WA Heavy Vehicle Theory Test flashcards
WA Heavy Vehicle Theory Test · Build recall with a focused review session.
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- Heavy vehicle GVM threshold
- In Western Australia, a motor vehicle is classified as a heavy vehicle when its Gross Vehicle Mass exceeds 4.5 tonnes.
- Licence class progression
- A car (C class) licence is a prerequisite before a driver can apply for a Light Rigid or Medium Rigid licence class.
- Heavy Rigid (HR) class
- Covers rigid vehicles with three or more axles and a GVM over 8 tonnes, including a rigid vehicle towing a trailer up to 9 tonnes GVM.
- Heavy Combination (HC) class
- 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, the heaviest licence category in Australia.
- Prerequisite holding period
- A driver must hold the prerequisite licence class for the minimum prescribed period, typically 12 months, before applying for the next class.
- Heavy vehicle assessor
- Practical driving assessments for heavy vehicle classes are conducted by an authorised heavy vehicle assessor rather than a standard light-vehicle examiner.
- Built-up area default limit
- In built-up areas the default speed limit is 50 km/h unless signs indicate a different limit.
- Give way to the right
- At an intersection without signs or signals, a driver must give way to vehicles approaching from the right.
- Heavy vehicle following distance
- Heavy vehicles should maintain at least a 4-second gap behind the vehicle ahead in good conditions, increasing in poor weather or when loaded.
- Overtaking restrictions
- Overtaking is prohibited at railway crossings, at intersections, and across a continuous (unbroken) centre line.
- Heavy vehicle BAC limit
- Heavy vehicle drivers must have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.00; the general limit for other drivers is 0.05.
- Mobile phone rule
- A driver may not use a mobile phone while driving unless it is in a hands-free cradle and is not being touched.
- Merging rule
- A driver merging into a lane must give way to traffic already in that lane unless signs or markings indicate otherwise.
- Maximum legal width
- The maximum legal width for a heavy vehicle in Australia is 2.5 metres, except for oversize combinations permitted under specific notices.
- Maximum legal height
- The maximum legal height for a heavy vehicle is 4.3 metres; loads exceeding this require an oversize permit.
- Rigid vehicle length limit
- The maximum legal length for a single rigid heavy vehicle is 12.5 metres.
- Prime mover and trailer length
- A prime mover towing a single trailer combination is generally limited to a maximum length of 19 metres.
- Load restraint obligation
- A load must be secured so it cannot move or fall from the vehicle, in accordance with the Load Restraint Guide performance standards.
- Driver responsible for overload
- The driver is legally responsible for ensuring the vehicle is not overloaded, even if another person performed the loading.
- Pre-start check items
- Pre-start checks must cover brakes, tyres, lights, mirrors, coupling systems, and load security before the vehicle is driven.
- Heavy vehicle tyre tread
- Heavy vehicle tyres must have a minimum tread depth of 1.5 mm across the main tread grooves and be free of deep cuts or bulges.
- Rear load projection
- A load must not project more than 1.2 metres beyond the rear without a warning flag or sign in daylight and a red light at night.
- Fatigue shared responsibility
- Under the Heavy Vehicle National Law, fatigue is a shared responsibility across the supply chain, and no driver may drive while impaired by fatigue.
- Standard solo work limit
- A solo heavy vehicle driver must take a 30-minute rest break after 5 hours work and must not exceed 12 hours work in 24 hours.
- Minimum continuous rest
- The prescribed minimum continuous rest for a solo driver within a 24-hour period is 7 hours.
- Work diary requirement
- A work diary must be kept by drivers operating under National Heavy Vehicle Regulator fatigue rules when driving more than 100 km from their home base.
- Record retention period
- A driver must record work and rest times accurately and retain those records for at least 3 years.
- Scheduler obligation
- A scheduler who causes a driver to breach fatigue rules commits an offence; schedules must be planned so drivers can comply with fatigue limits.
- Fatigue warning signs
- Yawning, heavy eyes, poor concentration, and drifting between lanes indicate fatigue; the only effective remedy is stopping and resting.
- Fitness to drive
- A driver must not drive if alcohol or drugs impair their ability and must report any medical condition that affects driving fitness.
- Continuous centre line
- A continuous (unbroken) centre line must not be crossed to overtake, as it marks a section where overtaking is unsafe.