Rule 47: Horse-drawn vehicle standards
Horse-drawn vehicles used on the highway should be operated and maintained in accordance with standards set out in the Department for Transport’s Code of Practice for Horse-Drawn Vehicles. This Code lays down the requirements for a road driving assessment and includes a comprehensive list of safety checks to ensure that a carriage and its fittings are safe and in good working order. The standards set out in the Road Driving Assessment may be required to be met by a Local Authority if an operator wishes to obtain a local authority licence to operate a passenger-carrying service.
Advice, not law. This rule is not written in capitals, so breaking it is not an offence in itself — but it can still be used in evidence in court to establish liability. The rules that say MUST or MUST NOT are the ones backed by law.
5 theory test questions on this rule
From the DVSA revision question bank. These are not the questions asked in the real theory test. Each one shows the answer, the explanation, and our own note on why every other option is not it.
Car
Lorry & Bus (LGV/PCV)
- You're about to drive on a route where you'll be picking up wheelchair users. What must be checked before leaving the depot? Carrying passengers
- You're about to start a long journey midway through the day. What should you do if you notice that the sidelights work but the headlights are faulty? Vehicle condition
- Who must you inform if the load on your trailer hits a railway bridge? Vehicle loading
- Who must you tell when your vehicle collides with a bridge? Vehicle weights and dimensions