Most of the K53 rules section is reasoning, but a hard core of it is pure recall — exact distances, masses and limits that cannot be worked out. This is that core, on one page.
Speed limits
| Situation | Limit |
|---|---|
| Urban area | 60 km/h |
| Outside urban area | 100 km/h |
| Freeway | 120 km/h |
| Goods vehicle over 9 000 kg, outside urban | 80 km/h |
| Bus/minibus over 3 500 kg with passengers, outside urban | 100 km/h |
| Signposted residential area | 30 km/h |
| Pedestrian priority area | 15 km/h |
| Towing with a rope rather than a solid bar | 30 km/h |
Following distance
| Vehicle | Recommended | Absolute minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Light motor vehicle | 3 seconds | 2 seconds |
| Heavy motor vehicle | 6 seconds | 3 seconds |
Increase both figures in rain, on loose surfaces, in poor visibility, when heavily loaded, or when someone is following you too closely.
Parking and stopping distances
| You may not | Within |
|---|---|
| Stop near a pedestrian crossing | 9 m |
| Stop near a tunnel, subway, bridge or constricted road | 6 m |
| Park near an intersection | 5 m |
| Park near a fire hydrant | 1.5 m either side |
| Park further into the roadway than this (one-way, right side) | 450 mm |
Stopping and parking are different offences
No-stopping is stricter: you may not halt at all. Under a no-parking sign you may still stop briefly to set down or pick up a passenger.
Lights — the distances that get asked
| Lamp | Must achieve |
|---|---|
| Main beam | See a person or object at 100 m |
| Dipped beam | See a person or object at 45 m |
| Brake lights | Visible in sunlight at 30 m |
| Number plate lamp | Plate readable at 20 m |
| Hooter | Audible at 90 m |
| Lights on when | Sunset to sunrise, or visibility under 150 m |
Alcohol, tyres and equipment
- Blood alcohol: under 0.05 g per 100 ml — under 0.02 g for a professional driver.
- Tyre tread: at least 1 mm across the full width and circumference.
- Emergency triangle: displayed at least 45 m behind a broken-down vehicle.
- Learner licence validity: 24 months from date of issue.
- Accident: report to the police within 24 hours.
- Abandoned vehicle: 24 hours on a non-urban road, 7 days on an urban one.
Load limits
- Projection: 300 mm beyond the front, 1.8 m beyond the rear.
- Height: 4.3 m from the ground on a goods vehicle.
- Width: 2.5 m, or 2.6 m for goods vehicles of 12 000 kg or more.
- Side projection of 150 mm or more: 300 mm square red flags by day.
- Motorcycle load: 600 mm front, 900 mm rear, 450 mm to the side.
Test yourself on these numbers
Rules of the road practice, free
Frequently asked questions
Which numbers come up most?
Speed limits, following distances, and the 9 m / 5 m / 1.5 m stopping and parking distances. Learn those first.
Do I need the load limits for a Code 8 test?
A few general ones can appear, but height, width and axle-mass figures matter far more for Code 10 and Code 14.
How many rules questions are there?
30, and you need 22 correct — 73% — to pass that section.