Motor Traffic Act, Licensing and Driver Responsibilities
You must know the legal framework that governs driving in Sri Lanka: the Motor Traffic Act and its regulations, licensing categories, vehicle documentation and the duties of a driver after a crash. Understand that driving a heavy vehicle requires the correct licence class and that driving without the proper class, or with a suspended or expired licence, is an offence. Carry your licence, vehicle registration and valid insurance; produce them when required.
Responsibilities include: obeying traffic law, not driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, ensuring the vehicle is roadworthy and the load legal, and complying with hours and record-keeping requirements where applicable. After an accident you must stop, give your details, render assistance, and report to the police where required; failing to stop is a serious offence.
Traps: questions that assume insurance covers everything (third-party insurance does not cover your own vehicle); confusing licence classes; and forgetting that a driver must report a crash involving injury even if no one complains at the scene.
Rule of thumb: if in doubt after a collision - stop, help, exchange details, report. Never leave the scene.
First Aid, Emergency Procedures and Environmental Awareness
Emergency response begins with scene safety: switch off the engine, apply the parking brake, use hazard lights and warning triangles, and keep others away from traffic. Call for help. Assess casualties using the ABC approach - Airway, Breathing, Circulation - and do not move an injured person unless there is immediate danger (such as fire). Control bleeding with direct pressure; keep casualties warm and calm; do not give food or drink.
Know vehicle-specific emergencies: brake failure (use gears and engine braking, then the handbrake gently), tyre blowout (hold the wheel firmly, ease off the accelerator, do not brake hard), fire (evacuate, do not open the engine cover fully), and a vehicle in water (escape before it sinks). Know where the fire extinguisher and first-aid kit are and how to use them.
Environmental awareness: avoid unnecessary idling, drive smoothly to reduce fuel use and emissions, dispose of waste and fluids legally, and prevent spillage from loads. Noise and smoke limits are legal requirements.
Trap: questions that reward moving a casualty or giving them water - both are usually wrong. Worked rule: in any emergency, protect the scene first, then call, then treat.