Today's episode is taken from our new podcast, Driving Test Tips, which is based around the top 10 reasons that people fail their driving test. However, the content of the episodes, isn't just for learner drivers as we hope that it will help drivers who want to build their confidence, fill any gaps in their knowledge, or maybe have a light bulb moment while they're listening. So, on to not responding appropriately to traffic lights. What does this one mean? So again, we've all come across traffic lights. And traffic lights are there to control the flow of traffic. And. Make sure you understand. The first thing I'm gonna say is just make sure you understand the sequence of traffic lights and filter lights and road markings. Cuz there's so many different types of traffic lights that you can come across. So make sure that you understand the traffic light system and the road markings that go with it. And what it actually means that's is, you know, that's the first thing I'm gonna say. On this and not just the traffic lights that are near where you're taking your test. You are gonna come across some weird and wonderful traffic light systems, and you may even have traffic lights on roundabouts, it's that sort of thing that be aware of what's happening with traffic lights. So the first thing that people do is the red light is clearly showing, and they still carry on going. Even though they know a red light means stop. Yep. You can't go. And we've all seen people do this. Yeah. And for whatever reason they miss it, what I'm gonna add in here as well. Is mobile traffic lights. You know, the ones where the road works are. Oh yeah. Make sure you know where they are. Where is the traffic light, but also. Where is the sign that says when red light is showing wait here. Because that's where the line is for you to wait. Yeah. That's what that basically means. You can't with the red light is there, you can't go past this point. Ah, yeah, so I'd not thought of that. So potentially. Somebody could fail their driving test because it's mobile traffic lights and they've just stopped in the wrong place. Yeah. Yeah. If you think about what that sign is actually telling you. Yeah, I know we're gonna talk about signs in a little while, but, that mobile sign is saying. Stop here. Big clue there. Yeah. Stop here when red light shows. Yeah. Cause that's where it's safe to stop. Yeah. The road workers or the people that are doing. The traffic lights, the management systems. What they've done is they've put that sign there for a reason. For whatever reason it is. They've put it there. So that's, that's the first thing, you know, recognize the red lights and then where do I stop? So another part of, failing for traffic lights is stopping after the first white line, when there is an area for cyclists. Ah, yes. So it might be a different color on the road, the road markings have changed normally to a red or a green. And there's two lines there's a first, solid white line that goes across the road for the cars the second white line, is for the cyclists to wait. So the cyclist can come and wait in front of you basically. And that area. And what happens is that you are approaching the red light. You've seen the red light. And you go into the cyclist bit. So you're now waiting in where the cyclists are gonna wait. Okay. So, I mean, these are rookie mistakes, aren't they? These are, I can see. I can see how these happen. And that must so annoying to fail your test on something like this, because. These are things you could easily have controlled. Yeah. And if you're thinking, the road markings might not be fantastic. But there would always be a certain amount of road markings there. And this is what you need to do. You need to look for those red lights. Look for road markings. Just so you notice where you need to stop. It's that simple? yeah. Yeah. Um, and we all know that, but sometimes in different situations where you have cars behind you or whatever. And we are now just going too far. Just, just make sure you're giving yourself enough time to stop. Yeah. Managing your speed, giving yourself enough time. Making observations again. Okay. I'm seeing a theme, you seeing a theme coming through. So again, not progressing when you are waiting to turn right at a junction. And it's safe to proceed. So again, this is, imagine you are now at. The traffic lights and you are. Turning right at a junction and you continue to wait in the middle, cuz again, it, once a traffic light's gone to green, it's now like a normal junction to turn right. But you may have, well, have oncoming vehicles coming towards you cuz their side of the traffic lights have also gone green. Yeah. So now it's like a normal road. It's just stopped the two side junctions or one side junction, whichever it may be. And what happens is there's a, you know, there's a safe gap to go. And what's happened is we don't go. And now the lights have gone red and everyone's sitting in the middle of the junction. Ah, yeah. And what happened is we've now blocked the junction and other cars have started to move and we now causing a problem. So again, you know, make sure that when we're going make sure the exit's clear first when you. Again, we are gonna talk about that in the next bit, but just make sure that you know, your exit is clear, you can wait in the middle and when there's a gap. Go, you know, you, you've got all the skills already just to be able to go, okay, the gap's there. Car's ready. I'll just move away. Yeah, these spots, they're not convenient little spots to have a little daydream and have a little thinkl They're there for you to wait and look for a gap in traffic. And to keep moving and we need to keep going. I mean, what people see is they normally see, they sit in the middle waiting. The oncoming cars are stopped. We've now got a red light in front of us. Which has stopped there, where we've come from, which is the light we use to turn. Yeah. And all people see is the red light and it's like, yeah, but it's. Stopped all the other traffic. You can now go yes. That red light wasn't for you sitting there waiting for the gap. That's for the people who were back behind us at the junction and whoever haven't moved into that section yet. Yeah, I, yeah, I've seen that. I've experienced that. So that's that one. So another one might be that you are coming up to the traffic lights and for some, I can't quite, I know I've done this years and years ago, and it was to do with. A traffic light that I got so used to stopping at cuz it was always red that I stopped it one day and got bipped and I went what are you bipping at? And it light was green. So cause I was just used to doing, but that was years and years ago. Um, but yeah, not going ahead when a green light is showing and a junction head is clear, you know, there's, you know, what's happened. You've just stopped at a green light. Causing potential problems behind you. Yeah. So the car behind you is not expecting you to stop cause it's a green light. But you've now stopped. So again, you know, Think of what you can see, what does that light mean? I can now go. Yeah. Another way of this again, you know, following on from what I've just said, when it's a green light. What does it mean? It means I can go. Not always. I only go if the junction that you'll going into, is clear if that's not clear. What you don't want to end up is with you blocking the road again so you've gone across the junction you've now blocked the side road on the left. Because you've still got a green light. But the traffic in front of you is not moving. What's gonna happen is the traffic lights are gonna turn to red. The side lights. Traffic lights are gonna turn to green. And they won't be able to go because you've now blocked the junction. So only proceed on a green light when you know, your exit is clear or you can see it's going to be clear. So use those detective work again. Make sure you know that it's all good. And again, you know, if we think of driving safety facts, they've given us another one here. There were 1,308 reported accidents in great Britain in 2019 caused by drivers, disobeying traffic lights. That my idea of that is people went in red lights. Yeah, people just going through and they're just, you know, so again, you know, these are. where accidents happen, make sure you know what's happening. Make sure you are. Clued up on your road, markings, traffic lights, procedure, and what's going on. Okay, so you've sort of said about making sure you understand them there. And you've mentioned that at the beginning, as well saying you can come across all sorts of different variations to traffic lights. So. Where do people find out this information about different types of traffic lights? I'm thinking. Highway code highway. Code's a good one. There's also the. The official DVSA guide. To drive in the essential skills. And I think, you know, every learner should have this book. Because it tells you everything, it tells you about driving. It tells you procedures, it tells you what things should happen. When to go and not to go things to look for. And I think it's a great. Great book just to have. Even has things like weather, you know, it talks about different driving in different weather conditions. Um, so again, you know, little things like that can just make you better prepared. So I think it's a great addition. Yeah. So find out your information and actually, if you like podcasts, I wouldn't mind betting that the five minute theory podcast by Terry Cook. Probably also has several bits on. All of these aspects. Cause there's so many different types of traffic lights. I mean, we haven't even got into pedestrian crossings yet, but just traffic lights. There's so many different types. So, you know, just be aware of what is actually happening. If you are a driver that's. Passed their test sometime ago. Refresh up, what does this actually mean? They might not actually know that there's now cyclist. Can go in front of people. Yeah. And I expect there's YouTube resources about different types of traffic lights as well. So. There should be plenty of resources out there. Yeah. Do some research. If this is an area that you've failed on repeatedly, or it's an area that, you know, makes you nervous that you don't feel confident in the more information you can find out, the more confident you'll be. We hope you found that useful. If you did, don't forget to share it with others or leave us a review. You can find the other reasons that people fail their driving test in our spinoff podcast series Driving Test Tips, if you'd like to listen to them all in one place. Search driving test tips, wherever you listen to your podcasts or find the links in our show notes or on our website, www .confidentdrivers.co.uk/freetools And so until next time, Have a great day, whatever you are doing.