Most learner drivers prepare intensively for roundabouts, junctions, parking manoeuvres and hill starts — then walk into the test centre without having rehearsed the questions the examiner asks before the car moves. The pre-drive questions are the very first thing assessed on your RSA driving test. Starting well sets the tone for the entire test. Starting badly — forgetting a road sign, stumbling over hand signals, unable to find the rear demister — creates unnecessary pressure before you have even touched the steering wheel.
Vehicle Safety & Pre-Drive Checks — Article Series
In This Guide
What Are Pre-Drive Questions?
Pre-drive questions are the questions and checks the RSA examiner carries out at the start of your driving test — before the car moves off. The examiner will ask you a combination of verbal questions, show you road signs to identify, ask you to demonstrate hand signals, and ask you to operate specific vehicle controls.
This section tests whether you understand the basic rules of the road, can recognise common road signs, know how to operate the controls in your test car, and can demonstrate proper hand signals. Performance in this section is assessed alongside the drive itself — it is not a warm-up.
How Many Questions Are Asked?
The RSA pre-drive oral section typically follows this structure:
Verbal Questions
Rules of the road, signs, safety, vehicle checksRoad Signs
Identify meaning and required driver actionHand Signals
Demonstrate from a total of 3 possible signalsThe Five Topic Areas
Pre-drive questions draw from five broad topic areas. Understanding each category helps you direct your preparation efficiently.
Rules of the Road
Traffic lights (full sequence including flashing amber), yellow box junctions, pedestrian and cyclist crossings, right of way at junctions, road markings, speed limits, and rules for specific road types such as motorways.
Road Signs
All three categories: regulatory signs (red border — must obey), warning signs (yellow diamond — hazard ahead), and information/direction signs (blue or green). The examiner shows you the sign and asks what it means and what action you must take.
Vehicle Controls
Show-me questions: "Show me how to turn on the dipped headlights", "Show me the rear demister", "Show me how to turn on the hazard warning lights". You must operate each control confidently without hesitation — not just point at it.
Vehicle Safety & Roadworthiness
Tyre tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum / 3mm RSA recommended), how to check engine oil, what the oil warning light means, what the NCT is, how to check lights are working, seat belt rules.
Hand Signals
Three signals are in the RSA preparation material. The examiner asks you to demonstrate two. All three must be prepared.
Sample Questions and Answers
These represent the type and style of questions that come up. Answers should be precise and confident — not vague.
Road Signs
You must come to a complete stop at the stop line and remain stopped until it is safe to proceed. You must stop even if the road appears clear — unlike a Yield sign, a brief slow-down is not sufficient.
You must give way to all traffic and pedestrians who have priority on the road you are entering. You must not proceed until it is clearly safe to do so. You do not need to stop completely if the way is clear — but you must be prepared to.
You must not enter that road or lane from that direction. No Entry signs are often found at one-way streets, contra-flow lanes, and exits from car parks.
This is a mandatory speed limit sign. The number shown — in this case 50 km/h — is the maximum speed permitted on this road. You must not exceed it.
Rules of the Road
Be prepared to stop. You should stop if it is safe to do so. You should only proceed through amber if stopping would be dangerous — for example, if you are already very close to the stop line when the light changes. You must not accelerate to beat an amber light.
Red (stop) → Red and amber together (prepare to move) → Green (proceed if safe) → Amber (stop if safe to do so) → Red (stop). At some junctions there is also a green filter arrow that allows movement in one direction while the main light remains red.
A yellow box junction has yellow criss-cross markings on the road surface. You must not enter the box unless your exit is clear — meaning you can drive through without stopping inside the box. The only exception is when you are turning right and are waiting for oncoming traffic to clear.
Slow down, observe carefully, and be prepared to yield to any pedestrian on the crossing or stepping onto it. On a zebra crossing, pedestrians have right of way once they step onto the road. On a pelican crossing, you must obey the traffic lights.
Vehicle Safety
The legal minimum is 1.6mm across the main tread area and around the full circumference of the tyre. The RSA strongly recommends replacing tyres at 3mm, as wet-weather grip deteriorates significantly below this level.
Activate each indicator in turn and walk around the car to confirm the front and rear indicator lights are flashing on that side. Alternatively, you can check the dashboard indicator arrow, which should flash in sync. A faster-than-normal flash rate usually means one bulb has failed.
Because you need to keep the windscreen clear for safe visibility at all times. Road spray, dirt and grime can obscure the windscreen quickly — particularly on motorways and in wet conditions. Running out of washer fluid during a journey can leave the windscreen dangerously dirty.
Worried about the pre-drive questions?
A mock test with BP Driving School rehearses the full pre-drive question sequence — road signs, hand signals, controls — so test day holds no surprises. North Dublin, 7 days a week.
Hand Signals — All Three
Hand signals are used when electrical signals have failed or cannot be seen. The RSA requires learner drivers to be able to demonstrate three signals. Two will be asked on the test. All three must be prepared.
Turning Left
Extend your left arm horizontally out of the left window, palm facing forward. Hold clearly and steadily.
Turning Right
Extend your right arm horizontally out of the right window, palm facing forward. Hold clearly and steadily.
Slowing Down / Stopping
Extend your right arm horizontally out of the right window and move it up and down from the wrist.
Vehicle Controls You Must Know
The examiner will ask you to operate specific controls in your test car. You must know the location and function of each one without hesitation. This varies by car model — practise in the actual car you will use for your test.
| Control | How to Demonstrate It |
|---|---|
| Dipped headlights | Turn the light switch to the dipped headlight position and confirm the dashboard headlight indicator is on |
| Full beam (main beam) | From dipped, pull the indicator stalk toward you (or push fully, depending on car) — blue high-beam symbol illuminates on dashboard |
| Direction indicators | Push the indicator stalk up (right) or down (left) and confirm the dashboard arrow is flashing |
| Hazard warning lights | Press the red triangle button — all four indicators should flash simultaneously |
| Windscreen wipers | Turn the wiper stalk to demonstrate slow speed, fast speed, and intermittent setting |
| Windscreen washers | Pull the wiper stalk toward you (or press the button) to spray washer fluid onto the windscreen |
| Front demister | Switch on the fan/heater blower directed at the windscreen — typically the defrost setting with a windscreen symbol |
| Rear window heater | Press the button with horizontal lines on a rectangle symbol — the indicator light confirms it is active |
| Rear fog light (if fitted) | Know which switch activates it and that it must only be used in dense fog or falling snow |
| Horn | Know its location — usually the centre of the steering wheel |
Car Readiness Before Test Day
The pre-drive check also includes the examiner verifying that the test car is in a roadworthy condition. If the vehicle does not meet the required standard, the test can be refused before it starts.
Common Mistakes
Knowing the answer but panicking under pressure
Many learners know the material perfectly during revision but become flustered when asked on the day. The solution is practice — say the answers out loud, not just in your head. Verbal rehearsal makes answers automatic rather than effortful.
Neglecting hand signals entirely
Hand signals feel old-fashioned, so many learners skip them. Two will be asked on the test. All three must be physically practised — in a car — before test day. A weak or incorrect signal is an immediate visible fault.
Not knowing the controls in the test car
Learners who have been driving one car for months then sit their test in a different vehicle — such as a hire car — sometimes cannot find the rear demister or fog lights. Practise in the exact car you will test in, ideally with your ADI in the week before the test.
Vague answers to road sign questions
"It means to be careful" is not an acceptable answer for a warning sign. The examiner wants to know what hazard is ahead and what action you must take. Practise precise answers: "This is an uneven road warning sign — I should slow down and be prepared for an uneven surface ahead."
Arriving with an avoidable vehicle fault
A faulty brake light, a missing NCT disc, or under-inflated tyres can cause the test to be refused before it starts. Check the vehicle the day before — not the morning of the test — so there is time to fix any problem found.
How to Prepare Properly
A structured preparation routine for the pre-drive section:
- Road signs — work through all three categories (regulatory, warning, information) using the RSA Rules of the Road booklet. For each sign, know the name, the meaning, and the exact action required
- Rules of the road — focus on traffic lights (full sequence), yellow box junctions, pedestrian crossings, right of way, road markings and speed limits
- Vehicle controls — sit in your test car and physically operate every control in the table above. Do not stop until you can find each one without looking
- Hand signals — practise all three from inside the car. Ask someone to stand outside and confirm each signal is clear and visible
- Vehicle checks — complete the car readiness checklist the day before the test
- Mock test — do a full mock test with an ADI, including the pre-drive question section. This is the single most effective preparation method
Mock test available in Swords and North Dublin
BP Driving School mock tests cover the full pre-drive section — questions, hand signals and vehicle controls. Book yours today.
Frequently Asked Questions
More from the Vehicle Safety & Pre-Drive Checks series
A mock test with BP Driving School covers the complete pre-drive question sequence — road signs, hand signals, vehicle controls and vehicle readiness — in the actual format used on test day. Book a mock test in North Dublin.
Still doing EDT? Book your EDT course — pre-drive question preparation is built into every lesson programme.