ACT Road Rules Handbook Vocabulary

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering licence classes, key terminology, traffic rules, and safety principles from the ACT Road Rules Handbook.

Class C Licence

A licence to drive a motor vehicle (other than a motorbike) with a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) not over $4.5\,\text{tonnes}$ that is constructed or equipped to seat not more than 12 adults (including the driver), a tractor or implement, or such a vehicle towing a single trailer with a GVM not over $9\,\text{tonnes}$.

Class LR Licence

Light rigid vehicle licence covering motor vehicles with a GVM over $4.5\,\text{tonnes}$ but not over $8\,\text{tonnes}$, or seating more than 12 adults with a GVM not over $8\,\text{tonnes}$, towing a single trailer with a GVM not over $9\,\text{tonnes}$.

Class MR Licence

Medium rigid vehicle licence covering motor vehicles with 2 axles and a GVM over $8\,\text{tonnes}$, towing a single trailer with a GVM not over $9\,\text{tonnes}$.

Class HR Licence

Heavy rigid vehicle licence covering rigid motor vehicles or articulated buses with 3 or more axles and a GVM over $8\,\text{tonnes}$, towing a single trailer with a GVM not over $9\,\text{tonnes}$.

Class HC Licence

Heavy combination vehicle licence covering a prime mover attached to a single semi-trailer plus any unladen converter dolly, or a rigid motor vehicle attached to a trailer with a GVM over $9\,\text{tonnes}$ plus any unladen converter dolly.

Class MC Licence

Multi-combination vehicle licence covering any motor vehicle or combination of vehicles, other than a motorbike.

Class R Licence

Motorcycle licence covering a motorbike or motor trike, or a motorbike towing a single trailer designed to be towed by a motorbike.

Public Vehicle Driver Authority Card (PVDAC)

A card issued to public vehicle licence holders that must be displayed in the public vehicle at all times when driving to provide visual assurance to passengers that the driver is authorised.

Vision Zero

A philosophy adopted by the ACT Government that prioritises human life and health, recognising physical human limits and designing the road transport system so that people will not be killed or seriously injured in a crash.

Safe System Approach

A technical methodology to achieve Vision Zero that relies on safe speeds, safe roads and roadsides, safe vehicles, and safe people and safe behaviours.

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)

A measurement of the amount of alcohol in a person's blood or breath, expressed in grams of alcohol per $100\,\text{mL}$ of blood or grams of alcohol in $210\,\text{L}$ of breath.

Standard Drink

A drink containing approximately $10\,\text{g}$ of alcohol, which takes the human body about one hour to eliminate.

Microsleep

A brief and unintended loss of consciousness lasting from a few seconds to a few minutes, characterised by head snapping, nodding, or closing eyes.

Form One Lane

A road merging situation where the lane separation line ends and two lanes of traffic merge into one lane, requiring the trailing vehicle to give way to the vehicle ahead.

Slip Lane

A branch of a road for the use of vehicles turning left at an intersection or T-intersection, where exiting drivers must give way to all traffic and pedestrians.

Wombat Crossing

A pedestrian crossing marked across a raised speed hump section of street designed to slow vehicle speeds and increase safety for pedestrians.

Three Second Rule

A method used to estimate a safe following distance by ensuring a gap of at least three seconds between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead under good conditions.

Reaction Time

The time and distance covered by a vehicle from when a driver identifies a potential hazard ahead to when they physically begin applying the brake.

Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)

A vehicle system designed to prevent wheels from locking during heavy braking, allowing the driver to maintain steering control and stability.

Inattentional Blindness

An event where a driver fails to register new and unexpected objects (such as pedestrians, cyclists, or motorcyclists) in their visual field, resulting in 'looked-but-failed-to-see' collisions.

Minimum Overtaking Distance Rule

A rule requiring drivers to keep a lateral space of at least $1\,\text{m}$ when overtaking a cyclist in speed zones at or below $60\,\text{km/h}$, and $1.5\,\text{m}$ in speed zones above $60\,\text{km/h}$.

Motorcycle Lane Filtering

The legal action where a fully licensed motorcyclist moves past stationary or slow-moving vehicles in the same lane at a speed not exceeding $30\,\text{km/h}$.

Emergency Information Panel

A warning panel on the back and sides of vehicles carrying dangerous loads containing chemical details, hazard classifications, and emergency contacts.

Transit Lane (T3)

A lane designated during specified hours for buses, taxis, hire cars, motorcycles, and motor vehicles carrying 3 or more occupants.

ACT Default Built-up Speed Limit

The default speed limit of $50\,\text{km/h}$ applying in built-up areas across the ACT unless a sign indicates a different limit.