Kiribati Driving Licence Written Test cheat sheet

Sign shapes carry meaning: octagon = STOP (full stop required even if the road looks clear); inverted triangle = GIVE WAY/YIELD (slow, be ready to stop); circle = regulatory prohibition or mandatory instruction; rectangle = information or direction.

Sign colours: red ring or red slash = prohibition; blue circle = mandatory instruction (e.g. turn direction, minimum speed); yellow/amber diamond or warning triangle = hazard ahead; green or blue rectangles = directional guidance.

A STOP sign and a STOP line mean the same legal duty: halt at the line, give way to all traffic on the intersecting road, then proceed only when safe. A GIVE WAY line (broken) requires yielding without a mandatory full stop.

Traffic light sequence: red → red+amber (prepare, do not move) → green → amber (stop unless stopping is unsafe) → red. A flashing amber or flashing red at a junction means proceed only if clear, giving way as signed.

A police officer's or authorised officer's signals override signs, signals and markings. A raised arm with palm toward you means stop; a beckoning arm means proceed when safe.

Solid centre line: do not cross or straddle it to overtake. Double solid lines on your side: no crossing. Broken line: crossing permitted when safe and legal. A single broken line beside a solid line means the restriction applies only to the side with the solid line.

Edge lines, hatched areas and painted islands are not driving lanes. Hatched areas bounded by solid lines must not be entered except in an emergency; chevron-marked islands separate opposing traffic streams.

Direction arrows painted in a lane fix the permitted movement from that lane; being in the wrong lane at the stop line obliges you to follow the arrow rather than change lanes inside the junction.

Pedestrian crossing markings (zebra bars, stop lines) mean give way to pedestrians on the crossing; no parking or stopping on the markings or within the approach zone.

Baseline rule where no signs or signals apply: give way to traffic already in or entering the intersection from your right, and to traffic already within the intersection.

Turning across another vehicle's path: a right-turning vehicle crossing oncoming traffic must yield to that oncoming traffic and to pedestrians crossing the road it enters.

At a T-junction the terminating road gives way to the through road unless signs state otherwise; a vehicle on the stem must not assume priority from size or speed.

Entering a road from a driveway, private land, petrol station or unpaved track: you yield to all traffic and pedestrians already on the road, and to cyclists on any adjacent path or shoulder.

Uncontrolled crossroads: apply the give-way-to-the-right rule and reduce speed so you can stop within the distance you can see to be clear. Do not rely on eye contact or on another driver's indicator.

A vehicle already committed to the intersection (e.g. waiting to turn) has right-of-way over vehicles arriving later; do not enter a junction you cannot clear, because blocking it obstructs cross traffic.

Roundabout or circular junction entry: give way to traffic already circulating from your right unless signs or markings direct otherwise; signal left to exit and check mirrors before leaving.

Emergency vehicles with sirens or flashing lights: yield by slowing and moving left where safe, but do not stop abruptly in the path of following traffic or mount a kerb unsafely.

Pedestrians already on a marked crossing, and pedestrians who have stepped onto the roadway at an unmarked point, take priority; a driver turning into a side road must give way to pedestrians crossing that side road.

Default urban/built-up limit is typically 40 km/h and rural/open-road limit typically 60-80 km/h; posted signs and area-wide limits override any default, so drive to the sign in force.

A posted speed limit is a maximum for ideal conditions, not a target. Reduce below it for rain, flooding, gravel, sand, darkness, poor visibility, livestock or pedestrians on the road.

Two-second rule: pick a fixed object ahead; you should pass it no sooner than two seconds after the vehicle ahead passes it. In rain, on gravel or at night, double it to four seconds.

Minimum safe gap formula: gap (seconds) = following distance ÷ speed, so distance (metres) ≈ speed (km/h) ÷ 3.6 × seconds. At 60 km/h a two-second gap is about 33 m; four seconds is about 67 m.

Stopping distance = thinking distance + braking distance. Thinking distance ≈ speed (km/h) ÷ 10 × 3 metres per second of reaction; braking distance rises with the square of speed, so doubling speed roughly quadruples braking distance.

Wet or flooded road surfaces can more than double braking distance; loose coral, sand or gravel reduces grip further and can cause loss of control under braking, so slow before the hazard, not on it.

Speed limits apply to overtaking too: you may not exceed the limit to complete a pass. If you cannot finish the overtake within the limit and the available clear distance, do not start it.

Near schools, clinics, villages, markets and church gatherings, expect pedestrians and animals on the carriageway; treat these as effective lower limits regardless of posted signs.

Speed cameras and enforcement zones are marked by signs in many jurisdictions; enforcement does not change the rule - the limit applies whether or not it is signed or monitored.

Overtake on the right by default; passing on the left is permitted only where the vehicle ahead is signalling a right turn and there is room, or where lanes are marked for it.

Before overtaking, verify four things: mirrors and blind spot clear, no solid line or no-overtaking sign, oncoming lane clear for the full distance, and your vehicle can complete the pass without exceeding the limit.

Do not overtake at or approaching: pedestrian crossings, junctions, crests, bends, narrow causeways, bridges, or anywhere visibility is shorter than the distance needed to pass and return.

Return to the left lane only when you can see the overtaken vehicle in your interior mirror; signal before moving back and do not cut in, especially on a causeway with no shoulder.

Keep left except when overtaking, turning right, or when a lane is marked for another direction. Do not straddle lane lines or drive in the centre of a two-way road.

Turning right: signal early, position near the centre line, check mirrors and blind spot for overtaking vehicles, yield to oncoming traffic and to pedestrians crossing the road you enter.

Turning left: signal, keep close to the left edge, watch for cyclists and motorcyclists filtering on your left, and do not swing wide into the opposing lane.

U-turns are prohibited where signs forbid them, on bends, crests, bridges, causeways and anywhere you cannot see approaching traffic for a safe distance; give way to all traffic while completing one.

Reversing: only where safe and legal, check all around including directly behind, reverse slowly, and do not reverse from a side road onto a main road or over a crossing.

Alcohol impairs judgement, reaction time, night vision and lane control before any subjective feeling of intoxication; the only reliable plan is not to drink if driving.

Many jurisdictions set a legal blood alcohol limit and a lower limit or zero tolerance for novice and professional drivers; know the limit that applies to your licence class and do not treat any limit as a safe target.

Standard drink arithmetic: alcohol (grams) ≈ volume (mL) × ABV (%) × 0.789. A 330 mL bottle at 5% ABV holds about 13 g of alcohol; a 750 mL bottle at 13% holds about 77 g.

Elimination is roughly one standard drink (about 10 g alcohol) per hour for an average adult, and it cannot be accelerated by coffee, food, cold showers or sleep. Time is the only variable you control.

Prescription and over-the-counter medicines can cause drowsiness or slow reactions; check the label and pharmacist advice, and do not drive if the medicine warns against it or you feel impaired.

Illegal drugs and misuse of medication carry the same or greater impairment risk and usually stricter penalties; combining substances multiplies impairment rather than adding it.

Fatigue: after about 17 hours awake, performance resembles a low blood alcohol level. Stop, rest and swap drivers at the first signs - yawning, drifting, heavy eyelids, missed signs.

Illness, injury, severe stress and night driving reduce fitness to drive; if you cannot concentrate or react normally, do not drive. Report medical conditions that affect driving to the licensing authority as required.

Penalties for impaired driving commonly include licence suspension or disqualification, fines, and imprisonment for repeat or serious offences; refusal to provide a breath or blood sample is itself an offence in many jurisdictions.

Vulnerable road users have no protective shell: at 50 km/h a pedestrian struck by a car has a high probability of death, while at 30 km/h survival is far more likely. Speed is the decisive variable.

Give way to pedestrians on marked crossings, to pedestrians stepping onto a crossing, and to pedestrians crossing a side road you are turning into. Do not wave pedestrians across when other lanes are still moving.

When passing a cyclist or motorcyclist, leave a clear lateral margin - commonly at least 1 m at low speed and 1.5 m at higher speed - and do not pass if you cannot give that space.

Before opening a car door, check mirrors and look over your shoulder for cyclists and motorcyclists (the door zone); open with the far hand to force a shoulder check.

Cyclists and motorcyclists may move around potholes, sand, drains and debris; allow for sudden lateral movement and never squeeze past them on a narrow causeway.

Motorcyclists are hard to see at junctions and in blind spots; look twice, especially when turning across their path, and do not assume a single headlight means a distant vehicle.

At night, in rain and at dawn/dusk, vulnerable road users are harder to see; reduce speed so your stopping distance stays within your illuminated and visible distance.

Children, elderly pedestrians, and people carrying loads or walking on the road edge near villages may not judge speed; slow early, be ready to stop, and use the horn only as a warning, not a rebuke.

Livestock, dogs and pedestrians share the carriageway on many island roads; treat animals as unpredictable hazards and give them a wide, slow pass.

Pre-drive check (weekly and before long trips): tyres - tread depth and pressure when cold, including the spare; lights and indicators; brakes; fluid levels; wipers; mirrors; horn; seat belts.

Tyre legal minimum tread is commonly 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread; below that, wet grip and resistance to aquaplaning drop sharply. Check for cuts, bulges and uneven wear.

Tyre pressure: under-inflation increases heat, wear and stopping distance and can cause blowouts; over-inflation reduces the contact patch. Use the vehicle manufacturer's cold pressure figure, not the tyre's maximum.

Brakes: pedal should not feel spongy or travel far before biting; a pulling vehicle, grinding noise or warning light means stop driving and get it inspected.

Lights must work and be correctly aimed: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights and number-plate light. Replace blown bulbs before driving at night.

Load security: loads must be tied down so they cannot shift or fall, must not obscure lights, plates or mirrors, and must stay within the vehicle's rated payload and axle limits.

Documents to carry or produce on demand: valid driving licence for the class driven, vehicle registration, current roadworthiness/inspection certificate and valid insurance or third-party cover.

Seat belts and child restraints: all occupants must be restrained where belts are fitted; children below the height/age threshold need an appropriate child seat, not an adult belt alone.

Do not drive an unroadworthy vehicle; defects such as bald tyres, failed brakes, broken lights or a cracked windscreen in the driver's view are offences and invalidate insurance cover in many cases.

Systematic observation cycle: mirrors → signal → manoeuvre, repeated; scan 12-15 seconds ahead in urban areas and further at speed, and check the blind spot before any lateral move.

Defensive driving rule: assume other road users may not see you or may act unpredictably; position and speed should leave you an escape route and a stopping margin.

Hazard identification: look for brake lights two or three vehicles ahead, pedestrians near the kerb, animals at the roadside, parked cars with occupants, and side roads with limited visibility.

Cover the brake (foot off accelerator, over the brake pedal) when approaching a hazard you cannot yet resolve - a crossing, a blind junction, a school gate, a flooded section.

Following distance is your main safety buffer; if a vehicle behind is tailgating, increase the gap ahead rather than brake-checking, and let it pass when safe.

At night, drive so you can stop within the distance lit by your headlights; dip beams for oncoming traffic and do not stare at oncoming lights - look toward the left edge of your lane.

In rain, turn on headlights (not just parking lights), increase following distance, brake earlier and more gently, and avoid cruise control on wet or slippery surfaces.

If you skid: ease off the accelerator, do not brake hard, and steer smoothly in the direction you want the front of the vehicle to go; look where you want to travel.

Breakdown safety: move as far off the carriageway as possible, switch on hazard lights, place a warning triangle where conditions allow and it is safe, and keep occupants away from the traffic side.

Causeways and narrow bridges often have no shoulder and no room to pass; before entering, check the far end is clear, reduce speed, and if you meet oncoming traffic, the vehicle with the easier reversing position or the one already committed should be given room.

Do not overtake, stop or turn around on a narrow causeway; cross steadily in one movement and keep left so oncoming vehicles have the maximum margin.

Flooded sections: never drive into water of unknown depth or moving water. Moving water about 30 cm deep can float or sweep away a small car; 15 cm can destabilise a person.

If you must cross shallow standing water: check depth and the surface beneath, drive slowly in first gear with steady throttle, do not stop mid-crossing, and dry the brakes gently afterwards by light braking.

Salt water and sea spray accelerate corrosion of brake lines, body panels and electrical connections; wash the underside after coastal driving and check brakes immediately after any saltwater immersion.

Coastal roads may be undercut or covered by sand, coral rubble, seaweed and debris after storms and high tides; slow before these patches rather than braking on them, and expect reduced grip.

Strong crosswinds on exposed causeways and coastal stretches affect high-sided vehicles and motorcyclists; hold a steady speed, keep both hands on the wheel and allow extra lateral space.

Island roads often carry pedestrians, children, dogs, pigs and chickens with no footpath; reduce speed near villages and be ready to stop within the visible clear distance.

Tropical rain reduces visibility abruptly and can flood dips in minutes; if visibility drops, slow, use headlights and, if you cannot see a safe stopping distance, pull off the road in a safe place and wait.

Tidal and weather information matters locally: plan crossings of low-lying causeways around high tide and heavy rain, and do not cross when waves are washing over the road.

Speed choice rule: choose a speed from which you can stop within the distance you can see to be clear, and within half that distance on a single-lane road where oncoming traffic may appear.

Braking distance scales with the square of speed: from 30 km/h to 60 km/h the braking distance is roughly four times longer, even though speed only doubled.

Reaction distance at 1 second of reaction time ≈ speed (km/h) ÷ 3.6 metres; at 50 km/h that is about 14 m before the brakes even apply.

Three-second rule for towing, heavy loads, poor light or unfamiliar roads; four seconds or more in rain, on coral/gravel, or when following a large vehicle that blocks your view ahead.

Overtaking gap: you need enough clear road to accelerate past, return to the lane and re-establish a two-second gap - typically several hundred metres at open-road speeds.

Speed in roadworks, near schools and at village crossings should be low enough to stop for a child who steps out from between parked vehicles or buildings.

If a vehicle ahead is travelling well below the limit, do not tailgate to pressure it; maintain your gap and pass only when the full overtaking check is satisfied.

Daily walk-around: tyres and wheels, lights, mirrors, windscreen and wipers, fluid leaks under the vehicle, and that plates and load are secure.

Brake fluid and coolant levels drop silently; check reservoirs against the marked minimum and investigate any unexplained loss rather than topping up repeatedly.

Wipers and washer fluid matter in tropical downpours; worn blades smear and cut visibility exactly when you need it most.

Warning lights: red = stop as soon as safe (oil pressure, brakes, temperature, battery); amber = fault to check soon (engine management, ABS, tyre pressure).

Insurance and inspection validity: an expired inspection certificate or lapsed insurance means you are driving uninsured and unroadworthy, regardless of the vehicle's actual condition.

Child restraints and seat belts must be correctly adjusted; a loose belt or wrongly routed strap reduces protection sharply in a crash.

The two-second gap is the minimum buffer for a hazard-free road; every identified hazard should shorten your planned stopping point, not just your attention.

Commentary driving technique: state aloud what you see, what it means and what you will do - this forces hazard identification before reaction.

Junction discipline: approach so you can stop if a vehicle emerges; never enter on the assumption that the other driver has seen you.

Overtaking a stopped bus, lorry or queue: slow down and expect pedestrians or cyclists to emerge from in front of it.

If you feel drowsy, stop at a safe place and rest; opening a window or turning up music does not restore alertness.

After a near miss, review what cue you missed and adjust your following distance or speed; near misses are free lessons about your own hazard perception.

Causeway etiquette: the heavier or less manoeuvrable vehicle, or the one already on the causeway, is normally given way to; never force a meeting on a single-lane section.

Water depth gauge: if you cannot see the bottom or judge depth by a fixed reference, do not enter. Depth plus current speed, not depth alone, determines whether a vehicle is swept away.

Stalled in water: do not restart repeatedly; water in the engine or exhaust can cause hydraulic damage. Get occupants out and to safety first.

Post-flood checks: test brakes gently at low speed, check for debris in the wheel arches and underbody, and have the vehicle inspected if water reached the floor level.

Sand and coral dust reduce tyre grip like gravel; brake in a straight line before the patch, keep steering inputs smooth, and avoid sudden acceleration on loose surfaces.

Coastal night driving: sea fog and spray can reduce visibility suddenly; use dipped headlights and fog lights where fitted, and slow to within the lit distance.