Mali Driving Theory Test cheat sheet

Sign shapes carry meaning in Mali (based on the Vienna Convention): triangle with red border = danger/warning; circle with red border = prohibition or restriction; blue circle = mandatory instruction; rectangle = information or direction.

Red octagon is reserved for STOP; an inverted triangle means GIVE WAY (cédez le passage). A STOP requires a complete halt at the line even when the road appears clear.

Warning triangles are placed on the approach roughly 150 m outside built-up areas and about 50 m inside towns, adjusted if visibility is reduced.

Solid white centre line: no crossing or overtaking. Broken white line: overtaking permitted when safe. A mixed line binds the side on which the solid line lies.

A yellow line or yellow marking indicates temporary works or a specific restriction (parking/stopping ban); treat yellow zigzags and yellow boxes as no-stopping zones.

Traffic light sequence: red → red+amber → green → amber → red. A flashing amber means proceed with caution, giving way as required.

Direction signs are rectangular; blue or green backgrounds indicate routes, white indicates local destinations. Place names in white on blue = motorway/expressway direction.

A police officer's signals override traffic lights, signs and markings. Arm raised vertically means stop for all traffic facing the officer.

In the absence of signs, the default rule is priority to the right (priorité à droite): yield to vehicles approaching from your right at an uncontrolled junction.

At a roundabout, traffic already circulating has priority unless signs or markings state otherwise; enter only when a gap allows without forcing circulating vehicles to brake.

A STOP sign or line requires a full stop and yielding to all traffic on the intersecting road before entering.

Turning left across oncoming traffic: yield to oncoming vehicles going straight or turning right; your indicator does not create priority.

Entering a road from a private driveway, car park, track or petrol station: you yield to all traffic already on the public road.

Emergency vehicles with sirens and flashing lights have priority; you must facilitate their passage, including pulling over or stopping where safe.

At a junction where a traffic officer directs traffic, follow the officer's signals over any light or sign; stop when the officer faces you with arm raised.

Pedestrians already committed on a marked crossing have priority; a vehicle turning into a road must give way to pedestrians crossing that road.

General limits used in Mali: 50 km/h in built-up areas, 90 km/h on ordinary rural roads, and 100 km/h on divided highways/expressways unless a sign states otherwise.

Speed must always be reduced below the posted limit when visibility, weather, road surface or traffic require it; the limit is a maximum, not a target.

Two-second rule: pick a fixed point, count two seconds after the vehicle ahead passes it; if you reach it sooner, you are too close. Double to four seconds in rain, at night or when following a large vehicle.

Stopping distance = thinking (reaction) distance + braking distance. Reaction distance ≈ speed in km/h ÷ 10 × 3 metres (about 0.9 s reaction).

Braking distance grows with the square of speed: doubling speed roughly quadruples braking distance.

Minimum safe gap when stopped behind another vehicle: you should still see its rear tyres touching the road.

Overtaking must be completed within the permitted speed; you may not exceed the limit to overtake, and you must not overtake at crossings, blind bends or hill crests.

Pre-drive sequence: seat and headrest adjust, mirrors set (about 10% of the car visible in side mirrors), seatbelt fastened, gear in neutral, handbrake on, then start.

Clutch use: press fully to change gear, release progressively to the bite point; coasting in neutral reduces control and is not permitted on descents.

Mirror-signal-manoeuvre routine: check mirrors, signal in good time, check blind spot by shoulder glance, then execute.

Reverse parking and three-point turns: reverse slowly, use all mirrors, and stop if pedestrians or vehicles enter the manoeuvre area; reversing on a public road should be kept to a minimum.

Parking is prohibited within 5 m of a junction, on pedestrian crossings and within their approach markings, on bends, on bridges, and where the vehicle blocks a fire hydrant or driveway.

On a two-way road, park in the direction of traffic on the right-hand side; at night in unlit areas, parking lights or hazard lights are required.

Handbrake must be engaged and, on a slope, wheels turned toward the kerb (facing downhill) or away (facing uphill) to limit rolling.

Signalling: indicate at least 30 m before a turn in built-up areas and earlier at higher speeds; cancel the indicator after completing the manoeuvre.

Driving licence categories follow the international pattern: A = motorcycles, B = light vehicles up to 3.5 t and 9 seats, C = heavy goods vehicles, D = buses, E = trailers.

Documents required while driving: valid driving licence of the correct category, vehicle registration card (carte grise), valid insurance certificate and, where applicable, roadworthiness (contrôle technique) certificate.

Vehicle insurance covering third-party liability is compulsory; driving uninsured is an offence leading to fines and possible vehicle impoundment.

A learner must hold a provisional permit, be accompanied by a licensed driver of the relevant category, and display learner identification; learner driving on certain roads may be restricted.

Licence validity and medical fitness: certain categories (heavy vehicles, buses, professional drivers) require periodic medical checks; report any condition affecting driving.

Traffic offences carry fixed fines and possible licence points/suspension; serious offences include driving without a licence, driving under the influence, hit-and-run and excessive speed.

On-the-spot checks: a driver must present documents to police or gendarmerie on request; refusal or driving without documents is an offence.

Vehicle registration and ownership transfer must be completed with the competent authority; plates must be legible and correctly mounted.

Compulsory safety equipment typically includes a warning triangle, a reflective vest (high-visibility), a fire extinguisher and a first-aid kit; the vest must be put on before exiting the vehicle on the road.

Tyres: minimum tread depth 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread; check pressure cold and look for cuts, bulges and uneven wear.

Lighting: check headlights, brake lights, indicators, reversing lights and hazard lights regularly; faulty lights are a defect that must be corrected before driving at night.

Loads must be secured so they cannot shift or fall; a load may not protrude dangerously, must be marked if it overhangs at the rear, and must not obscure lights, plates or mirrors.

Passenger limits: never carry more passengers than the seats and seatbelts allow; children must use an appropriate restraint system.

Brakes, steering, suspension and horn must be in working order; a vehicle with a known dangerous defect must not be driven on the road.

Overloading beyond the permitted gross vehicle weight affects braking, steering and tyre safety and is an offence.

Before a long trip: check oil, coolant, brake fluid, windscreen washer, tyre pressure and spare wheel, and ensure documents are on board.

Alcohol impairs reaction time, judgement of speed and distance, and night vision from the first drink; the only reliable way to sober up is time.

Legal blood alcohol limit for drivers is generally 0.5 g/L (0.05%); for professional or novice drivers a lower limit or zero tolerance applies.

Refusing a breath test or blood test is an offence treated similarly to driving over the limit.

Drugs (including some medicines) that impair driving are prohibited; check medicine labels for warnings and do not drive if drowsy.

Fatigue signs: yawning, heavy eyes, drifting within the lane, missing signs, difficulty maintaining speed. The correct response is to stop in a safe place and rest, not to open a window or turn up music.

Recommended break: at least 15–20 minutes every two hours of driving; avoid driving during normal sleep hours and after long shifts.

Illness and vision: driving with uncorrected poor vision or a condition causing loss of consciousness (e.g. uncontrolled epilepsy) is dangerous and may be unlawful.

Emotional state and stress affect driving; aggressive driving, tailgating and racing increase crash risk and are offences.

Scan far ahead (12–15 seconds of travel) and check mirrors every 5–8 seconds; keep a space cushion around the vehicle on all sides.

Vulnerable road users: pedestrians (especially children and the elderly), cyclists, motorcyclists and people with reduced mobility. Give them extra space and anticipate unpredictable movement.

When overtaking a cyclist, leave at least 1.5 m clearance outside built-up areas and about 1 m inside towns.

Children near schools, parked cars and markets: reduce speed, be ready to stop, and watch for movement between parked vehicles.

At night, dip headlights when meeting oncoming traffic or following another vehicle; a pedestrian in dark clothing may be visible only at close range.

Rain, dust and gravel reduce grip: increase following distance, brake earlier and more gently, and avoid sudden steering.

Defensive rule: assume other drivers may not see you or may make errors; position yourself to have an escape route and avoid being in blind spots.

Approaching a hazard: identify, predict, decide, act (IPDA). Prioritise the most serious hazard and slow before reaching it.

Protect-observe-alert: secure the scene (hazard lights, warning triangle, reflective vest), assess the situation, then call emergency services with location, number of casualties and type of incident.

Do not move an injured person unless there is immediate danger (fire, traffic); suspected spinal injury requires keeping the head and neck aligned.

Check responsiveness and breathing; if not breathing normally, start chest compressions at 100–120 per minute, about 5–6 cm deep, and continue until help arrives.

Severe bleeding: apply direct pressure with a clean cloth or dressing and elevate the limb if possible.

Recovery position for an unconscious but breathing casualty: lie on the side, head tilted back, to keep the airway open.

Breakdown on the road: pull as far right as possible, switch on hazard lights, put on the reflective vest before leaving the vehicle, place the triangle at the required distance, and wait away from the carriageway.

Fire: switch off the engine, evacuate occupants upwind, use the extinguisher only on a small fire, and never open the bonnet fully if the engine is burning.

After any crash involving injury or significant damage, stop, give assistance, exchange details and report to the police; leaving the scene is a serious offence.

Questions are typically multiple-choice with one correct answer; read all options before choosing, and watch for absolute wording (always, never) that often marks a wrong option.

When a question involves a sign, identify the shape first (triangle, circle, octagon), then the colour, then the symbol; shape and colour narrow the answer.

For priority questions, apply the hierarchy: police officer > traffic light > sign > marking > default rule (priority to the right).

For speed questions, choose the lowest value consistent with the stated conditions; the posted limit is a maximum for ideal conditions only.

For distance questions, use the two-second rule and the reaction-distance approximation (km/h ÷ 10 × 3 m) to check whether an answer is plausible.

For hazard questions, the safest legal option is usually correct: slow down, prepare to stop, give way, increase distance.

For emergency questions, the sequence protect the scene → alert emergency services → provide first aid is generally expected.

Eliminate options that would require breaking the law (crossing a solid line, exceeding the limit, driving without documents) before selecting.