NSW Heavy Vehicle Knowledge Test Practice 2026: Practice test 2

Practice test 2 of 3 for the NSW Heavy Vehicle Knowledge Test Practice: 25 more questions with answers and explanations.

Commercial vehicle
New South Wales
90 questions
Checked October 11, 2026

Question 1 of 25
Under Basic Fatigue Management (BFM), what is the most a solo truck driver may work in any 24 hours?
- 16 hours
- 14 hours
- 15½ hours
- 12 hours
Show answer
Answer: B. 14 hours
BFM allows up to 14 hours of work in any 24 hours for solo drivers. Standard hours allow 12 hours.
Question 2 of 25
Why can an engine brake or exhaust brake be dangerous on a slippery road?
- It is too noisy
- It stops the air compressor
- It uses too much fuel
- It may make a lightly loaded vehicle skid or jack-knife
Show answer
Answer: D. It may make a lightly loaded vehicle skid or jack-knife
Engine and exhaust brakes act only on the drive wheels. On a slippery surface they can lock those wheels, especially on a lightly loaded vehicle.
Question 3 of 25
Under standard hours, how much may a solo truck driver work in any 7 days?
- 96 hours
- 72 hours
- 84 hours
- 60 hours
Show answer
Answer: B. 72 hours
The limit is 72 hours of work in any 7 days, with at least 24 continuous hours of stationary rest.
Question 4 of 25
Will a tarpaulin on its own secure a load?
- Yes, if the load is under 1 tonne
- Yes, if it is tied tightly
- Yes, on short trips
- No, a tarpaulin covers a load but does not secure it
Show answer
Answer: D. No, a tarpaulin covers a load but does not secure it
A tarpaulin keeps loose material in and weather out, but it is not a restraint. Use proper lashings, blocking or containment.
Question 5 of 25
Which vehicles may display a 'Do not overtake turning vehicle' sign?
- Vehicles 7.5 metres or longer
- Only buses
- Any vehicle over 4.5 tonnes GVM
- Any truck
Show answer
Answer: A. Vehicles 7.5 metres or longer
Only vehicles 7.5 metres or longer may display the sign. Shorter vehicles must turn within the marked lanes.
Question 6 of 25
For the following-distance rules, what is a 'long vehicle'?
- A vehicle, together with any load or trailer, that is 7.5 metres or longer
- Any vehicle over 4.5 tonnes
- Any vehicle with three or more axles
- Any vehicle longer than 12.5 metres
Show answer
Answer: A. A vehicle, together with any load or trailer, that is 7.5 metres or longer
A long vehicle is 7.5 metres or longer, including any load and trailer.
Question 7 of 25
Under standard hours, what rest must a solo truck driver take in any 8-hour period?
- No rest is needed until 11 hours
- 30 minutes, in blocks of at least 15 minutes
- 60 minutes in one block
- 15 minutes
Show answer
Answer: B. 30 minutes, in blocks of at least 15 minutes
In any 8 hours, you may work up to 7½ hours and must rest for at least 30 minutes, taken in blocks of 15 minutes or more.
Question 8 of 25
How often should a heavy vehicle driver check the vehicle?
- Only when a warning light comes on
- Only at the yearly inspection
- Once a month
- A pre-departure check every day, plus a more detailed inspection each week
Show answer
Answer: D. A pre-departure check every day, plus a more detailed inspection each week
Do a walk-around check before every trip and a more thorough inspection weekly.
Question 9 of 25
A driver keeps a National Driver Work Diary. For how long must they keep their own recent records with them?
- The last 28 days
- Only the current day
- The last 7 days
- The last 3 months
Show answer
Answer: A. The last 28 days
Drivers who must keep a work diary need to carry the records for the last 28 days.
Question 10 of 25
What is the general maximum height for a heavy vehicle and its load?
- 3.5 metres
- 5 metres
- 4.3 metres
- 6 metres
Show answer
Answer: C. 4.3 metres
The general height limit is 4.3 metres. Some vehicles may go up to 4.6 metres only under a notice or permit on approved routes.
Question 11 of 25
In an air brake system, what should you do if the low air pressure warning comes on while driving?
- Pump the brakes to build up air
- Pull over and stop safely as soon as you can
- Turn off the engine brake
- Keep driving to the next depot
Show answer
Answer: B. Pull over and stop safely as soon as you can
The warning means the air supply is falling. Stop safely while you still have enough air to brake.
Question 12 of 25
A customer's contract would make a driver break the speed limit to arrive on time. Is this allowed?
- Yes, if the load is urgent
- Only for short trips
- Yes, if the driver agrees
- No, contracts must not require or encourage a driver to break the law
Show answer
Answer: D. No, contracts must not require or encourage a driver to break the law
Under the chain of responsibility, a contract or schedule must not require a driver to speed, drive while tired or break other road laws.
Question 13 of 25
For a vehicle over 4.5 tonnes GVM, how far may the rear overhang, including the load, extend?
- No more than 1 metre
- Any distance if a flag is fitted
- No more than 60% of the wheelbase or 3.7 metres, whichever is less
- No more than the length of the tray
Show answer
Answer: C. No more than 60% of the wheelbase or 3.7 metres, whichever is less
Rear overhang must not be more than 60% of the wheelbase or 3.7 metres, whichever is less.
Question 14 of 25
Unless a sign says otherwise, which vehicles does a 'No trucks' sign apply to?
- Vehicles over 4.5 tonnes GVM
- Only vehicles with dangerous goods
- Only articulated vehicles
- Vehicles over 12 tonnes GVM
Show answer
Answer: A. Vehicles over 4.5 tonnes GVM
A 'No trucks' sign applies to vehicles over 4.5 tonnes GVM unless the sign shows a different mass.
Question 15 of 25
How many warning triangles must a vehicle over 12 tonnes GVM carry?
- Three
- Two
- None
- One
Show answer
Answer: A. Three
Vehicles over 12 tonnes GVM must carry three warning triangles to use if the vehicle or its load stops on the road.
Question 16 of 25
Your work diary is lost or stolen. Whom must you tell, and how soon?
- No one, if you buy a new diary
- The police, within 30 days
- Your insurer, within a week
- The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), within 2 business days
Show answer
Answer: D. The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), within 2 business days
Notify the NHVR within 2 business days. You may use a supplementary record for up to 7 days.
Question 17 of 25
Under the chain of responsibility, who must take all reasonable steps to prevent driver fatigue and speeding?
- Only the police and the regulator
- Every party in the supply chain, such as employers, operators, schedulers, consignors, consignees and loaders
- Only the driver
- Only the owner of the truck
Show answer
Answer: B. Every party in the supply chain, such as employers, operators, schedulers, consignors, consignees and loaders
The Heavy Vehicle National Law puts safety duties on everyone in the chain who controls or influences transport, not just the driver.
Question 18 of 25
In a built-up area, how long may a heavy vehicle (other than a bus) stay stopped on a road?
- There is no limit
- Up to 24 hours
- Up to 4 hours
- No more than 1 hour
Show answer
Answer: D. No more than 1 hour
Unless a sign allows longer, a heavy vehicle may not stop on a road in a built-up area for more than one hour. Buses are exempt.
Question 19 of 25
How far may a load project in front of a heavy vehicle?
- No more than 150 mm
- No more than 1.2 metres
- No more than 3 metres
- It may not project at all
Show answer
Answer: B. No more than 1.2 metres
A load must not project more than 1.2 metres in front of the vehicle.
Question 20 of 25
Which regulation sets the maximum work and minimum rest times for drivers of fatigue-regulated heavy vehicles?
- The Load Restraint Guide
- The Australian Design Rules
- Each employer's own policy
- The Heavy Vehicle (Fatigue Management) National Regulation
Show answer
Answer: D. The Heavy Vehicle (Fatigue Management) National Regulation
Work and rest limits come from the Heavy Vehicle (Fatigue Management) National Regulation under the Heavy Vehicle National Law.
Question 21 of 25
May you use the trailer hand brake for normal braking?
- Only on downhill grades
- Yes, it saves the prime mover's brakes
- No, it must not be used for normal braking
- Only on wet roads
Show answer
Answer: C. No, it must not be used for normal braking
The trailer hand brake is not for normal braking. Overusing it can overheat the trailer brakes and cause a jack-knife.
Question 22 of 25
What is the general maximum length of an articulated vehicle such as a prime mover and semi-trailer?
- 19 metres
- 36.5 metres
- 26 metres
- 12.5 metres
Show answer
Answer: A. 19 metres
The general limit for a combination is 19 metres. Longer vehicles, such as B-doubles, need approved routes.
Question 23 of 25
Your air tanks should always hold enough pressure for how many brake applications?
- At least twenty
- At least one
- At least five
- Exactly two
Show answer
Answer: C. At least five
Keep enough air for at least five brake applications so you can always stop safely.
Question 24 of 25
Outside a built-up area, where may a heavy vehicle stop?
- In the left lane with hazard lights on
- Only in a lay-by with toilets
- Anywhere on the road
- Only on the shoulder, unless the rules allow otherwise
Show answer
Answer: D. Only on the shoulder, unless the rules allow otherwise
Heavy vehicles must not stop on the road outside a built-up area, except on the shoulder.
Question 25 of 25
A load restraint system must be able to hold the load against a forward force of what share of the load's weight?
- 80%
- 20%
- 100%
- 50%
Show answer
Answer: A. 80%
The performance standards require restraint against 80% of the load's weight forward, 50% sideways and rearward, and 20% upward.

Related tests