Denmark Category C1/E Light Lorry Trailer Theory Test cheat sheet

Category C1/E covers a C1 lorry (3,500–7,500 kg maximum permissible mass) drawing a trailer whose maximum permissible mass exceeds 750 kg; the combination's total permissible mass must not exceed 12,000 kg.

The driving licence must be valid for the combination actually driven: C1/E is required as soon as the trailer's maximum permissible mass exceeds 750 kg, regardless of the actual load carried at the time.

Speed limits for a lorry combination outside built-up areas in Denmark are lower than for a car; the applicable limit follows the vehicle class and the road type, and posted signs override the general rule only where they are more restrictive.

General rule: the driver must keep a safe distance from the vehicle ahead; on roads with a general speed limit above 50 km/h the minimum rule of thumb is a distance corresponding to about 2 seconds' travel time, more in rain or on loose surfaces.

Overtaking is prohibited where visibility is restricted, at pedestrian crossings, and where the manoeuvre would force other road users to change speed or direction; a lorry combination needs a substantially longer overtaking distance than a car.

Stopping and parking: a vehicle combination may not be parked where it obstructs visibility at junctions, on cycle tracks, at bus stops, or where the combination blocks an entrance; hazard warning lights are used when the vehicle is an obstacle.

Loads projecting more than 1 m behind the vehicle must be marked; at night or in poor visibility the projection must be marked with a red light and reflector visible from behind.

Mandatory documents carried in the vehicle: driving licence, registration certificate, valid periodic inspection (syn) documentation, and - for vehicles in scope - tachograph records and the attestation of activities for the current and previous 28 days.

Coupling sequence: align the drawbar, reverse slowly, engage the coupling, confirm the lock indicator, connect the breakaway cable and the electrical plug, then raise the jockey wheel and check lights before moving off.

The breakaway cable must be attached to a fixed point on the towing vehicle - not looped over the tow ball - so that it applies the trailer brake if the coupling separates.

Vertical load on the tow ball must lie within the manufacturer's permitted range; too little load causes snaking, too much load overloads the rear axle and reduces front-axle grip.

Weight formula: total combination mass = unladen mass + payload; the sum of axle loads must not exceed the permissible axle loads, and the combination mass must not exceed the permissible combination mass.

Load the heaviest items low and over the trailer axle, spread the load symmetrically left-right, and secure it against forward, rearward, and lateral movement; the lashing capacity must at least match the load's mass times the applicable acceleration factor.

The trailer's permissible total mass must not exceed the towing vehicle's permissible towing capacity; exceeding it is an overload even if the trailer itself is within its own rating.

Check tyre pressures, coupling security, and lights after the first few kilometres of a loaded run, because load settling can change the coupling and lashing tension.

A trailer with its own service brake must have that brake working and correctly adjusted; overrun brakes must engage smoothly and release fully when reversing.

Use the mirrors continuously and remember that the combination's swept path is wider than the towing vehicle's: on a turn, the trailer cuts inside, so swing out before the corner and check the inside mirror through the manoeuvre.

Reversing with a trailer: steer the opposite way to the desired trailer direction, make small corrections, and use a guide or get out and check when visibility is incomplete; a reversing camera does not replace a direct check.

Braking distances grow with mass; leave a larger gap than in a solo vehicle and brake progressively, because a heavy combination is more prone to jack-knifing under hard braking on a low-friction surface.

Snaking (trailer sway) is countered by releasing the accelerator and, if the vehicle has one, letting the stabiliser act; do not brake hard and do not steer sharply, as that amplifies the oscillation.

On downhill gradients select a lower gear before the descent and use engine braking; continuous service braking overheats the brakes and can lead to brake fade on a long descent.

Cornering: reduce speed before the bend, keep a steady throttle through it, and avoid simultaneous hard braking and steering with a loaded trailer.

Starting on a gradient with a heavy combination requires the parking brake or a hill-hold function; rolling back can damage the coupling and is a hazard to following traffic.

When passing cyclists, pedestrians, or parked cars, allow extra lateral clearance because the trailer tracks inside the towing vehicle's line and its rear end swings out in tight turns.

Scan far ahead - roughly 12–15 seconds of travel - and use the mirror cycle (left, right, interior, instruments) every few seconds rather than fixating on the vehicle in front.

Blind spots of a lorry combination are large: directly in front, alongside the cab on both sides, and behind the trailer; a road user who cannot be seen in the mirrors must be assumed to be in a blind spot.

At junctions, check for cyclists and pedestrians passing on the inside before turning right, and for oncoming traffic before turning left across the carriageway; the trailer needs extra time to clear the junction.

Hazard perception rule: identify the hazard, decide the response, and act early; a developing hazard (a pedestrian approaching a crossing, a car edging out) requires speed reduction before it becomes an emergency.

Keep a following distance that allows stopping within the visible road ahead; at night, the visible distance is limited by the headlights' reach, so speed must be reduced accordingly.

When entering a motorway, use the acceleration lane to match traffic speed; a loaded combination accelerates slowly, so plan the gap early and do not force merging traffic to brake.

Overtaking a long vehicle requires checking that the road ahead is clear for the whole manoeuvre and that no vehicle is already overtaking you; signal early and return to the lane only when the trailer is clear.

Daily walk-around check: tyres (pressure, tread, damage), lights and indicators, coupling and breakaway cable, brake connections, load securing, mirrors, and the presence of the warning triangle and first-aid kit.

Minimum tread depth for lorry and trailer tyres is 1.0 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread; sidewall damage, bulges, and exposed cords mean the tyre must be taken out of service.

The ABS warning lamp must extinguish after start-up; a lamp that stays on means the ABS is not functioning and the vehicle should not be used until checked.

The trailer's lights, brake lights, and indicators must be checked from behind after coupling; a failed connection is a common cause of an unlit trailer.

Load securing equipment - straps, chains, and tensioners - must be rated for the load, undamaged, and re-tensioned after the first part of the journey.

A fire extinguisher, warning triangle, and high-visibility vest are part of the required equipment; the vest must be worn when leaving the vehicle on a road outside a built-up area.

Periodic inspection (syn) intervals for a lorry depend on its mass and use; an expired inspection means the vehicle may not be driven on public roads.

Tachograph and speed-limiter: the speed limiter setting for the vehicle class must be respected, and tampering with the tachograph or limiter is an offence.

Daily driving limit: 9 hours, extendable to 10 hours twice in a week; weekly driving limit: 56 hours; two consecutive weeks: 90 hours.

A break is required after 4.5 hours of driving: at least 45 minutes, which may be split into 15 minutes followed by 30 minutes, each taken within the driving period.

Daily rest: normally 11 hours, reducible to 9 hours at most three times between weekly rests; a split daily rest can be 3 hours plus 9 hours.

Weekly rest: at least 45 hours, reducible to 24 hours under conditions, with compensation taken in a single block before the end of the third week following the week in question.

The tachograph records driving, other work, availability, and rest; the driver must be able to produce records for the current day and the previous 28 days on request.

Manual entries must be made for work performed without the card inserted, including other work before driving and rest taken away from the vehicle.

Documentation to carry: driving licence, registration certificate, insurance evidence, inspection certificate, and - where applicable - the attestation of activities and the driver card.

The tachograph must be calibrated at the prescribed interval, and a malfunction must be reported and recorded; a vehicle with a defective tachograph may only be driven to a workshop under the applicable rules.

At an accident scene: stop, secure the scene (hazard warning lights, warning triangle at an appropriate distance, high-visibility vest), alert the emergency services, and give first aid within your competence.

The warning triangle is placed behind the vehicle at a distance that gives approaching traffic time to react - further away on fast roads and on crests or bends where visibility is limited.

First aid priorities: check responsiveness and breathing, call emergency services, control severe bleeding with direct pressure, and keep the casualty warm; do not move a casualty with suspected spinal injury unless there is immediate danger.

Recovery position applies to an unconscious casualty who is breathing; if breathing is absent, start CPR at the rate of about 100–120 chest compressions per minute.

Report the accident to the police where persons are injured or where there is significant damage; exchange name, address, registration, and insurance details with the other party.

After an accident, do not move the vehicles further than necessary until the scene has been recorded; use the warning triangle and vest before approaching the carriageway.

If the vehicle catches fire, stop, switch off the engine, evacuate occupants upwind, and use the extinguisher only on a small, contained fire; a load fire should be left to the fire service.

Breakdown on a motorway: get occupants behind the barrier, place the triangle where it can be seen, and call for assistance from a safe position.

Anticipate traffic flow and release the accelerator early instead of braking late; smooth driving reduces fuel consumption and brake wear more than any single technical measure.

Keep engine speed in the economical band and change up early; a loaded lorry combination should be driven at the lowest engine speed that maintains momentum on the gradient.

Correct tyre pressure reduces rolling resistance; under-inflation increases fuel consumption and tyre temperature and is a safety risk.

Idling wastes fuel and increases emissions; switch off the engine during longer stops where the vehicle and its systems allow it.

Remove unnecessary load and avoid roof-mounted drag where possible; aerodynamic drag rises steeply with speed, so a moderate cruising speed saves a disproportionate amount of fuel.

Use engine braking and downhill momentum rather than continuous service braking; this saves fuel and protects the brake system.

Route planning and load consolidation reduce empty running; an empty return leg is the largest avoidable environmental cost in transport work.

Regular maintenance - air filter, injection system, brake adjustment - keeps consumption at the manufacturer's level and reduces emissions.

In rain, reduce speed and increase the following distance; aquaplaning risk rises with speed and low tread depth, and steering or braking suddenly on standing water causes loss of control.

Fog: use dipped headlights and fog lights only where visibility is seriously reduced; fog lights must be switched off when visibility improves to avoid dazzling other drivers.

Ice and snow: stopping distances can multiply several times; use gentle steering and braking inputs, a higher gear for pulling away, and avoid sudden throttle changes that break trailer grip.

Darkness: speed must allow stopping within the distance illuminated by the headlights; use dipped headlights when meeting traffic and do not use main beam where it dazzles.

On motorways, a lorry combination keeps to the right-hand lanes; the left lane is for overtaking, and the combination must not obstruct faster traffic.

On narrow country roads, reduce speed for blind crests and bends, keep to the right, and expect agricultural vehicles, cyclists, and animals; the trailer's width leaves little margin.

Crosswinds affect a high-sided trailer most; reduce speed on exposed bridges and open stretches and keep a firm, smooth steering input.

On gravel or loose surfaces, braking distances increase and the trailer can step out; reduce speed, increase the gap, and avoid abrupt steering.