Revision question · Vehicle loading

You're driving a vehicle with an unladen trailer. What could happen if you change down to a low gear while travelling at speed?

Revision material from the imported DVSA bank includes source-checked Lanekind learning corrections. These corrections are not newly issued official examination questions, and practice does not reproduce a live test paper.

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Your vehicle may suddenly accelerate

The endurance brake will come on

You won't be able to brake

You could lose control of your vehicle

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You could lose control of your vehicleThis was the right answer

An abrupt downshift at speed can impose strong retarding force through the driven wheels and destabilise the combination. Anticipate the need to slow, use the correct gear and avoid abrupt gear changes, especially when lightly loaded.

Reviewed reading for this question

Brake before turning, not sharply in the bendReviewed guidance summary · Excess speed and abrupt slowing destabilise a loaded or unladen combination. The correction removes an unsupported single main-cause statistic.

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