Ireland Truck & Bus Theory Test cheat sheet

National speed limit on motorways is 120 km/h; on national roads 100 km/h; on regional and local roads 80 km/h; in built-up areas 50 km/h, unless signs state otherwise.

A learner permit holder must be accompanied by a qualified driver who has held a full licence for at least two years in the same category, and must display L plates front and rear.

At a roundabout, yield to traffic already on the roundabout; vehicles entering from the right have priority only where a yield line or sign indicates.

A continuous white centre line means no overtaking; a broken white line may be crossed if safe. A double white line with the continuous line nearest you prohibits crossing.

Stopping or parking within 5 metres of a junction, on a footpath, or on a cycle lane is prohibited unless signs permit.

The legal blood alcohol concentration limit for learner, novice (first two years) and professional drivers is 20 mg per 100 ml of blood; for other drivers it is 50 mg per 100 ml.

Seat belts must be worn by all occupants where fitted; children under 150 cm or 36 kg must use an appropriate child restraint.

At a pelican crossing, a flashing amber light means you must yield to pedestrians already on the crossing but may proceed if none are present.

A bus lane may be used by buses, taxis and cyclists during the hours shown on the sign; other vehicles may enter only to turn left within 30 metres of a junction.

Two-second rule: maintain at least a two-second gap to the vehicle ahead in dry conditions; double it to four seconds in wet weather and increase further in ice or fog.

Stopping distance at 50 km/h is approximately 27 metres (14 m thinking + 13 m braking); at 100 km/h it is approximately 108 metres.

In fog, use dipped headlights and fog lights only when visibility is seriously reduced (generally below 100 metres); switch fog lights off when visibility improves.

When a vehicle ahead brakes suddenly, check mirrors and brake progressively; avoid swerving into an adjacent lane without a blind-spot check.

Vulnerable road users include pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and horse riders; give cyclists at least 1 metre clearance at speeds up to 50 km/h and 1.5 metres above that.

A hazard perception scan should alternate between near, middle and far distance every few seconds; look for brake lights, junction activity and pedestrian movement.

Aquaplaning occurs when tyres lose contact with the road on standing water; ease off the accelerator, do not brake sharply, and hold the steering steady until grip returns.

At night, drive at a speed from which you can stop within the distance illuminated by your headlights; use main beam only when it will not dazzle other road users.

Minimum legal tread depth for tyres on cars and light vehicles is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread and around the entire circumference; for heavy goods vehicles it is 1.0 mm.

Tyre pressures should be checked when tyres are cold and adjusted for load; under-inflation increases fuel consumption and the risk of blowouts.

Before a journey, check engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, windscreen washer fluid, lights, indicators, mirrors and tyre condition.

The ABS warning light staying on after the engine starts indicates a fault; normal braking remains but anti-lock assistance may be unavailable.

A vehicle must have a valid National Car Test (NCT) certificate if over four years old; for heavy goods vehicles the roadworthiness test applies annually after one year.

Loads must be secured so they cannot move or fall; any load projecting more than 1 metre beyond the rear must be marked with a red flag by day and a red light at night.

Diesel particulate filters require periodic regeneration; short urban journeys can prevent regeneration and cause the filter to clog and the warning light to illuminate.

Brake fade occurs when brakes overheat through prolonged use; use engine braking on long descents and select a lower gear to reduce reliance on the service brake.

Daily driving limit is 9 hours, extendable to 10 hours twice in a week; weekly driving limit is 56 hours; fortnightly driving limit is 90 hours.

A break of at least 45 minutes must be taken after no more than 4.5 hours of driving; it may be split into 15 minutes followed by 30 minutes.

Daily rest is normally 11 hours, reducible to 9 hours no more than three times between weekly rests; weekly rest is 45 hours, reducible to 24 hours with compensation.

A tachograph must record driving, other work, availability and rest; manual entries are required for periods not automatically recorded.

The driver card must be inserted at the start of the shift and removed at the end; it must not be withdrawn during the working day unless authorised.

Tachograph records must be retained for at least 12 months by the operator and produced on request to an enforcement officer.

Drivers must carry their driver card and, where required, printouts of the current day and previous 28 days.

A weekly rest that begins in one week and ends in the next may be counted in either week but not both; compensation for reduced weekly rest must be taken en bloc before the end of the third week following.

The Driver CPC requires 35 hours of periodic training every five years; the initial qualification includes a theory test and a practical driving test.