South African Rules of the Road
The rules of the road section of the South African learner’s licence test consists of 30 questions, with a minimum score of 22 required for a pass.
- The most important rule of the road in South Africa is to keep your vehicle as close to the left hand side of the road as possible.
- Don’t exceed the speed limit.
- A vehicle with faulty brakes may only be towed with a tow bar (not a rope)
- A safe following distance is when you are able to bring your car to a halt without swerving to avoid the car in front of you if it suddenly stops.
- The general speed limit in a town or city is 60 km/h
- You may not leave your vehicle unattended while the engine is running.
- When changing lanes, the correct procedure is to check for other traffic, indicate and then check again before moving over.
- You are not allowed to stop within 5m of a bridge.
- You may only pass a vehicle on the left hand side if it is turning right and you are not forced to drive on the shoulder on the road to do so.
- The maximum speed which you are allowed to tow a vehicle with a rope is 30km/h
- If you arrive at a flashing robot you must stop first and only go when it is safe to do so.
- Give way right of way to an emergency vehicle sounding a siren on the road.
- You may not stop your vehicle closer than 6m to a pedestrian crossing.
- While being overtaken by another vehicle, keep to the left as far as is safe and don’t accelerate.
- You may not stop on a freeway unless a traffic sign or officer instructs you to do so.
- The maximum distance that your dim lights may shine in front of your vehicle is 45 m.
- Yield to oncoming traffic at an intersection when turning right.
- Your headlights must be switched on between sunset and sunrise and when visibility is less than 150 m in front of you.
- When arriving at a traffic circle, yield to vehicles already inside the circle.
- You may not stop closer than 5 m to a bridge.
- 24 hours is the max time you may park your car on a road outside urban areas.
- You may not pass a vehicle near the top of a hill, near a curve or when visibility is less than 100m.
- The pitch of your hooter must be consistent.
- A vehicle licence is only valid for 12 months.
- Seatbelts must be worn by all passengers.
- The tread of your tyres must be at least 1mm.
- It is illegal for a passenger to ride on the bonnet.
- The distance between 2 vehicles being towed may not exceed 3,5m.
- If you have a learner’s licence, there must be someone in the vehicle with a driver’s licence of the same vehicle class.