Mozambique INATRO Professional Driving Licence Theory cheat sheet

Mozambique drives on the left; the Código da Estrada sets a general urban speed limit of 60 km/h unless signs state otherwise.

Outside built-up areas the general limit for light vehicles is 100 km/h; for heavy vehicles and buses it is lower and must be confirmed against posted signs.

Blood alcohol limit for professional drivers is effectively zero tolerance; any positive reading or refusal to test carries licence and criminal consequences.

A driver must hold the correct licence class for the vehicle's gross weight and passenger capacity; professional driving requires the appropriate heavy or public-transport category.

Seat belts are mandatory for driver and all passengers where fitted; children under 12 or under 1.5 m must use an approved restraint in the rear.

Overtaking on the right is prohibited except when the vehicle ahead is signalling a left turn; overtaking is banned at pedestrian crossings, junctions and solid lines.

Priority at unmarked intersections follows the right-hand rule in Mozambique; signposted priority overrides it.

Documents carried while driving: valid licence, vehicle registration (livrete), insurance certificate and, for commercial transport, the transport authorisation.

Sign shapes carry meaning: triangles warn of hazards, circles impose orders (red border = prohibition), rectangles inform, octagons mean STOP.

Red circle with a white bar = no entry; blue circle with a white arrow = mandatory direction; blue square = information or recommended route.

A STOP sign requires a complete halt at the line even when the road appears clear; a give-way (triangular) sign requires yielding without necessarily stopping.

Solid white centre line = no crossing or overtaking; broken line = may cross when safe; double solid = absolute prohibition.

Yellow zig-zag or yellow box markings mean no stopping or parking; pedestrian crossing stripes give absolute priority to people on foot.

Traffic light sequence: red, red+amber (prepare), green, amber (stop unless unsafe); a flashing amber at a pedestrian crossing means yield to people on the crossing.

A police officer's signals override traffic lights and signs; arm raised vertically means stop for all directions.

Temporary roadworks signs and cones override permanent markings; obey the temporary speed limit shown.

Two-second rule: maintain at least two seconds' gap to the vehicle ahead; double it in rain, at night or when towing.

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

Blind spots must be checked by mirror and shoulder glance before any lane change or overtaking manoeuvre.

In fog use dipped headlights and fog lamps, never main beam, and reduce speed to the distance you can see to be clear.

Defensive driving principle: assume other road users will make errors and keep an escape route (space to the side and ahead).

On wet or gravel roads, brake progressively and avoid sudden steering; avoid cruise control on slippery surfaces.

At night, dip headlights within the legal distance of oncoming traffic and when following another vehicle.

Vulnerable users: give cyclists at least 1.5 m clearance when overtaking and slow for pedestrians, especially children and the elderly.

Daily walk-around check: tyres (pressure and tread), lights and indicators, mirrors, wipers, fluid levels, leaks under the vehicle, load security.

Minimum legal tyre tread depth for cars is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread; heavy vehicles require more - check the vehicle manual.

Tyre pressure must be checked cold; under-inflation raises fuel consumption, heat and blowout risk.

Brake fluid and coolant levels are checked with the engine cold; never open a hot radiator cap.

Dashboard warning lights: red means stop immediately, amber means fault to be checked, green/blue are informational.

Air brake systems (heavy vehicles) require a daily drain of moisture from reservoirs and a leak-down test before departure.

Engine oil is checked on level ground with the engine off; low oil risks seizure and is a common cause of breakdown.

Pre-trip check must confirm the load is within the permitted gross vehicle mass and axle limits shown on the registration document.

Before departure the professional driver must confirm passenger count does not exceed the licensed seating capacity; standing passengers are prohibited unless authorised.

Passengers must be seated and belted before the vehicle moves; the driver is responsible for enforcing this.

Doors must be closed before moving and opened only after a full stop; boarding and alighting happens on the safe (kerb) side.

Cargo must not obscure lights, plates or mirrors and must not project dangerously; overhanging loads are marked with a red flag or panel in daylight and reflectors at night.

Hazardous or fragile loads are separated from passengers; passengers never travel in a cargo compartment.

The driver must record the journey, keep the transport documents on board and present them at checkpoints or inspection posts.

Passenger comfort and safety: smooth braking, no sudden acceleration, and warnings before sharp manoeuvres.

Any accident or incident involving injury must be reported to the authorities; the driver must not leave the scene before obligations are met.

Standard professional driving limit: maximum 4 hours of continuous driving before a break of at least 30 minutes is required.

Daily driving should not exceed 9 hours; this may be extended to 10 hours no more than twice a week.

A daily rest period of at least 11 hours must be taken in each 24-hour period; reduced rest of 9 hours is allowed a limited number of times.

Weekly driving must not exceed 56 hours, and total driving in any two consecutive weeks must not exceed 90 hours.

A weekly rest of at least 45 hours is required; it may be reduced to 24 hours with equivalent compensation taken later.

Fatigue signs: yawning, heavy eyelids, drifting, missing signs and loss of concentration - the only cure is stopping to rest or sleep.

Short naps of 15-20 minutes and caffeine are temporary measures only; they do not replace proper rest.

Driving-hour records (tachograph or logbook) must be kept and produced on request; falsification is a serious offence.

Protect the scene first: switch on hazard lights, place a warning triangle at a safe distance, and wear a reflective vest before leaving the vehicle.

Call emergency services (police and ambulance) with the exact location, number of casualties and any hazards such as fire or fuel spill.

Do not move an injured person unless there is immediate danger (fire, traffic, explosion); suspected spinal injury requires immobilisation.

Check airway, breathing and circulation; start CPR (30 compressions to 2 breaths) if breathing has stopped and you are trained.

Control severe bleeding with direct pressure using a clean cloth; do not remove embedded objects.

For burns, cool with clean running water for at least 10 minutes; never apply oil, butter or ice.

Do not give food or drink to an injured or unconscious person.

After an accident, exchange details, do not admit liability, and complete the accident report form (declaração amigável) where applicable.

Eco-driving: accelerate smoothly, change up early (around 2,000-2,500 rpm for petrol), and maintain steady speed.

Anticipate traffic to avoid unnecessary braking and acceleration; this can reduce fuel consumption by 10-15%.

Switch off the engine during stops longer than about 30 seconds; idling wastes fuel and increases emissions.

Remove unnecessary roof racks and excess weight; aerodynamic drag and mass increase consumption.

Correct tyre pressure reduces rolling resistance and fuel use; under-inflation can raise consumption noticeably.

Use air conditioning sparingly; it can increase fuel consumption by up to 10% in urban driving.

Plan routes and consolidate trips to avoid empty running; empty or partial loads waste fuel.

Regular servicing (air filter, spark plugs, injectors) keeps the engine efficient and reduces emissions.

Mandatory documents on board: valid driving licence, vehicle registration (livrete), proof of valid third-party insurance and, for commercial vehicles, the transport licence.

Third-party liability insurance is compulsory; driving without it is an offence and exposes the driver to fines and personal liability for damages.

Vehicle inspection (inspecção periódica) is mandatory at the intervals set by vehicle age and category; an expired inspection invalidates use on public roads.

The vehicle registration document shows the permitted gross mass, seating capacity and engine details; these must match the vehicle's actual configuration.

Any change of owner, address or vehicle use must be registered with the authorities within the prescribed period.

Professional drivers must carry a valid medical certificate and renew it at the required intervals.

Traffic offences are recorded against the driver's licence; accumulation of serious offences can lead to suspension or cancellation.

Receipts and transport documents must be kept for the period required by tax and transport regulations and produced on inspection.

Load must be distributed so the centre of gravity stays low and within the axles; overloaded axles cause instability and brake failure.

Use straps, chains or nets rated for the load; the securing system must withstand at least the forces expected in emergency braking.

Loads must not project beyond the vehicle's permitted dimensions; overhanging loads need marking with a red flag by day and reflectors at night.

Dangerous goods are classified by UN hazard classes (explosives, gases, flammable liquids, oxidisers, toxic, radioactive, corrosive, miscellaneous).

Drivers of dangerous goods need specific training and a certificate; the vehicle must display orange hazard plates and carry the transport document.

Segregate incompatible dangerous goods (e.g. oxidisers away from flammables) and never smoke or use naked flames near them.

In case of a dangerous-goods incident, keep people upwind and uphill, warn others, and give the emergency services the UN number and hazard class.

The transport document must identify the goods, quantity, class and emergency contact; it is kept in the cab within reach.