Croatia Category AM Theory cheat sheet

Croatian road signs follow the Vienna Convention shapes: triangles warn, circles with red border prohibit, circles with blue background order, rectangles inform.

Default urban speed limit in Croatia is 50 km/h; outside built-up areas 90 km/h; mopeds and light quadricycles are limited to 45 km/h by construction.

A moped rider must be at least 14 years old and hold an AM category licence; a light quadricycle requires AM at 16 years.

Priority to the right applies at unmarked intersections; a STOP sign or thick stop line removes that rule and requires a full stop.

Traffic light sequence: red, red+amber, green, amber, red. Amber alone means stop unless stopping is unsafe; red+amber means prepare to go but do not move yet.

Overtaking a moped by a car requires at least 1 m lateral clearance inside built-up areas and 1.5 m outside them.

Pedestrian crossings: a rider must give way to pedestrians already on or stepping onto the crossing, and must not overtake a vehicle stopped at a crossing.

Mandatory cycle lanes and paths marked with a bicycle symbol may be used by mopeds only where a supplementary plate or sign explicitly permits it.

Braking distance grows with the square of speed: doubling speed from 25 to 50 km/h quadruples the braking distance on the same surface.

On a moped, apply both brakes progressively; the front brake provides most stopping power but locking it on gravel causes a fall.

Countersteering at low speed is ineffective; steer by turning the handlebar and lean the body slightly into the turn.

Riding position: left third of the lane in a single lane, so oncoming drivers see you early; avoid the centre line where oil drips collect.

Wet road grip is roughly half of dry grip; increase following distance to at least 3 seconds and reduce lean angle in curves.

Tram rails, painted markings, metal manhole covers and wet leaves are low-friction hazards; cross them as close to perpendicular as possible.

In strong crosswind, especially after passing a truck or leaving a sheltered section, reduce speed and be ready for a sudden lateral push.

A light quadricycle has a narrow track and high centre of gravity; cornering speed must be lower than in a normal car to avoid rollover.

AM vehicles are defined by construction: moped max 45 km/h and 50 cm3 (or 4 kW electric); light quadricycle max 45 km/h, mass up to 425 kg excluding battery, max 6 kW.

Legal minimum tyre tread depth for mopeds and light quadricycles is 1 mm; check pressure cold and recheck monthly.

Brake check: with the vehicle stationary, the lever must not reach the handlebar; a spongy lever indicates air in the hydraulic system.

Chain slack on a moped is typically 10-20 mm at the midpoint; too tight damages bearings, too loose risks derailment.

Lighting and reflectors must work at all times; a failed brake light or headlight is a defect that makes the vehicle unfit for traffic.

Two-stroke engines need oil mixed with fuel or a working oil pump; a seized piston usually follows a failed oil supply.

Battery and electric drive: keep terminals clean and check the charger for damage; never charge in a closed unventilated space.

Registration and technical inspection: mopeds and light quadricycles require registration, mandatory insurance and periodic technical inspection under Croatian rules.

Scene protocol order: secure the scene (hazard lights, triangle, reflective vest), then alert emergency services on 112, then give first aid.

Do not move an injured rider unless there is fire, fuel leak or another immediate danger; suspected spinal injury makes movement dangerous.

Severe bleeding is controlled by direct pressure with a clean cloth or bandage; do not remove an object impaled in a wound.

An unconscious but breathing casualty goes into the recovery position; check breathing for up to 10 seconds before deciding.

If breathing has stopped, start chest compressions at 100-120 per minute, depth 5-6 cm, and continue until help arrives.

Never remove a motorcycle or moped helmet unless the airway is blocked and it cannot be cleared otherwise; if removal is essential, two trained people stabilise the head and neck.

Give the emergency operator: exact location, number of injured, type of injuries, hazards present, and your callback number; do not hang up first.

At the scene you must exchange identification and insurance details and must not leave until the police complete the report if there are injuries.

Rider conspicuity is the leading perceptual problem: drivers' 'looked but failed to see' errors account for a large share of collisions with two-wheelers.

A SMIDSY (sorry mate I didn't see you) situation is countered by lateral movement in the lane, which makes the rider's silhouette change and become visible.

Hazard perception improves with scanning patterns: look 12-15 seconds ahead, sweep mirrors every 5-8 seconds, and check blind spots before every lane change.

Risk homeostasis: fitting better protective gear or ABS does not reduce real risk unless the rider keeps the same safety margin.

Young riders underestimate the risk of familiar routes; most single-vehicle moped crashes happen on roads the rider knows well.

Alcohol at 0.5 g/kg blood alcohol already lengthens reaction time and reduces peripheral vision; for AM licence holders under 24 the limit is 0.0.

Fatigue signs: heavy eyelids, drifting in the lane, missed signs. After 2 hours of riding, a 15-minute break restores attention more than coffee.

Group riding risk: peer pressure raises speed and shortens following distance; keep your own margin regardless of the group.

Documents to carry when riding: AM driving licence, vehicle registration card, proof of compulsory insurance, and proof of technical inspection where required.

Compulsory third-party insurance (obvezno osiguranje) is legally required; riding uninsured is a serious offence with a substantial fine.

A helmet is mandatory for moped and light quadricycle riders and passengers; carrying a passenger is allowed only if the vehicle is homologated for two persons.

Traffic offences are graded as minor and serious (prekršaj); serious offences carry higher fines, penalty points and possible driving ban.

Penalty points accumulate on the licence; reaching the threshold triggers a driving test and mandatory retraining.

Refusing a breathalyser or blood test is treated as the offence of driving under the influence, with the same or heavier sanction.

After a crash with material damage only, both parties must complete the European accident report; call the police if there is injury, a hit-and-run, or a dispute.

Riding without a licence or after a driving ban is a serious offence and can lead to vehicle seizure and a court procedure.

Fuel consumption rises steeply above 45-50 km/h because air resistance grows with the square of speed; the AM vehicle is already at its efficient limit.

Smooth acceleration and early throttle release before a stop save fuel; hard braking wastes the energy just spent accelerating.

Correct tyre pressure reduces rolling resistance; under-inflation by 0.5 bar can raise fuel use by several percent and wears the tyre edges.

A dirty air filter enriches the mixture on a carburetted moped, raising consumption and emissions; clean or replace it at the service interval.

Two-stroke engines emit unburnt oil and particulates; use the manufacturer's recommended low-smoke oil at the correct ratio, never more oil 'for safety'.

An idling engine burns fuel for zero distance; switch off when waiting more than about one minute where the law permits.

Electric mopeds and light quadricycles have no local exhaust emissions, but braking energy recovery and battery care determine their real efficiency.

Engine noise and unnecessary revving are an environmental nuisance; a worn exhaust silencer raises both noise and emissions and is a technical defect.

AM licence holders are typically 14-18 years old; immaturity of hazard perception, not lack of skill, is the dominant crash factor in this group.

Novice riders have a crash risk several times higher than experienced riders, concentrated in the first 6-12 months after licensing.

Children and the elderly are unpredictable pedestrians: a child may step out from between parked cars, an elderly person may misjudge approach speed.

Riders must give way to pedestrians, especially children, elderly people and people with disabilities; extra caution is required near schools, playgrounds and bus stops.

Blind spots of trucks and buses are large; never stay alongside a turning heavy vehicle, because its rear wheels cut inside the front wheels' path.

Carrying a passenger on a moped changes braking and balance; young riders are over-represented in crashes with a passenger aboard.

Peer pressure and riding in groups increase risk-taking; fatigue and distraction from a phone are leading causes of young rider crashes.

Protective clothing matters: a certified helmet, gloves, jacket and closed footwear reduce injury severity far more than any riding skill.