change. There's no flashing amber phase as there is with a pelican crossing.

Normally, a driver shouldn't stop or park on a road that has double white lines along the centre. However, you may stop for long enough to set down or pick up passengers, or to load or unload goods.

Some junctions only have 'give way' lines. This is usually where there's relatively little traffic. 'Give way' signs, and/or road markings, show you that traffic on the road you want to enter has priority.

Some bus lanes only operate during peak hours and other vehicles may use them outside these hours. Make sure you check the sign for the hours of operation before driving in a bus lane. Where no hours are shown, the bus lane operates 24 hours a day.

You should check the coolant level frequently, particularly before a long journey, and top it up as necessary. The need to top up often might indicate a leak or other fault in the cooling system. Have it checked by your garage or dealer.

If you don't keep your tyres inflated to the recommended pressure, they may wear unevenly. Over-inflated tyres will tend to wear heavily in the centre tread area, while under-inflated tyres will tend to wear more on their outer edges. Check your tyres regularly and use a reliable gauge. Follow the manufacturer's guide for the correct tyre pressure; check and adjust the pressure when the tyres are cold.

Look at each sign that you pass on the road, so that you don't miss any warnings, orders or information. The shape of the sign will tell you its purpose: triangular signs warn, circles give orders and rectangles inform.

Diamond-shaped signs apply to tram drivers. You should know their meaning so that you're aware of the priorities and are able to anticipate the actions of the driver.