You must be aged at least 18 and hold a valid driving licence which you must have with you whenever you are driving.

You must wear glasses if you need them to meet the driving test standard - to read at a distance of 23 metres in good daylight a vehicle number plate. You must not drive with uncorrected defective vision. If driving in bright sunlight is uncomfortable, use good quality sunglasses - but not at night or in conditions of poor visibility.

You should not drive if you suffer from any disability or illness that may make it difficult for you to drive safely. Your health affects your driving - even a cold can put you below par.

You should not drive, if you are tired, unwell or emotionally upset.

Drinking and driving is a criminal offence

It is an offence if you drive under the influence of alcohol to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of your motor vehicle. Even a small amount, the alcohol can affect your driving ability. Do not drive after drinking. As an alternative, you can use taxi or other public transport services, or arrange a non-drinker to do the driving.

The police have the power to demand a screening breath test from any driver who is randomly stopped during roadblock operations or other traffic enforcement checks, or from any driver who is involved in a traffic accident, or has committed a moving traffic offence, or is suspected of drink-driving.

If the screening breath test result indicates a level above the prescribed limit. The driver must provide specimens of breath, blood or urine as required by police officer for alcohol analysis.

It is also an offence if you, without reasonable excuse, refuse or fail to provide specimens of breath, blood or urine for test/analysis.

Prescribed limit

The prescribed limit is set at 22 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of breath, or 50 milligrams (mg) of alcohol per 100ml of blood, or 67mg of alcohol per 100ml of urine. Any driver of motor vehicle found exceeding the prescribed limit will face prosecution under the law. If the proportion of alcohol far exceeds the prescribed limit, the penalty will be more severe.

Drug driving is a criminal offence

It is an offence if you drive a motor vehicle with any concentration of specified illicit drugs - heroin, cocaine, ketamine ('k'), methamphetamine ('ice'), cannabis ('grass') and MDMA ('ecstasy') present in blood or urine.

You must also not drive under the influence of any drugs (other than the abovementioned specified illicit drugs) to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of the motor vehicle.

Drugs can affect body and mind coordination, significantly impairing oneʼs ability to drive. If taking drugs before driving cannot be avoided, make sure the drugs will not affect your driving ability. Consult healthcare professionals including doctors, pharmacists or dentists if in doubt and ask for alternative medications when necessary.

Preliminary drug tests

You may be requested by police officer to undergo preliminary drug tests if you are involved in a traffic accident, or have committed a moving traffic offence, or are suspected of driving under the influence of drugs.

It is also an offence if you, without reasonable excuse, refuse or fail to undergo preliminary drug tests or to provide blood and/or urine specimens for drug analysis.

Smoking

Smoking will distract your driving. Avoid smoking while driving.

Your Passengers

Front seat passengers should maintain a gap of not less than one quarter of a metre between their bodies and the dashboard. In case of accident or emergency braking, if their bodies are too close to the dashboard, they might be injured by hitting the dashboard first before the seat belts could hold them back.

Passengers must sit on properly provided and secured seats. You must not carry more passengers than the seating capacity indicated on your vehicle licence. (A child under the age of 3 years need not be counted. Three children aged 3 or above and under 1.3 metres tall can be counted as two passengers)

You should arrange passengers to get in or out of your vehicle from the pavement or the side of the road. Do not allow them to open the door in a manner that will put anyone in danger.

When you get out of your vehicle to help passengers boarding/alighting or load/ unload goods, you must switch off the engine, engage the vehicle in first gear (manual) or park mode (automatic), and apply the parking brake first.