Cameroon Driving Theory (Light) cheat sheet

Danger warning signs are triangular with a red border and white background; they announce a hazard ahead (bend, junction, school, level crossing) and require reducing speed.

Prohibition signs are circular with a red border; a red diagonal bar means 'no' (no entry, no parking), while a plain red circle with a number is a speed limit in km/h.

Mandatory signs are circular with a blue background and white symbol; they impose a direction, a minimum speed, or a category of vehicle allowed (e.g. compulsory right turn, cycle lane).

Information signs are square or rectangular, usually blue or green; green indicates a direction on an inter-urban road, blue indicates a local or motorway service indication.

A red octagon means STOP: full stop at the line, give way to all traffic, then proceed only when clear; a red inverted triangle means GIVE WAY without necessarily stopping.

Traffic light sequence: red → red + amber → green → amber → red; a flashing amber at a pedestrian crossing means give way to pedestrians already on the crossing.

A flashing red light at a level crossing, or a half-barrier lowering, means absolute stop; never zigzag around a barrier.

Continuous white centre line: no crossing or overtaking; broken white line: may cross if safe; a double continuous line on your side is a strict no-overtaking.

A yellow zigzag line marks a bus stop or school entrance: no parking or stopping on it; a yellow continuous line at the kerb means no parking at any time.

Cameroon drives on the right; at an uncontrolled intersection the default rule is yield to the vehicle coming from the right (priorité à droite).

A roundabout without signs: vehicles already circulating have priority; entering drivers yield. A 'give way' sign at the entry confirms this.

At a T-junction the vehicle on the terminating road yields to traffic on the through road unless signs say otherwise.

Emergency vehicles (ambulance, fire, police) with siren and flashing lights have priority; pull to the right and stop if necessary to let them pass.

Overtaking is forbidden on a continuous line, at a pedestrian crossing, on a blind bend, at the crest of a hill, and at a railway level crossing.

The speed limit in built-up areas is generally 50 km/h unless signed otherwise; outside built-up areas it is generally 90 km/h for light vehicles and 110 km/h on expressways/motorways where signed.

Safety distance: keep at least 2 seconds behind the vehicle ahead in dry conditions, 3 seconds in rain, and 4 seconds on wet or gravel roads.

At a pedestrian crossing, pedestrians have absolute priority once they show intent to cross or are on the crossing; stop and do not overtake a vehicle stopped at a crossing.

Seat and mirror set-up: seat far enough that the clutch pedal can be fully depressed with a slight knee bend; mirrors adjusted so a sliver of your own vehicle is visible.

The 'POM' routine for moving off: Prepare (gear, mirrors, signal), Observe (blind spot over the shoulder), Move when safe.

Braking: use progressive pressure; on a manual gearbox, brake in gear and depress the clutch only as the engine approaches idle to avoid stalling.

Steering: hold the wheel at 9 and 3 o'clock; pull-push method keeps both hands on the wheel and avoids crossing arms in a skid.

Reversing: turn your head and body to look through the rear window; use mirrors only for a final check, and reverse slowly with a banksman if visibility is poor.

Hill starts: apply handbrake, select first gear, bring clutch to biting point, add accelerator, release handbrake smoothly while keeping the clutch steady.

Aquaplaning: ease off the accelerator, do not brake hard, keep the steering straight until the tyres regain contact, then slow gently.

Skid control: steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go, and avoid sudden braking; on a rear-wheel skid, steer into the skid.

Night driving: dip headlights when following within about 50 m or when meeting oncoming traffic; use main beam only on unlit roads with no traffic ahead.

The 'PAS' emergency sequence: Protéger (secure the scene, warning triangle at least 30 m behind, hazard lights), Alerter (call emergency services), Secourir (first aid within your competence).

Warning triangle placement: at least 30 m behind the vehicle on a normal road, and further on a motorway or where visibility is poor; never place it on a bend or crest.

Do not move an injured person unless there is immediate danger (fire, traffic); suspected spinal injury can be worsened by movement.

To control severe bleeding, apply direct pressure with a clean cloth and elevate the limb if possible; do not remove an embedded object.

For an unconscious but breathing casualty, place in the recovery position (on the side) and monitor breathing until help arrives.

If the casualty is not breathing, start chest compressions at 100–120 per minute, about 5–6 cm deep, and continue until help arrives if trained.

At an accident, switch off the ignition of damaged vehicles if safe, do not smoke near fuel leaks, and keep bystanders back from the carriageway.

Report a road accident to the police within 24 hours if there is injury or significant material damage; exchange names, addresses, insurance and registration details.

Tyre tread depth legal minimum for light vehicles is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread; check with a tread gauge and replace before the limit.

Tyre pressures are checked cold, at least monthly and before a long trip; under-inflation increases fuel consumption and the risk of blowout.

Engine oil: check on a level surface with the engine cold or after 5 minutes off; level must be between the MIN and MAX marks on the dipstick.

Coolant: check only when the engine is cold; never open the radiator cap on a hot engine because of scalding risk. Top up with the correct coolant mix, not plain water in the long term.

Brake fluid level below MIN indicates a leak or worn pads; brake pedal that feels spongy signals air in the system and requires immediate workshop attention.

Battery: check terminals for corrosion and tightness; a slow cranking engine or dim lights indicates a weak battery or charging fault.

Lights: test all lamps weekly (headlights, brake, indicators, hazard, reversing, number plate); a failed brake light is a common cause of rear-end collisions.

Windscreen washer fluid and wiper blades: replace blades that streak; in the rainy season keep the reservoir full and check wiper function before driving.

Dashboard warning lights: red means stop as soon as safe (oil pressure, brakes, temperature); amber means check soon (engine management, ABS, tyre pressure).

Documents required in the vehicle: valid driving licence of the correct category, vehicle registration document (carte grise), valid insurance certificate and roadworthiness (technical inspection) certificate where required.

Driving without a valid licence or after suspension is an offence carrying fines and possible licence withdrawal or imprisonment.

Driving without valid third-party insurance is an offence; the certificate must be produced on demand by police or gendarmerie.

The technical inspection (contrôle technique) for light vehicles is periodic; a vehicle with an expired or failed inspection may not be legally driven on public roads.

Seat belts are compulsory for the driver and all passengers; children must use an appropriate child restraint.

Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving is prohibited; use a hands-free kit only if it does not distract.

Drink-driving: the legal blood alcohol limit in Cameroon is 0.8 g/L (0.08%); penalties include fines, licence suspension and imprisonment for repeat or aggravated offences.

After an accident with injury, the driver must stop, give assistance, and report to the police; hit-and-run is a serious criminal offence.

Alcohol impairs reaction time, judgement of speed and distance, and night vision from the first drink; the only safe driving limit is zero.

Alcohol is eliminated at roughly 0.15 g/L per hour; coffee, cold showers and fresh air do not speed up elimination.

Drugs and certain medicines (sedatives, antihistamines, some cough syrups) cause drowsiness and slow reactions; read the label and do not drive if warned.

Fatigue signs: heavy eyelids, yawning, wandering thoughts, missing a sign or exit; the only cure is to stop and rest for at least 15–20 minutes, ideally a short nap.

Plan long trips with a break every 2 hours; avoid driving between 2–5 a.m. when the body's natural alertness is lowest.

Medical conditions such as epilepsy, uncontrolled diabetes, severe visual impairment or heart disease may require a medical review before driving; declare them to the licensing authority.

Minimum vision standard: adequate visual acuity for the category; corrective lenses must be worn if prescribed, and a spare pair kept in the vehicle.

In first aid, the primary survey is DR ABC: Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation; call for help before starting CPR if alone with a phone available.

Smooth driving: accelerate gently, anticipate stops and use engine braking; aggressive acceleration and braking can raise fuel consumption by 20–30%.

Keep tyres correctly inflated and remove unnecessary roof racks or loads; under-inflation and extra weight increase fuel use.

Switch off the engine during stops longer than about 30 seconds (except in traffic); idling wastes fuel and increases emissions.

Use the highest practical gear at low revs; in a manual car, change up around 2,000–2,500 rpm for petrol engines to save fuel.

Air conditioning increases fuel consumption; use ventilation or open windows at low speed, and air conditioning only when necessary at higher speeds.

Plan routes to avoid congestion and combine errands; a cold engine uses more fuel, so short repeated trips are inefficient.

Courteous driving: do not tailgate, give way when safe, use indicators early, and avoid unnecessary horn use, especially near hospitals and at night.

Do not litter from the vehicle; used oil, batteries and tyres must be taken to a recycling or collection point, never dumped in nature.