Israel Driving Theory Test cheat sheet

Default limits: 50 km/h in built-up areas, 80 km/h outside them, and 100–110 km/h only where a highway sign permits it. A posted sign overrides the default.

Unmarked equal intersections follow the right-hand rule - give way to vehicles approaching from your right. A priority road (yellow diamond), stop or yield sign cancels that rule.

At a roundabout, yield to traffic already circulating and signal right only when leaving; do not signal left on entry.

Sign families: red triangle = warning, red circle = prohibition, blue circle = mandatory instruction, blue square = information, red octagon = stop, inverted triangle = yield.

A flashing amber light or a dark signal means the light is out of order: apply sign priority first, then the right-hand rule, and enter only when it is clearly safe.

Seat belts are mandatory for every occupant. Children under 3 need an approved safety seat; children under 8 need an approved booster, in the rear seat.

Hand-held phone use is prohibited. A hands-free device is allowed only if the driver never holds or looks at the screen while moving.

Overtake on the left only, keep right otherwise, and never cross a solid white line or solid central line.

Carry a valid driving licence, vehicle licence (רישיון רכב) and insurance certificate. Driving without compulsory third-party insurance (ביטוח חובה) is a criminal offence.

Keep a two-second gap in dry weather and double it in rain, at night, or behind a vehicle that blocks your view ahead.

At 100 km/h a two-second gap equals about 56 metres - roughly 14 private cars in a row.

Scan 12–15 seconds ahead and check the mirrors every 5–8 seconds so a hazard is detected before it becomes an emergency.

Mirrors always leave blind zones: turn your head to check the blind spot before any lane change, merge or overtaking move.

Junction approach rule: cover the brake, reduce speed as if a vehicle may pull out, and scan left–right–left before entering.

Hazards hide behind parked cars, bus stops and queuing traffic - a child may run out, so slow down and be ready to stop.

Aquaplaning: ease off the accelerator, keep the wheel straight, and avoid sudden braking or steering until the tyres regain grip.

Oncoming headlights at night: dip your own beams, slow down and look to the right edge of your lane instead of into the glare.

System of car control: information, position, speed, gear, acceleration - complete each step before the hazard, not while passing it.

Stopping distance = thinking distance + braking distance. Thinking distance ≈ speed in m/s × 1 second reaction time, about 14 m at 50 km/h.

Braking distance grows with the square of speed: doubling from 50 to 100 km/h roughly quadruples it (about 13 m to 50 m on dry asphalt).

Blood-alcohol limit in Israel is 0.05% for experienced drivers and 0.01% for drivers in their first two years and for young drivers.

The body clears alcohol at roughly 0.015% per hour; coffee, cold air, food and exercise do not speed this up.

Seat belts cut front-seat fatality risk by about 45–50%. An airbag without a belt can strike and injure the occupant it should protect.

A pedestrian hit at 50 km/h faces a far higher death risk than at 30 km/h; each 10 km/h reduction sharply lowers injury severity.

Fatigue signs - yawning, heavy eyelids, drifting in lane, missed signs - mean stop and rest. After about 17 hours awake, performance resembles 0.05% BAC.

Phone use while driving multiplies crash risk, and even a hands-free conversation reduces hazard detection.

Vulnerable road users - pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and children - have no protective shell: give them extra space and time.

ABS prevents wheel lock and preserves steering under hard braking: press firmly and hold. Pedal vibration is normal; do not pump the pedal.

ESC and traction control intervene during a skid but cannot exceed available tyre grip, so smooth steering and throttle inputs still matter.

Legal minimum tread depth for passenger cars is 1.6 mm. Check tyre pressures cold, monthly and before long trips.

Under-inflated tyres overheat, wear at the shoulders, lengthen braking distances and raise blowout and aquaplaning risk.

Blowout procedure: grip the wheel firmly, release the accelerator, avoid hard braking, let the car slow, then steer to the shoulder.

Long descent: select a lower gear and use engine braking. Riding the brakes overheats them and causes brake fade.

Red dashboard warning light = stop as soon as it is safe; amber = fault recorded, inspect soon. Never open a hot radiator cap.

Head restraints: top level with the top of the head and close to it, to reduce whiplash in a rear impact.

Loads must be secured and within the permitted payload; a heavy or badly distributed load lengthens braking and changes handling.

Secure the scene first: hazard lights, reflective vest, warning triangle at least 30 m behind the vehicle (further on a highway), then give help.

Call 101 for a Magen David Adom ambulance and 100 for police. Report exact location, number of casualties, hazards and whether anyone is trapped.

Do not move an injured person unless there is immediate danger such as fire or traffic; assume spinal injury after any high-energy crash.

Check response, airway, breathing and circulation. If the casualty is not breathing normally, start CPR and send someone for an AED.

Adult CPR: 30 compressions to 2 rescue breaths, 100–120 compressions per minute, 5–6 cm deep, in the centre of the chest.

Severe bleeding: firm direct pressure with a clean dressing; add layers over a soaked dressing instead of peeling it off.

Unconscious but breathing: place in the recovery position on the side, head tilted back, and keep monitoring breathing until help arrives.

Burns: cool with running water for about 20 minutes, remove jewellery, do not pull off stuck clothing, and use no ice or ointments.

Legal duty at an accident: stop, give assistance, exchange details, and report to police when anyone has been injured.

Category B covers a private car up to 3,500 kg with up to 8 passengers besides the driver; heavier vehicles require a C licence.

A learner permit may be obtained from age 16 years and 9 months; the driving test may be taken from age 17.

New-driver status (נהג חדש) lasts two years after passing the test and carries stricter limits, including a lower blood-alcohol threshold.

Points system: offences add points kept for two years. Reaching 12 points within that period leads to re-testing or licence proceedings.

Private cars must pass the periodic licensing test (מבחן רישוי) at an authorised institute, first at age three and then at the interval set for the vehicle class.

The vehicle licence (רישיון רכב) and compulsory insurance are renewed annually and depend on each other: no valid test or insurance, no valid vehicle licence.

From age 70 a medical fitness certificate is required for licence renewal, and renewal periods shorten as the driver ages.

Report to the licensing authority any change of address, lost or stolen licence, or medical condition that affects fitness to drive.