A car with worn tyres, a broken brake light or an empty washer tank can turn an ordinary drive into a risky one. That is why the category B driving test does not start with driving. It starts with a safety check (säkerhetskontroll), and why the theory test includes questions on tyres, lights and equipment.

The safety check on the driving test

According to Trafikverket, the driving test begins with a safety check of the car. The examiner tells you clearly what to check. It can include:

  • lights, indicators and reflectors
  • horn
  • wipers and washer fluid
  • steering and brakes
  • tyres and rims
  • fluid levels
  • warning systems

If you find a fault, you should be able to suggest what to do about it. If there is a part of the check you cannot physically do yourself, you can ask the examiner for help. Before driving off you also adjust the seat, head restraint, steering wheel, mirrors and seat belt.

Remember that the test car comes from Trafikverket or a driving school, so practise the check on the same model if you can. Know where the bonnet release is, where the washer fluid goes and how to read the dashboard warning symbols in the owner's manual.

Tyres and wheels

Transportstyrelsen sets these rules for cars:

  • Summer road conditions: at least 1.6 mm tread depth.
  • 1 December to 31 March: winter tyres or equivalent equipment are required when there are winter road conditions, with at least 3 mm tread. Winter road conditions means snow, ice, slush or frost on any part of the road. The police decide on the spot.
  • Studded tyres: allowed from 1 October to 15 April. A car may not use studded and non-studded tyres at the same time.

Transportstyrelsen also advises checking tyre pressure often, using the value in the owner's manual, and fitting the tyres with the most tread on the rear axle. Look for cuts, bulges and uneven wear while you are down there.

Lights

The rules in the Traffic Ordinance (Trafikförordningen 1998:1276):

  • The lamps and headlights required for the car must be on when you drive on a road (3 kap. 68 §).
  • Dipped headlights are the basic rule (3 kap. 69 §). Other lights, such as daytime running lights, may only replace them when it is not dark, dawn or dusk, and the weather does not require dipped headlights (3 kap. 71 §).
  • With daytime running lights in daylight, rear lights do not have to be on (3 kap. 68 §). In rain, snow or dusk, that is a good reason to switch to dipped headlights manually.
  • The rear fog light may only be used in fog, heavy precipitation or similar poor visibility (3 kap. 72 §).

A practical check: walk around the car with the lights on and the hazard lights flashing. For brake lights, ask someone to look, or use the reflection in a garage door or shop window.

Brakes, steering and fluids

These checks are mostly about noticing that something has changed:

  • The brake pedal should feel firm and stop at the same point every time.
  • The parking brake should hold the car still.
  • The steering should not pull to one side or have unusual play.
  • Washer fluid should be topped up, with a winter mix in cold weather.
  • Engine oil and coolant levels are checked against the marks in the owner's manual.

If a red warning light for brakes or oil pressure comes on while driving, the owner's manual will normally tell you to stop safely and investigate before continuing. Learn which symbols your test car uses.

Warning triangle and emergency equipment

Under 3 kap. 57 §, if your car has to carry a warning triangle, you must set it out when the car has stopped on the carriageway or hard shoulder because of an accident, engine failure or similar, where the speed limit is over 50 km/h and the car stands where stopping is prohibited, for example where it causes danger, in a tunnel, near a hill crest or a bend with blocked view, or on a motorway. You must also set it out when you have parked on the carriageway and weather or other conditions make the car hard for others to see in time.

Know where the triangle is stored before you need it. A reflective vest, a torch and, in winter, a scraper and brush are sensible extras, although not all of them are legal requirements.

The driver is part of the check

3 kap. 1 § of Trafikförordningen says you may not drive if illness, tiredness, alcohol or other substances mean you cannot drive safely. Before setting off, check yourself too: rested, sober, glasses on if your licence requires them, and windows clear of ice, snow and condensation.

Typical theory test traps

  • "1.6 mm is fine all winter." In winter road conditions from 1 December to 31 March, winter tyres with at least 3 mm are required.
  • Mixing tyres. Studded and non-studded tyres may not be used at the same time on a car.
  • Daytime running lights at dusk. Not allowed as a replacement for dipped headlights at dawn, dusk or in darkness.
  • Rear fog light in light rain. Only in fog, heavy precipitation or similar poor visibility.
  • Best tyres on the front. Transportstyrelsen advises the best tyres on the rear axle to reduce skidding.

FAQ

What does the examiner ask in the Swedish driving test safety check?

The examiner chooses what you check, for example lights, indicators, horn, wipers, washer fluid, brakes, tyres, fluid levels or warning systems. You should be able to suggest a remedy if you find a fault.

When must I have winter tyres in Sweden?

From 1 December to 31 March, when there are winter road conditions on the road. The minimum tread is 3 mm.

When must I put out a warning triangle?

When your car is stuck on the carriageway or hard shoulder after an accident or breakdown where the limit is over 50 km/h and stopping there is prohibited, or when it is parked on the carriageway and hard to see because of weather or other conditions.

Questions about tyres, lights and equipment are easy points once you know the numbers. Körkort Hero covers them in 16 languages, alongside the rest of the category B theory.

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