The Highway Code and its extensive list of road signs and markings is one of the fundamentals of motoring. But how well do you know it?
If you take our quiz and you’re a bit rusty, don’t worry: you’re not alone. A recent survey found that half of drivers don’t know what a roundabout sign is when it’s shown to them. And two thirds don’t know how far behind the car in front they should be travelling.
The survey was conducted by driver training organisation IAM Roadsmart. It is calling for road safety to be part of the National Curriculum so that it’s drilled into drivers from an early age. Take our quiz to see how you get on.
Results
Well done! You got at least 90 per cent which means you really know your road markings
Sorry to break this to you but if you took the theory part of the driving test now you may not pass! Best brush up on your Highway Code.
#1. We all know what a speed limit sign looks like. But what does this sign mean?
Oh dear. You don’t seem to know your road markings. Either you’ve been careless or you should dig out that copy of the Highway Code before you have another go.
#2. This sign is to encourage you to stay a safe distance behind the car in front. How far is the minimum distance in seconds?
Oh dear. You’re one of the many who doesn’t seem to know their road markings. Either you’ve been careless or you should dig out that copy of the Highway Code.
#3. What must you NOT do if you see this sign?
Oh dear. You’re one of the many who doesn’t seem to know their road markings. Either you’ve been careless or you should dig out that copy of the Highway Code.
#4. Cycling is becoming increasingly popular so what should you do when you see this?
Oh dear. You’re one of the many who doesn’t seem to know their road markings. Either you’ve been careless or you should dig out that copy of the Highway Code.
#5. What should you expect when you see this sign?
Oh dear. You’re one of the many who doesn’t seem to know their road markings. Either you’ve been careless or you should dig out that copy of the Highway Code.
#6. What colour are the cats’ eyes between the motorway and a slip road?
Oh dear. You’re one of the many who doesn’t seem to know their road markings. Either you’ve been careless or you should dig out that copy of the Highway Code.
#7. You will start to see an increasing number of these, particularly going into cities. They mean:
Oh dear. You’re one of the many who doesn’t seem to know their road markings. Either you’ve been careless or you should dig out that copy of the Highway Code.
#8. What does this sign mean?
Oh dear. You’re one of the many who doesn’t seem to know their road markings. Either you’ve been careless or you should dig out that copy of the Highway Code.
#9. What does this road sign mean?
Oh dear. You’re one of the many who doesn’t seem to know their road markings. Either you’ve been careless or you should dig out that copy of the Highway Code.
#10. When this sign appears you can expect the road to…
Oh dear. You’re one of the many who doesn’t seem to know their road markings. Either you’ve been careless or you should dig out that copy of the Highway Code.
Better re-read the highway code, felt very confident with my answers, Oops!!
Didn’t know the cyclist one never seen one.
seems as though perhaps you drive around with your eyes closed, there are loads of them around, sounds to me an eye test should be taken
It’s in the Highway Code so you don’t ever read it do you
6/10 not good
I LIVE IN CYPRUS NO ONE EVER TAKES ANY NOTICE OF HIGHWAY CODE PARK WHERE AND WHEN YOU LIKE NO CRASH HELMETS USE PHONE WHILE DRIVING MUST WATCH OUT WHEN I HOLIDAY BACK IN UK
Scroll back and see or do it again
Will watch out.
Wish I could see my answers again as am sure I achieved 10/10 not 7/10
Scroll back or do it again
Well I got 2 wrong, 30 in a blue circle, I always thought this was a maximum speed limit, 3 answers and not 1 says that, the other was a cycle sign which I must say I wasnt sure of. Shame it doesnt give the answers so you can see where you have gone wrong
You can scroll back through your answers and see which ones are wrong
No Blue sign means compulsory .Red if for prohibitive i.e max 30mph
Took me back to my days of learning to drive with my old faithful The Highway Code Book.
Enjoyed doing this I still know my signs
i disagree with no. 5 as I drive to the Smith system and that states 4 seconds behind the vehichle in front
There’s actually a handy little hint: pick a marker, as soon as the car in front of you passes it say, ‘Only a fool breaks the two second rule’. If you’ve passed that same marker before you’ve said that, you’re too close!
Love this! Cheers!
Hi John, have you never heard of ‘Only a fool breaks the two second rule’ thus the two chevrons distance.
I added to the 2 second rhyme i.e. . . . . less than 2 seconds, the grim reaper beckons !
It’s minimum it could be an hour if like
I always use 3,5,7 or 9
an old Army drive told me that the “only a fool” etc only works when its dry on a good road and good tyres
In good conditions note when the vehicle in front passes a fixed point, count to 3 and if you get to that fixed point yo are too close, if it is wet then count to 5, If it Is snowing count to 7 and if there is ice then 9. works quite well
That’s a great tip. I’ve always used the ‘only a fool breaks the 2 secind rule’, yours sounds more practical. Thanks for sharing.
Valerie, you can, having completed it just scroll back up the page and your answers will be either red or green 🙂
Some one asked me the right sequence for traffic lights I said red amber green they said what comes after green I said I don’t know I usually driven away by then
Actually it’s red, red and amber, green. If just amber is flashing it’s proceed with caution.
I got 10/10. If some of the people here were more observant they would have seen the answers to this quiz were shown above.
did the test and got 8/10 30 sign and the bike one guess I will need to take care but 60 years driving without an accident must count for something
It seems that on a clearway you can’t stop even if there ‘s a car stopped and blocking the road. On the clearway around us you can’t park, but you do stop if there is a good reason to do so. Never understood that one!!!
Did well 9 out of 10 cats eyes wrong
Didn’t realise how little i know
9 out of 10 could do better.
Standard of driving in this country is shocking most drivers cut corners straight line roundabouts don’t know you always give way to the right on a roundabout joining a motorway the person on the inside lane has right of way putting a indicator on the slip road does not give you the right to pull out you are supposed to join in with the flow
Couldn’t agree more Stephen. Tailgating, not indicating, not wearing seat belts, jumping red lights, speeding, the list is endless. Drivers are much more aggressive these days/
9/12 Q1 I didn’t read it properly
9/12 ? There were only 10 questions Tom.
great quiz. only got 8/10 but I didn’t that too bad.
Yeay 9 out of 10. Fun quiz. More please
Good it shows your right and wrongs but would be good on a wrong to show the right answer …… or maybe I should look it up .
John, as the TV ad says, DON’T FORGET THE TWO SECOND RULE! Other than the M1 not seen these chevrons elsewhere. Cats eye colours never been asked about this. Scored 10/10 but that means nothing as it is driving behaviour that matters.
There are chevrons on the M11
No. 5. Surely two seconds is not enough. I put three seconds and think that is safer.
have put the answers in the right order this time
I felt very confident in doing this quiz, guess I was wrong, 6/10 tutt tutt. Going to get an uptodate highway code for sure. I’m just glad that I did the quiz
9 out of ten must admit to never coming across the one I got wrong
Should have asked what is speed limit for car on dual carriageway. The amount of donuts who brake to 60mph when they spot a speed camera is laughable.
I was so confident thinking I’d get 10/10 but only got 8 better do some reading
all these questions are based on whats in the highway code, why all this confusion about clearways i dont know. You dont stop or park for no good reason, if other vehicles have broken down, or you break down well you have to stop, common sense.
Inconsistant No cycles should have red line over it needs addressed. Have cycle lanes with this sign on it
need the answers
I had to retake the test to get 10/10. My original score was 6/10!
10/10 not bad as it’s been a long time since I passed my test
So you get 10/10 and it’s “Well done you’ve scored at least 90%” ???? 😀
It would have been helpful to have given the right answer in the comments below wrong ones.
Just want to know how I did !!!!!!!!!??????
7 out of 10 ,I thought this was quite good being the last time I saw the highway code it had hand signals.
If you don’t use the motorways how are you excited to know all the road signs.
The person who put his all together DOES HE KNOW ALL ROAD SIGNS I BETTER NOT.
Great reminder; I’m going to the library tomorrow to study!
Interesting
Always good to recap
What did I’d I get
I had a second attempt to answer two questions I got wrong, this time I got 10 out of 10. Question 7 was one I got wrong, l thought any signs that does not permit you would have a red diagonal line through the circle. And the 30 mph in blue that’s rare to me, and I have been driving for 38yrs you see some, you miss some.
Question 3 means end of dual carriageway
10/10 I guess all that studying for advance driving did help 🙂
The clearway question, is no parking, you have to stop sometimes.
People who have been driving for years should resit the theory test. More cars on the roads and new signs.
9/10 Got the cats eyes wrong. Must be colour bilnd!
It’s good you can take it more than once. 10/10 second go Think I shall read up on highway code though because there are lots of new signs out there.
Will watch out then
Tuning fork ones means end of dual carriageway. May or may not reduce the number of lanes.
with regard to the time between chevrons it would have helped if you had given a travelling speed as the time difference between doing 50 and 70mph would be quite significant, still got 9/10 though
I did this quiz on a message for my husband. Got 7/10 which I thought was ok as I’ve never been a driver.
9/10, but should have known all.
It’s a good idea for all drivers to brush up on highway code as things do change. It would also be good for all drivers to have compulsory brush up driving ‘test’ every 10 years as driving standards have deteriorated in recent years and volume of traffic constantly increasing.
10/10, happy with the fact that I knew the answers and didn’t guess or eliminate the stupid possible answers to arrive at 100%.
Excellent Test! We should all do these periodically. I got 9, and kicked myself about getting the cycle one wrong. Think I better buy myself a copy of the highway code.
Oh thought I new the answers but only got 5 correct
An excellent idea for all drivers to check if they know (good) and if not (bad) to re read the Highway Code and brush up so one knows what each sign really means.
Must do better Ann
Where do I find the correct answers to know how many I scored
I have never seen a blue 30 mile sign on the roads I drive on . In France on the A16 you see speed limits for certain weather conditions. Whoops about the motorway exit cats eyes
2nd one is
End off dual carriageway
6thonge is no cycling
Need to check the HighwayCode
been driving for 38 years. feeling smug that I still remember my road signs. 10/10