CPC Cargo & Passenger Safety 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the consequence of overloading a single axle of an HGV?
- Only the tyre warranty is affected
- Risk of tyre failure, damage to road surfaces, loss of steering control and prosecution under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations (Correct answer)
- The speed limiter compensates automatically
- Only the undercarriage is damaged with no road safety risk
Correct answer: Risk of tyre failure, damage to road surfaces, loss of steering control and prosecution under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations
Axle overloading overstresses tyres (risk of blowout), damages road infrastructure, affects steering and braking balance, and is a construction and use offence attracting significant fines.
Question 2: What special precaution must a driver take when carrying a load that overhangs the rear of the vehicle by more than 2 metres?
- Drive at half speed
- Mark the overhang with a red flag or light during daylight, and a red light and reflective marker at night, obtaining a Special Types or abnormal load authorisation if required (Correct answer)
- Inform the nearest police station by telephone
- Only drive on motorways to reduce risk
Correct answer: Mark the overhang with a red flag or light during daylight, and a red light and reflective marker at night, obtaining a Special Types or abnormal load authorisation if required
Rear overhangs exceeding 2 m must be marked with a prescribed end marker (red flag by day, red light and reflector by night); loads exceeding legal dimensions require police notification or a Special Types General Order.
Question 3: In ADR dangerous goods transport, what do orange hazard panels (plates) on the front and rear of the vehicle indicate?
- The vehicle is carrying an unusually heavy load
- The vehicle is carrying dangerous goods — the panels show the hazard identification number and UN number of the substance (Correct answer)
- The vehicle has an engine management fault
- The vehicle is operating under an abnormal load permit
Correct answer: The vehicle is carrying dangerous goods — the panels show the hazard identification number and UN number of the substance
Orange ADR hazard panels carry the Hazard Identification Number (HIN) on top and the UN product number on the bottom, enabling emergency services to immediately identify the substance carried.
Question 4: What is the responsibility of a driver carrying live animals regarding animal welfare?
- Animal welfare is entirely the responsibility of the farm or receiving facility
- Drivers transporting live animals must comply with the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 2006, ensuring animals are fit, properly housed and given food, water and rest at required intervals (Correct answer)
- Only journeys exceeding 8 hours require welfare documentation
- Welfare checks are only required at border crossings
Correct answer: Drivers transporting live animals must comply with the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 2006, ensuring animals are fit, properly housed and given food, water and rest at required intervals
The Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 2006 imposes duties on drivers including checking animals are fit for transport, ensuring adequate space, ventilation, food and water and observing journey time and rest limits.
Question 5: What action should a driver take on discovering a clandestine entrant (stowaways) has entered the vehicle?
- Continue to the destination and report on arrival
- Stop at a safe and legal location, contact the police or Border Force immediately, and secure the vehicle (Correct answer)
- Drive to the nearest port of entry
- Remove the individual from the vehicle and continue
Correct answer: Stop at a safe and legal location, contact the police or Border Force immediately, and secure the vehicle
Under the Immigration Act, a driver/operator can be fined for carrying clandestine entrants; on discovery, the driver must immediately contact police or Border Force and secure the vehicle against further access.
Question 6: What does the prohibition on carrying 'incompatible' dangerous goods together in the same vehicle refer to?
- Goods with different delivery addresses
- Substances that could react dangerously together if packaging fails — regulated by ADR segregation rules (Correct answer)
- Goods of different owners
- Hazardous and non-hazardous goods in the same load space
Correct answer: Substances that could react dangerously together if packaging fails — regulated by ADR segregation rules
ADR Annex A defines compatibility groups; certain dangerous goods (e.g. oxidisers and flammables) must not be carried together because a reaction between them in the event of a spill or fire could be catastrophic.
CPC Cargo & Passenger Safety 2
What is the consequence of overloading a single axle of an HGV?