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100+ Free AF Commercial Driving Theory Practice Questions

Prepare for the Afghanistan Driving License Theory Test — Commercial & Heavy Vehicle exam with instant access — no signup required.

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Sample AF Commercial Driving Theory Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your AF Commercial Driving Theory exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1What is the primary function of the air compressor in a heavy commercial vehicle's pneumatic brake system?
A.To pump compressed air into the storage reservoirs (air tanks) to supply the braking system
B.To cool the engine cylinders during heavy braking
C.To provide hydraulic fluid pressure to the clutch
D.To inflate the cabin air conditioning system
Explanation: The air compressor is engine-driven and pumps air into the supply and service air reservoirs, maintaining adequate pneumatic pressure to operate the vehicle's air brake system.
2At approximately what pressure does the air compressor governor typically cut out (stop pumping air into the tanks)?
A.Around 120 to 125 PSI (approximately 8.3 to 8.6 bar)
B.Around 40 to 50 PSI
C.Around 250 to 300 PSI
D.Around 10 to 15 PSI
Explanation: The air compressor governor regulates air pressure. It cuts out when reservoir pressure reaches approximately 120–125 PSI (around 8.5 bar) and cuts back in when pressure drops to around 100 PSI.
3At what air pressure must the low air pressure warning device (buzzer or red light) activate in a commercial air brake vehicle?
A.Before air pressure drops below approximately 60 PSI (around 4.1 bar)
B.Only when air pressure reaches 0 PSI
C.At 100 PSI
D.Only when the vehicle comes to a complete halt
Explanation: Air brake systems are built so that a warning light and/or buzzer alerts the driver while pressure is still usable — conventionally around 60 PSI — giving time to stop safely before the spring brakes apply themselves. Learn the actual trigger pressure for the vehicle you drive from its manufacturer's plate or handbook, as it varies between builds.
4Why must air brake storage tanks be drained daily of water and oil accumulation?
A.Water and oil sludge can freeze in cold weather, block valves, corrode components, and cause brake failure
B.To reduce vehicle total weight for fuel economy
C.To allow fresh fuel to enter the air brake lines
D.Draining tanks is only required once every 5 years during major overhauls
Explanation: Compressed air contains moisture and oil vapors. If not drained daily via the manual drain petcocks, moisture collects in tanks, causing valve corrosion and freezing solid in sub-zero winter temperatures, leading to total brake failure.
5What happens when air pressure in a heavy vehicle's pneumatic system drops completely to zero while driving?
A.The powerful mechanical spring parking brakes (maxi brakes) automatically engage and lock the rear wheels
B.The brakes release completely, leaving the vehicle to coast with no retardation
C.The service brakes continue to work normally from a reserve air supply
D.The engine shuts down automatically and the vehicle rolls to a halt
Explanation: Heavy commercial vehicles use spring brakes held back by air pressure. If air pressure drops below roughly 20–30 PSI, the compressed mechanical springs overcome the air chambers and lock the rear brakes automatically.
6What is 'off-tracking' (swept path) in a long semi-trailer or articulated truck?
A.The rear wheels of the trailer follow a shorter path and track inside the turning radius of the front steering wheels
B.The trailer slides sideways off the road on ice
C.The truck leaves paved highway to drive on dirt tracks
D.The steering wheels turn in the opposite direction of the steering column
Explanation: Off-tracking occurs because the fixed rear axles of a trailer take a tighter radius than the steering tractor axles. On sharp corners, the rear trailer wheels track significantly inside the path of the front wheels.
7When making a sharp right turn with a long articulated truck at a narrow city intersection, how should you position your vehicle?
A.Keep the rear of the vehicle close to the right curb initially and swing wide into the intersection (button-hook turn) only as you complete the turn
B.Swing wide to the left before beginning the turn (jug-handle turn), leaving a wide open gap on your right for cars to squeeze in
C.Cut the corner as tightly as possible across the pedestrian sidewalk
D.Turn from the extreme left lane without looking at right mirrors
Explanation: To prevent other vehicles from squeezing into the blind gap on your right (jug-handle trap), maintain your position close to the right curb until entering the intersection, then swing the tractor out wide as you make the turn (button-hook turn).
8Where are the primary 'No-Zones' (large blind spots) located around a heavy commercial truck or bus?
A.Directly in front, directly behind the trailer, and along both sides (especially the right side)
B.Only directly underneath the engine compartment
C.Only in the driver's left-side mirror
D.Heavy trucks with panoramic mirrors have zero blind spots
Explanation: Commercial vehicles have large blind spots: up to 6 metres directly in front, up to 60 metres directly behind, and along both flanks (the right side being significantly larger due to driver cab position in right-hand traffic).
9What is the proper method for securing loose bulk cargo (such as sand, gravel, or soil) in an open-top dump truck?
A.Level the load below the sideboards and cover completely with a securely fastened tarpaulin (tarp)
B.Pile the aggregate as high as possible in a pyramid shape without covering
C.Wet the surface with water so wind cannot blow particles away
D.Drive faster so aggregate settles into the truck bed
Explanation: Bulk loose materials must be leveled below the top of the sideboards and covered completely with a heavy tarpaulin secured with tie-downs to prevent debris from blowing off and shattering following vehicle windshields.
10What is Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) / Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)?
A.The total maximum legal weight of the fully loaded vehicle, including chassis, body, fuel, driver, and cargo
B.The weight of the empty vehicle with zero cargo or fuel
C.The weight of the cargo alone
D.The maximum weight allowed on the front steering axle only
Explanation: Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) is the total maximum operating weight of the vehicle and everything inside it (tare weight of the vehicle + maximum payload + driver + fuel). Operating above registered GVM is illegal.

About the AF Commercial Driving Theory Exam

This is the theoretical half of the driving examination administered by the General Directorate of Traffic (Polic-e-Rah) for Afghanistan's commercial licence grades: Grade 3 (category C) for goods vehicles above 3,500 kg, Grade 2 (category D) for passenger vehicles with more than eight seats, and Grade 1 (category E) for articulated and trailer-drawing vehicles, whose holder may also drive Grades 2, 3, and 4. It covers the Road Traffic Law of Afghanistan (Official Gazette 484) — including the Article 7 dimension and weight limits and the special permit for oversize movements, the Article 34 and 35 transport activity licences, and the Article 27 classification of accidents — together with the operation of air brake systems, cargo securement, off-tracking, and brake management on high passes such as the Salang.

Assessment

A theoretical examination on the Road Traffic Law and the operation of heavy vehicles, taken alongside a practical driving test in the relevant grade. Both must be passed before the licence is issued.

Time Limit

not-published

Passing Score

Not published — assessed by a commission designated by the traffic administration

Exam Fee

AFN 720 total under the Regulation on Issuing Driving Licences (confirm the current tariff locally) (General Directorate of Traffic (Polic-e-Rah), Ministry of Interior Affairs)

AF Commercial Driving Theory Exam Content Outline

31% of our practice bank

Heavy Vehicle Operations, Air Brakes, and Mechanical Inspection

Air compressor and governor, reservoir draining and air dryers, low-pressure warning, spring brakes as a fail-safe, tractor protection valve, trailer supply and service lines, fifth-wheel and gladhand coupling, slack adjusters, and walkaround inspection.

22% of our practice bank

Cargo Securing, Weight Limits, Axle Loads, and Dangerous Goods

Gross vehicle mass and axle loading, fore-and-aft and lateral weight distribution, tie-downs and working load limits, headerboards, chain handling, liquid surge in part-filled tankers, livestock, and hazardous-goods paperwork and placards.

21% of our practice bank

Mountain Passes, Brake Management, and Emergency Response

Selecting the descent gear before starting down, thermal brake fade, engine and exhaust retarders and when to switch them off, runaway escape ramps, jackknife recovery, front blowout control, wheel fires, tunnels, and winter ice on the Salang.

14% of our practice bank

Commercial Regulations and Public Transport

Article 7 vehicle dimension and weight limits and the special permit for exceeding them, Article 34 and 35 transport activity licences, Article 27 accident classification, Article 13 driver fitness including fatigue, roadside inspection powers, and passenger bus safety equipment and aisles.

12% of our practice bank

Manoeuvring, Off-Tracking, Blind Spots, and Spatial Awareness

Off-tracking and the swept path of a trailer, button-hook right turns, blind zones front, rear, and along both flanks, reversing with a ground guide, extended following distance, and the handling of bobtail tractors and empty trailers.

How to Pass the AF Commercial Driving Theory Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Not published — assessed by a commission designated by the traffic administration
  • Assessment: A theoretical examination on the Road Traffic Law and the operation of heavy vehicles, taken alongside a practical driving test in the relevant grade. Both must be passed before the licence is issued.
  • Time limit: not-published
  • Exam fee: AFN 720 total under the Regulation on Issuing Driving Licences (confirm the current tariff locally)

Keys to Passing

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

AF Commercial Driving Theory Study Tips from Top Performers

1Learn the five Afghan licence grades and which vehicles each covers — the commercial grades are 3 (C), 2 (D), and 1 (E), and Grade 1 subsumes the ones below it.
2Study the air brake system as a chain: compressor, governor, wet tank, dry reservoirs, service circuit, spring brakes, and tractor protection valve — then learn what fails when each link fails.
3Remember that losing air pressure applies the brakes rather than releasing them; the spring brakes are a fail-safe, which is why a slow leak is an emergency.
4For the Salang and other long descents, choose the gear before you start down. A truck that is already too fast cannot get back into gear.
5Learn Article 7's rule that oversize and overweight movements need a special permit from the traffic administration, and Articles 34 and 35 on transport activity licences for buses and taxis.
6Treat the technical figures in this bank — governor pressures, leak-down rates, pushrod stroke, tread depths — as industry conventions to check against your own vehicle's plate and handbook, since the Road Traffic Law does not publish them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which licence grades cover commercial and heavy vehicles in Afghanistan?

Grade 3 (category C) covers goods vehicles with a total weight above 3,500 kg, Grade 2 (category D) covers passenger vehicles with more than eight seats besides the driver, and Grade 1 (category E) covers articulated and trailer-drawing transport vehicles. A Grade 1 holder may also drive Grade 2, 3, and 4 vehicles.

What is the minimum age for a commercial driving licence in Afghanistan?

Article 12 of the Road Traffic Law sets 18 years for the issue of a driving licence and does not publish a higher figure for the commercial grades. Treat any higher age you see quoted as an administrative practice to confirm with the traffic directorate rather than a statutory rule.

What does the Road Traffic Law say about oversize or overweight vehicles?

Article 7(1) fixes maximum width, height, length, and total weight, and Article 7(2) requires a special permit from the traffic administration for a vehicle that exceeds them. Clause 1 was later rectified by a further Official Gazette notice, so confirm the figures in force before planning an oversize movement.

How does the Road Traffic Law classify traffic accidents?

Article 27 divides accidents into minor, middle, and heavy according to the severity of injury and the value of the financial loss. For a minor accident the traffic police register a statistical form only; for middle and heavy accidents they must attend, report the scene, collect the facts, and assess the accident.

In which languages is the official examination conducted?

The examination is administered by the General Directorate of Traffic in Afghanistan's official languages, Dari and Pashto. This practice bank is an English-language multiple-choice study adaptation. It is not an official translation, not a simulation of the official paper's format or language, and not a substitute for the practical driving test or for hands-on vehicle training.