What the exam asks here: Many students think: 'I already drove this car yesterday, I don't need to adjust anything.' But the book is firm: you do this before EVERY trip — even in your own, familiar car, because a seat may have shifted, a mirror may be turned slightly.
Many learners think: The headrest may sit low, as long as it is somewhere behind your head.
The rule is: The headrest must sit flat behind your head; this gives you the best protection in a rear-end collision. A headrest set too low does not protect the neck
Many students think: 'I already drove this car yesterday, I don't need to adjust anything.' But the book is firm: you do this before EVERY trip — even in your own, familiar car, because a seat may have shifted, a mirror may be turned slightly.
Seat, headrest, steering wheel and mirrors — check them before every trip. Then, just before driving off: the seatbelt.
Check before every trip that your seat, headrest, steering wheel and mirrors are properly adjusted. This applies to every trip, not only in a new or unfamiliar car. Make sure specifically that your headrest sits flat behind your head — not lower, not loose. This gives you the best protection against whiplash in a rear-end collision. And of course: before driving off, put on your seatbelt — that is the last step, after seat, headrest, steering wheel and mirrors.
A poorly adjusted seat or mirror costs you reaction time: you reach controls less quickly and see less well. A headrest that sits too low turns a simple rear-end bump into a whiplash injury. And without a seatbelt, every collision — even a slow one — is far more dangerous.
Getting into a just-rented car at Schiphol, you find the headrest low, roughly at neck height. Is that acceptable?
Explain: which four things do you check before every trip, what is the correct headrest position, and when do you put on the seatbelt?
Seat → headrest (flat behind head) → wheel → mirrors, then seatbelt — before every trip.
At your first driving lesson in 's-Hertogenbosch you get into your instructor's car. Before turning the ignition key, which four things do you check according to the book?
Seat, headrest, steering wheel and mirrors — check them before every trip. Then, just before driving off: the seatbelt.
Correct answer: Adjust the seat; Adjust the headrest (flat behind your head); Adjust the steering wheel; Adjust the mirrors; Put on the seatbelt
§13.3: before every trip check seat, headrest, steering wheel and mirrors, in that order; only then do you put on your seatbelt before driving off.
Correct answer: You raise the headrest until it is right behind your head
False — you see the headrest as comfort. The headrest protects your neck in a rear-end collision, and it only does so when it is right behind your head
Why learners get this wrong: The headrest is there for comfort; its height makes no difference to safety.
Correct answer: False
False — the seatbelt duty does not depend on road type or speed. You put on your seatbelt before setting off, in town just as on the motorway
Why learners get this wrong: The seatbelt is only mandatory on the motorway, or at higher speeds.
Correct answer: You check seat, headrest, steering wheel and mirrors and only then drive off
False — you only check part of it. Before every trip you check that seat, headrest, steering wheel and mirrors are set right; someone else may have adjusted them, even in your own car
Why learners get this wrong: You only need to re-adjust seat, headrest, steering wheel and mirrors when getting into a new or unfamiliar car, not on every trip in your own car.
Correct answer: Setting the headrest so it sits right behind your head; Checking seat, headrest, steering wheel and mirrors and adjusting them if needed
False — the seatbelt duty does not depend on road type or speed. Before setting off you put on your seatbelt, also for a short trip in town
Why learners get this wrong: The seatbelt is only mandatory on the motorway, or at higher speeds.
Correct answer: False
Why learners get this wrong: You put on the seatbelt first and adjust your mirrors afterwards.
Correct answer: The text lists the order seat, headrest, steering wheel and mirrors, and only then 'and of course you put on your seatbelt before departure' as the last step.
The text lists the order seat, headrest, steering wheel and mirrors, and only then 'and of course you put on your seatbelt before departure' as the last step
Why learners get this wrong: The seatbelt is only mandatory on the motorway, or at higher speeds.
Correct answer: You put on the seatbelt first and adjust your mirrors afterwards.
The text lists the order seat, headrest, steering wheel and mirrors, and only then 'and of course you put on your seatbelt before departure' as the last step
Why learners get this wrong: You only need to re-adjust seat, headrest, steering wheel and mirrors when getting into a new or unfamiliar car, not on every trip in your own car.
Correct answer: You put on your seatbelt before driving off, with no exception for road type or speed.
You put on your seatbelt before driving off, with no exception for road type or speed. The seatbelt duty applies just as much in the city as on the motorway
Why learners get this wrong: The headrest may sit low, as long as it is somewhere behind your head.
Correct answer: The seatbelt is only mandatory on the motorway, or at higher speeds.
You put on your seatbelt before driving off, with no exception for road type or speed. The seatbelt duty applies just as much in the city as on the motorway
Why learners get this wrong: The headrest may sit low, as long as it is somewhere behind your head.
No. The headrest must sit flat behind your head; this gives you the best protection in a rear-end collision. A headrest set too low does not protect the neck
No. You put on your seatbelt before driving off, with no exception for road type or speed. The seatbelt duty applies just as much in the city as on the motorway
No. The text literally says: check before EVERY trip. Even in your own, familiar car, a seat or mirror may have shifted
No. The text lists the order seat, headrest, steering wheel and mirrors, and only then 'and of course you put on your seatbelt before departure' as the last step
No. The headrest protects in a rear-end collision, and only when it is right behind your head