Vehicle Handling
Controlling your vehicle in different conditions and situations.
Key Points
- 1
Use a higher gear on icy roads to reduce wheel spin when moving off.
- 2
In heavy rain, reduce speed and increase your following distance. Dipped headlights improve visibility.
- 3
When driving through a ford or flood water, drive slowly in first gear. Test your brakes afterwards.
- 4
Use engine braking (lower gears) when going downhill to reduce wear on your brakes.
- 5
Coasting (driving in neutral or with the clutch down) reduces your control β avoid it.
- 6
In strong crosswinds, keep a firm grip on the steering wheel, especially on bridges and open roads.
- 7
Anti-lock brakes (ABS) prevent wheels from locking β apply the brake firmly and steer around the hazard.
- 8
When parking on a hill, turn your wheels towards the kerb (downhill) or away from it (uphill) and use the handbrake.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These summaries are for study purposes and do not replace the full Highway Code.