Traffic laws, regulations and road signs
Traffic laws, regulations and road signs
This domain tests the legal layer of driving in Saudi Arabia: the Traffic Law and its Implementing Regulations (Royal Decree M/85, 1428H, as amended), enforced by the General Directorate of Traffic (Muroor), the Saher automated enforcement network, and the signs and markings whose instruction outranks your own judgement.
Core rules
- Traffic keeps right; overtaking is on the left. At roundabouts you give way to traffic already circulating.
- Alcohol and drugs are prohibited outright. There is no legal limit - driving under the influence is a criminal matter, not a simple traffic fine.
- Seat belts are compulsory for driver and passengers; handheld phone use is banned. Saher cameras record speeding, red-light running, belt and phone offences automatically and notices arrive by SMS.
- Signs bind by shape and colour: red octagon means STOP - a full stop every time; red-bordered triangle means give way; red-bordered circle is a prohibition (speed, mass, no trucks, no overtaking); blue circle is a mandatory instruction; rectangles give information (green for highways, blue for services, brown for tourism).
- Weight, height, width and axle-load plates are legal limits for the vehicle, not advice. A restriction applies even if the road looks passable.
Worked example
A loaded tipper reaches a junction where the direct road to the quarry carries a circular sign showing a lorry in red with a diagonal bar above a mass plate. The driver scales 26 t. Reasoning: the circular red sign is a prohibition aimed at goods vehicles, and the plate is below his mass, so the road is closed to him whatever the detour costs. He reroutes or obtains a permit; ignoring the sign brings a fine and exposes him in any subsequent crash.
Traps that cost marks
- Rolling through a STOP sign because the road is clear. Examiners and cameras treat it as a full stop.
- Turning right on red - not permitted in the Kingdom.
- Assuming a police officer's hand signal can be ignored. It overrides lights and signs.