The DVSA Driving Syllabus Unit 1 Preparing its Vehicles and Occupants for a Journey

You can download the syllabus by following this link
 
www.gov.uk/dvsa/driving-standards
 
Each unit is presented in the following way  Unit aim - gives an indication of the areas to be covered and why this is important in the lifelong learning-to-drive process  Learning outcomes - provides a brief overview of what the learning outcome will be as a result of studying the unit  What you need to be able to do - to demonstrate that you have achieved the learning outcomes  What you need to know and understand - to enable you to demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes
 
Supporting documentation
The syllabus is based on the ‘National Standard for driving cars and light vans (category B)’, available at www.gov.uk/dvsa/driving-standards.
Trainers should also refer to the ‘National standard for driver and rider training’, also available at www.gov.uk/dvsa/driving-standards.
Detailed information can also be obtained from the following publications  Department for Transport – The Official Highway Code (Revised 2007 edition)  (TSO, 2007) ISBN: 9780115528149 (also available as an e-book or mobile phone application)  Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency – The Official DVSA Guide to Driving – The Essential Skills (TSO, 2010) ISBN: 9780115531347  Department for Transport – Know Your Traffic Signs (Fifth edition 2007) (TS0, 2007) ISBN: 9780115528552

Unit 1: Preparing a vehicle and its occupants for a journey
Unit aim
The aim of this unit is that you should  be able to come to an informed judgement about whether

*you
*your passengers
*your vehicle
​
are fit to undertake a particular journey act appropriately on the basis of that judgement
 
This unit is based on the understanding that a driver’s physical and emotional state  the physical and emotional state of any passengers the roadworthiness of the vehicle  traffic, weather and road conditions
can all contribute to the cause of crashes. It aims to make sure that you have the knowledge to assess your own fitness, and your passenger’s fitness, and that you can check that your vehicle is safe to drive.
 
The unit will help you understand the issues involved in carrying passengers, loads and animals safely and securely and how to reduce the risks that this can generate.
 
The final learning outcome focuses on the importance of planning a journey before setting off, taking account of road, traffic and weather conditions as well as the driver’s own fitness and that of their passengers.
 
The underlying challenges of this unit are to address the attitudes and misunderstandings that prevent drivers acting on the knowledge and understanding that they have to help you recognise that the factors affecting your fitness to drive can change from day to day and over your driving lifetime.