Jordan Driving Practical cheat sheet

Cockpit drill order used in Jordan tests: doors closed and locked, seat position and backrest, head restraint, mirrors, seatbelt, then controls check before start.

Seat distance rule: with the clutch fully depressed the left knee stays slightly bent; wrists should rest on the top of the steering wheel with shoulders against the backrest.

Head restraint top edge sits level with the top of the head and as close to the back of the head as comfort allows; it reduces whiplash, it is not a neck rest.

Interior mirror: set so the whole rear window is framed; exterior mirrors show a sliver of the car's own side (about one finger width) so the blind spot stays small.

Left-hand-drive vehicles in Jordan: left mirror is the near-side mirror for kerb parking, right mirror is the off-side mirror for lane changes.

Pre-start checks: handbrake engaged, gear in neutral (manual) or P (automatic), all warning lamps extinguish after the engine starts.

Weekly/rental checks: tyre pressures and tread, engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, washer fluid, lights, horn, wipers, and no leaks under the car.

Tyre tread legal minimum is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread; check pressure cold, including the spare.

Moving-off sequence: prepare (gear, gas, clutch biting point), observe mirrors plus left blind spot, signal if it helps others, then move when it is safe.

Steering: hold at 9 and 3 or 10 and 2; hands stay on the wheel and cross only when maneuvering at low speed; return the wheel after each turn.

Lane position: keep the car roughly in the centre of the lane; on a two-way road without markings stay right of centre, near the right edge in Jordan.

Pull away no more than about one metre from the kerb, and rejoin traffic at a speed matching the flow rather than accelerating slowly into it.

Steering corrections are small and early: a deviation of a few centimetres is corrected with a slight movement, not a large turn.

At speeds above about 30 km/h, look well ahead (12-15 seconds of travel) and steer where you want the car to be, not at the bonnet.

When passing parked cars leave at least 1 m clearance at low speed and more at higher speed; open doors and pedestrians are the hazard.

Do not coast: keep the car in gear with the clutch engaged so engine braking and throttle response remain available.

Mirror routine: check the interior mirror first, then the relevant exterior mirror, then the blind spot over the shoulder before any lane change or pull-out.

Blind-spot check means a brief head turn of roughly 45 degrees, not a long stare; the eyes return to the road within about one second.

Signal timing: at least 3 seconds before a manoeuvre, and cancel it afterwards; a signal does not give priority, it announces intent.

Before moving off, check both mirrors and the left blind spot; before opening a door, check the mirror and look over the shoulder.

At junctions use the sequence mirrors, signal, position, speed, look; the look must be a fresh observation, not a repeat of the previous one.

Always check for pedestrians and cyclists before turning; a cyclist in the near-side blind spot is the classic left-turn or right-turn conflict.

When reversing, look mainly through the rear window, use mirrors for the flanks, and keep the speed walking pace so a stop is always possible.

Horn use is a warning only; in built-up areas at night it is restricted, and it never replaces observation.

Two-second rule: pick a fixed point, and the gap must be at least 2 seconds in dry conditions; double it to 4 seconds on wet roads and more on gravel or in fog.

Speed limits in Jordan: 60 km/h in built-up areas unless signed, 80 km/h on rural main roads, and 110-120 km/h on desert highways where posted.

Minimum speed on the desert highway is typically 80 km/h; slow vehicles use the right lane and cannot obstruct faster traffic.

Stopping distance = thinking distance + braking distance; braking distance grows with the square of speed, so doubling speed quadruples braking distance.

Drive to the conditions, not the limit: rain, dust, or night driving reduces the safe speed below the posted maximum.

Keep a space cushion on both sides; when a vehicle overtakes, ease off slightly to restore the following gap rather than closing it.

In slow traffic leave enough room to see the rear tyres of the car ahead touching the road, so you can steer around it if it stops.

Speed humps and school zones require speeds well below the limit; approach at a steady low speed rather than braking late.

Jordan drives on the right; at an unmarked junction the general rule is give way to traffic approaching from the right, and always to vehicles already in the junction.

At a give-way or stop line, stop only if required at give-way, but a full stop is mandatory at a STOP sign or red light even when the road is clear.

Turning right: keep close to the right edge, check the right mirror and blind spot for cyclists and pedestrians, and turn into the right-hand lane.

Turning left: position just left of the centre line, give way to oncoming traffic, and turn into the corresponding lane without cutting the corner.

Roundabouts in Jordan circulate anticlockwise: give way to traffic already on the roundabout coming from your left, then enter and keep right until your exit.

On a roundabout, signal left only when taking an exit past the halfway point; signal right after passing the exit before yours.

Traffic lights: a flashing amber or green arrow means proceed only in the direction of the arrow after giving way; a red light means stop behind the line.

Box junctions and yellow grid markings: do not enter unless your exit is clear, even on a green light.

Parallel parking: pull alongside the car ahead with about 0.5-1 m lateral gap and rear bumpers level, reverse with full lock, then straighten and swing the front in.

Reverse into a bay rather than driving in: it gives a better view on exit and is the manoeuvre most often assessed in tests.

Reversing speed is walking pace, roughly 5 km/h or less, with continuous all-round observation and a stop whenever vision is lost.

Hill parking facing downhill: wheels turned towards the kerb; facing uphill with a kerb: wheels turned away from the kerb; facing uphill without a kerb: wheels towards the edge.

Always apply the parking brake and leave the car in gear (first or reverse) or P before releasing the footbrake.

When reversing out of a bay or driveway, stop at the point where you can see, check both ways, and edge out slowly; parked cars hide children and cyclists.

Distance from the kerb after parallel parking should be under about 30 cm, with the car parallel to the kerb and inside the bay lines if marked.

Reversing sensors and cameras are aids only; the driver must still look around and remains responsible for the manoeuvre.

Scan 12-15 seconds ahead and keep the eyes moving; identify fixed hazards (junctions, parked cars) and moving hazards (pedestrians, cyclists) early.

Cover the brake when a hazard is developing (pedestrian near the kerb, car edging out) so reaction time is reduced.

Escape route rule: always know where you would steer or stop if the vehicle ahead brakes suddenly; do not rely on a single option.

Expect the unexpected at dusk: pedestrians in dark clothing, unlit carts and animals on rural roads, and children near schools.

In dust storms or heavy rain, slow down, use dipped headlights, increase the gap, and avoid sudden braking on a wet surface.

Overtaking: only when legal, with clear sight lines, and never on a blind crest, bend, or solid centre line; return to the right lane only when the overtaken car is visible in the interior mirror.

Fatigue is a hazard: after about two hours of continuous driving take a break; yawning, drifting, and heavy eyelids mean stop, not push on.

Aggressive drivers: do not retaliate; increase the gap, let them pass, and avoid eye contact or gestures.

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

Triangular signs with red borders are warnings (bend, junction, pedestrian crossing, slippery road); they are placed in advance of the hazard.

Rectangular signs give information or direction; green signs on Jordanian highways indicate main routes and distances to towns.

Solid white centre line: no crossing or overtaking; broken white line: overtaking permitted when safe; double solid lines mean no crossing from either side.

Yellow kerb markings or yellow lines restrict stopping and parking; a yellow box with a cross-hatch means do not enter unless the exit is clear.

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

A police officer's signals override traffic lights and signs; a raised arm or whistle means stop, and a beckoning arm means proceed.

Pedestrian crossings: give way to anyone on the crossing, and do not stop or park within the marked approach zone.

Brake failure: pump the pedal rapidly, downshift to use engine braking, apply the parking brake gradually, and use the horn and hazard lights to warn others.

Tyre blowout: grip the wheel firmly, ease off the accelerator, do not brake hard, and steer straight until the car slows, then pull over.

Skid control: ease off the accelerator and steer where you want to go; do not slam the brakes, especially in a rear-wheel skid.

Aquaplaning: lift off the accelerator, hold the wheel straight, avoid braking, and wait for the tyres to regain contact before steering.

Engine overheating: switch off the air conditioning, turn on the heater to draw heat away, stop safely, and never open a hot radiator cap.

Warning lamps: red means stop as soon as it is safe (oil pressure, temperature, brakes); amber means check soon (engine, ABS, tyre pressure).

Breakdown procedure: pull as far off the road as possible, hazard lights on, triangle placed about 50 m behind on a fast road, occupants behind the barrier.

Fire: stop, switch off the engine, get everyone out and upwind, and call the emergency number; do not open the bonnet fully if flames are visible.