In this section, you will use some of the knowledge you have already gathered in the previous sections, but also learn some new things. This section provides rules and guidance on how to orientate and otherwise manoeuvre the car in each situation. Many of the manoeuvres and situations are easier to understand if you go through them with your instructor, both before and during driving lessons.

Section seven is special because you'll use it to prepare for both the theory test and the driving test. For each of the 20 situations you're about to read about, there are several points to pay special attention to.

Firstly, for each situation, there is a point that says you "must learn to recognise and cope with the following hazardous situations". This means that you must learn to perceive certain conditions in traffic situations or in pictures (i.e. both while driving and in theory), understand what the conditions mean and react correctly to them - or find the right answers among several questions about these conditions. In other words, you need to learn to "notice and cope" with both general conditions and specific situations.

When starting and stopping at the edge of the carriageway, the manoeuvre must be carried out without danger or unnecessary inconvenience.
The turn signal must be signalled when starting off, just as the stop lights and turn signals must be signalled when stopping.

Slipways, etc.

Risks and accidents

Speeding is the most common cause of serious road accidents. Many single-vehicle accidents are caused by the road user. Most often, they are due to a misjudgement of their own speed, the sharpness of the bend or the road grip, especially on bends and in slippery or oily conditions. However, single-vehicle accidents are also often caused by fatigue or intoxication.

Finally, single-vehicle accidents can be caused by the car not being in a safe enough condition, incorrect tyre pressure, worn tyre tread or incorrect loading.

Young drivers are particularly prone to single-car accidents. They suddenly lose control of the car - usually due to excessive speed. Unfortunately, this often happens in conjunction with drunk driving, drug use or inattention.

Solo accidents are just as likely to happen on straight stretches of road as on bends. In road bends, single-car accidents occur when the driver drives off the edge of the carriageway on the outside of the bend.

Narrow roads have more single accidents than wide roads.

There are a number of solo accidents, especially at higher speeds, where the driver moves too far to the right or left on the carriageway (possibly into the verge) and tries to turn back too abruptly, losing control.

Manoeuvring on hills

- If you're travelling uphill, shift to a lower gear in good time if there are slow-moving road users in front of you, or if you can hear the engine straining or any electronic indicator on the car showing this.
- Use the creep lane if you are unable to maintain the required minimum speed up the hill, for example because you are travelling with a trailer or caravan.
- If necessary, reduce your speed before an unmanageable hill.
- Choose an appropriately low gear for downhill driving in relation to the slope and length of the hill.
- Maintain a steady speed downhill by easing off the accelerator, possibly shifting to a lower gear or braking lightly at intervals. Avoid continuous braking over a long distance. This can make the brakes so hot that they fail.

Manoeuvring in turns

- Select an appropriate gear for the sharpness of the corner and drive through it at a constant speed, i.e. without accelerating or braking
- Accelerates smoothly as you exit the corner while keeping the car upright.

Orientation and manoeuvring

You need to learn to recognise and manage the following hazardous situations when changing lanes or merging:
- Road users approaching from behind from both the right and left can be hidden in blind spots.
- Adjust your speed and distance to other road users during the manoeuvre.
- Other road users who are changing lanes.
- Signs that other road users are not honouring their merge obligation.

Vn lane changes and merging, you must not be a hazard or undue inconvenience and you can use the turn signal if it may be to help fellow road users.

Changing lanes - how to do it

- You should check your mirrors and turn your head well in advance to see if you can change lanes. Is there room? What speed should you choose?
- Signal with your turn signal if it can help, for example, rear-engaging road users who are close to you.
- As far as possible, adapt your speed to the traffic in the lane you want to change to.
- Avoid changing lanes if it forces other road users to slow down.
- Change lanes quickly enough to avoid driving on a lane line for a long time Position yourself in the centre of the new lane.
- Switch off the turn signal.

Before turning or reversing, ensure that the manoeuvre can be performed without danger or inconvenience.
When turning, you must signal with the flashing light. Turns must be made forwards to the left, unless conditions do not allow this.

U-turn from the centre of the road - how to do it

- Orient yourself as you do when changing lanes and merging. Keep an eye out for traffic behind you and any parked cars.
- Indicate left, slow down and move to the centre of the road or the lane closest to the central reservation.
- Judge whether a gap in oncoming traffic is large enough to make the U-turn safely without endangering or inconveniencing other traffic.
- If the road is clear, make a sharp turn.
- In the middle of the turn, accelerate slightly to make it easier to straighten up.
- Continue driving in relation to the speed of other traffic.
- Switch off the turn signal.

Turning at intersections with signalling control

Here you make a U-turn from the centre of the road.
In addition, you must judge oncoming traffic, stay aware of the traffic light regulation and be aware of other traffic, especially those coming from the left and turning right at the green arrow signal.

Turning from the right edge - how to

- Look for a suitable place to legally stop on the right-hand side.
- Signal with your turn signal well in advance.
- Reduce speed and apply soft braking.
- Put the car in neutral, release the clutch, apply the parking brake and switch off the indicator lights if you need to stop for more than a few moments.
- Be aware of other traffic - especially traffic from behind and any other vehicles stopped on the side of the road, as well as when starting from the side of the road.
- Assess whether you can turn around without causing danger or inconvenience to others.
- Signal with the turn signal and turn as you learnt in the closed practice area (exercise 9).
- Straighten up and continue driving in relation to the speed of other traffic.
- Switch off the turn signal.

Backwards driving

- Start as if turning from the right edge.
- You must perform reverse driving as learnt in a closed practice area.

When travelling in a straight line in reverse.
- Remain in the correct lane throughout the manoeuvre.

Reverse with cornering.
- Give signals well in advance of the turn.
- Turn backwards to the right onto a side road.
- Adapt the steering to the sharpness of the turn.
- Remain in the correct lane throughout the manoeuvre.
- Straighten up quickly enough after the swing so that the course is straightened again.
- Stop signposting.
- Stop and shift into neutral.