Online driving tutorial - The Cockpit Drill

It's good practice to always ensure you and your passengers are safe before going anywhere. Ideally, before you move away, you should perform a "cockpit drill". You will be expected to do this during your exam, even though the examiners know you have driven to the test centre and the car is set up for you.

Safety first

The first part of the cockpit drill is to make sure the car is safe:

Door (1) - Make sure these have all been shut. Pull on the handle if need be. Look out for the interior light staying on, this is a clue that something is not closed correctly.

Handbrake (2)- Give this a firm tug; make sure it's holding the car still. Without this anchor, the car may move away unexpectedly when preparing to move away later.

Gear stick (3)- Wiggle it from side to side, making sure it's in neutral; otherwise if you start the car in gear, it will lunge forward.

Adjust yourself

The second half of the cockpit drill is about you:

Seat (4)- Adjust it so you can fully depress each pedal without over extending your leg. There should be a bend in the knee still. Seats can often be moved with the lever/bar under your chair. You can also adjust the rake (how reclined you like to be) with your left hand turning the dial by your hip. Seats can also be moved up or down with a lever. There's nothing wrong with being high up. The higher you are, the more you can see.  And the steering wheel can also, potentially, be adjusted up and down and closer or further to the driver. 

Mirrors (5)- Frame the rear window with the interior mirror. Make sure not to leave finger prints on the glass, otherwise this can distort the image behind you. The door mirrors should have a slither of the car door visible in the art of the mirror closest to you and the horizon just above half way up. These are often controlled electronically from inside the car. The ignition needs to be on to have the electronics working for this. Some older cars will require this to be adjusted by hand.

Seat Belts (6) - This is the last thing you do. Don't pull out reams and reams of belt, keep it fairly tight and once you have clicked it in, run your thumb and forefinger across the belt to make sure there are no twists in it. Twists can lead to injuries in the event of sudden braking or crashing!