Theory topic 7 · Düsseldorf
Topic 7: The people you share the road with
You're never alone on the road. Topic 7 is about the road users who are more vulnerable than you in a car: pedestrians, children, cyclists, moped riders, older people, people with poor sight and wheelchair users. The law requires you to take particular care around them (§ 1 StVO), and in this topic you learn what that means in practice.
- In class
- 90 minutes, as often as you like
- This is topic 7 of 14. You can come to this double lesson as many times as you like.
- Flexible times
- 8 theory classes a week
- Lessons run on six days a week. The 14 topics follow on from each other in a loop, so you simply join at the next lesson.
- Four languages
- German, English, Arabic, Berber
- Lessons are taught in German. If something isn't clear, you can ask in English, Arabic or Berber.
What you learn
What topic 7 covers
This is what's on the plan in the lesson, and it's what the theory test (Theorieprüfung) will ask you about.
- Who counts as a vulnerable road user, and what you have to do to protect them
- How to drive around children, for example by slowing down near schools and playgrounds and being ready to brake
- Which rules apply to cyclists on the road and on cycle lanes
- How to drive around older people and people with poor sight
- What the yellow armband with three dots means, and how to recognise someone who is blind (a white cane or a guide dog)
- What rights wheelchair users and people with walking aids have
- How to overtake mopeds, scooters and motorbikes safely, with enough space to the side
The key rules
What you need to know for sure
A lot of the test questions on this topic come back to these points.
Pedestrians have priority at a zebra crossing
As soon as a pedestrian clearly wants to cross, for example because they're waiting at the zebra crossing or walking towards the road, you have to stop, even if they haven't stepped into the road yet. You must not overtake just before a zebra crossing.
Children need your full attention
Children can't reliably judge how fast a car is going or how far away it is. That's why you slow down near schools, nurseries and playgrounds and in residential areas, stay ready to brake and try to make eye contact. Until their eighth birthday, children have to cycle on the pavement, although they may also use a cycle path that's physically separated from the road.
1.5 m from cyclists in towns, 2 m outside towns
Since 2020 the law has set a minimum gap for overtaking cyclists, e-scooter riders and pedestrians. If you leave too little space, it costs €30, or €35 if you damage property.
An armband or a white cane means someone needs extra care
A yellow armband with three black dots shows that someone has a physical disability. You can also recognise people with very poor sight by a white cane or a guide dog in a white harness. Drive slowly and predictably, be ready to brake and stop if you need to. Don't use your horn, because it only confuses them.
Buses with hazard lights on
If a scheduled bus or a marked school bus is approaching a stop with its hazard lights on, you must not overtake it. If it's stopped there with its hazard lights on, you may only pass it at walking pace, and that also applies to traffic coming the other way on the same road. If a bus wants to pull away from a marked stop, you have to let it out and wait if necessary.
Common mistakes
Where the test often trips people up
In these places a question often means something different from what it seems to say when you read it quickly.
- Approaching a zebra crossing too fast
- If someone clearly wants to use the zebra crossing, you may only approach at a moderate speed and must wait if necessary. The law doesn't give a fixed speed. If you approach too fast or don't let the pedestrian cross, it's €80 and 1 point.
- Overtaking a cyclist with only 50 cm to spare
- This is a typical mistake in towns. Even if the road is narrow, it's better to stay behind the cyclist until there's enough room. The 1.5 m is only the minimum the law sets.
- Not paying enough attention to older people
- Older people often need more time to cross the road. You have to take particular care around them and be ready to brake (§ 3 Abs. 2a StVO). They don't, however, have general priority away from zebra crossings or traffic lights.
- Not watching children on the pavement
- Until their eighth birthday children cycle on the pavement, and until their tenth they're still allowed to. But they can end up in the road at any moment, so drive more slowly in residential areas and keep a close eye on them.
Sample questions
What the questions in the theory test look like
Click on a question to see the answer. You can practise the full set of official questions with our learning app.
You're approaching a zebra crossing where people are waiting. What do you do?
In a town, what is the minimum gap you must leave to the side when overtaking a cyclist?
You see a school bus at a stop with its hazard lights on. What do you have to do?
In the driving lesson
Where you'll meet topic 7 again in the car
In city traffic you'll come across children, cyclists and other vulnerable road users all the time. So when you're driving, what matters is spotting them early and only passing them with the gap the law requires.
Questions and answers
Common questions about topic 7
Short answers to questions around this topic.
What does a yellow armband with three black dots mean?
Are children allowed to cycle on the road?
What's the fine for overtaking a cyclist too closely?
What should I do when I meet someone on horseback?
What do I need to know about e-scooters?
Registration
Come along to the theory lessons
Pre-register online, with no obligation. Once your registration has gone through, you join at the next lesson, whichever topic is on that day.
Or just drop by
- Phone
- 0211 21098911
- Mon–Fri
- 10:30–19:00
- Sat
- 10:00–15:00
- Sun
- Closed
Read on
Related topics and pages
- Topic 6: Traffic signs & markingsWarning signs, regulatory signs and information signs, and how to tell them apart.
- Topic 8: SpeedBraking and stopping distances, speed limits and why a little faster means a lot further.
- Topic 9: Observation & manoeuvresMirrors and shoulder checks, overtaking, changing lanes, turning round and reversing.
- Class BThe car licence.
- Class BF17Start at 17 and drive with a companion.
- Pre-registrationSign up online, with no obligation.
