Traffic awareness

Front of a vehicle

Knowing what the front of a vehicle looks like helps the learner identify if the vehicle is travelling towards them.

On the front of a vehicle there will be a white registration plate with numbers and letters.

Many cars have white front lights and side lights that automatically turn on when the vehicle starts. This increases a car’s visibility and helps to prevent accidents happening. The side mirrors will be black or coloured the same colour as the car. You can’t see the reflective part of the side mirrors when you’re looking at the front of the car.

Back of a vehicle

Understanding what the back of a vehicle looks like helps the learner to identify when a vehicle is traveling away from them, or towards them if it’s reversing.

On the back of a vehicle there will be a yellow registration plate with numbers and letters.

Vehicles have red rear lights, which usually automatically switch on when the vehicle starts. When vehicles brake to slow or stop, additional red brake lights come on to increase the car’s visibility and help prevent accidents from happening.

When a vehicle is reversing, an additional white reversing light will appear. Some vehicles make a beeping sound to indicate they’re reversing and moving back. If you stand slightly to one side or further back behind the car, you will be able to see the reflective part of the side mirrors on both the driver’s and passenger’s doors.

You probably won’t be able to see the driver or the passenger’s faces from the back of the car. However, you may see the driver’s face when they turn around to check for obstacles before moving off.

If a vehicle is moving, it will either drive towards you or away from you. Vehicles move in one lane of traffic but can indicate and turn into other roads. If a vehicle has stopped, it will not move. Sometimes it can be difficult to know whether a vehicle has parked or just stopped temporarily.

A vehicle may stop at traffic lights and wait for the green light before moving again. It could also stop at a pedestrian crossing to let people cross the road. Sometimes, a vehicle may stop by the side of the road for a short time to pick someone up. The engine may still be running when this happens.

Many new cars have engines that save energy by switching off when the car has stopped with the brakes on. This can make it hard to tell if the car is parked or just waiting. The engine will start again once the driver puts the car back into gear or presses the accelerator. This idea can be tricky for some learners to understand. So, it’s important to talk about each situation as you see it happening.

When a car is parking by reversing into a space, you’ll see white reversing lights on the back of the car. You may also hear a beeping sound, which means the car is moving backwards. The driver can’t see clearly behind them, so it’s safer to take a few steps back and give the car space. Remember, if you can see the car’s mirrors, the driver should be able to see you too. If you’re walking on the pavement, you can keep walking if it’s safe to do so. But if a car is reversing, travelling towards you, stay calm and be ready to stop and wait until the car has finished parking.

Use these words to help the learner identify what their senses may detect, key parts of vehicles and how vehicles travel, stop, or change direction on the road.

Fast – Vehicles move very quickly, in any direction. You may hear a loud engine for a short amount of time. As a fast vehicle passes, you may feel the wind it creates. It may go by so quickly you don’t have time to see it. Vehicles travelling fast can cause accidents. Emergency vehicles are the only vehicles allowed to travel above the speed limit.

Slow – Vehicles moving slowly may sound quiet and take longer to approach junctions and pedestrianised areas. A slow vehicle takes longer to pass you, so you may be able to see it more easily. You’ll need to wait a bit longer before it’s safe to cross the road. Slower vehicles include scooters, buses, tractors, and HGVs. Some slow vehicles have an orange and red triangle on the back, such as road maintenance vehicles.

Near – When a vehicle is ‘near,’ it means it’s just a short distance away from you. It may be stationary, parked, or moving.

Far away – When a vehicle is ‘far away,’ it means it’s still a long way down the road. You may not see or hear it until it gets much closer to you.

Large – Large vehicles include minibuses, buses, coaches, vans, lorries, HGVs, tractors, and emergency vehicles that travel on the road. Large vehicles generally have speed restrictions and have to travel slower than other vehicles.

Small – Small vehicles include cars, motorbikes, scooters, and pedal cycles.

Loud – Loud vehicles can make a lot of noise when reversing, changing gears, and using sirens and lights in an emergency to get through traffic quickly. Motorbikes, emergency vehicles, and larger vehicles can be loud. Some vehicles become louder the older they get, because parts of the car need maintenance. Diesel engines are also louder than the engines of petrol and electric cars.

Quiet – Quiet vehicles include newer hybrid and electric cars. You may not hear them until they are very close to you, which makes it even more important to ‘Stop, Look, Listen, Think’ before deciding to cross a road.

Busy – Busy traffic is when there are too many vehicles on the road, making it difficult to travel. Busy areas of traffic can be noisy, and there’s a greater risk of pedestrians getting hit by cars.

Here are other words used when the road is busy:

• Congested – This is when the traffic is so busy that the vehicles have to go slowly or even stop.
• Rush hour – This is when traffic is at its worst, usually in the morning and evening.
• Traffic jam – When there are so many vehicles on the road that they can’t move.

Quieter traffic – Quieter traffic refers to areas where there’s less traffic and not as much noise. This includes lanes, parks, and some urban roads. It should be safer for pedestrians because there are less vehicles.

Motorbikes – Motorbikes, or motorcycles, are vehicles with two wheels and an engine. They can be loud, especially when they travel fast. Motorbikes have to follow The Highway Code, but some may swerve in and out of lanes, overtaking other vehicles. Motorbikes, as with other vehicles, can be dangerous and put others at risk if not driven safely. The police and hospitals also have motorbikes as emergency vehicles.

Emergency vehicles make loud noises using a siren. Sirens let other road users and pedestrians know the emergency vehicle needs to pass quickly to reach its destination.

When you see or hear an emergency vehicle, it’s safest to stay on the pavement. Keep walking if it’s safe, or stop and stand still. Don’t cross the road because you won’t know if the emergency vehicle is about to turn into the road you want to cross. Wait until it’s passed before crossing.

Emergency vehicles use bright lights to help drivers see the vehicle from a distance and take appropriate action, such as pulling over to create a clear path for them to pass. The lights can be flashing blue, red, or amber.

Other types – Other types of vehicles can also be a risk, especially in places like housing estates, building sites, or areas where new roads or buildings are being constructed. These areas often have large vehicles that may drive on or near pavements. These drivers can’t always see pedestrians clearly, especially when reversing. Always be extra careful in these areas, and if you can, choose a different route to avoid the risk.