By Sylvain Kwambi

Getting ready for your driving test can be stressful, but with the right preparation, you’ll be hitting the road with confidence in no time. Whether you’re a first-time driver or retaking the test, knowing what to expect can make all the difference.

Common mistakes to essential tips, here are five key rules you need to pass your driving test on the first try.

No.1: Take control

Adopt a positive attitude which will help you to break down fear, stay focused, and be relaxed during the driving test. This requires good sleeping the night before, not consuming alcohol or any form of drugs, and carefully reviewing the questions.

No.2: Know what to expect

During the exam, many skills will be required from you by the examiner, and knowing how to react is crucial. Knowing the rules is imperative, as well as a good assessment of the different scenarios you will face on the road.

No.3: Don’t forget anything

Fear on the exam’s day can play tricks on us, and forgetting is one of them. We must make sure that we bring with us the required documents. The advice is to gather your paperwork in a safe place the day before.

No.4: Check your blind spot

This practice is often neglected by learners, who are concentrating on the steering wheel with their eyes focused on the road ahead. And yet, beyond the road rules, it’s one of the keys of safe driving. Before entering the road, changing lanes or negotiating a turn, it’s essential to check your blind spots. To do this, you must look to the left and/or right of your shoulders after checking your mirrors, before taking any initiative on the road.

No.5: Have a good attitude

When facing the examiner, you must not lose control. You must remain serious during the evaluation process, polite and respectful. Don’t try to impress him by going too quickly, take your time to evaluate all situations and be ready to anticipate.

Remember, the examiner is not your enemy, they are simply examining your ability to drive safely.

Featured image: An examiner explains what will happen before hitting the road. Photo: Oregon Department of Transportation/CC/Wikimedia Commons

By Sylvain Kwambi

In many countries, press freedom is threatened by restrictive laws, direct censorship, or physical intimidation. Journalists and media outlets that dare to criticise the ruling power often face legal action, arrests, and even physical violence.

According to the World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, countries like Norway, Finland, and the Netherlands stand out for respecting this freedom. On the other hand, countries like China, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey are among the most repressive, where journalists are often imprisoned, and media is tightly controlled by authorities. African states are no exception.

For example, between January 2023 and October 2024, journalists Martinez Zogo (Cameroon), Ismail al-Ghoul (Palestine), and Victoria Roshchyna (Ukraine) were killed under tragic circumstances. Since 1992, CPJ has recorded 2,367 journalist deaths, including murders, crossfire casualties, and other dangerous assignments with confirmed motives. These incidents underscore the significant risks journalists face worldwide in their pursuit of reporting the truth.

One of the fundamental principles of press freedom is the independence of the media. However, often subject to economic or political pressures, they become unable to fulfil their mission. And yet as the fourth estate, helps oversee political power, a crucial role to democracy, ensuring transparency, informing citizens, and holding governments accountable.

It is therefore crucial that governments, international organisations, and civil society work together to protect and promote press freedom through clear legislation that guarantees freedom of expression and access to information, while also protecting journalists from physical and psychological attacks.

Freedom of expression is not only a right for journalists but for all citizens. With the rise of social media and digital platforms worldwide, the spread of misinformation has become a major challenge for press freedom.

Defending this freedom is essential for the health of democracy, for the balance of powers, and for the preservation of human rights worldwide.

Photo: socialstudieshelp.com