Illustration of a driver giving a thumbs-up next to a green eco fuel pump

Environment, Economical Driving & Breakdown

Name: Environment, Economical Driving & Breakdown
Author: Chris Prosman

60 Questions

Easy

6 Parts

Learn to be environmentally aware and drive economically: save fuel and act safely when you have a breakdown on the road. Practice this CBR exam topic for free with real theory questions.

Chris Prosman September 4, 2026

Study material

What will you learn?

Economical driving saves fuel and protects the environment. You also learn what to do in case of a breakdown along the road.

Reading comfort Dyslexia-friendly

Environment, Economical Driving & Breakdown at a glance

Environmentally aware and economical driving

Most cars still run on petrol or diesel. By driving smartly, you can save fuel and put less strain on the environment. Plan your route in advance to avoid traffic jams and detours. Use a navigation system to prevent unnecessary waiting.

Anticipate traffic by keeping enough distance and looking ahead. Release the accelerator in time when you see a red traffic light, so you brake less and use less fuel. Drive at a constant speed, for example with cruise control, but stay alert.

Saving fuel in the car

Use air conditioning and heating sparingly, because they use extra fuel.
Driving with the windows open increases air resistance and therefore fuel consumption.
Only take the items you really need, to keep the car’s weight low.
Make sure the tyre pressure is correct; tyres that are too soft increase consumption.
Shift up quickly to a higher gear so you use the engine power efficiently.

Engine use and emissions

Switch off the engine during longer stops, especially in tunnels or garages, to avoid harmful exhaust gases. Do not let the engine run unnecessarily at idle, because that increases wear and emissions.

What to do in case of a breakdown or an accident

In case of a breakdown, first release the accelerator and keep the car under control. Then stop at the safest place, turn on the hazard warning lights, and stand behind the crash barrier or in the verge. Only call for help once you are safe yourself. In a tunnel, try to stop outside the tunnel; if that is not possible, walk to the nearest emergency exit.

In case of an accident, first make sure you are safe. Then help the victim in a way that fits the situation and call 112. Driving on after an accident is never allowed.

Driver assistance systems

Driver assistance systems such as ABS, ESP and an emergency braking system inform, warn or intervene. They do not take over responsibility from the driver.

Economical driving starts with low revs and shifting up in time. For the exam, you must recognize that a high engine speed uses more fuel and that a higher gear is more economical.

So you do not stay unnecessarily long in a low gear. From a standstill you start in 1st gear, but after that you shift up quickly so the engine speed stays as low as possible.

CBR core rule: the higher the RPM, the more fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. That is why, after driving away, shift quickly to a higher gear and keep the car running as much as possible at low RPM.

The rev counter

Most cars have, next to the speedometer, a rev counter. It shows how fast the engine is running, in revolutions per minute.

The gauge is at 0 when the car is switched off. The higher the RPM, the louder the engine sounds and the more fuel the car uses.

High RPM = more fuel consumption and more CO2 emissions.
Higher gear = lower RPM, so less consumption and less emissions.

The rev counter helps you choose the right moment to shift. It is not necessary for safe driving: in most cases you can also hear when you need to shift.

Rev counter next to the speedometer, with an arrow pointing to the needle that indicates the RPM — The rev counter counts in thousands of revolutions per minute. High RPM means more fuel consumption.

Gear lever with positions 1 through 5 and R — From a standstill you start in 1st gear and shift up quickly.

Shifting: shift quickly to a higher gear

From a standstill you set off in 1st gear. If you keep driving in that gear while you go faster, the engine will rev too high. That is why you should shift up quickly to keep the RPM as low as possible. If you can drive in 4th gear, choose that: in 4th gear the engine makes the fewest revs.

Situation	Economical	Not economical
You drive away from a standstill	Start in 1st gear and then shift up quickly	Stay in 1st gear for too long
The engine makes many revs	Shift up to a higher gear	Keep the same low gear
You can drive in a higher gear	Choose the higher gear for lower RPM	Make unnecessary high revs

Letting off the accelerator and coasting in gear

Are you driving in 4th gear and do you see a traffic light ahead that is red? Then release the accelerator in time and let the car coast in that gear.

This is economical for three reasons:

You do not use fuel by continuing to give unnecessary accelerator input.
You need to brake less hard further ahead, so you do not waste the speed you have built up.
If the light turns green again, it costs less energy—and therefore less fuel—to get going again.

This is the best-known example of anticipating. You can read more about this, and about keeping distance, in section 3.

CBR trap

Many students choose to keep driving for a long time in a low gear, because the car then feels powerful. For the CBR, that is the wrong environmentally aware answer: low gear + high RPM = not economical.

A second trap is thinking that you have to brake as soon as you see a red traffic light. If it is safe, letting off the accelerator first and coasting in a higher gear is smarter than continuing and braking hard later.

You've covered Environment: RPM and shifting. Does it stick?

Switch off the engine when you are stopped and the waiting time is longer than 1 minute. In a tunnel or garage you switch off the engine because of the unhealthy exhaust gases.

For the CBR, you mainly need to recognize this: enclosed space = engine off, and when waiting for example for a barrier, the limit of 1 minute applies.

Core rule for the exam: if you are stopped in a tunnel or garage, you switch off the engine. If you are stopped somewhere else and you expect to wait longer than 1 minute, you also switch off the engine.

In an enclosed space: engine off

If you are stopped in a tunnel or garage, you switch off the engine. This is not only about saving fuel.

Exhaust gases contain CO2 and are unhealthy to breathe in. In an enclosed space, that is extra harmful and even dangerous. If everyone there lets the engine run, it can have serious consequences for people’s health.

Driver turning the ignition key to switch off the engine, with a green leaf next to it — Enclosed space or waiting longer than a minute: key on, engine off.

Outside an enclosed space: the 1-minute rule

Exhaust gases are also bad for the environment outside. If you are stopped somewhere and you expect to wait longer than 1 minute, you switch off the engine. If you expect to start driving again within 1 minute, the engine may stay on.

If you are at a railway crossing or in front of an open bridge with a closed barrier, and the barriers are just going down, then you know it will take longer than 1 minute and you switch off the engine immediately.

Situation	Leave engine on	Switch engine off
Stopped in a tunnel	No	Yes
Stopped in a garage	No	Yes
Waiting less than 1 minute	Yes, that is allowed	Not necessary
Waiting longer than 1 minute	No	Yes
For a closed barrier, it takes a moment	Better not	Yes
The barriers are just going down	No	Yes, immediately

Cars waiting for a closed barrier at an open bridge — The barriers are just closing: this takes longer than a minute, so engine off.

Letting the engine run

Start the engine only if you are going to drive right away. An engine that is running without you driving wears out faster and uses fuel for nothing. Warming up is not necessary.

Is there ice or snow on the windows? Clean the windows while the engine is still switched off. Then drive away calmly; the engine will warm up quickly enough by itself.

You've covered Environment: Switch off the engine. Does it stick?

When you have questions about fuel consumption, you choose driving behaviour that prevents unnecessary accelerating, braking and extra resistance.

Think of: planning your route, looking ahead, driving evenly, a light and closed car, and the correct tyre pressure. What you learned in sections 1 and 2 about shifting and switching off the engine also applies here.

The exam core: the lowest fuel consumption is achieved by planning your route, looking far ahead and driving evenly, and by avoiding extra weight, open windows and tyres that are too soft.

Planning your route

Prepare your trip. Check your route in advance, or use a navigation system or app while driving. This helps you avoid detours, traffic jams and many traffic lights. That means you are not on the road unnecessarily long and you use less fuel.

Anticipating: looking ahead and keeping distance

Anticipating means looking ahead, thinking ahead and adjusting your driving behaviour accordingly. Keep enough distance from the vehicle in front and look far ahead. Then you can see in time what is going to happen, so you have to brake less often and accelerate again less often.

Driving at an even speed is the most economical. When you accelerate, the engine uses a lot of energy; maintaining a constant speed uses less fuel than constantly accelerating and braking.

The best-known example is letting off the accelerator at a red traffic light far ahead. How that works is explained in section 1.

Driving school car on the motorway that sees a traffic jam far ahead — Look far ahead: if you already see the traffic jam, you let off the accelerator in time and you hardly have to brake.

Cruise control

Not every car has cruise control. If yours does, it helps you save fuel: you drive at a constant speed without pressing the accelerator. That is good for the environment and for your wallet, because you have to refuel less often.

There is a downside. If you do not have to give gas yourself, you can get distracted more easily, and that can lead to dangerous situations. So stay alert.

Adaptive cruise control, which also keeps distance to the vehicle in front, belongs to the driver assistance systems in section 6.

What costs extra fuel in the car

Air conditioning (airco) and heating. They run on the engine and therefore use fuel. It does not have to be scorching hot or freezing cold: use them sparingly.
Open windows. Then the car is less streamlined: the air does not flow past the car, but into the cabin. That extra resistance costs fuel.
Extra weight. All luggage and items you take with you make the car heavier, and a heavier car uses more. Only take what you need.

Tyre pressure

Tyres must not be too hard and not too soft. With the correct pressure, they make full contact with the road.

If the pressure is too low, the engine has to work harder and you use fuel unnecessarily.

You've covered Environment: Fuel consumption. Does it stick?

In case of a victim, the first rule on the CBR exam is: first make yourself safe. Only after that do you help the victim and call 112.

Do not move a victim unnecessarily, because you do not know whether there is internal injury. Also do not give water, because this increases the risk of shock.

Exam-focused core rule: first make yourself safe, then assess the victim and call 112. Move the victim only if the situation requires it; if the victim is unconscious but breathing, you leave the victim where they are.

First yourself, then the victim

In an accident, adrenaline or fear runs through your body. Still, stay calm.

First make yourself safe. You can only look after others once you are safe yourself; otherwise you become a victim while trying to help.

Compare it to the oxygen mask on an airplane: first your own mask, then that of someone else. If you see an accident happen or you arrive just after it, look at what you can do to help.

Then look at the victim’s condition, because what you have to do differs per situation. Two things always apply: do not give the victim water to drink, because that increases the risk of shock, and call 112 as soon as that is necessary. The emergency services will also give you instructions.

Accident at an intersection: a scooter lies on the ground next to a car and bystanders are helping — First make yourself safe, then help the victim.

What do you do per situation?

Unconscious, but breathing

Do not try to wake them up.
Do not move or reposition: you do not know whether there is internal injury, and moving can make it worse.
Leave the victim where they are and call 112.
For a motorcyclist, moped rider or snorfiets rider, do not take off the helmet unless the victim is vomiting.

Severe bleeding wound

Press on the wound, for example with a piece of clothing.
If you do not, the victim can bleed to death.

Feeling unwell and vomiting

Place the victim in the recovery position so they do not choke on vomit.

Awake, with back pain

Make sure the victim does not move, and do not let them stand up or walk.
Call 112: even if it does not seem life-threatening, there may be internal injury.

Handling damage

Even without injuries, there is almost always damage after an accident. Driving on is not allowed. Everyone involved exchanges their details.

With minor damage without injuries, you do not stay standing in the road. Drive together to a parking lot and fill in the damage form there.

With a serious accident, you may not move the vehicles: the police must first investigate.

The damage form itself is returned under topic 12, General legislation.

Car in the water

If your car ends up in the water, you must act quickly. The further the car sinks, the harder the doors open: the water presses them shut from the outside.

If the door will no longer open, break a window with the safety hammer. Choose a side window: it is thinner than the front window and breaks more easily. Hit the corner of the window. In the middle, the glass springs back and you can get shards in your face; in the corner, the window is firmly seated in the door.

At the bottom of the hammer’s handle there is a small blade. If you cannot release the seat belt, you cut it with that.

Keep the hammer in the middle of the car so everyone can reach it. In the driver’s door area, that is a bad idea: if the driver becomes unconscious, passengers cannot reach it and they are trapped in a sinking car.

Car with its nose in the water of a ditch — The deeper the car sinks, the harder the water presses the doors shut.

Driver hitting the corner of the side window with a safety hammer — Side window, and in the corner: the glass does not spring back there.

Safety hammer in a holder in the middle console of the car — Keep the hammer in the middle of the car, not in the driver’s door area.

CBR trap

Students often choose a “kind” action that is wrong on the exam. The best-known mistakes are: giving a victim water, helping an unconscious victim sit up, or taking off the helmet of a motorcyclist. On the exam, it is not what seems friendly that counts, but what is safest in that situation.

You've covered Breakdown: Victim. Does it stick?

In case of a breakdown, the first thing on the exam is keeping control, and then standing safely. So you do not choose quick action, but the safest place and clear warning to other road users.

Especially on the motorway and in a tunnel, the CBR tests whether you know the correct order: release the accelerator, stop carefully, get out safely, and only then arrange help.

CBR core rule: in case of a breakdown, first release the accelerator and keep the car under control. Then stop at the safest place, warn others with your hazard warning lights and make yourself safe.

The fixed order in case of a breakdown

Release the accelerator. If you are about to lose control, for example because of a puncture at 130 km/h after nails on the road, then first release the accelerator. Keeping control = releasing the accelerator.
Steer carefully to a safe place. On the motorway, that is the hard shoulder.
Come to a stop calmly. Do not brake suddenly and hard.
Turn on the hazard warning lights. These are required in case of a breakdown.
Get out of the car, to a safe place. As far as possible from the driving traffic: behind the crash barrier, or otherwise as far as possible in the verge.
Only then call for help. First safe, then call.

If you get a puncture, do not drive faster, do not stand on the brakes, and do not waste time thinking about the cause. First release the accelerator, then the rest.

Car with a breakdown on the motorway hard shoulder; the driver is standing behind the crash barrier — Release the accelerator, to the hard shoulder, and then get out of the car and behind the crash barrier.

On the motorway: the hard shoulder

The hard shoulder is only intended for stopping in case of a breakdown or an emergency. You are not allowed to drive on it.

Staying in the car is unsafe. Get behind the crash barrier. If there is no crash barrier, go as far as possible into the verge. Only after you have found a safe place do you call the emergency services.

The reason to get out: another car could always crash into you from behind.

Warning others

Means	Required?	What you need to know
Hazard warning lights (also called alarm lights or emergency lighting)	Yes	Always turn them on in case of a breakdown. All lights flash so other road users know that danger may be ahead.
Warning triangle	No	Useful, especially if the hazard warning lights are broken. Place it about 30 metres behind the car.
Safety vest	No	Useful: you are more visible when you are outside the car.

Why about 30 metres? Five metres is too close: then drivers already see the car with a breakdown and cannot swerve away anymore. A kilometre further is too far: then they drive carefully for a kilometre, or they have already forgotten the car. At about 30 metres they have enough time to recognize it and respond.

Warning triangle on the road surface, with next to it the red button of the hazard warning lights — Hazard warning lights are required; the warning triangle is not, but if you place it, then at about 30 metres.

Driver in a yellow safety vest standing behind the crash barrier along the motorway — A safety vest is not required, but it makes you clearly visible.

Breakdown in a tunnel

Breakdown in a tunnel is double bad luck: there is no verge and usually no hard shoulder, and emergency services have little space to help in a tunnel.

Always try to stop outside the tunnel.
If that does not work, do not stay in the car.
Leave the keys in the ignition.
Get out safely and walk to the nearest emergency exit.
Only when you are safe yourself do you call the emergency services.

Is there a burning vehicle in the tunnel? Then you do not turn around, you do not reverse and you do not drive past it. Stop the car at a safe distance and walk calmly to the nearest emergency exit.

Reversing in a tunnel is ghost driving, and a burning vehicle can explode.

Fire in the tunnel: stop at a distance and walk to the emergency exit.

Position of the wheels

Normally, when you are stopped, the wheels point straight ahead in the direction of travel. In case of a breakdown, that is an exception: then you turn the wheels towards the safest place, for example to the right, into the verge.

The reason: if you are hit from behind, your car is pushed in the direction the wheels are pointing. If they point left, you will be pushed towards oncoming traffic; if they point right, you could hit a cyclist. In case of a breakdown, you want to be pushed into the verge, not onto the carriageway.

Two cars from above: when normally stopped the wheels point straight ahead; in case of a breakdown they are turned towards the verge — Normally straight ahead; only in case of a breakdown towards the safest side.

CBR trap

Brake hard in case of a breakdown. The exam answer is first: release the accelerator.
Stay in the car on the hard shoulder. Stand behind the crash barrier or in the verge.
Think that a warning triangle is required. Only the hazard warning lights are required; if you use the triangle, then at about 30 metres.
In a tunnel, want to turn around or reverse. That is not allowed and is life-threatening.

You've covered Breakdown: Breakdown situations. Does it stick?

Modern cars have driver assistance systems (ADAS) that inform you, warn you or even intervene themselves. For the exam, you need to know which systems there are and what they do.

One thing always remains true: the system helps, but you remain responsible. In addition, you learn here where in the Netherlands most accidents happen.

CBR core rule for the exam: a driver assistance system informs, warns or intervenes, but it does not take over your responsibility. You remain responsible for staying alert and intervening if that is necessary.

What driver assistance systems do

ADAS stands for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems: driver assistance systems in modern cars that support the driver while driving. They can do three things:

inform, such as a reversing camera that shows what is happening behind the car;
warn, for example about danger or a too-low tyre pressure;
intervene, for example by adjusting speed or automatically braking when a collision seems likely.

Driver assistance systems make driving safer and more comfortable, but the driver always remains responsible for safely driving the car. For the theory exam, you need to know which systems there are and what they do.

System	Full name	What it does
ABS	Anti-lock braking system	Prevents the wheels from locking when braking hard, so you can keep steering.
ESP	Stability control	Prevents skidding by automatically regulating the braking force per wheel.
AEB	Autonomous emergency braking system	Automatically brakes when a collision seems likely.
ISA	Intelligent speed assistant	Recognizes the maximum speed and warns you, or limits the speed.
ACC	Adaptive cruise control	Keeps distance automatically to the vehicle in front and adjusts the speed.
Cruisecontrol	Cruise control	Keeps a set speed without you having to give gas.
LDW	Lane departure warning	Warns when you unintentionally leave your lane.
LKA	Lane keeping assistant	Steers slightly so you stay within the lane.
BSW	Blind spot warning	Warns for vehicles in the blind spot.
FCW	Collision warning	Warns when you are driving too close to the vehicle in front.
TPMS	Tyre pressure monitoring	Warns when tyre pressure is too low.
Vermoeidheidsherkenning	Fatigue warning	Recognizes when the driver becomes tired and warns.
Achteruitrijcamera	Reversing camera	Shows on a screen what is happening behind the car.
Parkeerassistent	Parking assistant	Helps with parking by steering itself.

Where do most accidents happen?

Motorways are the safest roads in the Netherlands, even though you may drive the fastest there. All traffic drives in the same direction, there are no oncoming vehicles and no intersections.

Most accidents happen at intersections and on roads with a limit between 50 and 80 km/h. There, different speeds are driven, overtaking happens on the side of the oncoming traffic, and you pass oncoming vehicles at considerable speed.

Motorcyclists run extra risk. They are smaller than cars and therefore less visible, they do not have the same protection as car drivers and they are more easily thrown off balance.

You've covered Environment and other breakdowns. Does it stick?

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Short answers to common questions about Environment, Economical Driving & Breakdown.

Do driver aids such as ABS and ESP take over responsibility?

No. Driver aids such as ABS, ESP and emergency braking systems inform, warn or intervene, but they never take over the driver’s responsibility.

What should you do if you break down in a tunnel?

Try to stop outside the tunnel. If that is not possible, walk to the nearest emergency exit.

How far behind the car do you place the warning triangle?

About 30 metres behind the car. At that distance approaching drivers have enough time to recognise the situation and react. Hazard lights are compulsory; the warning triangle is not.

What should you do if you break down on the motorway?

First release the accelerator and keep the car under control. Stop in the safest place, switch on the hazard lights and move behind the crash barrier or onto the verge. Only call for help once you are safe yourself.

How do you drive as economically as possible?

The higher the engine revs, the more fuel you burn and the more CO2 you emit. Shift up quickly after pulling away and keep the revs as low as you can.

Keep practicing with up-to-date material

This lesson gives you the basics for economical, environmentally aware driving and for acting safely in case of a breakdown. There are more exceptions involving tunnels, hard shoulders, emergency services and vehicle checks; learn in our app with up-to-date CBR information how to respond economically and safely.

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Environment, Economical Driving & Breakdown

What will you learn?

Environment, Economical Driving & Breakdown at a glance

Environmentally aware and economical driving

Saving fuel in the car

Engine use and emissions

What to do in case of a breakdown or an accident

Driver assistance systems

The rev counter

Shifting: shift quickly to a higher gear

Letting off the accelerator and coasting in gear

CBR trap

In an enclosed space: engine off

Outside an enclosed space: the 1-minute rule

Letting the engine run

Planning your route

Anticipating: looking ahead and keeping distance

Cruise control

What costs extra fuel in the car

Tyre pressure

First yourself, then the victim

What do you do per situation?

Unconscious, but breathing

Severe bleeding wound

Feeling unwell and vomiting

Awake, with back pain

Handling damage

Car in the water

CBR trap

The fixed order in case of a breakdown

On the motorway: the hard shoulder

Warning others

Breakdown in a tunnel

Position of the wheels

CBR trap

What driver assistance systems do

Where do most accidents happen?

Frequently asked questions

Keep practicing with up-to-date material

Next topics

Car lighting & Dashboard

Vehicle requirements, Tyres & Load

Driving on the motorway

General Legislation & Driver Requirements

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Start-Stop Systems: How They Work and Why They Are Important for Your CBR Theory

1 in 31.9 with Volkswagen Passat BlueMotion: eco-driving in practice