Driving School Notes

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0771 731 133 / 0715 326 571

SERIES DRIVING SCHOOL


ORAL DRIVING LESSONS: NOTES
Rule of the Road
The cardinal rule of the road says keep left and give way to a car coming from the right, unless at
a controlled intersection
Age Grouping
a) The legal age for driving a vehicle is 16 YEARS
b) The legal for driving heavy vehicle is 18 – 70 years
c) The legal age for driving a public service vehicle is 25 – 70 years
Classes of vehicles
a) Class 1 - Buses (Heavy Vehicles)
b) Class 2 - Trucks, Lorries e.t.c (Heavy Vehicles)
c) Class 3 - Motorcycle (Light vehicles)
d) Class 4 - Light Motor Vehicles
e) Class 5 - Tractors, Graders, Compactors (Heavy Motor Vehicles)
NB
A heavy vehicle has a minimum net mass of 2 300kg and above
Class 1
Must have held class 2 or 4 driver’s Licence for a period of 5 years. Legal age 25 – 70 years
 These are buses that carry passengers
 Fall under heavy vehicles
 Minimum net mass of 2 300kg
 The driver must be 25 years of age and above
 It is a public service vehicle (PSV) therefore the driver must be medically examined
 The vehicle bus must have a certificate of fitness valid fpr six months
 Most important in a bus are passengers
Class 2
Legal age 18 – 70 years
 Generally trucks that are used to ferry goods
 Minimum age to drive a truck is 18 years

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 The minimum net mass is 2 300 kgs (heavy vehicle)
 Trucks are allowed to pull not more than three trailers
 The driver must have eight red reflective triangles (2 for each trailer and 2 for the horse)
 Safety chains are used to join trailers
Motor Cycle Class 3
 Allowed to carry one passenger only
 Must be fitted with foot rests
 It has no provision to carry a fire extinguisher
 If it has an engine capacity of 3 500cm3 and above it must be fitted with a crash bars
 It’s a must: Driver to wear a crash helmet
 When on road, the driver must use the centre lane even on towing
 Does not put an L. Plate when on high way
Light Motor Vehicles: Class 4
Minimum age 16 years
 Maximum mass of 2 300kg
 Driver and passengers to put on safety belts if provided
 On reversing, drive exempted from putting on a safety belt
 Metered taxis fall under this class but are also public service vehicles
Class 5
 These are Tractors, Compactors, Graders and other Earthmoving vehicles
 They fall under heavy vehicles
Permit
A permit is a special permission or consent given to an individual to drive a tractor. It is no ….
Therefore for an individual cannot drive other vehicle in class 5. It can be used mining set up but
not on public road
For all Vehicles
All vehicles must be fitted with red reflectors at the back and white in front
Must be registered, insured and licensed before use in public roads
Must be checked underneath before take off
Red reflective triangle is placed 30 – 50 metres behind the broken down vehicle
Forbidden to park less than 7,5 from a corner
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Following other vehicles
For every 15km / hr you are travelling at, leave a gap equal to one car length. There if travelling
45km / hour, we divide 45 by 15 = 3 car length
The formula is speed over 15 = number of car length
Shortest Stopping Distance
Speed Reaction Distance Braking Distance Overall
40 km/hr 5.6m 12.4m 18m
60 km/hr 8.3m 27.7m 36m
120 km/hr 16.7m 113.3 130m
This is calculated to leave sufficient space in case of emergencies to avoid hitting other vehicles
from (pile up)
Robots
The correct sequence of a robot is Green – Amber – Red. The robot goes clockwise, therefore the
sequences are: Amber – Red – Green or Red – Green – Amber.
The robot therefore circulates clockwise and never anti-clockwise.
Intersections
Intersection is a cross road. There are controlled and uncontrolled intersections.
Intersections may be controlled by:
1. Robot - controlled intersection
2. Giveway sign – Giveway controlled intersection
3. Stop sign – Stop sign controlled intersection
4. Policeman – Policemen controlled intersection
The absence of the four makes the intersection plain or uncontrolled, therefore referred to as Plain
or Uncontrolled intersection
1. Robots Controlled Intersection
Follow the sequence of a Robot / Robots lights
 Green – Proceed with caution
 Amber – Prepare to stop
 Red – Stop
2. Giveway Sign Controlled Intersection
 Slowdown and giveway to all crossing Traffic

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3. Stop Sign
 Stop and giveway to all crossing traffic
4. Policeman Controlled Intersection
 Follow the signal of a policeman
5. Plain / Uncontrolled Intersection
 Giveway to a car coming from the road on your right
6. At a Flashing Amber, It means the Robot is not working therefore it becomes a plain or
uncontrolled Intersection. Giveway to a car from the road on your right.
General
1. Blind spot – an area not covered by your rearview mirror. You clear it by checking over
your shoulders, left shoulder when turning left, right shoulder when turning to the right
2. In rural areas always give way to a car that enters the junction before you
3. You overtake an animal drawn vehicle at by whichever side is safe to do so.
4. At a zebra crossing or at a pedestrian crossing zone – STOP and give way to all crossing
pedestrian
5. Speed limit in Urban Areas is 60km / hour for light vehicle and 40km per hour for heavy
vehicles
6. In open roads or highway – 120km/hour for light motor vehicles – 80km/hr for heavy
motor vehicle
7. When flashed by lights of an oncoming vehicle look slightly to the left to avoid dazzle
8. Steering wheel is allowed not more than 45oc of free play
9. A detour is a temporary, therefore follow direction arrows
10. When going downhill, engage to lower gear as they have a breaking braking effect
11. When going uphill, engage to lower gear as they have power to pull through
12. When meeting a learner drive displaying an “L” plate, exercise extreme caution. A learner
is never wrong in any Court of Law
13. Direction arrows used in conjunction with stop or transverse lines have a regulatory effect
14. At a rounder bout giveway to a car that is already circulating and indicate when leaving
the rounder bout
15. Head lights on at 5:30pm – 6:30am
16. Safety belts were introduced in 1980 in Zimbabwe

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Traffic Signs and Signals : Divided Into Five groups Namely:
1) Danger Warning Signs
2) Regulatory Signs
3) Informative Signs
4) Traffic Light Signals
5) Road Carriage markings

Danger Waning Signs


The signals or the sign of a danger warning sign is a red rectangle, solid or hollow

Please note the following marked signs


1) The three signs are basically curves simple curve, sharp curve or double curve ahead. Pay
special attention to warning of a sharp curve ahead

2) Warning of narrow bridge ahead.


- The question is structured in this manner: this is warning of a ____?
(a) Width restriction sign (b) Height restriction sign (c) Weight restriction sign.
The answer is (a) since it is a narrow bridge
3) (a) Warning of a steep descent ahead. Now the question says, on approaching this sign,
which gear should you engage. You engage lower gears since they have a breaking effect
4) Warning of steep ascent ahead: which gear would you engage? You engage
5) Warning of a slippery road ahead, exercise extreme caution
6) Vehicle check ahead, slowdown and expect to be stopped rather than to be checked,
because you have to stop before you are checked
7) Warning of a road works ahead, so slowdown and exercise caution
8) Warning of a physical Baler ahead, this can be inform of a tree or large boulder that has
blocked the road. It can be a bridge that has been washed away by the water. The question
says, what does this sign mean?
9) Warning of a stop or giveway sign ahead, the question says, what does this sign mean?
10) Warning of a robot ahead, the question says, in which class is this sign. Note that it has no
…………

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Regulatory Signs
In this class we find the do’s and don’ts. They are derived from regulations and have the force law
and therefore are mandatory signs. The sign or the insignia is a red circle
1) Railroads level crossing: the question says in which class is this sign?
2) Turning of the right prohibited: the question says what does this sign mean
3) What is the speed limit on the section of the road. The speed limit is 80km / hour because
all other road speed limit is 60km/hour. Therefore its an Urban Setup
4) Warning of a stop sign you stop and giveway to all crossing traffic
5) Warning of a giveway sign ahead. At a giveway sign you slowdown and giveway to all
cross traffic. You may not necessary have to stop
6 & 7) On approaching this sign who should give way to stop cyclist, vehicles ………..
Informative Signs
These are also referred to as direction signs as they show the direction to proceed ……
1) Speed de-restriction sign: the question says what does this sign mean?
2) Cycle Track sign: in which class is this sign?
3) What colour is a one way sign?
Go through other signs for your information and understanding
Traffic Light Signals
Important are robots.
NB all lights used on roads are referred to as traffic lights signals.
Robots rotate clockwise. It follows that the sequence of a robot rotates clockwise. Any movement
or rotation anti-clockwise starts is incorrect sequence, the correct sequence is
Green – Amber – Red, other sequences are Amber – Red – Green and Red – Green – Amber.
Green Arrows allow you to proceed in the direction indicated by the arrow even when used I n
conjunction with red lights.
A flashing Amber is an indication that the robot is not working.
The intersection becomes a plain or uncontrolled intersection one where you give way to a car
from the right.

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Road carriage way markings
All markings on the tarmac or surface of the road are referred as carriageway markings
Edge Lines: Mark the edge of the road and are yellow in colour.
Longitudes Lines: Demarcates the centre of the road. Longitudinal lines can be cannot be broken
or continuous (solid). Solid lines are prohibitory in nature.
It is therefore on offence to cross such lines, when they are on your right hand side. Broken lines
can be crossed even on your right provided it is safe to do so.

Pedestrian Crossing Zone: You are required to stop and giveway to all crossing pedestrians.
Some giveway signs and stop signs are inscribed on the road surface making them road
carriageway marking.

Straight Ahead Arrow: For the cars that are proceeding straight up only

Left Turning Arrow: For the cars that are turning to the left only

Right Turning Arrow: For the cars that are turning to the right only

Stop Lines: Also referred to as transverse lines or mandatory lines or prohibitory lines.
They go across the road especially at a robot controlled intersections. They are prohibitory in
nature and crossing them without caution is an offence.

All the best

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