Driving on today’s busy roads is dangerous and there are many accidents every day. If you want to be a lorry driver, you should make sure you undergo the best HGV Training possible at a centre which registered with the Driver Standards Agency (DSA). The HGV course will include a mixture of stringent practical and theory tests which are designed to make sure you have all the knowledge you need to drive safely on modern roads and motorways. There are two sets of regulations you will need to be familiar with and will be included in your HGV course. European Union (EU) regulations if you want to drive in Europe, andUK regulations for driving in theUK.
Manoeuvring a large vehicle is just one of the things you will learn on your HGV course. You will be taught that you need to consider other road users at all times. Some car drivers do not realise just how much room a lorry takes when making a turn at a roundabout for example. You will learn about braking distances. A heavy vehicle takes much longer to slow down than a car, and during your HGV course you will be taught the theory about braking distances before you put it into practice on the road. Driving laden and non laden vehicles is very different, as anyone who has driven a horse box or loaded van will tell you. The same vehicle will react differently to attempts to slow down quickly when it is laden than it will when not laden. Your HGV course will teach you all about laden and unladen vehicles and braking distances as well as how much load you are allowed to carry. Foreign regulations are different than in the UK, and if you are a foreigner taking an HGV course in theUK with the intention of driving in theUK, you will need to follow theUK regulations.
The weight of the unladen vehicle will dictate whether you can drive it or not. An HGV course which includes Class 2 training will allow you to drive a light goods vehicle up to 7.5 tonnes. If you successfully pass Class 1 training, you will be able to drive articulated lorries.
The costs of attending a HGV course are quite high, over a thousand pounds. Sometimes the government gives grants towards the training, and your HGV training centre will be able to provide you with information. Once you have your certificate, the HGV training centre may also be able to help with finding your first job as a professional lorry driver.
There are many HGV training centres in the UK and you will be able to find one near you by doing an internet search or looking in Yellow Pages. Before taking the HGV course, you will be required to take a medical and have a clean full car driving licence. Once you have successfully completed the HGV course, your car driving licence will be updated to reflect your new qualifications with a category C or category E, depending on which HGV course you have taken. You will then be able to seek work as a well paid lorry driver.