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DRTS Heavy-Vehicle Theory Practice Questions - Botswana DRTS Heavy-Vehicle Driving Theory Test (Classes C, C1, EB, EC, EC1) Exam
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Question
1
of 25
QUESTION 1 / 25
While driving a heavy vehicle fitted with air brakes, the low air-pressure warning light and buzzer activate. What should you do?
Choose one answer below.
A
Continue to your destination and report the fault afterwards
✓
B
Pump the brake pedal rapidly to rebuild air pressure while moving
✓
C
Stop in a safe place as soon as possible and investigate the cause
✓
D
Switch off the engine immediately in the traffic lane
✓
QUESTION 2 / 25
What is the main cause of brake fade when a heavily laden truck descends a long hill?
Choose one answer below.
A
Overheating of the brake drums and linings from prolonged braking
✓
B
Too much brake fluid in the hydraulic reservoir
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C
Cold morning air reducing tyre grip
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D
Worn tyre tread on the steering axle
✓
QUESTION 3 / 25
What is the correct technique for descending a long, steep hill in a laden heavy vehicle?
Choose one answer below.
A
Select neutral to save fuel and control speed with the brakes
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B
Select a low gear before the descent and use engine braking or a retarder
✓
C
Apply the service brakes firmly and continuously all the way down
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D
Switch off the engine to reduce speed gradually
✓
QUESTION 4 / 25
What is the main purpose of a retarder or exhaust brake fitted to a heavy vehicle?
Choose one answer below.
A
To increase the vehicle's maximum road speed
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B
To improve fuel economy when climbing hills
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C
To replace the parking brake when stationary
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D
To assist the service brakes on descents and reduce brake wear and fade
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QUESTION 5 / 25
Why does a fully laden truck need a much longer distance to stop than a car travelling at the same speed?
Choose one answer below.
A
Truck brakes are always in poorer condition than car brakes
✓
B
The greater mass of the truck carries far more kinetic energy that the brakes must absorb
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C
Truck drivers have slower reaction times
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D
Trucks are not permitted to brake as hard as cars
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QUESTION 6 / 25
How should cargo be distributed when loading a rigid goods vehicle?
Choose one answer below.
A
Heaviest items stacked as high as possible for stability
✓
B
All weight over the rear axle to improve traction
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C
Heaviest items low down and close to the axles, spread evenly side to side
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D
Heavy items at the front of the load bed only
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QUESTION 7 / 25
When should the security of a load on a heavy vehicle be checked?
Choose one answer below.
A
Before departure, again shortly after setting off, and regularly during the journey
✓
B
Only at the final destination when unloading
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C
Only if the driver hears noise from the load area
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D
Once a week at the depot
✓
QUESTION 8 / 25
What is the effect of stacking heavy cargo high on the load bed of a truck?
Choose one answer below.
A
It lowers fuel consumption
✓
B
It improves braking performance
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C
It makes the vehicle more stable in crosswinds
✓
D
It raises the centre of gravity and increases the risk of rollover
✓
QUESTION 9 / 25
You are driving a truck carrying a tall, top-heavy load and approaching a sharp bend. What should you do?
Choose one answer below.
A
Maintain speed so the load stays pressed into place
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B
Slow down to a safe speed before entering the bend
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C
Brake hard halfway around the bend
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D
Steer sharply to keep the vehicle on line
✓
QUESTION 10 / 25
What does the term 'off-tracking' describe in a long or articulated vehicle?
Choose one answer below.
A
The tendency of the trailer to skid sideways on gravel roads
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B
The loss of GPS signal in remote rural areas
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C
The rear wheels following a tighter path than the front wheels when turning
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D
The vehicle drifting out of its lane in strong crosswinds
✓
QUESTION 11 / 25
Why must a driver of a long vehicle take special care when turning left at an intersection in Botswana?
Choose one answer below.
A
The rear wheels cut inside the turn and can mount the kerb or strike pedestrians and cyclists
✓
B
The left-turn signal is invisible to other road users
✓
C
The engine may stall during slow left turns
✓
D
Left turns are prohibited for heavy vehicles in urban areas
✓
QUESTION 12 / 25
After coupling a tractor to a semi-trailer, which set of checks confirms the combination is safe to move?
Choose one answer below.
A
The trailer lights look bright from the driver's seat
✓
B
The trailer doors are closed and the load sheet is signed
✓
C
The tractor engine reaches normal operating temperature
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D
The fifth-wheel jaws are locked on the kingpin, air and electrical lines are connected, the landing gear is raised, and a gentle tug test is done
✓
QUESTION 13 / 25
Before uncoupling a semi-trailer from a tractor, what should the driver do first?
Choose one answer below.
A
Release the fifth-wheel lock immediately at the delivery point
✓
B
Park on firm, level ground, apply the parking brakes and make sure the trailer is supported
✓
C
Disconnect the air lines so the trailer brakes release
✓
D
Drive forward slowly while a colleague lowers the landing gear
✓
QUESTION 14 / 25
Your trailer begins to sway from side to side (snaking) at highway speed. What is the correct response?
Choose one answer below.
A
Accelerate hard to pull the trailer straight
✓
B
Brake sharply to bring the combination to a quick stop
✓
C
Ease off the accelerator, hold the steering steady and let speed fall gently
✓
D
Steer quickly from side to side in the opposite rhythm of the sway
✓
QUESTION 15 / 25
Compared with an ordinary car, the blind spots of a heavy truck are:
Choose one answer below.
A
Larger, especially immediately beside and behind the vehicle
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B
Smaller, because the driver sits higher
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C
The same, since mirrors cancel them out
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D
Only present at night
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QUESTION 16 / 25
What is the correct routine before changing lanes in a heavy vehicle?
Choose one answer below.
A
Flash the headlights and move over quickly
✓
B
Sound the horn continuously while changing lanes
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C
Change lanes slowly without signalling to avoid confusing others
✓
D
Check mirrors, signal in good time, check the blind spot, then move gradually
✓
QUESTION 17 / 25
Which items belong in a driver's daily walk-around inspection of a heavy vehicle?
Choose one answer below.
A
Only the fuel level and the cab interior
✓
B
Tyres and wheel fixings, lights and reflectors, fluid leaks, load security and visible brake lines
✓
C
Only the items listed on last month's workshop invoice
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D
The radio, air conditioning and seat adjustment
✓
QUESTION 18 / 25
Why is it dangerous to operate a heavy vehicle with a seriously under-inflated tyre?
Choose one answer below.
A
The vehicle uses less fuel, masking other faults
✓
B
The steering becomes too light to feel the road
✓
C
The tyre overheats and can suffer sidewall failure or a blowout
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D
The speedometer reads lower than the true speed
✓
QUESTION 19 / 25
After a wheel has been removed and refitted on a heavy vehicle, what should be done?
Choose one answer below.
A
Re-check the wheel nut tightness after a short distance of driving
✓
B
Drive at maximum speed immediately to seat the wheel
✓
C
Paint the wheel nuts and never touch them again
✓
D
Remove every second nut to reduce weight
✓
QUESTION 20 / 25
In a full air-brake system, what happens if air pressure is suddenly lost through a serious leak?
Choose one answer below.
A
The vehicle coasts freely with no brakes at all
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B
The wheels lock only on the steering axle
✓
C
Nothing changes until the next service
✓
D
Powerful spring brakes apply automatically as pressure falls, acting as a fail-safe
✓
QUESTION 21 / 25
Why do most heavy goods vehicles use full air (pneumatic) braking systems rather than ordinary hydraulic brakes?
Choose one answer below.
A
Air systems are cheaper to fit on the production line
✓
B
Compressed air from an engine-driven compressor provides the large, continuously renewed braking force heavy vehicles require
✓
C
Hydraulic fluid is banned in Botswana
✓
D
Air brakes never need any maintenance
✓
QUESTION 22 / 25
What is 'engine braking' in a heavy vehicle?
Choose one answer below.
A
Applying the parking brake while the engine is running
✓
B
A separate pedal that brakes only the engine
✓
C
The slowing effect produced when a lower gear keeps the engine resisting the vehicle's momentum
✓
D
Switching off the ignition while coasting downhill
✓
QUESTION 23 / 25
What is a 'jackknife' in an articulated vehicle, and what most commonly triggers it?
Choose one answer below.
A
The trailer swinging round towards the cab after the drive wheels lock under harsh braking, especially when unladen or on a slippery surface
✓
B
The trailer doors bursting open during cornering
✓
C
A broken fifth wheel caused by overloading the kingpin
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D
The tractor rolling backwards on a steep hill start
✓
QUESTION 24 / 25
Before driving under a low bridge or overhead cables, what must the driver of a high vehicle know?
Choose one answer below.
A
Only the vehicle's length and width
✓
B
The tyre pressures on the trailer axles
✓
C
The engine power of the tractor unit
✓
D
The vehicle's overall travelling height, compared with the height shown on the restriction sign
✓
QUESTION 25 / 25
What does correct 'snub braking' technique involve on a long descent in a heavy vehicle?
Choose one answer below.
A
Light, continuous pressure on the brake pedal for the whole descent
✓
B
Firm, short brake applications that reduce speed in steps, with the brakes released between applications to cool
✓
C
Repeated full emergency stops on the shoulder
✓
D
Holding the brake pedal halfway down at all times
✓
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