Remain in full control
Obey road rules and signs unless a traffic officer lawfully directs otherwise. Sit in a position that gives you control and a clear view ahead. Do not allow a passenger, an animal or an object to obstruct the controls or your view, and do not let another person interfere with steering or operating controls while you drive.
Reverse only when it can be done safely. Check the area and continue observing as you move; if you cannot establish a clear path, stop. When moving away from the roadside, give way as necessary to traffic approaching from every direction. Being parked first does not confer priority over moving traffic.
Keep people in safe positions
Keep bodies inside a moving vehicle except for a lawful hand signal. Do not carry people or animals on the roof, steps, running boards or another exterior position not intended for safe travel. Enter or leave only when the vehicle is safely stationary and the action will not endanger anyone.
The driver’s responsibility includes checking that people and carried objects will remain safe during braking or turning. Passenger convenience is not a reason to defeat restraints, block mirrors or leave a door open while moving.
Do not hold a communication device
Do not drive while holding a mobile telephone or other communication device in one or both hands or with another part of your body. Holding a phone between your shoulder and ear does not avoid the rule. The task of reading or entering information also competes with observation and control.
If a message needs attention, first find a lawful safe parking place, stop and secure the vehicle. A red traffic light is not an invitation to stop attending to the road. Set navigation and other essential controls before moving or ask a passenger to manage them.
Secure the vehicle and avoid fire or pollution
Before leaving a vehicle unattended, set the brake or take another effective measure to prevent movement and switch off the engine. Do not leave it idling unattended. Switch off the engine while petrol or another flammable fuel is being delivered to the tank.
Do not deliberately or negligently deposit fuel, oil, grease, ashes or refuse on or beside the road. Do not operate an engine so that it emits avoidable smoke or fumes, and do not drive, pull or push a vehicle on a sidewalk. A shortcut across pedestrian space is still a use of that space by the vehicle.
Give emergency vehicles a safe route
Give immediate right of way to an emergency vehicle using its siren and emergency warning lights. Observe where it needs to go, signal if necessary and make space predictably. Do not race ahead of it, follow it through a restricted gap, or make an abrupt movement into someone else’s path.
The manual associates red warning lights with fire, rescue and emergency medical vehicles; blue with police or traffic functions; and green with the relevant disaster/civil-protection response. Ordinary drivers may not claim those privileges by fitting a siren. The purpose is to clear a safe route for the response, not to create another emergency.
Consideration, reckless driving and road damage
Drive with reasonable consideration for others. Reckless or negligent driving is prohibited even when no collision occurs. Meeting the numerical speed limit does not excuse an unsafe pass, a dangerous following gap or a movement into a crowd.
Do not cause excessive noise. Do not deliberately spin or drag wheels on the roadway except as unavoidable in an emergency, put chocks or shoes between a moving wheel and the road, or move a vehicle or object in a way that damages the road. These duties protect both other road users and the surface everyone relies on.
Alcohol and impairing drugs
Do not drive under the influence of alcohol or a drug that impairs driving. The manual states blood-alcohol offence thresholds of 0.05 g per 100 ml for an ordinary driver and 0.02 g per 100 ml for a professional driver. Being at or above the applicable threshold is prohibited; these figures are not a safe drinking allowance. A person in the driver’s seat with the engine running can fall within the rule even when the vehicle is not moving.
In September 2026 the government described zero-alcohol limits as legislation it was pursuing, not a change already in force. The safe practical choice is to avoid alcohol before driving and arrange another way to travel. A medicine can impair driving even if it was prescribed; follow its warnings and obtain appropriate advice before driving.
Worked situation
An ambulance approaches with a siren and warning lights while you are beside another vehicle. Check your surroundings and make space progressively when safe; do not swerve into the occupied lane. Once it passes, continue under your own signals and speed restrictions rather than following it through traffic.
Blood and breath use different units
The corresponding breath-alcohol thresholds in the inspected Act are 0.24 mg per 1,000 ml for an ordinary driver and 0.10 mg per 1,000 ml for a professional driver. They are not percentages and must not be confused with blood measurements in grams per 100 ml. Do not calculate how many drinks are “allowed”: impairment and the statutory threshold are separate grounds for not driving.