Kenya NTSA Category B cheat sheet

Shape carries the message: upright triangle = warning of a hazard ahead; red-ringed circle = prohibition; blue circle = mandatory instruction; rectangle = information or direction; octagon = STOP; inverted triangle = GIVE WAY.

Colour code: red = stop or prohibition; blue = mandatory; yellow/amber = warning or temporary roadworks; green = direction and distance on main routes; brown = tourist or amenity signs.

Traffic light sequence is red, red plus amber, green, amber, red. A steady amber means stop before the line unless you are so close that stopping could itself cause a collision; never accelerate to beat it.

Green means proceed only if the way ahead is clear. Do not enter a junction you cannot clear, and give way to pedestrians still on the crossing.

A continuous (solid) white centre line may not be crossed for overtaking; a broken white line may be crossed only when the road ahead is clear.

Continuous double yellow lines at the kerb mean no parking or waiting at any time; a yellow box grid means do not enter unless your exit is clear, except when waiting to turn right and blocked only by oncoming traffic.

A solid white stop line at a STOP sign or red signal requires a complete stop before the line. At a give-way line (broken line) you must give way to traffic on the major road.

Zebra crossing: black and white stripes with no signals, where pedestrians on the crossing have priority; you must not park on the markings or overtake a vehicle that has stopped at one.

A police or traffic officer's hand signals override all signs, signals and markings; an arm or hand raised towards you means stop.

Kenya drives on the left. Overtake on the right, only when the road ahead is clear and no solid line, bend, hill crest, junction or pedestrian crossing forbids it.

Default speed limits: 50 km/h in built-up areas, 80 km/h on rural roads and 100 km/h on highways. Posted lower limits, and 30 km/h zones near schools and hospitals, always take precedence.

At a roundabout, give way to traffic already circulating, which approaches from your right in left-hand traffic; enter only when a safe gap exists.

At an uncontrolled junction give way to traffic from the right and to vehicles already on the major road. A STOP sign requires a complete stop even when the road looks clear.

Carry at all times: a valid driving licence of the correct class, a valid certificate of insurance (third-party minimum) and the vehicle's inspection/roadworthiness record where required.

Seat belts are compulsory for the driver and every passenger. Children must be properly restrained in an appropriate child seat or belt and must never travel on an adult's lap or unrestrained in front.

It is an offence to hold and use a mobile phone while driving; hands-free equipment is permitted but must not take your attention off the road.

Use headlights at night and in rain, fog or poor visibility; dip them for oncoming traffic and when following another vehicle, and never dazzle with spot or fog lamps.

Pedestrians already on a zebra crossing or crossing at a junction have priority; you must be able to stop, so reduce speed on the approach.

Two-second rule: stay at least two seconds behind the vehicle ahead in dry conditions; double it to four seconds in rain, at night, or behind a heavy vehicle that blocks your view.

Total stopping distance = thinking distance + braking distance. It grows with speed, load, worn tyres and wet, loose or gravel surfaces - the braking component rises roughly with the square of speed.

Scan 12 to 15 seconds ahead, check mirrors every 5 to 8 seconds and before any change of speed or direction, and always keep an escape route.

Hazard routine: identify (ahead, mirrors, sides), predict what could happen, decide, then act early and smoothly - late, harsh inputs cause skids and rear-end collisions.

Skid recovery: ease off the accelerator and steer smoothly where you want the vehicle to go. Do not brake hard or jerk the wheel; avoid sudden braking on painted lines, metal, leaves or gravel.

Lorries and buses have large blind areas in front, at both sides and directly behind. If you cannot see the driver's mirror, the driver cannot see you - never sit alongside or overtake on the left.

Overtaking: check mirrors and blind spot, signal, move out only with a clear gap, pass promptly, and return to the left only when the overtaken vehicle appears in your interior mirror.

Boda-bodas, cyclists and pedestrians may swerve or emerge from between parked vehicles; cut speed near markets, schools, bus stops, junctions and roadside stalls.

Alcohol, drowsiness, illness and some medicines slow reaction and distort judgement; the only safe decision is not to drive.

Cockpit drill before moving: seat and head restraint position, mirrors, seat belt, doors closed, gear in neutral or park, handbrake on, then start the engine.

Pedal layout in Kenya's right-hand-drive cars: clutch on the left, brake in the centre, accelerator on the right. Press the clutch fully before selecting a gear and release it progressively to the biting point.

Match the gear to speed and load; brake before a bend and change down before it, not in the middle of the corner. Keep both hands on the wheel except while changing gear.

Hill start: handbrake on, first gear, find the biting point, add power, then release the handbrake smoothly as the car pulls away without rolling back.

Three-point turn: signal, check all round, forward on full lock, reverse on opposite lock, forward again. It is a last resort on narrow roads and unsafe on busy or blind roads.

Parallel parking: pull alongside, reverse on full lock towards the kerb, straighten as your front passes the other vehicle, and finish parallel and within about 30 cm of the kerb.

Steering: use pull-push for large turns and control the wheel back after a turn instead of letting it spin through your hands.

Reversing: look over your shoulder through the rear window, use both mirrors and move slowly; pedestrians and other traffic have priority over a reversing vehicle.

Signal at least three seconds before a manoeuvre, cancel it afterwards, and never treat your own signal as proof that it is safe to move.

Walk-round check before driving: tyre pressure, tread and cuts, all lights and indicators, mirrors, windscreen and wipers, number plates, leaks under the car and any new body damage.

Tyre tread legal minimum in Kenya is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread; check pressures when the tyres are cold and inflate to the manufacturer's figures.

Engine oil: engine off, car on level ground, pull the dipstick, wipe, reinsert fully, then read the level between MIN and MAX. Low oil causes overheating and engine seizure.

Coolant: check only when the engine is cold and never remove the cap from a hot engine - pressurised coolant can escape and scald. Top up with the correct coolant mixture.

Brakes: check the fluid reservoir level, pedal feel (a spongy pedal points to air or a fluid leak) and handbrake travel; any brake warning light or fault needs a garage, not a road test.

Battery: check terminals for corrosion and tightness; slow cranking or dimming lights indicate a weak battery or a failing alternator.

Dashboard lights: red means stop safely and investigate (oil pressure, brakes, coolant temperature, battery); amber means caution, check soon; green or blue is information only.

Roadworthiness items: working horn, lights and indicators, secure seat belts, mirrors, no cracked windscreen in the driver's line of sight and no excessive exhaust smoke.

Smells and leaks: a sweet smell suggests coolant, a burning smell suggests clutch, brakes or electrics, and a petrol smell means stop and look for a fuel leak.

At a crash: stop, switch off engines, warn traffic with hazard lights and a warning triangle set well back (about 45 m on open roads), call 999 or 112, and do not move casualties unless fire or traffic makes it essential.

DRABC: Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation. If the casualty is unresponsive but breathing, place them in the recovery position and keep monitoring.

CPR for a non-breathing casualty: 30 chest compressions 5 to 6 cm deep at 100 to 120 per minute, then 2 rescue breaths; continue until the casualty breathes, help takes over or you are exhausted.

Severe bleeding: press firmly on the wound with a clean dressing, add layers if it soaks through, and raise the limb if possible. Never remove an object embedded in a wound.

Burns: cool with clean, cool running water for at least 20 minutes; do not burst blisters, apply oils or butter, or pull away clothing stuck to the burn.

Do not remove a motorcyclist's helmet unless the airway is obstructed and a second trained helper is available; support the head and neck and assume spinal injury.

Vehicle fire: stop, switch off the engine, get everyone out and upwind, then aim a dry-powder or CO2 extinguisher at the base of the flames. Never use water on petrol or electrical fires, and withdraw if fire reaches the fuel tank.

After an injury crash, report to the nearest police station as soon as possible, in practice within 24 hours, and exchange names, addresses, insurance details and registration numbers.

A Class B licence covers light motor vehicles with a tare weight not exceeding 3,500 kg, other than motorcycles; driving a vehicle outside your licensed class is an offence.

A learner must display L plates, be accompanied by a qualified driver of the same class, and must not carry passengers for hire while on a provisional licence.

Licences are issued and renewed through NTSA and must be produced on demand to a police officer; driving unlicensed, with an expired licence or while disqualified is an offence.

Third-party insurance is the legal minimum: it covers injury to other people and damage to their property, but not your own vehicle or your own injuries; comprehensive cover adds own-damage protection.

Motor insurance is evidenced by a certificate and a sticker displayed on the windscreen; a vehicle without valid insurance may be impounded and the owner fined or prosecuted.

Offences include dangerous driving, careless driving, drunk driving, speeding, driving without a licence or insurance, overloading, obstruction and failing to stop after an accident; penalties range from fines to imprisonment and licence suspension or disqualification.

Never offer or accept a bribe after a traffic offence: identify yourself, produce your documents, accept the ticket or court summons and pay only through official channels.

Insurance and a valid inspection/roadworthiness record are conditions for lawful road use; police or NTSA may impound a vehicle for defects, expired inspection or illegal modifications.