Angola Practical Driving Test cheat sheet

Clutch bite point: the pedal travel where engine torque first reaches the wheels; hold there briefly before releasing fully to prevent stalling.

Manual gear choice follows road speed and load: 1st for pulling away and steep climbs, 2nd–3rd for built-up areas, top gear for steady cruising above roughly 60 km/h.

Steering is pull-push (hand-over-hand avoided): the hand opposite the turn direction pulls the wheel down while the other slides up, keeping both hands on the rim except when shifting.

Engine braking: releasing the accelerator in a low gear slows the vehicle without the footbrake and reduces brake fade on long descents.

Braking distance grows with the square of speed - doubling speed roughly quadruples the distance needed to stop.

On a stalled engine, depress the clutch, select neutral, restart, then re-engage first and find the bite point before releasing the handbrake.

Coasting (clutch held down or neutral) is a loss of control: the vehicle has no engine braking and reduced steering response on bends.

Steering wheel grip is at roughly 9-and-3 or 10-and-2; hands never cross the centre of the wheel during normal turns.

Mirror routine before any change of direction or speed: centre mirror, relevant side mirror, then signal - in that order.

Blind spot is the area beside and behind the vehicle not covered by mirrors; a shoulder (head) check is required before lane changes and pulling out.

Interior mirror gives the widest rear view; door mirrors are set so a sliver of the vehicle's own side is visible for reference.

At junctions, observation is left-right-left before entering; the last look goes toward the traffic that will reach you first.

When reversing, turn the head and look through the rear window; mirrors alone leave a low blind spot directly behind the boot.

A glance in the mirror every 5–8 seconds maintains a rolling picture of traffic behind without fixating.

Before opening a door on the traffic side, check the mirror and look over the shoulder for cyclists and motorcyclists.

Approaching a roundabout, check the mirror before slowing, and again before signalling to exit.

Red circles are prohibitions (no entry, speed limit, no overtaking); blue circles are mandatory instructions (turn direction, minimum speed).

Triangles with a red border are warnings (bend, junction, pedestrian crossing); rectangles are information or direction signs.

Solid white centre line: no crossing or overtaking; broken white line: overtaking permitted when safe and the line nearest you is broken.

A continuous yellow line at the kerb means no waiting at any time; a broken yellow line means no waiting during the times shown on the adjacent plate.

Traffic light sequence: red, red-and-amber, green, amber, red; amber means stop unless it is unsafe to do so.

A flashing amber at a pelican crossing means give way to pedestrians on the crossing but proceed if it is clear.

Octagonal red STOP sign requires a complete stop at the line regardless of whether traffic is visible; inverted triangle means give way.

Zebra crossing: pedestrians on the crossing have priority; approach prepared to stop and do not park within the marked approach area.

Unmarked crossroads: no automatic priority - approach slowly and give way to traffic already on the junction or approaching from the right where local rule applies.

At a T-junction, traffic on the through road has priority; the joining road gives way.

Roundabout: give way to traffic already circulating from the left (in right-hand-traffic countries, from the right); enter only when a gap is safe.

Roundabout lane rule: left lane for first exit and straight ahead, right lane for later exits unless markings say otherwise.

Signal left before your exit and check the left mirror before leaving the roundabout.

Turning right across oncoming traffic: wait for a safe gap; oncoming vehicles going straight or left have priority.

At a give-way line, stop only if necessary, but treat it as a stop if visibility is blocked - creep forward to see.

Emergency vehicles with sirens and blue lights: give way when safe; do not brake suddenly or mount the kerb into pedestrians.

Two-second rule: pick a fixed point, and the gap to the vehicle ahead should be at least two seconds in dry conditions.

Double the gap to four seconds in rain, and further in fog or on gravel where grip is reduced.

Stopping distance = thinking distance plus braking distance; thinking distance grows linearly with speed, braking distance with the square.

Speed limits are maxima, not targets: reduce below the limit for bends, junctions, roadworks, rain and poor visibility.

In a 30 km/h zone, a pedestrian struck at 30 km/h is far more likely to survive than at 50 km/h; urban limits protect vulnerable road users.

When overtaking, return to the lane only when the overtaken vehicle is fully visible in the interior mirror.

In convoy or heavy traffic, match speed smoothly and avoid tailgating - the vehicle ahead should never force you to brake hard.

Approaching a hazard, ease off early and cover the brake rather than braking late and hard.

Parallel parking: pull alongside the car ahead with about 0.5–1 m gap, reverse with full lock toward the kerb, straighten as the rear enters the space, then adjust.

Reverse into a bay using the mirrors and a slow walking pace; the vehicle pivots around the rear axle, so the front swings out.

Before reversing, check all mirrors, look over the shoulder through the rear window, and reverse only at a speed you can stop within the visible distance.

Three-point turn: full lock one way, reverse with opposite lock, then forward with the first lock; keep the wheels straight when stopped to avoid rolling.

On a hill, park with the handbrake firmly on and the wheels turned toward the kerb (downhill) or away (uphill) to act as a curb stop.

Leave at least 1 m from other parked vehicles and never block driveways, hydrants, crossings or bus stops.

When pulling out from a parking space, signal, check the mirror and blind spot, and give way to traffic already on the road.

Reversing sensors and cameras assist but do not replace the shoulder check - the blind spot directly behind remains.

Hazard perception: scan far ahead (12–15 seconds of travel) and identify developing hazards early rather than reacting at the last moment.

Defensive driving assumes other road users may make mistakes; keep an escape route and a gap around the vehicle.

Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists are vulnerable road users - give them extra space and anticipate sudden movement.

In rain, the first minutes are the most slippery as oil and dust lift off the surface; reduce speed and increase the gap.

Aquaplaning: ease off the accelerator, do not brake hard, and hold the steering steady until grip returns.

At night, dip headlights for oncoming traffic and when following; the glare zone is the other driver's mirrors.

Fatigue impairs reaction time like alcohol; a break every two hours is the recognised countermeasure on long journeys.

When a vehicle ahead brakes suddenly, check the mirror before braking to avoid being hit from behind, then brake progressively.

Pre-drive check: tyres (pressure and tread), lights, mirrors, wipers, fluid levels, seat and mirror position, and that the handbrake releases fully.

Tyre tread minimum is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread; below this, grip in wet conditions drops sharply.

Red dashboard lights (oil pressure, battery, brake, coolant temperature) mean stop safely and investigate; amber lights mean caution and check soon.

Oil pressure warning (oil-can symbol) in red: stop the engine immediately to avoid seizure.

Battery/charging warning (red battery symbol): the alternator is not charging; electrical systems will drain the battery.

Brake warning light: handbrake may be on, or brake fluid is low - check before driving.

Coolant temperature gauge in the red: stop, let the engine cool, and never open a hot radiator cap.

Tyre pressure monitoring light means a pressure loss or sensor fault; check pressures at cold tyre temperature.

Clutch bite point: the pedal travel where engine torque first reaches the wheels; hold there briefly before releasing fully to prevent stalling.

Manual gear choice follows road speed and load: 1st for pulling away and steep climbs, 2nd–3rd for built-up areas, top gear for steady cruising above roughly 60 km/h.

Steering is pull-push (hand-over-hand avoided): the hand opposite the turn direction pulls the wheel down while the other slides up, keeping both hands on the rim except when shifting.

Engine braking: releasing the accelerator in a low gear slows the vehicle without the footbrake and reduces brake fade on long descents.

Braking distance grows with the square of speed - doubling speed roughly quadruples the distance needed to stop.

On a stalled engine, depress the clutch, select neutral, restart, then re-engage first and find the bite point before releasing the handbrake.

Coasting (clutch held down or neutral) is a loss of control: the vehicle has no engine braking and reduced steering response on bends.

Steering wheel grip is at roughly 9-and-3 or 10-and-2; hands never cross the centre of the wheel during normal turns.

Mirror routine before any change of direction or speed: centre mirror, relevant side mirror, then signal - in that order.

Blind spot is the area beside and behind the vehicle not covered by mirrors; a shoulder (head) check is required before lane changes and pulling out.

Interior mirror gives the widest rear view; door mirrors are set so a sliver of the vehicle's own side is visible for reference.

At junctions, observation is left-right-left before entering; the last look goes toward the traffic that will reach you first.

When reversing, turn the head and look through the rear window; mirrors alone leave a low blind spot directly behind the boot.

A glance in the mirror every 5–8 seconds maintains a rolling picture of traffic behind without fixating.

Before opening a door on the traffic side, check the mirror and look over the shoulder for cyclists and motorcyclists.

Approaching a roundabout, check the mirror before slowing, and again before signalling to exit.

Red circles are prohibitions (no entry, speed limit, no overtaking); blue circles are mandatory instructions (turn direction, minimum speed).

Triangles with a red border are warnings (bend, junction, pedestrian crossing); rectangles are information or direction signs.

Solid white centre line: no crossing or overtaking; broken white line: overtaking permitted when safe and the line nearest you is broken.

A continuous yellow line at the kerb means no waiting at any time; a broken yellow line means no waiting during the times shown on the adjacent plate.

Traffic light sequence: red, red-and-amber, green, amber, red; amber means stop unless it is unsafe to do so.

A flashing amber at a pelican crossing means give way to pedestrians on the crossing but proceed if it is clear.

Octagonal red STOP sign requires a complete stop at the line regardless of whether traffic is visible; inverted triangle means give way.

Zebra crossing: pedestrians on the crossing have priority; approach prepared to stop and do not park within the marked approach area.

Unmarked crossroads: no automatic priority - approach slowly and give way to traffic already on the junction or approaching from the right where local rule applies.

At a T-junction, traffic on the through road has priority; the joining road gives way.

Roundabout: give way to traffic already circulating from the left (in right-hand-traffic countries, from the right); enter only when a gap is safe.

Roundabout lane rule: left lane for first exit and straight ahead, right lane for later exits unless markings say otherwise.

Signal left before your exit and check the left mirror before leaving the roundabout.

Turning right across oncoming traffic: wait for a safe gap; oncoming vehicles going straight or left have priority.

At a give-way line, stop only if necessary, but treat it as a stop if visibility is blocked - creep forward to see.

Emergency vehicles with sirens and blue lights: give way when safe; do not brake suddenly or mount the kerb into pedestrians.

Two-second rule: pick a fixed point, and the gap to the vehicle ahead should be at least two seconds in dry conditions.

Double the gap to four seconds in rain, and further in fog or on gravel where grip is reduced.

Stopping distance = thinking distance plus braking distance; thinking distance grows linearly with speed, braking distance with the square.

Speed limits are maxima, not targets: reduce below the limit for bends, junctions, roadworks, rain and poor visibility.

In a 30 km/h zone, a pedestrian struck at 30 km/h is far more likely to survive than at 50 km/h; urban limits protect vulnerable road users.

When overtaking, return to the lane only when the overtaken vehicle is fully visible in the interior mirror.

In convoy or heavy traffic, match speed smoothly and avoid tailgating - the vehicle ahead should never force you to brake hard.

Approaching a hazard, ease off early and cover the brake rather than braking late and hard.

Parallel parking: pull alongside the car ahead with about 0.5–1 m gap, reverse with full lock toward the kerb, straighten as the rear enters the space, then adjust.

Reverse into a bay using the mirrors and a slow walking pace; the vehicle pivots around the rear axle, so the front swings out.

Before reversing, check all mirrors, look over the shoulder through the rear window, and reverse only at a speed you can stop within the visible distance.

Three-point turn: full lock one way, reverse with opposite lock, then forward with the first lock; keep the wheels straight when stopped to avoid rolling.

On a hill, park with the handbrake firmly on and the wheels turned toward the kerb (downhill) or away (uphill) to act as a curb stop.

Leave at least 1 m from other parked vehicles and never block driveways, hydrants, crossings or bus stops.

When pulling out from a parking space, signal, check the mirror and blind spot, and give way to traffic already on the road.

Reversing sensors and cameras assist but do not replace the shoulder check - the blind spot directly behind remains.

Hazard perception: scan far ahead (12–15 seconds of travel) and identify developing hazards early rather than reacting at the last moment.

Defensive driving assumes other road users may make mistakes; keep an escape route and a gap around the vehicle.

Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists are vulnerable road users - give them extra space and anticipate sudden movement.

In rain, the first minutes are the most slippery as oil and dust lift off the surface; reduce speed and increase the gap.

Aquaplaning: ease off the accelerator, do not brake hard, and hold the steering steady until grip returns.

At night, dip headlights for oncoming traffic and when following; the glare zone is the other driver's mirrors.

Fatigue impairs reaction time like alcohol; a break every two hours is the recognised countermeasure on long journeys.

When a vehicle ahead brakes suddenly, check the mirror before braking to avoid being hit from behind, then brake progressively.

Pre-drive check: tyres (pressure and tread), lights, mirrors, wipers, fluid levels, seat and mirror position, and that the handbrake releases fully.

Tyre tread minimum is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread; below this, grip in wet conditions drops sharply.

Red dashboard lights (oil pressure, battery, brake, coolant temperature) mean stop safely and investigate; amber lights mean caution and check soon.

Oil pressure warning (oil-can symbol) in red: stop the engine immediately to avoid seizure.

Battery/charging warning (red battery symbol): the alternator is not charging; electrical systems will drain the battery.

Brake warning light: handbrake may be on, or brake fluid is low - check before driving.

Coolant temperature gauge in the red: stop, let the engine cool, and never open a hot radiator cap.

Tyre pressure monitoring light means a pressure loss or sensor fault; check pressures at cold tyre temperature.