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BC Class 7 overview

BC Class 7: Your vehicle and safety equipment

Seat and head restraint adjustment, seatbelts, child car seat stages, airbags, mirrors, controls, lights, anti-lock brakes, pre-trip checks, tires and winter preparation.

  • 30 questions
  • Topic drill
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Your vehicle and safety equipment · Question 1Score 0/0

It is getting dark and your car has automatic daytime running lights. What should you do?

Study reference: Learn to Drive Smart (ICBC, March 2026 edition), Ch. 2 You and your vehicle — Adjust for safety, hand controls, foot pedals, control panel, pre-trip check, periodic check, pp. 13–27

All 30 questions in this test

Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.

  1. It is getting dark and your car has automatic daytime running lights. What should you do?

    1. Keep using the daytime running lights
    2. Turn on the hazard lights
    3. Switch on the parking lights
    4. Turn on your headlights

  2. Why is the parking brake sometimes called an emergency brake?

    1. It must be used for every quick stop
    2. It locks all four wheels instantly
    3. It can slow the car if the foot brake fails
    4. It turns on the hazard lights

  3. Under B.C. rules, a child must use a booster seat until reaching which point?

    1. Six years old or 18 kg, whichever comes first
    2. Eight years old or 36 kg, whichever comes first
    3. Nine years old or 145 cm, whichever comes first
    4. Twelve years old or 145 cm, whichever comes last

  4. How often does the guide suggest doing a thorough periodic check of your vehicle?

    1. Once a year
    2. Every trip
    3. Every few weeks
    4. Every two years

  5. Where should you look up the correct air pressure for your tires?

    1. The tire shop's general chart
    2. The owner's manual or the driver's door sticker
    3. The pressure numbers printed on the side of the tire
    4. The fuel cap label on every car

  6. When you set your seat position, what should your right foot be able to do?

    1. Reach only the edge of the gas pedal
    2. Rest flat on the gas pedal with the leg fully straight out
    3. Reach the floor behind the brake with a slight bend in the leg
    4. Press the brake to the floor with the leg locked

  7. A child in a forward-facing seat (stage 2) should use it up to at least what weight?

    1. 14 kg (30 lb)
    2. 18 kg (40 lb)
    3. 27 kg (60 lb)
    4. 9 kg (20 lb)

  8. Where must you never place a rear-facing infant seat?

    1. Behind the driver's seat
    2. Directly behind the driver's seat on the left side
    3. In a seat with an active frontal airbag
    4. In the centre of the back seat

  9. You are waiting at the roadside with the engine running. After how long should you turn it off?

    1. More than 10 seconds
    2. More than 3 minutes
    3. More than 60 seconds
    4. More than 5 minutes

  10. You are setting your head restraint before a drive. Where should its top be?

    1. Level with your shoulders
    2. Level with the bottom of your neck, below the ears
    3. At least level with the top of your head
    4. Level with your chin

  11. Until what age does ICBC recommend children ride in the back seat?

    1. 12 years
    2. 7 years
    3. 9 years
    4. 16 years

  12. In which situation is it safe to use cruise control?

    1. On a dry highway in ideal conditions
    2. On a winding mountain road
    3. In steady urban traffic
    4. On a snowy highway at low speed

  13. When is it acceptable to adjust your seat or steering wheel?

    1. Only before the vehicle starts moving
    2. While cruising slowly on a straight, empty road
    3. Whenever traffic is light
    4. At any red light

  14. A pregnant passenger is buckling up. Where should the lap belt go?

    1. Across the middle of the belly
    2. Snug and below the baby
    3. Loose and over the baby
    4. Above the baby, under the ribs

  15. When should you use your high-beam headlights?

    1. Whenever it is raining or foggy outside
    2. In busy city traffic during the night
    3. On any road at all once the sun sets
    4. On unlit roads with no vehicles ahead or oncoming

  16. Your car only has a lap belt in the back seat. Can you use a booster seat with it?

    1. Yes, if the child is over 145 cm
    2. No, a booster needs a lap and shoulder belt
    3. No, boosters must go in the front seat
    4. Yes, if the lap belt is pulled very tight

  17. When does an anti-lock braking system (ABS) come into action?

    1. Only when the car is in reverse
    2. Only when the parking brake is applied
    3. Every time you touch the brake pedal
    4. Only when you press hard on the brake pedal

  18. What does the oil pressure warning light tell you?

    1. The engine's oil pressure, not the oil level
    2. When the oil needs to be changed
    3. How much oil is left in the engine
    4. Whether the oil filter is clogged

  19. How should a seatbelt be worn?

    1. Snug over the chest and low over the hips
    2. Loose over the chest and across the stomach
    3. With the shoulder strap behind your back
    4. With the shoulder strap under your arm

  20. Why should you check the exhaust system before winter?

    1. Leaks can let carbon monoxide build up inside
    2. Exhaust leaks drain the battery
    3. Snow can freeze the tailpipe shut
    4. Cold air makes the muffler louder

  21. How far should you sit from the airbag in the steering wheel?

    1. At least 25 cm (10 in)
    2. At least 15 cm (6 in)
    3. At least 10 cm (4 in)
    4. At least 50 cm (20 in)

  22. Below what speed does ICBC suggest rolling down the windows instead of using air conditioning?

    1. 80 km/h
    2. 30 km/h
    3. 50 km/h
    4. 70 km/h

  23. Daytime running lights are standard on vehicles made after which year?

    1. 1985
    2. 2001
    3. 1995
    4. 1991

  24. You are driving on a space-saver spare tire. What is the maximum speed?

    1. 60 km/h
    2. 100 km/h
    3. 90 km/h
    4. 80 km/h

  25. How many snow tires does ICBC recommend installing for winter?

    1. Two on the front
    2. Two on the rear
    3. Two on the drive wheels
    4. Four

  26. A baby rides in a rear-facing seat (stage 1). Until when must the child stay at this stage?

    1. At least one year old and 9 kg (20 lb)
    2. At least six months old and 5 kg (11 lb)
    3. At least two years old and 18 kg (40 lb)
    4. At least one year old or 5 kg (11 lb)

  27. In a standard transmission vehicle, roughly what speed range is first gear used for?

    1. From about 15 to 30 km/h
    2. From a stop to about 30–40 km/h
    3. From a stop to about 10–15 km/h
    4. From about 30 to 60 km/h

  28. The brake warning light comes on while you are pressing the foot brake. What does this mean?

    1. The parking brake is fully released
    2. The brake pads are new and are still settling in
    3. The anti-lock brakes are switched off
    4. The brake system is not working properly

  29. Why should you never turn the ignition to the Lock position while the car is moving?

    1. The headlights and dashboard lights will turn off at once
    2. The steering may lock and you could lose control
    3. The headlights will turn off at once
    4. The brakes will stop working right away

  30. Who is responsible for making sure every passenger is buckled up or in a child restraint?

    1. The parent of each child
    2. Each adult passenger
    3. The vehicle's owner only
    4. The driver

Your vehicle and safety equipment: key rules to remember

Our summary of what the official handbook says on this topic, in our own words. Read it before or after the practice questions above, then check the original chapter. Read the official chapter ↗

Adjust for safety: seat

  • Adjust seat, head restraint and mirrors before starting the engine; never adjust the seat or steering wheel while the vehicle moves.
  • Seat upright (never reclined); small of the back pushed into the seat.
  • Right foot should reach the floor behind the brake pedal with the leg still slightly bent; arms slightly bent on the wheel; all controls reachable; left foot rests to the left of the brake/clutch pedal.
  • Sit at least 25 cm (10 in) from the driver's airbag.

Head restraints

  • Help prevent soft tissue injuries such as whiplash (neck/head/shoulder injury from a snapping motion).
  • Top of the restraint at least level with the top of your head; as close to the back of the head as possible (may require adjusting the seat back).
  • A close restraint can be twice as effective at preventing injury as one set too far back.
  • Crash fact: on average just over 70% of people injured in collisions report a soft tissue injury; a seven-province study found 53% of observed drivers had restraints adjusted too poorly to protect them in a rear-end crash.

Seatbelts

  • Wearing one is the law in B.C.; you can be fined for not wearing it.
  • Fit: snug over the chest and low over the hips. Never put the shoulder strap under the arm or behind the back, or wear it with a reclined seat (risk of internal injuries).
  • Pregnant women: lap belt snug and below the baby.
  • Lap belt holds you down; shoulder belt holds you back.
  • Even at low speed a crash puts hundreds of kilograms of force on the body.
  • The driver is responsible for making sure all passengers use seatbelts or child restraints.
  • Buckle up on short trips too: most injuries and deaths happen close to home.
  • A belt helps prevent ejection and keeps you behind the wheel and in control.

Safety restraints for children

  • In B.C., on average 1,300 children under age nine are injured and three are killed in crashes each year.
  • Use a CMVSS-approved (Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) child seat.
  • Stage 1 rear-facing: birth until at least one year old AND 9 kg (20 lb); back seat, centre-rear; rear-facing as long as possible; never in a front seat with an active airbag.
  • Stage 2 forward-facing: over one year AND over 9 kg, up to at least 18 kg (40 lb); back seat; always use the tether strap; may stay rear-facing if the maker's weight limits allow.
  • Stage 3 booster: over 18 kg (40 lb); required until at least nine years old or 145 cm (4'9"), whichever comes first; back seat; use with a lap/shoulder belt, never a lap belt only. Safest to stay in a booster until 145 cm.
  • Crash fact: a correctly used child seat cuts fatality risk by 71% and serious injury risk by 67%; the driver can be ticketed and fined for not using the right seat.

Stage 4 seatbelt only; airbags

  • Recommended: keep children in the back seat until 12 years old.
  • Lap belt low over pelvic bones; shoulder belt over shoulder and snug across chest; seat upright (a reclined seat lets a passenger slide under the belt).
  • Exceeding legal requirements is fine if within the seat maker's max height/weight.
  • Airbags inflate and begin to deflate in less than the blink of an eye; sit at least 25 cm (10 in) from the steering wheel.
  • To deactivate an airbag you must contact Transport Canada.
  • Never put a rear-facing child restraint in a seat with an active frontal airbag.
  • Airbags do not replace seatbelts.

Mirrors

  • Rear-view mirror: see as much behind as possible. Side mirrors: set to reduce blind spots; usually only a slight part of your own car shows.
  • Blind spots = areas beside the vehicle you can't see in the mirrors.
  • Convex mirrors give a wider view but make things look smaller and farther away.
  • Most cars have three mirrors; some have no passenger-side outside mirror.

Steering, ignition, gearshift

  • Ignition positions: Lock (steering locked, ignition off), Off (ignition off, steering not locked), Acc (ignition off, some electrics such as radio work), On, Start (release to return to On).
  • Never turn the ignition to Lock while moving: steering can lock and you could lose control.
  • Standard transmission is always used with a clutch; 3- to 6-speed models.

Gears; parking brake; turn signals

  • Standard first gear: lowest gear, from a stop to about 10–15 km/h; second gear about 15–30 km/h, also for hills and snow/ice (speeds approximate).
  • Reverse turns on the white reverse lights.
  • Parking brake: fully apply when parking, fully release before moving; also called an emergency brake because it can slow the car if the foot brake fails.

Lights and other controls

  • First light-switch position: tail, parking, side-marker, dashboard and licence plate lights; second position: headlights.
  • High beams only on unlit roads at night with no vehicles approaching or ahead.
  • Parking lights only when stopped; use headlights when moving.
  • Vehicles made after 1991 have automatic daytime running lights (DRL); DRLs do not turn on tail lights and are not for night or low visibility.
  • No DRLs: drive with low beams on during the day.
  • Hazard switch flashes both turn signals at once.
  • Cruise control only in ideal highway conditions; never on wet/slippery/snowy/icy roads, in urban traffic, when tired, or on winding roads.

Foot pedals, ABS, clutch

  • Right foot for brake and gas; left foot for the clutch.
  • Brake pedal is left of the accelerator. Power brakes need less pressure than standard brakes.
  • Most vehicles have ABS; ABS keeps wheels from locking and activates only under heavy braking (e.g. emergency stop). Vehicles with ABS also have regular brakes.
  • ABS light staying on after starting = possible malfunction; get it repaired.
  • Don't "ride the clutch" (wear). Release the clutch slowly from a stop; when stopping, brake first, then clutch just before stopping.
  • Always wear shoes; avoid high heels or platform soles.

Control panel

  • Odometer: distance since manufacture; trip odometer: resettable per trip; tachometer: engine r.p.m.
  • Alternator light: whether the battery is charging.
  • Brake warning light: reminder to release parking brake; if it comes on while using the foot brake, the brake system isn't working properly.
  • High beam indicator is usually blue.
  • Oil pressure light shows oil pressure, not how much oil is in the engine.
  • Low tire pressure light: one or more tires low.
  • Airbag light on while driving: possible airbag fault; check engine light: possible engine fault.

Pre-trip and periodic checks

  • Pre-trip check every trip even when rushed (area in front/behind, ground for fluid leaks, lights, glass, mirrors, tires, brakes, wipers, fuel, seat/restraints/belts).
  • Periodic (more thorough) check every few weeks, depending on how much you drive: oil, coolant, washer, brake and power steering fluid, parking brake, hoses, belts, lights incl. brake and backup, wipers, fuel, tire inflation and condition.

Tire tips

  • Keep recommended pressure; replace tires with bumps, bulges, cuts, cracks or exposed belts; all four tires similar; rotate regularly.
  • Space-saver spare: correct pressure marked on its side; never drive faster than 80 km/h on it.
  • Check pressure when tires are cold; use the owner's manual or driver's door sticker, not the numbers on the tire sidewall.
  • Sudden starts and stops shorten tire life; proper inflation increases traction.

Winter preparation

  • Battery in good condition; check exhaust for leaks (carbon monoxide can collect with windows/vents closed); winter-grade oil and fluids.
  • Install four snow tires. Practise putting on chains before you need them.
  • In extremely bad conditions it may be safer to park.

Driving and the environment

  • Most air-conditioned vehicles made before 1995 contain CFCs.
  • Avoid idling: turn the engine off if stopped more than 60 seconds.
  • Check tire pressure at least monthly (under-inflation raises fuel use).
  • Avoid air conditioning under 50 km/h (roll windows down); use flow-through ventilation on the highway.
  • Plan errands so the farthest destination is first (engine warms up).
  • Good habits can cut fuel use by as much as 30%.
  • Never pour oil, gas, antifreeze or battery acid down drains; recycle them.
  • Stats: Canadian drivers average about 19,800 km/year; each vehicle releases over four tonnes of pollutants per year.

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