You are driving on the A7 towards Kornwerderzand and see the sign for your exit approaching. About how many metres before the exit lane do you indicate (in metres)?
Show the answer
Correct answer: 300 m
Correct: 300.0 m (±25.0).
Indicating, brake lights and hazard lights
What the exam asks here: Almost every driving-lesson leaflet gives the same answer: 'about 30 metres, roughly 3 seconds.' The CBR exam designer knows you have picked up that number — and tests exactly whether you apply it blindly everywhere.
The trap
Many learners think: You always indicate about 30 metres, or roughly 3 seconds, before the turn — that is THE rule of thumb.
The rule is: There is no '30 metres' and no 'seconds' in the book. The real rule of thumb has three branches by road type: about 300 metres on motorways, about 200 metres outside built-up areas, about 100 metres inside built-up areas
Challenge
Almost every driving-lesson leaflet gives the same answer: 'about 30 metres, roughly 3 seconds.' The CBR exam designer knows you have picked up that number — and tests exactly whether you apply it blindly everywhere. The book has no seconds and no 30 metres. It gives three separate distances, one per road type. Once you know which distance belongs to which road type, you see through every '30m/3sec' trap.
The model
Three distances, not one (Book p.181): on motorways about 300 metres before the exit lane, on roads outside the built-up area about 200 metres before the junction, on roads inside the built-up area about 100 metres before the junction. No seconds, no 30 metres — three distances tied to the road type.
Core
Indicating is mandatory for every important sideways movement: pulling away, merging, overtaking and turning (Book p.181). When you do it depends on the road type: 300 metres on the motorway (high speed, more room needed), 200 metres outside the built-up area, 100 metres inside the built-up area (lower speed, less room needed). Brake lights give a different signal: that you are about to slow down. Tap the brake pedal lightly before you actually brake — that warns following traffic slightly earlier (Book p.182). Hazard lights are yet another signal, for four specific situations: you are stopped with a breakdown somewhere you may not stop or that is dangerous, you are stopped in the dark while your required lighting has failed, you are somewhere you are poorly visible and your vehicle forms an obstacle, or you run into a traffic jam (Book p.182). An acoustic or light signal (horn or flashing your lights) may only be given to avert imminent danger — not simply to announce your presence (Book p.183).
Why it matters
Indicating too late on the motorway gives following traffic at 300 metres and high speed barely any time to react; indicating too early inside the built-up area at 100 metres confuses pedestrians and cyclists at every side street in between. Three distances exist precisely because speed and risk differ by road type — one flat figure does justice to none of the three situations.
Active recall
You are driving on a provincial road outside the built-up area near Slenaken, hilly and winding, and approach a junction. About when do you indicate?
Teach back
Explain: which three distances for indicating does the book name, and why is '30 metres/3 seconds' not a book rule for any of the three?
Memory hook
300 motorway · 200 outside built-up area · 100 inside built-up area. No 30 metres, no seconds — three distances, one per road type.
The picture
Signs and law
- RVV 1990 art. 30 — A yellow or green flashing light belongs to vehicles that are working, towing or may pose a danger by their width or low speed; it grants no priority.
- RVV 1990 art. 32 — At night and in poor visibility by day motor vehicles use dipped or main beam; main beam is forbidden by day, when meeting traffic and when following closely.
- RVV 1990 art. 36 — Riders and herders of animals carry a lantern at night and in poor visibility: white or yellow to the front, red to the rear.
- RVV 1990 art. 37 — Groups of pedestrians and marching columns carry a white or yellow light at the front and a red light at the rear at night and in poor visibility.
Test yourself
You are driving on the A7 towards Kornwerderzand and see the sign for your exit. About how many metres before the exit lane do you indicate?
Show the answer
Three distances, not one (Book p.181): on motorways about 300 metres before the exit lane, on roads outside the built-up area about 200 metres before the junction, on roads inside the built-up area about 100 metres before the junction. No seconds, no 30 metres — three distances tied to the road type.
Exam questions on this topic
On a road outside the built-up area near Blokzijl you approach a junction where you want to turn. About when do you indicate?
- About 200 metres before the junction
- About 30 metres, roughly 3 seconds before the junction
- About 100 metres before the junction, just like inside a built-up area
Show the answer
Correct answer: About 200 metres before the junction
Why learners get this wrong: You always indicate about 30 metres, or roughly 3 seconds, before the turn — that is THE rule of thumb.
Statement: the rule of thumb for indicating is about 30 metres, or roughly 3 seconds, before the turn, on every kind of road.
- True
- False
Show the answer
Correct answer: False
Why learners get this wrong: You always indicate about 30 metres, or roughly 3 seconds, before the turn — that is THE rule of thumb.
In the centre of Blokzijl, inside the built-up area, you approach a junction where you want to turn. What is correct about the moment of indicating?
- About 200 metres before the junction, just like outside a built-up area
- About 100 metres before the junction
- Only at the very last moment, right before you make the steering movement
Show the answer
Correct answer: About 100 metres before the junction
False — That gives other road users no time to react; the rule of thumb is about 100 metres in advance, not at the last moment
Why learners get this wrong: Once you know the right distance for indicating, that one distance applies on every road — motorway, provincial road or village street, it makes no difference.
Your car has broken down on the hard shoulder of the A7. In which situations does the book say you use your hazard lights? (multiple answers possible)
- You are somewhere you are poorly visible and your vehicle forms an obstacle
- You are stopped with a breakdown somewhere you may not stop or that is dangerous
- You run into a traffic jam
- You are stopped in the dark while your required lighting has failed
- You stop briefly in a car park to drop someone off
Show the answer
Correct answer: You are somewhere you are poorly visible and your vehicle forms an obstacle; You are stopped with a breakdown somewhere you may not stop or that is dangerous; You run into a traffic jam; You are stopped in the dark while your required lighting has failed
False — Briefly stopping to drop someone off in a car park is not in the book's trigger list for hazard lights
Why learners get this wrong: You use your hazard lights when you stop briefly at a parking place to drop someone off.
Near Ootmarsum, on a provincial road, you are overtaking a tractor. Halfway through you see oncoming traffic approaching sooner than expected. What may you now use your horn or light signal for?
- Also simply to announce your presence while overtaking
- Only to avert the imminent danger of the situation
- Also to express your annoyance that the tractor is not pulling aside
Show the answer
Correct answer: Only to avert the imminent danger of the situation
False — Expressing annoyance is not an imminent danger; the signal is not intended for that
Why learners get this wrong: You may also use your horn or light signal simply to alert other road users to your presence, not only for imminent danger.
About Indicating, brake lights and hazard lights: which statement is WRONG?
- Only to avert imminent danger may you give an acoustic or light signal.
- The rule of thumb is explicitly three-part, tied to road type: 300 metres (motorway), 200 metres (outside built-up area), 100 metres (inside built-up area).
- You always indicate about 30 metres, or roughly 3 seconds, before the turn — that is THE rule of thumb.
- That gives other road users no time to react; the rule of thumb is about 100 metres in advance, not at the last moment.
Show the answer
Correct answer: You always indicate about 30 metres, or roughly 3 seconds, before the turn — that is THE rule of thumb.
There is no '30 metres' and no 'seconds' in the book. The real rule of thumb has three branches by road type: about 300 metres on motorways, about 200 metres outside built-up areas, about 100 metres inside built-up areas
Why learners get this wrong: You may also use your horn or light signal simply to alert other road users to your presence, not only for imminent danger.
You are driving on a provincial road outside the built-up area near Slenaken, hilly and winding, and approach a junction. About when do you indicate?
- About 200 metres before the junction
- About 30 metres, roughly 3 seconds before the junction
- About 300 metres before the junction, just like on the motorway
Show the answer
Correct answer: About 200 metres before the junction
Motorway 300 m · outside built-up area 200 m · inside built-up area 100 m
Why learners get this wrong: You always indicate about 30 metres, or roughly 3 seconds, before the turn — that is THE rule of thumb.
About Indicating, brake lights and hazard lights: which statement is correct?
- You always indicate about 30 metres, or roughly 3 seconds, before the turn — that is THE rule of thumb.
- Once you know the right distance for indicating, that one distance applies on every road — motorway, provincial road or village street, it makes no difference.
- Only to avert imminent danger may you give an acoustic or light signal.
- Inside the built-up area you indicate only at the very last moment, just before you steer in.
Show the answer
Correct answer: Only to avert imminent danger may you give an acoustic or light signal.
Only to avert imminent danger may you give an acoustic or light signal. Alerting others to your presence without danger is not covered by that
Why learners get this wrong: You always indicate about 30 metres, or roughly 3 seconds, before the turn — that is THE rule of thumb.
Only to avert imminent danger may you give an acoustic or light signal.
- False
- True
Show the answer
Correct answer: True
Only to avert imminent danger may you give an acoustic or light signal. Alerting others to your presence without danger is not covered by that
Why learners get this wrong: You may also use your horn or light signal simply to alert other road users to your presence, not only for imminent danger.
Frequently asked questions
‘You always indicate about 30 metres, or roughly 3 seconds, before the turn — that is THE rule of thumb’ – is that true?
No. There is no '30 metres' and no 'seconds' in the book. The real rule of thumb has three branches by road type: about 300 metres on motorways, about 200 metres outside built-up areas, about 100 metres inside built-up areas
‘Once you know the right distance for indicating, that one distance applies on every road — motorway, provincial road or village street, it makes no difference’ – is that true?
No. The rule of thumb is explicitly three-part, tied to road type: 300 metres (motorway), 200 metres (outside built-up area), 100 metres (inside built-up area). One distance for all roads is not what the book teaches
‘You may also use your horn or light signal simply to alert other road users to your presence, not only for imminent danger’ – is that true?
No. Only to avert imminent danger may you give an acoustic or light signal. Alerting others to your presence without danger is not covered by that
‘Inside the built-up area you indicate only at the very last moment, just before you steer in’ – is that true?
No. That gives other road users no time to react; the rule of thumb is about 100 metres in advance, not at the last moment
‘You use your hazard lights when you stop briefly at a parking place to drop someone off’ – is that true?
No. Briefly stopping to drop someone off in a car park is not in the book's trigger list for hazard lights