Vehicle Technical Requirements and Equipment
What a Category C vehicle must be
A Category C truck used on public roads must be in a technically sound condition, registered, and covered by compulsory third-party liability insurance. The core technical checks are those that directly affect safety:
- Brakes: service, parking and emergency braking systems must work; the parking brake must hold the laden vehicle on a gradient.
- Steering: no excessive free play, no leaks, no binding.
- Tyres: adequate tread depth, no cuts or bulges, correct pressures; tyres on the same axle must be matched and must not be mixed in a way that upsets handling.
- Lighting: headlights, side lights, brake lights, indicators, reversing lights and rear reflectors must all work and be correctly aimed.
- Glass and mirrors: no damage in the driver's field of view; mirrors present and adjusted.
- Wipers, washers, horn, speedometer, exhaust: functional and within emissions limits.
- Couplings and bodywork: a trailer coupling must be secure and locked; the load bed and sideboards must be sound.
Equipment you must carry
A warning triangle, a first-aid kit, and a fire extinguisher are the classic mandatory items; a reflective vest for use outside the vehicle is standard practice. Know where they are stored - a question may ask whether a driver may proceed without them.
Traps
Questions often present a minor defect as acceptable. The test is whether the defect affects safety, emissions or the driver's view. A cracked windscreen in the driver's line of sight, a non-working brake light, or a missing fire extinguisher are all grounds to stop using the vehicle.
Rule of thumb
Before each trip, walk around the truck: tyres, lights, coupling, load security, and the presence of the triangle, kit and extinguisher.