Use of mirrors · Driving test fault
Change of speed
What it means
Checking mirrors before you slow down or brake noticeably, so anyone following has time and you are not braked into.
What a fault looks like
Braking hard with no mirror check is a driving fault; if the car behind has to brake sharply to avoid you, it can become serious.
What learners get wrong
Braking first and looking after, especially when a hazard appears suddenly - the mirror check gets forgotten in the reaction.
What we recommend
Read the road far enough ahead that you can glance in the mirror before you brake. Early, gentle braking after a mirror check is safer than late, hard braking.
More in this group
Start with a first lesson.