Traffic rules
Speed Limits in Zimbabwe
The numbers to memorise
The World Health Organization's Zimbabwe road-safety profile records a maximum urban limit of 60 km/h, a maximum rural limit of 80 km/h and a maximum motorway limit of 120 km/h, and notes that local authorities can set other limits. Those are the figures to take into the provisional test when the question says "unless otherwise signed".
A posted sign wins. If you pass a red circle with 80 while you are still in town, 80 is the limit from that sign. If you pass a 40 outside a school, 40 is the limit. When the restriction ends, another sign or the general limit applies. Do not guess that a junction cancelled it.
What the question is really asking
"What is the speed limit in a built-up area?" is 60, if no sign says otherwise. "What does this sign mean?" with a red circle and 60 is "do not exceed 60 km/h", which is not the same sentence as "the national urban limit is 60". Read whether they showed you a sign.
Speed questions are easy marks once those two sentences are separate. They are in the PassDrive bank with the rest of the paper. Start with 4 free lessons.
Free practice question
These are PassDrive practice examples, written so you learn the rule. The VID screen randomises its questions, so the wording on the day will be different.
Practice
You are in a town. You have not passed a speed sign since the town boundary. What is the maximum speed?
- 80 km/h
- 100 km/h
- 60 km/h
- 120 km/h
Show the answer
C. 60 km/h. The general urban maximum is 60 km/h. A sign would have to set something else.
Questions people ask
Is 120 km/h allowed on every open road?
No. 120 is the motorway maximum in the national figures. A rural road that is not a motorway is 80 unless signed otherwise.
Do heavy vehicles share the car limit?
Not always. If the question names a bus, a truck or a towing vehicle, look for the lower limit the question states. Do not assume the car figure.