WA Heavy Vehicle Theory Test cheat sheet

In Western Australia, a heavy vehicle is any motor vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) greater than 4.5 tonnes.

Licence progression is rigid: a C (car) class licence is a prerequisite before a Light Rigid (LR) or Medium Rigid (MR) class can be obtained.

Heavy Rigid (HR) class covers vehicles with three or more axles and a GVM over 8 tonnes; a rigid vehicle towing a trailer of up to 9 tonnes GVM is also included.

Heavy Combination (HC) class is required to drive a prime mover or rigid vehicle towing a trailer with a GVM exceeding 9 tonnes.

Multi Combination (MC) class covers B-doubles, road trains, and prime movers towing two or more trailers.

A driver must hold the prerequisite licence class for the minimum prescribed period, typically 12 months, before applying for the next class.

Practical driving assessments for heavy vehicle classes are conducted by an authorised heavy vehicle assessor, not a standard light-vehicle examiner.

All heavy vehicle drivers must carry their licence while driving and produce it on demand to a police officer or authorised officer.

The general default speed limit in built-up areas is 50 km/h unless signs indicate otherwise; on rural roads the default is 100 km/h.

A driver must not exceed the posted speed limit and must drive at a speed that is safe for the prevailing conditions, even if below the limit.

At an intersection without signs or signals, the give-way-to-the-right rule applies; a vehicle turning must give way to vehicles going straight ahead.

Heavy vehicles must maintain a minimum following distance of at least 4 seconds behind the vehicle ahead in good conditions, increasing in poor weather or when loaded.

Overtaking is prohibited at a railway crossing, at an intersection, and on a continuous (unbroken) centre line.

A driver must not drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) above 0.05; for heavy vehicle drivers the limit is 0.00.

Mobile phone use while driving is prohibited unless the phone is in a hands-free cradle and not being touched.

When merging, the driver must give way to traffic already in the lane being entered unless lane markings or signs indicate otherwise.

The maximum legal width for a heavy vehicle in Australia is 2.5 metres, except for certain oversize combinations permitted under specific notices.

The maximum legal height for a heavy vehicle is 4.3 metres; loads exceeding this require an oversize permit.

The maximum legal length for a single rigid heavy vehicle is 12.5 metres; a prime mover and single trailer combination is generally limited to 19 metres.

A load must be secured so that it cannot move or fall from the vehicle; load restraint must comply with the Load Restraint Guide performance standards.

The driver is legally responsible for ensuring the vehicle is not overloaded, even if the loading was performed by another person.

Pre-start checks must include brakes, tyres, lights, mirrors, coupling systems, and load security before the vehicle is driven.

Tyres must have a minimum tread depth of 1.5 mm across the main tread grooves for heavy vehicles, and must be free of deep cuts or bulges.

A load must not project more than 1.2 metres beyond the rear of the vehicle without a warning flag or sign during daylight, and a red light at night.

Under the Heavy Vehicle National Law, a driver must not drive while impaired by fatigue; fatigue is a shared responsibility across the supply chain.

Standard solo heavy vehicle drivers must take a minimum 30-minute rest break after 5 hours of work time, and must not exceed 12 hours work in a 24-hour period.

The prescribed minimum continuous rest for a solo driver in a 24-hour period is 7 hours.

A work diary must be kept by drivers operating under the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator fatigue rules when driving more than 100 km from their home base.

A driver must record work and rest times accurately and retain records for at least 3 years.

Schedules must be planned so that drivers can comply with fatigue limits; a scheduler who causes a driver to breach fatigue rules commits an offence.

Signs of fatigue include yawning, heavy eyes, poor concentration, and drifting between lanes; the only effective remedy is stopping and resting.

A driver must not drive if they have consumed alcohol or drugs that impair their ability to drive safely, and must report any medical condition that affects driving fitness.