Want the full version? Download the comprehensive ADR Driver guide from checkpod.co.uk. This one's for reading in the cab over a brew, or as a refresher when something's gone hazy.
Colin the Compliance Cricket leaning against a curtain-sider with a Class 3 placard visible (orange flame on red). Mug of tea in one hand, ADR card in the other (with photo and class details visible but generic). Sunrise yard scene. Tone: relaxed authority. Same CheckPod green/dark navy palette.
What this is
You hold an ADR card. You've done the training. You know the job. This isn't here to teach you ADR — it's here so when you need to quickly remember which class needs eye-rinse, what the tunnel codes mean, what to do if a placard's wrong, you've got it close to hand.
The 30-second version:
- ADR card in your wallet. Right classes. Right tank flag. Not expired.
- Transport doc in the cab. IIW (4 pages) in the cab. Both — from July 2025.
- Equipment present and serviceable. Extinguishers especially.
- Placards correct when carrying. Removed or covered when not.
- Tunnel codes respected. Wrong tunnel + wrong load = catastrophe + criminal charge.
- In an incident: stop, isolate, call 999, signs out, hand docs to fire service, get out the way of specialists.
That's it. The rest is detail.
1. Your ADR card — the basics
5 years. SQA-issued. Photocard.
Check before each shift you do ADR work: - It's in your wallet - It's not expired - The classes you're carrying are on it - The tank flag is on it (if you're driving a tanker)
Lapsed card = full initial training again. Not a refresher. Plan ahead.
2. The 11 classes — driver's at-a-glance
| Class | Hazard | Common stuff | Headline driver concern |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Explosives | Fireworks, ammo, detonators | Heat / sparks / impact / friction. Class 1 is its own world. |
| 2.1 | Flammable gas | LPG, propane, acetylene, hydrogen | Ignition sources. BLEVE in fire. |
| 2.2 | Non-flam non-toxic gas | Nitrogen, oxygen, argon, CO₂ | Pressure. Asphyxiation in confined space. |
| 2.3 | Toxic gas | Chlorine, ammonia | Toxic release. Stay upwind. |
| 3 | Flammable liquid | Petrol, diesel, paint, solvent | Vapour travels. Static = ignition. |
| 4.1 | Flammable solid | Matches, sulphur | Burns vigorously. Heat trigger. |
| 4.2 | Spontaneously combustible | Phosphorus, oily seed cake | Air contact = fire. Package integrity. |
| 4.3 | Water-reactive | Sodium, calcium carbide | NO water on fire. |
| 5.1 | Oxidisers | Hydrogen peroxide, ammonium nitrate | Accelerates other fires. Segregate. |
| 5.2 | Organic peroxides | Various — often temp-controlled | Loss of cooling = runaway. |
| 6.1 | Toxic | Pesticides, cyanides | Skin/inhalation. Eye-rinse. PPE. |
| 6.2 | Infectious | Clinical waste, biosamples | Biohazard. Don't open. |
| 7 | Radioactive | Industrial sources, isotopes | Dose. Specific packaging. ONR. |
| 8 | Corrosive | Acid, alkali, hypochlorite | Skin/eye damage. Eye-rinse. PPE. |
| 9 | Misc (inc. lithium AND sodium-ion batteries) | Batteries, asbestos, env hazards | Lithium fires = thermal runaway. |
Same grid as the TM/FM Simplified guide — the 11 class diamonds correctly drawn and labelled. Driver-friendly version with a quick "if you see this, expect..." note next to each. Colin in the corner saying "Know what you're carrying, mate."
3. Documents in the cab — every ADR shift
- Driving licence
- DQC (Driver CPC card)
- ADR Driver Training Certificate (the photocard)
- Tacho card
- Today's walkaround record
- Transport document(s) — for every consignment, in the cab from July 2025
- IIW — current 4-page model, in language you can read
- VTG15 if your vehicle is EX/II, EX/III, FL, AT, OX, or MEMU
- Vehicle docs (insurance, MOT, V5)
- Multilateral agreement copy if your operation uses one
- Customer paperwork (delivery notes, induction cards)
4. The IIW — Page 4 is the one you check daily
The Instructions in Writing is your in-cab emergency reference. 4 pages, standard UNECE model, in language(s) you can read.
Page 1 — actions in an emergency. The list of what to do.
Pages 2 + 3 — guidance per class. Reminders of hazard characteristics.
Page 4 — mandatory equipment list. This is the one you check the cab + lockers against every shift.
Stylised representation of IIW Page 4 with the mandatory items visible: warning vests, wheel chocks, warning signs, eye-rinse, gloves, eye protection, torch, drain seal, shovel, bucket. Each item with a tick box. Colin in the corner saying "Run this before every ADR shift."
Always required (transport unit): - 1 wheel chock per vehicle (so 2 for an artic) - 2 self-standing warning signs (triangles or cones) - Eye-rinse (most loads — exceptions for some explosives/gases)
Always per crew member: - Hi-vis warning vest - Pocket lamp (ATEX-rated for flammable atmospheres) - Protective gloves - Eye protection
For danger labels 3, 4.1, 4.3, 8, 9: - Drain seal (sheet, commercial seal, or absorbent sausage) - Shovel (plastic preferred) - Collecting container/bucket
For toxic gas / certain 6.1: - Emergency escape mask (per IIW)
5. Fire extinguishers — the most-failed item
| Vehicle weight | Total minimum |
|---|---|
| ≤ 3.5t | 4kg (commonly 2 × 2kg) |
| 3.5 - 7.5t | 8kg, of which one ≥ 6kg |
| > 7.5t | 12kg, of which one ≥ 6kg + 2kg cab unit |
Common HGV: 2kg cab + 6kg + 6kg = 14kg.
Check on every extinguisher:
✓ CE/UKCA mark ✓ Seal intact ✓ Pin in place ✓ Inspection date legible AND in the future ✓ Pressure gauge in the green (where fitted) ✓ Accessible (not buried, not blocked) ✓ Weather-protected
6. Placards and orange plates
Orange plates (front and rear): - Plain orange = packaged DG carriage - Numbered orange (HIN top, UN bottom) = tank or bulk
Side placards (large class diamonds): - Tanks (all 4 sides) - Certain packaged loads - Bulk
Mixed loads: show all classes carried.
When NOT carrying DG: REMOVE OR COVER placards. A vehicle showing placards while empty is itself an offence.
Empty uncleaned tanks: keep placards until tank cleaned/decontaminated.
7. Tunnel codes — the route-planning bit
Tunnel categories (the tunnel itself):
- A = no restriction
- B = most restrictive
- C = significant
- D = moderate
- E = least restrictive
Goods codes (on your transport document):
- (B) / (B/D) / (B/E) — strictest
- (C) / (C/D) / (C/E) — intermediate
- (D) / (D/E) — common
- (E) — least restrictive
- (—) — no restriction
Format X/Y rule: first letter for bulk/tank, second for packaged.
So (D/E) = forbidden in D and E tunnels for bulk/tank, forbidden in E only for packages.
UK tunnel codes (verify before route):
- Mersey (Kingsway/Queensway): D
- Dartford: C
- Blackwall: E
- Eurotunnel: separate (more restrictive) policy
LQ and EQ goods: not subject to tunnel restrictions.
Simple diagram: a UK map outline with the major categorised tunnels marked (Mersey D, Dartford C, Blackwall E, plus 6 others). Colin holding a satnav saying "Cross-check before you commit. Wrong tunnel + wrong load = court."
8. Loading, segregation, securing — what changes
Pre-loading: - Vehicle bed clean — no incompatible residues - Equipment serviceable - For tanks: manhole closed, valves correct, discharge isolated
During loading: - Watch the load (or inspect after if site rules exclude you) - Verify packages: no leaks, no damage, no swelling - Verify labels match the transport document - Verify quantities
Segregation: - Some classes can't load together (Class 1 with most others; Class 5.1 with Class 3 in some cases; Class 8 acid with Class 8 base) - ADR Table 7.5.2.1 is the segregation reference — your DGSA's job - If something looks wrong, ask before loading. Don't guess.
Securing: - Same general standards: 0.8g forward, 0.5g sideways/rearward - Plus class-specific stowage (covered in your training)
Unloading: - Stay present (or accessible) during unloading - Empty uncleaned packaging stays regulated - Site procedure rules — follow it even when annoying
9. The 2025 changes you should know
Transport doc in the cab (from July 2025) — not on the package.
LQ drivers need ADR training (ADR 8.2.3 clarified). LQ-only drivers without ADR cards need to retrain.
Sodium-ion batteries (UN 3551-3558) — new UN numbers. The "lithium battery mark" is now the "battery mark" (covers both).
11 new UN numbers — including UN 3556 (Li-ion-powered vehicles), UN 3553 (disilane), UN 0514 (fire suppressants).
QR-code Tremcards — accepted as supplementary. The 4-page IIW remains mandatory in printed form.
Spill kits clarified mandatory for Class 3 carriage.
General equipment refresh urged — gloves, chocks, ATEX torches, absorbents, extinguishers — many operators completed this in 2024-2025; check yours did.
10. The roadside ADR check
Same general check plus:
- ADR card (presence, validity, classes, tank)
- Transport doc (in cab, content correct, tunnel code present where relevant)
- IIW (in cab, current 4-page model, language you can read)
- VTG15 if vehicle requires
- Placards/orange plates (correct or covered)
- Equipment per IIW Page 4 (extinguishers especially)
- Driver competence questions — can you describe what you're carrying, the headline hazard, and what you'd do in a fire?
Outcomes include the usual (clear / verbal / FPN / prohibition) plus referral to HSE for criminal prosecution under CDG 2009.
11. When something goes wrong — the IIW Page 1 routine
1. Stop. Brake. Engine off. Battery isolation if fitted.
2. No ignition sources. No smoking, flames, electrical activation. Even your phone in some atmospheres.
3. Call 999 / 112. Tell them: - Location (road, junction, what3words, mile marker) - Vehicle type (HGV, tanker) - What you're carrying (UN number, Proper Shipping Name — your transport doc has all this) - What happened (collision, fire, spill, smoke) - People involved - What you've done
4. Vest on. Warning signs out — front and rear, appropriate distance.
5. Documents accessible — IIW and transport doc ready for emergency services.
6. Public away.
7. Tackle minor incipient fires only — engine, cab, very early. Anything involving the load is beyond your kit and your training.
8. Significant release? Evacuate. Upwind, uphill if possible.
9. Hand documents to first responders on arrival.
10. Call your operator.
What you don't do: - Don't be a hero. Specialists are coming. - Don't move the vehicle unless safe and necessary. - Don't admit liability at the scene. - Don't speak to media.
After the incident: write down everything you remember, while it's fresh. Co-operate with investigations. Talk to someone — incidents stay with people. Mates in Mind, Samaritans, your GP, your union.
12. The personal welfare bit
Same as the General Driver guide, plus the ADR-specific stuff:
Higher consequence pressure. You know what's in the load. You know what happens if it goes wrong. That weight adds up over years.
Site isolation. Many ADR sites are remote, secured, low-population. Long hours alone in the cab between contacts.
Post-incident effects. Even a near-miss can stay with a driver for months or years. If you've been in something — talk about it.
Help:
- Mates in Mind — matesinmind.org. Free, confidential, transport-specific.
- Samaritans — 116 123. 24/7.
- GP for clinical support.
- Operator EAP if there is one.
- Your union if you're a member.
Medical conditions + DVLA: declare them. Hidden conditions end careers; managed conditions usually don't. Sleep apnoea, heart, diabetes, epilepsy, mental health, vision — DVLA reporting duty.
Site exposures: the cumulative low-level stuff matters too. Gloves on, eye protection on, hands washed before eating. Not just for major incidents — for the routine cumulative dose.
Numbers cheat sheet
| Thing | Number |
|---|---|
| ADR card validity | 5 years |
| Initial training | 5-7 days |
| Refresher | 3 days+ before expiry |
| Vehicle ≤ 3.5t fire ext | 4kg total |
| Vehicle 3.5-7.5t fire ext | 8kg total, one ≥ 6kg |
| Vehicle > 7.5t fire ext | 12kg + 2kg cab |
| Wheel chocks | 1 per vehicle (2 for artic) |
| Warning signs | 2 self-standing |
| IIW pages | 4 (mandatory model) |
| Tunnel categories | A (no restrict) → B (most restrictive) → E (least) |
| LQ max gross/package | 30kg (most) |
| Eurotunnel | Separate policy |
Where to get more
- Comprehensive ADR Driver guide — checkpod.co.uk
- gov.uk — search "ADR", "instructions in writing", "tunnel categories"
- HSE Manual — hse.gov.uk/cdg
- Mates in Mind — matesinmind.org
- Samaritans — 116 123
CheckPod. Check it. Prove it. Drive it.
Built by people who actually drive the vehicles — including the ones with placards on.