K53 Learners License Notes

Learners License: Overview

  • Before starting driving lessons on a public road, you need to present the instructor with a learner's license.
  • Apply at a Driving License Testing Centre (DLTC) using form LL1.
  • The learner’s license test covers:
    • Rules of the road
    • Use of vehicle controls

Validity & Requirements

  • Validity: The document does not state the specific validity period; please refer to official sources for the exact duration.
  • Minimum Age: The document does not state the specific minimum age, refer to official sources for this information.
  • Disqualifying Factors:
    • Addiction to drugs or excessive alcohol use.
    • Uncontrollable epilepsy.
    • Conditions causing muscular coordination problems.
    • Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus.
    • Holding a valid license for the same vehicle class already.
    • Suspension or cancellation period of a previous license not yet expired.

Application Requirements

  • A valid South African passport, identity card.
  • Pass the eye test at the testing center or provide a valid eye test report from an optometrist.
  • Demonstrate the ability to operate and control a vehicle without endangering public safety (Deafness is not considered a defect).

Testing Method

  • The theory test is a multiple-choice test.
  • Can be administered via computer or as a pen-and-paper test.
  • Pen-and-Paper Test Materials: A book of questions, an answer sheet, a road sign chart, and a book showing road layouts and vehicle controls.

Test Composition:

The test generally consists of 64 questions spread across the syllabus:

  • Rules of the road: 28 questions (Pass mark: 22)
  • Road signs, signals, and markings: 28 questions (Pass mark: 23)
  • Controls of the vehicle: 8 questions (Pass mark: 6)

Controls of the Vehicle

  • Vehicle controls include items like the steering wheel (handlebars for motorcycles), brakes, clutch pedal, accelerator pedal, speedometer, etc.
  • You must know the function of all vehicle controls.
  • Although designs vary across vehicles, their functions remain the same.

Motor Vehicle Controls

  • Rear-view Mirror & Exterior Mirrors: Check if it's safe to move.
  • Indicator: Signal intention to change direction/turn.
  • Steering Wheel: Turn or change direction.
  • Parking Brake: Ensure the parked vehicle remains stationary.
  • Clutch & Gear Lever: Select a gear.
  • Accelerator: Increase speed.
  • Foot Brake: Stop or reduce speed suddenly.

Motorcycle Controls

  • Mirror: Check if safe to move.
  • Indicator Switch: Signal intention to turn.
  • Handlebars: Steer in a particular direction.
  • Rear Brake Pedal: Ensure motorcycle remains stationary.
  • Clutch & Gear Lever: Select gears and disengage the engine for gear change.
  • Accelerator (Throttle): Increase or decrease speed.
  • Front & Rear Brake Levers: Control speed or stop suddenly.

Regulatory Signs

Control Signs

  • Tell you where to stop, where to yield, in which direction to drive, and what special rules apply.
  • Permanent control signs are red and white, sometimes with black symbols, and come in a variety of shapes.
  • Specific signs detailed:
    • Stop Sign: Stop in line with the sign or before the line; come to a complete halt and move only when safe.
      *Give way to any pedestrians on or about to enter the pedestrian crossing
    • Pedestrian Priority Area: Vehicles may enter only for deliveries or emergencies and must yield to pedestrians, not exceeding 15km/h unless otherwise signed.
    • Single Carriageway Ahead (Manual Sign): Manually operated STOP/GO sign; stop when necessary and proceed cautiously when GO is displayed.
    • One-Way Carriageway: Indicates direction of the one-way street (left, right, or straight ahead).
    • No entry: No vehicles may enter this road at any time

Command Signs

  • Give instructions; specify actions that must be taken.
    • Specific signs detailed:
    • Switch on Headlights: Indicates you must switch on your headlights to see and be seen, use dip position.
    • Drive to the Side of Obstruction: Indicates which side to drive on to avoid an obstruction.
    • Mandatory Direction: Indicates the direction in which you must proceed.
    • Move in Clockwise Direction: Indicates users must move in a clockwise direction at the junction.
    • Specific signs for dedicated lanes: taxis, buses, goods vehicle, pedestrians and cyclists.

Prohibition Signs

  • Prohibit certain actions or classes of vehicles; indicate what you may or may not do.
  • White disc-shaped with a red border; temporary versions have a yellow disc.
    • Specific signs detailed:
    • No Turns: Prohibit vehicles from turning left, right, or making a U-turn.
    • No Stopping: Prohibit drivers from parking to ensure traffic flow; prevents impaired views.
    • No Parking: Prohibit drivers from parking at any time.
    • No Overtaking: Prohibit vehicles from overtaking for a specified distance.
    • Noise Prohibition: Restricts vehicles with high noise levels.
    • No Use of Hooter: Prohibits the use of a vehicle's hooter within a specified distance.
    • Pedestrian and Stationary Vehicle Prohibition: Prohibits pedestrians and stationary vehicles.
    • No Picking Up Passengers: A driver of a vehicle may not pick up passengers for the next 500m.
    • Motorcycle Restrictions: Prohibit motorcycles on a part of a carriageway.
    • Hawker Prohibition: To prohibit hawkers in this area during any time of the day or night.

Reservation Signs

  • Reserve lanes, roadways (R), or parking areas (P).
  • Rectangular blue and white signs indicating reserved usage.
    • Specific signs detailed:
    • Lanes reserved for specific classes of vehicles (e.g., buses, authorized public transport).
    • Stop zones reserved for specific vehicles (identified by symbol and logo).
    • Parking areas reserved for specific users (e.g., vehicles carrying people with disabilities, authorized vehicles, police vehicles).
    • Time-limited parking reservations.

Limit Prohibition Signs

  • Set specific limits permitted on the road; exceeding such limits is prohibited; similar in shape and color to Prohibition signs, but without a diagonal red line.
    • Specific signs detailed:
    • Maximum Speed Limit: Indicates the maximum speed allowed.
    • Height Limit: Temporary height restriction including road surface and antenna.
    • Gross Vehicle Mass Limit: Indicates the maximum allowed weight.
    • Width Limit: Indicates the maximum allowed width.
    • Length Limit: Indicates the maximum length of vehicle allowed, including trailers and projections.
    • Gross Axle Mass Load Limit: Indicates the maximum load allowed per axle (2 t).
    • Access temporarily limited to authorize vehicles only.

Comprehensive Signs

  • Indicate that a comprehensive set of regulations must be adhered to on the roadway ahead.
    • Residential Area: Access permitted, but not allowed to drive through without stopping, speed limit of 30km/h30 km/h, pedestrians have right of way, vehicles over 3500kg3500 kg or more than 10 seats not allowed except for local access.
    • Dual/Single-Carriage Freeway Begins: Rules apply to all freeways; hand signals prohibited except in emergencies. Drivers in the far right lane should move to the left when being overtaken; stopping prohibited except in emergencies or designated areas; learner drivers allowed if accompanied by a licensed driver. Certain users not allowed includes: pedestrians, animal-drawn vehicles, animals (unless in reserved areas), pedal cycles, motorbikes <=50cc, adapted vehicles for disabled people, tractors.

De-Restriction Signs

  • Cancel restrictions; a red cross over a road sign indicates that a restriction, a command, or set of regulations no longer applies.

  • Examples cited:

    • End of toll road.
    • No longer need to drive with headlights switched on.
    • Vehicle mass restriction no longer applies.
    • End of lane use reservation.
    • End of dual/single carriage freeway and associated rules.
    • End of residential area restrictions.

Selective Restriction Signs

  • Apply rules selectively based on time, direction, vehicle class, or conditions; displayed beneath other regulatory signs.

  • Examples cited:

    • Restrictions apply during specified times or days.
      • Applies during day time only.
      • Applies at night only.
    • Restrictions apply only when proceeding left.
    • Restrictions apply only to mini-buses.
    • Parking only allowed if you pay the parking fee.
    • Restrictions apply only to the operator as indicated.
    • Restrictions apply for the next 5km.

Combination Examples

  • 60-minute parking area requiring a parking fee.
  • U-turn prohibited at night.
  • Turn right at the next junction during these times.
  • Speed limit of 60km/h applies to motorcycles only.
  • No right turn by buses allowed at the next junction.
  • Goods vehicles must travel at 50km/h or faster.
  • Overtaking prohibited for the next 2km.

Traffic Signals

  • Steady red disc
  • Flashing red disc
  • Steady yellow disc
  • Steady green disc
  • Steady bus/tram
  • Steady red man
  • Flashing red man
  • Steady green man
  • Steady yellow arrow
  • Steady green arrow
  • Pedal cyclist signals
  • Flashing red arrow left
  • Flashing green arrow
  • Overhead Signals: A red cross would be shown to traffic from the opposite direction in that lane.

Warning Signs

Road Situations Ahead

  • Indicate potential dangers or hazards ahead on the road.

  • Examples cited:

    • Motor gate with cattle grid ahead.
    • Gate, railway boom or barrier ahead.
    • Tunnel ahead (switch on headlights, don’t overtake).
    • Steep downhill/uphill ahead (use lower gear if necessary).
    • Tarred road becomes gravel road (loose stones).
    • Temporary uneven, potholed, or bumpy road surface.
    • Speed humps ahead.
    • Road narrows from both sides or one side.
    • Slippery road ahead (especially when wet).
    • Falling rocks ahead (especially after rain).
    • General warning sign (with supplementary plate).
    • Jetty edge or river bank ahead, close to road.
    • Structure ahead that is less than 5m wide.
    • Vehicle length/height/width regulatory restriction ahead.
    • Hazard ahead (slow down and approach with caution).
    • Strong crosswinds ahead.
    • Surface step in the road surface ahead (temporary version).
    • Soft shoulder at road’s edge ahead (temporary version).
    • Loose stones on road surface ahead (temporary version).

Traffic Control Signs

  • Warn of regulatory traffic control signs or signals ahead.
  • May require yielding or stopping.
  • Examples:
    • Traffic lights ahead.
    • Stop sign ahead.
    • Yield sign ahead.
    • Traffic control officer ahead.
    • Scholar patrol ahead.
    • Police activity ahead.
    • Traffic lights out of order ahead.

Changes in Vehicle Movement Ahead

  • Warn of changes in vehicle travel direction ahead, such as curves and bends in the road.

Road Layout Changes Ahead

  • Warn of changes in the road layout ahead.
  • Examples:
    • Crossroad ahead.
    • Priority road with secondary crossroad ahead.
    • Secondary road with priority crossroad ahead.
    • T-junction ahead.
    • Skew T-junction ahead.
    • Side road junction ahead.
    • Staggered junctions ahead.
    • Sharp junction ahead.
    • Y junction ahead.

Moving Hazards Ahead

  • Warn of potential dangerous situations caused by vehicles crossing or entering the road, or by people or animals suddenly walking or running onto the roadway.
  • Examples:
    • Marked pedestrian crossing ahead.
    • Pedestrians ahead.
    • Children ahead.
    • Cyclist ahead.
    • Horses and riders ahead.
    • Horses ahead.
    • Cattle ahead.
      • Sheep ahead.
    • Wild animals ahead.
    • Warthogs ahead.
    • Elephants ahead.
    • Hippos ahead.
      • Trams ahead.
      • Agricultural vehicles ahead.
    • Road works ahead.
    • Grader working ahead.
    • Construction vehicles entering or crossing the road ahead.
    • Accident ahead.

Hazard Marker Plates

  • Indicate the position of a hazard or obstruction on or next to the roadway.
  • Examples:
    • Danger plate. Pass the hazard on the side to which the arrowhead points.
      • Marks the place and direction of a sharp bend in the road.
      • Marks the position of an overhead structure across the road.
      • Marks the position of a separation in the road (e.g. at a freeway exit).
      • Railway crossing. Extra lower plate indicates two or more railway lines.

Road ends indications:

*   Outward pointing arrows indicate where the road ends at a T-junction and you must turn either left or right.
*   Inward pointing arrows indicate that the road ends at this point and does not continue beyond the plate. You must turn back.
*   Two red and three yellow stripes indicate that the roadway beyond the barricade is temporarily closed

Combination Sign Examples

  • Advanced warning signs with supplementary plates.
  • Advanced warning signs in high visibility backgrounds.
  • Advanced warning signs with multiple combinations.

Information Signs

  • Provide information about the road ahead.
  • Help you plan your road and lane usage.
  • Examples:
    • High-speed freeway exit countdown signs (each white bar represents 100m to the exit).
    • No through road ahead.
    • Park and ride point.
    • Modal transfer (change your mode of transport).
    • Information center (local area, directions).
      *Supplementary information plates

Guidance Signs

  • Give guidance regarding the route and include, for example, distances and directions.
  • Different color combinations.
  • Location name symbols.
  • Direction sign symbols.
  • Location name examples.

Road Surface Markings

Regulatory Markings

  • Control the actions of drivers and regulate the flow of traffic.

  • Examples:

    • Stop line.
    • Yield line.
    • Pedestrian crossing.
    • Block pedestrian crossing.
    • No overtaking line.

  • No crossing double-line:

    • You may not allow any part of the vehicle to cross the line at any time. The two solid lines sometimes have a broken divided line between them.

  • Channelizing line between lanes of traffic moving in the same direction

    • You may not allow any part of the vehicle to cross the line at any time.

  • Yellow left edge marking:

    • You may not drive to the left of the yellow line, except when permitted to allow another vehicle to overtake (see rules of the road).

  • White right edge marking:

    • You may not drive or cross to the right of the white line. U-turns are NOT PERMITTED on freeways over the white edge line.

  • Painted island:

    • You may not drive or stop over the marking.
    • Park only in the demarcated area and not on any sidewalk or verge.
      Examples for exclusive parking like ambulances, buses, police in an emergency
    • Exclusive parking bay.
    • Mandatory direction arrows.
    • Lane reserved for buses or trams only.
    • Box junction.
    • You may not stop on this painted marking unless you are entering the
    • No stopping solid/broken red line.
    • You may not stop here during the time/s indicated on the
    • No parking solid yellow line.
    • No parking broken yellow line.
    • You may not park here during the time/s indicated on the
    • No motorcycles.
    • Mini-circle.
    • Disabled persons parking.
    • Exclusive use lane symbol.

Warning and guidance Markings

  • Examples:
    • Railway crossing ahead
    • Continuity line:
    • Lane line:
    • Dividing line:
    • Longer, thinner lines to warm that vehicles on the other side of the line arev
    • Reversible lane double lines:
    • Mandatory direction arrows ahead:
    • No overtaking or crossing line ahead:
    • End of exclusive use lane:
    • Furcation arrows:
    • Direction of travel indicators:
    • Cycle crossing:
    • Yield ahead:
    • Arrestor bed ahead:
    • Escape road ahead:
    • Speed hump:
    • Kerbing:

General rules

  • Mirror, blind spots
  • Following distance
    • When traveling fast
    • Traveling on a loose surface
  • Maximum speed limits

Divided Roads

  • When a painted marking or physical barrier divides a road, always stay on the left of the division.
  • You are only allow to cross this division if there is an opening or space allocated for this action.
  • It is a rule violation to drive across a solid dividing marking.
  • You may only drive across a broken dividing marking to overtake another vehicle or make a U-turn.

Overtaking

  • Do not overtake if overtaking is prohibited by a road sign or marking.
  • Do not overtake a vehicle that has stopped at a pedestrian crossing.
  • When overtaking a vehicle on the same direction on a narrow road, pass right and keep a safe following distance.
  • Do not drive on the shoulder/verge of the road when overtaking.
  • Do not overtake on a blind rise, curve or any other area where your view of the road ahead is limited.

Overtaking on the left

  • If it is safe to do so you may over take on the left when:
    • The vehicle ahead of you is turning right or has indicated to turn right.
    • The road is a one-way.

Being Overtaken

  • When being overtaken move over safely to the left to allow the other vehicle to pass, do notaccelerate until the other vehicle has passed
  • Being overtaken on a freeway: over if it is safe to do so.
  • Road Shoulders; Its in-between sunrise and sunset

Driving Signals

  • You must always indicate your intention to change direction, reduce speed or stop
  • Indicate clearly to be seen by other road users (using indicators, stop lights or hand signals)
  • Hand Signals
  • Hand signals may not be used on a freeway
  • Turning left
    • Before turning left, indicate in good time and keep as close as possible to the left side of the road
  • Turning right
    • Before turning right, indicate in good time and keep as close as possible to the right side of the road
    • Before starting turning into a two way road, cross the centre line so that you turn into the left side of the road

Parking

  • Always park within a demarcated bay and never on a sidewalk or verge
  • are not more than 450mm into the road way *Parking Distances Guide
    • 9m from A pedestrian crossing
    • 6m from A bridge,A constricted road
    • No stopping in/on or closer 5m from An intersection demarcated parking bay
    • No parking closer than 1.5m from of it
      · Other no-parking places In any no-stopping area On a pavement/sidewalk

Lights

  • When using any light or heavy motor vehicle on a public road; all lamps must be undamaged, unobscured, properly secured, and capable of being lit at all times.
  • The headlamps, rear lamps and number plate lamps must be kept lighted during the period:
    Between sunset and sunrise Or when vehicles upon the public road are not clearly discernible at a distance of 150 metres
    *Head lamps must emit a white light enabling the driver to see any person or object of at least 100m
    *Dipped Beams Must emit a white light enabling the driver to see any person/vehicle or object of a distance of at least 45m
    *Rear Lamps
    Stop Lamps (Brake Light)
    *Front and Rear Fog Lamps

General Duties

The driver must be seated to maintain control of the vehicle and have a clear view of the road ahead.
You may not:

  • Travel backwards further than is necessary
  • Follow another vehicle too closely
  • Allow another person or animal to interfere with your control of the vehicle
  • Allow another person to steer
  • Leave the vehicle unattended without setting the parking brake or using alternative methods to prevent the vehicle from moving
  • Allow any portion of your or passengers body stick out of the vehicle (except for hand signals)
  • Ride on the side or in any position which can be dangerous Leave the engine running if the vehicle is unattended
  • Drive, pull or push a vehicle onto a pavementFail to give way to emergency vehicles
  • Operate a communication device (cellphone or two way radio) you must use a hands free or headset

Seat belts

  • Seatbelts are compulsory to wear when in a moving vehicle. ages of 3 and 14 years, except when such person is taller than 1,5 metres, then he or she is regarded as an adult, irrespective of age.

Alcohol limit

  • Intoxicating liquor and narcotic drugs body is: 0,05 grams per 100ml of blood or more 0,02 grams per 100ml of blood or more in a case of a professional driver