After securing the scene and calling 112 for a bus crash, a driver without medical training approaches an injured adult. What initial assessment should guide assistance under the dispatcher’s instructions?

Assess responsiveness and normal breathing, and inform 112 to follow its guidance. Check whether the person responds and breathes normally, and tell 112. Do not routinely remove all injured people or transport them on your own initiative. If the adult is unresponsive and not breathing normally, start the resuscitation response without delay under dispatcher guidance and use an available AED according to its instructions. Gasps are not normal breathing. Do not delay assistance attempting a pulse check you cannot perform; keep the scene safe and act within your abilities and the instructions given.

What can be done to reduce the effects of crosswind?

Reduce the speed. Wind is very dangerous for traffic, and this danger increases as speed increases. Therefore, to counteract its effects, the first measure to take is to moderate the speed. In addition, the steering wheel must be held firmly, especially when overtaking other vehicles, and the safety distance from vehicles travelling ahead must be increased.

As a general rule, what is the maximum length of a rigid bus with more than two axles, without a trailer?

15 metres. 15 metres. Annex IX sets 13.50 metres for two-axle rigid buses and 15 metres for rigid buses with more than two axles. It does not depend simply on passenger capacity. Articulated buses and bus-trailer combinations have different length categories; do not apply this 15-metre limit to them. Removable accessories are included in the regulated overall length.

What is the maximum length allowed for a rigid bus with two axles?

13.50 metres. The regulatory maximum length of a two-axle rigid bus is 13.50 metres. For a rigid bus with more than two axles it is 15 metres, and for an articulated bus 18.75 metres. Removable accessories count towards the applicable maximum length. Complying with these dimensions does not remove the need to adapt driving to the available space and road layout.

What is the regulatory maximum length of a rigid bus with more than two axles?

15 metres. It is 15 metres for rigid buses with more than two axles. The limit is not restricted to buses with exactly three axles. For two-axle rigid buses it is 13.50 metres, and for articulated buses 18.75 metres. Removable accessories count towards the applicable maximum length.

Bus driving techniques - D Licence

Step 1. The big picture

A green bus with passengers and closed doors is aligned beside the curb at a bus stop where two people wait on the sidewalk. — Smooth, safe approach to the bus stop

In one sentence…

Driving a bus requires smoothness, wide observation, control of body roll and respect for the swept path in turns. Passengers feel every mistake even before the external hazard appears, which is why correct technique combines anticipation, precision and calm.

What you'll cover

1.Position, mirrors and surroundings
2.Wide observation and anticipation
3.Comfortable and safe driving
4.Turns and the swept path
5.Roundabouts and lane changes
6.Manoeuvres and approaching stops
7.Common mistakes when practising

Step 2. The syllabus

2.1Position, mirrors and surroundings

Adjust the mirrors to control the sides, the near front and tracking of the bodywork in turns before setting off and throughout the exam manoeuvre.

The driving position must let you manoeuvre without stretching, observe without losing your reference points and keep fine control of the wheel and pedals.
In an urban environment, anticipate pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and users who run towards the stop or appear close to the sides.
The exam tests whether you understand the mirrors as a continuous tool, not as a one-off check at the start of the manoeuvre.

2.2Wide observation and anticipation

Because of the vehicle's size and the passengers on board, you need to read far and near at the same time: oncoming traffic, the sides, pavements, stops, lanes and vulnerable road users.

Anticipation avoids sudden braking and abrupt changes that could put seated or standing passengers at risk if the service allows standing.
Look ahead before you need the manoeuvre; on a bus, deciding late reduces your options and increases the swept path throughout the exam manoeuvre.
When a situation is not clear, stopping and checking again is usually safer than improvising a correction with poor visibility.

2.3Comfortable and safe driving

Accelerating, braking or changing direction smoothly protects seated passengers and especially those standing, if the service allows standing.

Smoothness does not mean unjustified slowness: it means controlling inertia so the bus responds predictably throughout the exam manoeuvre.
Keeping your driving progressive helps preserve stability, avoids unnecessary body roll and gives other road users time to interpret your intentions.
In technique questions, be wary of answers that confuse speed with professionalism; the correct criterion is usually control and anticipation.

2.4Turns and the swept path

The turning radius and the path swept by the rear of the vehicle mean you must widen the manoeuvre and watch for obstacles on the sides and vulnerable road users.

Before turning, check the mirrors and your surroundings to prevent the rear of the vehicle from invading a space occupied by pedestrians, cyclists or other vehicles.
Do not close the turn too early: a rushed line can bring the sides or wheels too close to kerbs, signs, vehicles or street furniture.
The exam often asks about the rear of the vehicle because many candidates only watch the path of the front axle throughout the exam manoeuvre.

2.5Roundabouts and lane changes

At roundabouts, plan the entry, circulation and exit well in advance to avoid abrupt lane changes or unnecessary encroachment throughout the exam manoeuvre.

Side observation must be maintained throughout the whole path, because other road users may be positioned in areas that are hard to see throughout the exam manoeuvre.
Signal in good time and only carry out the manoeuvre when the available space allows you to do so without endangering passengers or nearby road users.
If you take the wrong lane or exit, it is better to continue safely than to correct late with a large vehicle.

2.6Manoeuvres and approaching stops

In reversing manoeuvres or when approaching a platform, if you lack sufficient visibility you must stop and check again throughout the exam manoeuvre.

Approaching a stop requires smoothness, side control and attention to people who are waiting, moving or crossing near the vehicle.
Do not open the doors or move off again until the position is safe and you can control the immediate surroundings throughout the exam manoeuvre.
Practical questions often mix manoeuvring with passengers; answer thinking about visibility, stability, doors and vulnerable road users throughout the exam manoeuvre.

2.7Common mistakes when practising

Looking only ahead is not enough: on a bus, risk also appears on the sides, at the rear, on pavements and around stops.

Braking late forces you to correct with force and conveys a lack of security to passengers, even if the vehicle stops before the obstacle.
Practise turns slowly at first to understand your reference points, but remember that the final goal is safe fluency, not rigidity, throughout the exam manoeuvre.
When reviewing practice questions, identify whether the mistake comes from a lack of observation, overconfidence, poor inertia management or not knowing the swept path.

Step 3. Key points

If you only have a minute before the exam, revise this.

1.Adjust the driving position, mirrors and reference points before setting off.
2.Read the far and near environment paying attention to the sides and pavements.
3.Drive with genuine smoothness, not just low speed.
4.Control body roll, braking and acceleration for passenger safety.
5.Watch the turning radius and the swept path of the rear of the vehicle.
6.Plan roundabouts and lane changes without late corrections.
7.Stop and check again if visibility is insufficient during a manoeuvre.
8.Approach stops protecting pedestrians, passengers and vulnerable road users.

Step 4. Exam traps

Mistakes the DGT uses again and again on this topic.

Forgetting that a bus can swing the rear of the vehicle sideways in turns.
Braking or pulling away harshly as if only the road mattered and not the passengers.
Confusing smooth driving with unjustified slowness or lack of decisiveness.
Looking only at the front and not controlling the sides, the rear and the stop area.
Correcting late at roundabouts or in lanes for not planning the exit.
Continuing a manoeuvre with poor visibility instead of stopping and checking.

Step 5. Quick check

Four real exam questions on what you have just read.

Question 1/4

You drive a bus without a trailer on a motorway outside a built-up area. It has seat belts, carries no standing passengers and is not providing school or child transport. No lower specific limit applies. What maximum speed must you also respect when overtaking?

Practise more bus driving techniques questions

Step 6. Frequently asked questions about bus driving techniques

After securing the scene and calling 112 for a bus crash, a driver without medical training approaches an injured adult. What initial assessment should guide assistance under the dispatcher’s instructions?: Assess responsiveness and normal breathing, and inform 112 to follow its guidance. Check whether the person responds and breathes normally, and tell 112. Do not routinely remove all injured people or transport them on your own initiative. If the adult is unresponsive and not breathing normally, start the resuscitation response without delay under dispatcher guidance and use an available AED according to its instructions. Gasps are not normal breathing. Do not delay assistance attempting a pulse check you cannot perform; keep the scene safe and act within your abilities and the instructions given.See full question
What can be done to reduce the effects of crosswind?: Reduce the speed. Wind is very dangerous for traffic, and this danger increases as speed increases. Therefore, to counteract its effects, the first measure to take is to moderate the speed. In addition, the steering wheel must be held firmly, especially when overtaking other vehicles, and the safety distance from vehicles travelling ahead must be increased.See full question
As a general rule, what is the maximum length of a rigid bus with more than two axles, without a trailer?: 15 metres. 15 metres. Annex IX sets 13.50 metres for two-axle rigid buses and 15 metres for rigid buses with more than two axles. It does not depend simply on passenger capacity. Articulated buses and bus-trailer combinations have different length categories; do not apply this 15-metre limit to them. Removable accessories are included in the regulated overall length.See full question
What is the maximum length allowed for a rigid bus with two axles?: 13.50 metres. The regulatory maximum length of a two-axle rigid bus is 13.50 metres. For a rigid bus with more than two axles it is 15 metres, and for an articulated bus 18.75 metres. Removable accessories count towards the applicable maximum length. Complying with these dimensions does not remove the need to adapt driving to the available space and road layout.See full question
What is the regulatory maximum length of a rigid bus with more than two axles?: 15 metres. It is 15 metres for rigid buses with more than two axles. The limit is not restricted to buses with exactly three axles. For two-axle rigid buses it is 13.50 metres, and for articulated buses 18.75 metres. Removable accessories count towards the applicable maximum length.See full question

See all bus driving techniques questions

Bus driving techniques