Cockpit Drill - DSSSM

Learn the Cockpit Drill with Weelz Driving Schools

The Cockpit Drill is an important series of safety checks which must be carried out every time you get into the driving seat and always before driving

You can easily remember the cockpit drill by remembering the letters D.S.S.S.M - it's easy if you say "d treble s m"!

So, what does it stand for . . .

Doors:

You must check that all doors of the vehicle are properly shut. As the driver, this is your responsibility

Seat:

Your seat should be adjusted for comfort, control and safety. The base of the seat should be adjusted so that the clutch pedal can be depressed fully, with the left foot, and still have a reasonable bend at the knee

The back of the seat (the rake) should be adjusted so that the steering wheel can be held at the 'ten-to-two' or 'quarter-to-three' position with a reasonable bend at the elbow

Also check that the hands can slide freely around the whole of the steering wheel without discomfort or obstruction

The head-restraint should be adjusted so that the centre is in line with the top of the ears and is positioned as close to the back of the head as is comfortable

Steering:

In addition to adjusting the set, some vehicles have an adjustable steering column. If moving the column always ensure you lock its position afterwards

Seat belt:

Ensure your seat belt is adjusted properly for comfort and safety. The belt should lay flat across your chest and hips with no twists. Most vehicles have height adjusters at the shoulder point. This should be adjusted so that the belt lays centrally on the shoulder, not on the neck

Mirrors:

The driving mirrors should be adjusted from your normal driving position, for the best view to the rear. The interior mirror should act like a frame of the rear window with a slight tilt to the offside

The side of the vehicle should be just visible in the exterior mirrors with the horizon across the centre of the mirror. Most exterior mirrors have convex glass which is slightly curved which makes things look further away than they are

Before starting your engine ensure that the handbrake is on and the gear lever is in the neutral position

Manoeuvres - Reverse (Parallell) Park

The Reverse Park Manoeuvre

Reverse parking is a convenient way of parking into a space usually only big
enough for 1-2 cars and where driving forward would not always be ideal

Throughout the manoeuvre keep watch for other road users such as cars, mopeds or motor bikes, pedal cycles and any other hazards that could cause danger

Be careful of pedestrians around you as you park
into the space

Your examiner will expect you to WAIT while activity is close-and
only re-start when the way is CLEAR

If another car should approach from the
front as you are in the middle of your manoeuvre - stop - and make eye contact with the
driver ahead to establish their intentions. Never flash your headlights at them, or try to beckon them past in any other way

Sometimes
other cars will sit and wait for you. If they do, carry on and complete the
exercise, making sure to check all around for other road users

The examiner
will be looking to see that you:

• have control of your vehicle
• take effective
  observations and
• remain accurate throughout

1. Drive along side your chosen car
to to reverse behind. Try not to park too close, 1 metre is fine, and be careful
not to stop too far away from the vehicle (this will only give you more work!)
stop , handbrake on

2. Select reverse gear and find the 'bite'-make all round
observations and mirror checks, and over your right shoulder - if the way is clear look
out over your LEFT shoulder out the back window and release the handbrake-start
reversing back STRAIGHT until the back of your car is in line with the back of
your chosen vehicle-then turn once to the left. Your car will now be slowly
coming into the space behind. Keep clutch control throughout the manoeuvre by
holding the clutch at the bite & just below

3. When the wheel arch of YOUR
car is about to touch the kerbside-turn full lock to the right-you will now be
coming into the space directly behind the chosen vehicle and SHOULD be approx 1
foot away from the kerb. Handbrake on into neutral

4. You are now in a position
to move away safely from the side of the road with the wheel already in position
for turning out

Remember- the examiner is not looking for perfection-but will be
looking for you to maintain a slow steady pace throughout the manoeuvre,
checking all around you & making sure you are reasonably close to the kerb

If you 'go wrong' somewhere, you can 'shunt forward' and start again. The
examiner shouldn't mind this, but remember its a test-not a lesson

Vehicle warning lights

Get to know your Vehicle warning lights

Know where they are and how to use them

On the dashboard of your vehicle there are a number of warning lights. There are a number of standard ones and probably a few that the manufacturer has added themselves

Your instructor will point out the position and meaning of these lights to you as they differ from car to car. As a general rule these lights will be red when they light up

Some of them light up when you first turn the engine on and then go out after a few seconds. This is the period of time required for your electronic system to check itself, and the systems that it controls, over for faults

Some of these lights are so important that if they stay on you should not drive the car at all

The fuel symbol indicates that you only have a minimum amount of fuel left in the tank. It is quite important when you own your own car that you know what that amount is. It varies from car to car and it is important because you will at least know how many miles that you can cover in your search for a garage. Important information if you are in an area that you do not know too well

The 'ABS' warning light is telling you that there is something wrong with the braking system on your vehicle. If this one lights up and does not go off after a few seconds do not drive the car. Call someone who knows how to fix it

The engine check light will come on before you start the engine and stay on for a little while afterwards. Pre-ignition it indicates that the electronics system on your vehicle is being checked constantly. Immediately after starting the engine the system will perform a set of checks to ensure that the engine is running to its optimum of both efficiency and performance before going off

The battery warning light will come on pre-ignition and it simply means that your alternator is not providing enough charge to run the vehicle. Once the engine has been switched on the alternator will run and this light will go out. If it does not then a visit to a garage may be on the cards

The door warning light tells you that at least one of the doors has not been properly closed. On some makes this will include the boot or rear door and on some it even includes the fuel cap cover. Once all doors are properly closed the light will go off

The oil can light indicates that there is not enough oil pressure in the engine. It will be on pre-ignition because the engine is not creating the pressure. Soon after the engine has been started it should go out. If it does not then you should check the engine oil level of your engine and top it up if necessary. If the light is still lit then a trip to the garage is again a possibility

The seatbelt light will light up if the driver does not put their seat belt on properly then this light will stay lit until you do