Choosing gaps in traffic

What the testing officer is looking for

The Testing Officer wants to see that you can pick safe gaps in traffic whenever you are:

• Crossing traffic at an intersection
• Merging with other traffic
• Changing lanes
• Pulling out from the kerb
• Starting a U-turn or three point turn
• Entering a roundabout.

Test tips

• Picking a safe gaps means that you have time to pull out and get up to speed without forcing other road users to slow down or change direction to avoid you
• The Testing Officer will check that you take the first available safe gap rather than holding up traffic when you could have gone safely. This means you will need to be confident and decisive with which gaps to choose
• Don’t worry if you miss an occasional gap because you weren’t sure if it was safe to go – it’s better not to take a gap unless you’re sure.