NaTIS Code 3 Learner study plan
NaTIS Code 3 Learner · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Road signs, signals and road markings
Classify every South African regulatory, warning and guidance sign by shape, colour and border, and state the required driver action for each class
Recite the meaning of all standard road markings, including barrier lines, edge lines, box junctions, and pedestrian crossing markings, and explain what each prohibits or permits
Identify the three traffic signal aspects plus arrow and flashing signals, and describe the correct response to each including at a four-way stop
Explain the rule-of-thumb stopping distance and the meaning of the hazard warning and chevron signs on curves
Your checkpoint
Score at least 85% on a self-made 60-question sign, signal and marking quiz written from memory of the national road traffic regulations, with every wrong answer corrected in a one-page error log
Road signs, signals and road markings & Rules of the road and traffic law
Apply the general speed limit rules for urban, rural and freeway roads and state the default limits that apply when no sign is posted
Describe the rules for overtaking, following distance, and keeping left on a multi-lane road, including when overtaking on the left is lawful
State the right-of-way rules at uncontrolled intersections, four-way stops, roundabouts and pedestrian crossings
Explain the rules on parking, stopping, and prohibited stopping places near intersections, bridges and bus stops
Your checkpoint
Complete a 40-scenario written exercise where each scenario names the correct rule, the applicable speed limit and the required driver action, reviewed against the regulations with no unresolved errors
Rules of the road and traffic law
Summarise the duties of a driver after a collision, including stopping, exchanging details and reporting to the police within the required period
Explain the rules on seat belts, child restraints, cellphone use, and carrying passengers in goods compartments
Describe the licensing classes, the conditions of a learner licence, and the restrictions on a newly licensed driver
Outline the penalties and demerit points attached to common traffic offences, including driving without a licence and excessive speed
Your checkpoint
Produce a two-page summary sheet of the ten traffic-law rules most likely to be tested, each with the exact rule, a worked example and the penalty, checked line by line against the regulations
Rules of the road and traffic law & Vehicle controls and pre-trip inspection
Demonstrate the pre-trip inspection sequence covering tyres, lights, fluid levels, brakes, mirrors and warning indicators, and state the pass or fail criterion for each item
Explain the function of the clutch, accelerator, brake, steering and gear lever, and the correct hand and foot positions for each
Describe the correct procedure for starting, moving off, stopping and parking on a slope, including use of the handbrake
Explain the dashboard warning lights that require an immediate stop versus those that permit driving to a workshop
Your checkpoint
Write and self-mark a 25-item pre-trip checklist with pass/fail criteria and complete a verbal walk-through of the full inspection in under eight minutes without notes
Safe driving techniques and hazard perception
Apply the observation routine of mirrors, signal, blind-spot check and manoeuvre to lane changes, merging and turning
Describe the safe following-distance rule in wet weather and at night, and explain how to adjust speed for reduced visibility
Identify the hazards in at least ten written road scenarios and rank the required response in order of urgency
Explain defensive-driving principles for intersections, pedestrians, cyclists and animals on the road
Your checkpoint
Complete a 30-scenario hazard-perception exercise and justify the chosen action for each scenario in writing, achieving at least 80% agreement with the model answers
Alcohol, drugs, fatigue and fitness to drive & Accidents, emergencies and first aid
State the legal blood-alcohol limit for a driver and explain how alcohol, cannabis and prescription medicines impair reaction time and judgement
Describe the signs of driver fatigue and the rest-break rules for long trips, and list three countermeasures that actually work
Explain the sequence of actions at an accident scene, including scene safety, calling emergency services and the information to give
Demonstrate the first-aid steps for bleeding, burns, fractures and an unconscious but breathing casualty, and state when not to move a casualty
Your checkpoint
Pass a 20-question written test on alcohol, drugs, fatigue and first aid at 90% or better, plus a practical demonstration of the recovery position and direct-pressure bandaging
Vehicle documents, licensing and roadworthiness & Heavy vehicle and load-specific knowledge (Code 3)
List every document a Code 3 vehicle must carry, including the licence disc, registration certificate, roadworthy certificate and operator card where applicable
Explain the validity periods and renewal rules for a driving licence, learner licence, professional driving permit and vehicle licence
Describe the roadworthy requirements for a Code 3 vehicle, including tyre tread depth, brake efficiency, lights and load security
State the load rules for a Code 3 vehicle: maximum permissible mass, projection limits, marking of loads and the consequences of overloading
Your checkpoint
Build a one-page document-and-roadworthiness checklist for a Code 3 vehicle and answer 20 written questions on licensing and load rules with no more than one error
Road signs, signals and road markings & Rules of the road and traffic law & Vehicle controls and pre-trip inspection & Safe driving techniques and hazard perception & Alcohol, drugs, fatigue and fitness to drive & Accidents, emergencies and first aid & Vehicle documents, licensing and roadworthiness & Heavy vehicle and load-specific knowledge (Code 3)
Sit two full-length mock tests under timed conditions and record the score per domain
Re-study only the domains scoring below 80% and rewrite the error log into a condensed revision sheet
Recite the top 50 facts most often tested, covering signs, speed limits, following distance, alcohol limit and accident duties
Complete a final walk-through of the pre-trip inspection and the accident-scene procedure from memory
Your checkpoint
Achieve 90% or higher on the second timed mock test, with every domain at or above 80% and a final one-page revision sheet completed
Milestones
Week 2: Score 85% or higher on a combined signs-and-rules quiz of 50 questions, and correctly state the default speed limits and the four-way stop rule without notes
Week 4: Complete the pre-trip inspection walk-through in under eight minutes with no missed item, and pass a 30-question rules-of-the-road test at 80%
Week 6: Score 90% on the alcohol, fatigue and first-aid test and demonstrate the recovery position and bandaging correctly
Week 8: Score 90% or higher on a full timed mock test with every domain at or above 80%, and hand in the completed one-page revision sheet