Speed limit and signaling of heavy goods vehicles
Given their size, which is much larger than that of commercial vehicles, cars or two-wheelers, heavy goods vehicles are subject to specific speed limits , depending on the types of roads they use. Thus, in accordance with article R413-8 of the highway code , their maximum speed is limited to:
To warn other road users of these specific restrictions and not to disrupt traffic, heavy goods vehicles must affix a badge bearing the words 90/80, at the rear of their vehicle, at the bottom left.
On the other hand, some road traffic signs are specifically aimed at heavy goods vehicles, in this case they contain a “truck” logo for example.
Trucks must be equipped with a safety vest and a warning triangle, which are also mandatory equipment for cars .
They must also be provided with a tachograph, intended to record the speeds and driving times used, as well as a fire extinguisher when their GVW exceeds 3.5 tonnes.
Vehicles assigned to the transport of hazardous materials are also required to affix badges indicating the contents of their cargo.
In addition, in order to guarantee a certain fluidity of traffic as well as the safety of other users, a certain number of French roads and tunnels, as well as the whole of the Ile-de-France have established permanent bans against of these vehicles.
Not to mention that for reasons of noise, safety and pollution, the circulation of heavy goods vehicles is often limited and sometimes even prohibited in the city.
Specific exemptions
Some heavy goods vehicles carry goods which, for various reasons, cannot wait. They then benefit from specific exemptions allowing them to circulate despite the restrictions.
These include, for example, heavy goods vehicles transporting perishable foodstuffs, live animals, machines or products essential to the proper functioning of hospital structures, agricultural products just harvested which must be processed or stored quickly, etc.
Furthermore, in the event of a natural disaster, serious accident or disaster, temporary exemptions may also be granted to them.
The C license is one of the types of license intended for driving heavy goods vehicles, in particular for the road transport of goods, merchandise or animals. To pass the C permit, you must first:
satisfy a compulsory medical examination, with a doctor approved by the prefect. The purpose of this medical check-up is to check the general state of health of the future truck driver and in particular his visual acuity, so as to determine whether or not he is fit to drive such a vehicle.
This license allows you to drive vehicles:
To pass the C license, you must first pass the theoretical test of the highway code. Note that if you got the code less than 5 years ago, you don’t need to re-enter it! The road code tests for license C are identical to those for license B, so you can train with Lepermislibre if you wish. Our online code will allow you to take the exam easily, quickly and inexpensively.