iTest.ieQuestions · FAQ · Start free →
Questions › Safe and Responsible Driving › Question 378 of 420

When meeting oncoming traffic on a national road, is it permitted to move into the hard shoulder to allow following traffic to overtake?

  1. A.Yes, when a truck or bus is oncoming.
  2. B.No, it is never permitted to drive on a hard shoulder except in the case of an emergency.
  3. C.No, except on "2-plus-1 roads".
  4. D.Yes, temporarily when the hard shoulder is clear and it is safe to drive there.
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: D. Yes, temporarily when the hard shoulder is clear and it is safe to drive there.

On national roads, the hard shoulder is normally for the use of pedestrians and cyclists only. If you want to allow a vehicle behind to overtake, you may pull into the hard shoulder briefly as long as no pedestrians or cyclists are using it and there are no junctions or entrances nearby. In the case of motorways, however, you must not drive on the hard shoulder, except in an emergency.

This is an official-style question from the Safe and Responsible Driving topic of the Ireland driver theory test (Cat. B). Practise all 807 questions free on iTest.ie — with timed mock exams, automatic mistake tracking and progress sync across devices.

Practise the full question bank free →
← Previous question Next question →