Once you have applied for a learners license and been given a date for your learners test, purchase a K53 manual and start studying for it immediately. The test takes approximately one hour and you will be tested in three areas, these are; rules of the road, road signs and vehicle controls.
Learners License - Learn About the Rules of the Road
The rules of the road are there to ensure the smooth flow of traffic and stipulate rules such as:
● which side of the road to drive on (left-hand side)
● when you may overtake
● who has right of way
● traffic control at intersections and traffic circles
● driving signals
● when to overtake
● speed limits
● parking a vehicle
This section usually consists of 30 questions and you will need to answer a total of 22 questions correctly in order to pass.
Learners License - Learn About Road Signs, Signals and Markings
Road signs, traffic signals and road surface markings are there to regulate an orderly traffic flow. They provide all the necessary information to road users, warn of any hazardous conditions ahead and give direction indicators of routes and destinations.
These can be:
● mounted on a pole on the side of the road
● mounted on an overhead structure
● painted on the road surface
● signals given by lights or people
Regulatory Signs
A regulatory road traffic sign may be a stop sign, speed limit sign, yield sign or traffic lights and are used to ensure road safety and efficient and orderly traffic flow.
Warning Signs
A traffic warning sign indicates a potential hazard ahead and should be responded to by a decrease in speed and special caution by road users. A warning sign can be a hazard sign indicating cattle on the road, a railway crossing, sharp bend in road or a no-through road.
Guidance Signs
Guidance signs are there to help with navigation and may indicate tourist places of interest, route markers and local direction signs.
Temporary Signs
Temporary signs usually have a yellow background colour with black signage or writing. These signs are to be obeyed and have priority over permanent signs. They may indicate, for example, road construction in progress or a temporary road closure.
Road Markings
Road marking are painted on the road surface in white, yellow or red. As with all road signs they must be obeyed at all times.
In this section, which usually consists of 30 questions, you will need to answer a total of 23 questions correctly in order to pass.
Learners License – Learn About Vehicle Controls
It is important to know the correct name and function of the various vehicle controls, such as the mirrors, clutch pedal, accelerator, brake pedal, gear lever and indicator stalk.
This section usually consists of 8 questions and you will need to answer a total of 6 questions correctly in order to pass.
In this article we have discussed what questions an applicant for a learners license in South Africa will be asked in the test. We have outlined the rules of the road, various road signs, traffic signals and road surface markings, and vehicle controls.
It is recommended that you practice for your learners license by completing past tests so that you are familiar with the rules of the road, know how to react, when you see road signs, signals and markings and the purpose and names of the vehicle controls.
The multiple choice learners license test takes approximately an hour to complete. It is important to check beforehand with your test centre when booking for your test whether they use a written test or a computer test so that you are well prepared.
Good Luck!
