Speed, Stopping, Following and Gradients
Allow for large-vehicle mass, road view, surface, load and gradient when choosing speed and following distance.
How to prepare for the Northern Ireland LGV theory tests
Apply large-vehicle thinking to every rule: confirm entitlement and operating regime, inspect the complete combination, protect blind areas and stopping space, and keep professional CPC stages distinct.
Core concepts
Concept 1
Allow for large-vehicle mass, road view, surface, load and gradient when choosing speed and following distance.
Exam cue: Confirm that the test stage and rule apply to DVA Northern Ireland LGV theory.
Concept 2
Set a controlled speed before a descent or bend and preserve a gap that supports progressive braking.
Exam cue: Set a controlled speed before a descent or bend and preserve a gap that supports progressive braking.
Concept 3
A posted maximum is not a safe target and a retarder is not a replacement for planning.
Exam cue: Check the whole combination and how the action affects exposed road users and later compliance.
Risk pitfalls and guardrails
Using a car-sized gap or relying on continuous service-brake use down a long descent.
Guardrail: Do not apply car-scale or Great Britain administrative assumptions; account for LGV mass, dimensions, blind areas, load and the Northern Ireland regime.
Importing a Great Britain administration or road-law rule without checking Northern Ireland.
Guardrail: Use DVA and Northern Ireland rules for eligibility, licensing and territorial law even when a shared-skills publication comes from DVSA.
Treating the internal 601-item allocation as an official DVA topic weighting.
Guardrail: Do not apply car-scale or Great Britain administrative assumptions; account for LGV mass, dimensions, blind areas, load and the Northern Ireland regime.
Memory anchors
Mass Needs Margin
More mass normally requires earlier decisions and more stopping space.
Speed Before Slope
Choose the safe gear and speed before control is demanded by the descent.
Gap Buys Gentle Braking
Adequate separation prevents harsh action and rear-end risk.
Speed, Stopping, Following and Gradients: NI Source
Use the current DVA or Northern Ireland rule before applying shared technical guidance.
Speed, Stopping, Following and Gradients: Whole Vehicle
Account for vehicle, trailer, load, route, people, time and records before deciding.
Speed, Stopping, Following and Gradients: Preserve Margin
Choose the early safe legal action that preserves view, control, time and space.
Checkpoint rule
Do the check-up only after you can summarize each concept in one sentence and identify one dangerous pitfall from memory.
Knowledge Check (after reading)
Short check-up to confirm understanding of this module.
Check-up Questions
What is the usual maximum for a goods vehicle over 7.5 tonnes on a built-up road in NI unless signs show lower?
An 18-tonne rigid lorry reaches an unsigned national-limit single carriageway in NI. What ceiling applies?
Answer all questions to submit.
Next step personalized recommendations
Continue learning
Move forward only after this module is stable.
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