Free Ghana DVLA Theory Test Exam Flashcards

This is a warning sign — it alerts you to a hazard ahead such as a steep hill, roadworks, or an animal crossing. It is advisory, not a command, but the correct response is to slow down, check your mirrors, and be ready to stop; ignoring the hazard it flags can cause a collision.

A circular sign with a red border is prohibitory — it tells you what you must NOT do, such as no U-turn, no parking, or no sounding your horn. Disobeying it is a traffic offence, unlike a warning sign, which only advises caution.

A plain blue circular sign is mandatory — it gives a positive order you must obey, such as pass either side of an obstruction, proceed ahead only, or observe a minimum speed. A blue circle is legally enforceable, not merely a suggestion, the same way a red circle is.

Rectangular or square signs, usually blue or green, mainly give information — directions, distances, or facilities like parking and hospitals — rather than an order. A few rectangular signs do carry legal force, such as the blue one-way-street arrow, so check the specific sign rather than assuming every rectangle is advisory.

The eight-sided red STOP sign is unique in shape so it stays recognisable from any angle. It requires a complete stop at the stop line every time, even if the road looks empty — a rolling slowdown does not satisfy the rule and is an offence.

A red-bordered triangle pointing downward is the Give Way sign. It means slow down and yield to traffic on the major road, stopping only if traffic makes it necessary — unlike the Stop sign, which always requires a full stop regardless of traffic.

This is the no-entry sign, most often posted at the exit end of a one-way street: no vehicle may travel past it in that direction. Entering anyway is a traffic offence and risks a head-on meeting with traffic that has right of way.

Shown as two cars side by side inside a red circle, this sign bans passing other vehicles until an end-of-restriction sign appears. Overtaking anyway on a stretch with limited visibility is a common cause of head-on crashes.

A number inside a red-bordered circle is a maximum speed limit in km/h — a ceiling, not a target speed. Exceeding it is a speeding offence even if road conditions feel safe at a higher speed.

A number inside a plain blue circle is a minimum speed limit — driving slower than that figure is prohibited because it can obstruct traffic flow. It is the mirror image of the same number inside a red circle, which sets a maximum instead.

A solid centre line (white or yellow) means you must not cross or straddle it to overtake, while a broken centre line means you may cross to overtake once the way ahead is clearly safe. Where the two lines differ, obey the one nearest to you: a solid line on your side binds you even if oncoming drivers face a broken line.

This is a keep-left or keep-right sign, fixing the side on which you must pass an island, median nose, or roadworks obstruction. Passing on the wrong side can put you facing oncoming traffic.

A triangular warning sign appears in advance of a pedestrian crossing to make you slow down before you reach it; a blue square informatory sign marks the crossing's actual location alongside the painted stripes. Confusing the two can mean failing to slow down early enough.

Ghana drives on the right-hand side of the road, having switched from left-hand traffic in the nationwide 'Operation Keep Right' on 4 August 1974. All manoeuvres — overtaking, lane position, roundabout direction — follow from this.

A driver joining a main road from a side road must give way to traffic already on the main road, even if no sign is posted. Pulling out without checking is a leading cause of side-impact collisions at junctions.

Give way to traffic already circulating the roundabout, which reaches you from your left because Ghana drives on the right. Entering without yielding to circulating traffic risks a collision with a vehicle that already has priority.

Before overtaking, check your mirrors, signal your intention, and only pull out once the manoeuvre is confirmed safe — mirror, signal, manoeuvre, in that order. Skipping the mirror check or signalling only after you have already moved is what causes many overtaking collisions.

Do not overtake near bends, hillcrests, junctions, or pedestrian crossings, where oncoming traffic or crossing hazards may be hidden from view. Overtaking in these zones is a common cause of fatal head-on crashes.

Make a U-turn only where it is safe and not prohibited by a sign, road marking, or median barrier — never near a junction, bend, or where visibility is limited. An unsafe U-turn can put your vehicle broadside to fast-moving traffic.

On a multi-lane road, the right-hand lane is your normal driving lane and the left lane is for passing; move back right as soon as you have safely cleared the vehicle you passed. Sitting in the left lane holds up quicker drivers and tempts them into risky passes on the wrong side.

A pedestrian who has already stepped onto a marked crossing has priority over vehicles, and you must stop to let them finish crossing. Driving through while someone is on the crossing is both dangerous and a traffic offence.

You must not overtake a vehicle that has stopped to let a pedestrian cross, because the pedestrian may be hidden from your view. Doing so is a specific offence under Ghana's traffic regulations, precisely because it causes pedestrian strikes.

Stop before the crossing when the barrier is down, lights are flashing, or a train is approaching, and never drive around or under a closing barrier. Ignoring a level crossing signal is an offence and one of the most fatal mistakes a driver can make.

You must stop at the stop line when the signal is red, even if the junction looks clear. Proceeding on red is a traffic offence and one of the leading causes of right-angle collisions at signalised junctions.

Racing, drag racing, or attempting a speed record on a public road is prohibited, whether or not you organised the event yourself. It is an offence under Ghana's traffic regulations because it removes any margin for reacting to other road users.

Total stopping distance is your thinking distance (how far you travel before your foot reaches the brake) plus your braking distance (how far the vehicle travels once braking). Both grow with speed, and braking distance grows with the square of speed, so a small speed increase adds a lot to the distance you need to stop.

Leave extra following distance behind trucks and buses, because a large vehicle blocks your view of the road ahead and its driver may not see your car in their mirrors if you sit too close behind. That lost visibility in both directions removes your warning time if a hazard appears ahead or the heavy vehicle brakes suddenly.

Switch to dipped beam when another vehicle approaches so you do not dazzle its driver, and slow down enough that you could stop inside the stretch of road your lamps light up. Glare and speed beyond your visible range are both common causes of night-time crashes.

Reduce speed and avoid sudden braking, steering, or acceleration on a wet or harmattan-dusty surface, since traction is reduced and skids happen more easily. This risk is highest during the first rain after a long dry spell, when oil and dust make the surface unusually slippery.

Slow down and stay alert for children who may run into the road unpredictably, especially around opening and closing times. School and hospital zones are treated as reduced-speed areas precisely because pedestrian behaviour there is less predictable.

Slow down and pass gently without hooting when you meet livestock such as cattle, goats, or sheep on the road. A sudden horn blast can startle animals into unpredictable, dangerous movement rather than clearing the way.

Reduce speed, use low-beam headlights rather than high beam (which reflects back and worsens visibility), and increase your following distance. Overdriving your visibility in fog or heavy dust is a common cause of multi-vehicle pile-ups.

Ease off the accelerator and steer gently in the direction you want the vehicle to go, without braking hard or making sudden steering corrections. Slamming the brakes during a skid usually makes the loss of control worse, not better.

Following another vehicle too closely removes your margin to stop if it brakes suddenly, making a rear-end collision far more likely. The correct defensive habit is to open a following gap that grows with your speed and with wet or dusty conditions.

Plan rest breaks before you feel exhausted, since a fatigued driver reacts more slowly and can even fall asleep at the wheel. Treating tiredness as a hazard to plan around, rather than something to push through, is a core defensive-driving habit.

A valid Ghana Card is required to apply for a driver's licence — it is the identity document the DVLA requires for every licensing transaction. An application cannot proceed without it.

You must be at least 18 years old to apply for licence class A (motorcycles) or class B (private cars/light vehicles), per DVLA's published eligibility requirements. Age is checked against your Ghana Card at the time of application.

Licence class E, the heavier commercial category, requires the applicant to be at least 21 years old — a higher threshold than classes A and B. Applying for class E under this age is not accepted by the DVLA.

A Ghanaian driver's licence must be renewed every two years under Regulation 46 of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519), and each renewal requires a fresh eye test. Late renewal attracts delinquency charges under L.I. 2512 that rise the longer the licence stays unrenewed, and failing to renew as prescribed is itself an offence under Regulation 46(8).

Separate from the two-year renewal cycle, the physical licence card itself must be replaced six years after its date of issue, per Regulation 46 of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519). Within that six-year card life, the licence still has to be renewed every two years.

Under section 1 of the Road Traffic Amendment Act, 2025 (Act 1153), a driver is legally under the influence of alcohol at a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05% or more, measured within two hours of driving — down from the previous 0.08%. Driving at or above that level is a criminal offence, not just a licensing infraction.

Wearing a seat belt is a legal requirement for drivers and passengers under Ghana's Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519). Failing to buckle up is an offence in its own right, independent of whether a crash occurs.

Holding, using, or operating a mobile phone or other communication device while driving is a specific offence under the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519). The same restriction applies to anyone supervising a learner driver.

If your vehicle breaks down and obstructs traffic, place a warning triangle about 45 metres (roughly 50 yards) in front of and behind the vehicle to alert approaching drivers. Failing to warn oncoming traffic risks a rear-end or head-on collision with your stopped vehicle.

Every vehicle must carry a pair of advance warning triangles (or another approved device such as reflective cones or a blinking-light beacon), a fire extinguisher, and a first-aid kit; driving without them is an offence under Regulations 94 and 108 of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519). Without this equipment you cannot warn other traffic during a breakdown or respond to a minor injury.

A rider and any pillion passenger on a motorcycle, tricycle, or quadricycle must wear a compliant helmet and reflective clothing. Riding without either is an offence under the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519); helmets matter because head injuries are a major cause of death in motorcycle crashes.

Driving with a tinted front windscreen is prohibited under Ghana's Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519), because it reduces the driver's own forward visibility as well as an officer's ability to see inside the vehicle. This rule applies specifically to the front windscreen.

Fitting a tyre older than six years, or one that is bald, bulging, under-inflated, or shows exposed cords, is prohibited because worn tyres lose grip and increase stopping distance. This rule exists specifically to prevent tyre-related blowouts and skids.

Carrying more passengers or cargo than a vehicle is rated for is a specific offence, because overloading affects braking, handling, and tyre wear. An overloaded vehicle can also become unstable on a bend or during sudden braking.

On a long downhill stretch, engage a low gear and let the engine brake the vehicle rather than riding the footbrake continuously. Continuous footbraking overheats the brakes, causing brake fade — a loss of stopping power exactly when you need it most.