Road traffic law, penalties and administrative documents
What the exam tests
This domain tests the paperwork and the legal consequences of driving choices: which documents must be carried, licence categories, insurance, technical inspection, and the penalties attached to the main offences. In Cameroon, roadside checks are common, so knowing exactly what to present matters.
Documents to carry
A driver must normally carry:
- a valid driving licence of the correct category;
- the vehicle registration document (carte grise);
- proof of valid third-party insurance (assurance);
- a valid technical inspection certificate (visite technique);
- for commercial use, the relevant transport or business documents. Photocopies are usually not accepted at a control point. The vehicle must also display valid plates and any required vignette or sticker.
Licence categories
Category A covers motorcycles, B covers light vehicles up to the permitted weight, C covers heavy goods vehicles, D covers buses, and E covers trailers. Category B is the one tested here. Driving a vehicle outside your category is treated as driving without a valid licence, even if you hold another category.
Offences and penalties
Typical offences include speeding, driving without insurance, expired technical inspection, driving without a licence, phone use while driving, failing to wear a seatbelt, and hit-and-run. Penalties can include fines, vehicle immobilisation, licence withdrawal or suspension, and imprisonment for serious cases such as causing death by dangerous driving. Insurance covers third-party liability, not your own damage unless you bought additional cover.
Worked example
A driver is stopped with an expired insurance certificate. Reasoning: the offence is not cured by saying the renewal is at home; the document must be valid at the time of the check. The driver faces a fine and possible vehicle immobilisation until valid cover is produced. Driving away without resolving it can lead to a heavier penalty.
Traps
Relying on a photocopy, confusing third-party insurance with comprehensive cover, driving a category you do not hold, and assuming an expired visite technique is a minor issue. Also remember that leaving the scene of an accident is a serious offence.