Driver Study Notes

• Chapter 1 Driver Licenses
• Chapter 2 How to Keep Your License
• Chapter 3 Owning a Vehicle
• Chapter 4 Traffic Control
• Chapter 5 Intersections and Turns
• Chapter 6 Passing
• Chapter 7 Parallel Parking
• Chapter 8 Defensive Driving
• Chapter 9 Alcohol and Other Drugs
• Chapter 10 Special Driving Conditions
• Chapter 11 Sharing the Road

Chapter 1 Driver Licenses

Driver Licenses

This chapter is not tested hence it is just some useful information that is good to know.

Operator, Class D driver's license is what usually people get here, it let you drive a car! Minimum age is 18 to let you to drive here.

Fun fact, if you have this you can also do Class B and C mopeds with this license lmao.

Enhanced driver's license: It has a star or a flag on it. It is a federally compliant DMV issued driver license and is required for boarding domestic flight, you can't use the standard version anymore after May 7, 2025.

Permit

If you have permit you will need to be supervised by a licensed driver who is >= 21 years old and have the license for the vehicle that you're driving and is seated in the front seat.

Chapter 2 How to Keep Your License

Keeping your License

Suspension: Means that your license is taken away from you for some time

Revocation: Your license is revoked, you will need to apply for another one

If you drive without being insured your license will be revoked.

There is also the point system. If you get more than 11 or more points within 18 months, then your license will be suspended.

You will be fined if you drive while under suspension or revocation!

Chapter 3 Owning a Vehicle

Owning a Car

You must have your vehicle registered in order to drive it on public roads and highway.

The registration allow you to drive the vehicle.

The title certificate proves who owns the vehicle.

Registering Vehicle

You must:

• Prove that you own the vehicle
• The vehicle is insured
• The state and county sales taxes has been paid

If you bought the vehicle from registered dealer then proof of ownership is the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin and dealer's Certificate of Sale.

For used vehicle, the proof of ownership is the previous owner's Certificate of Title, the correct odometer and salvage disclosure statement, and the dealer's Certificate of Sale.

Renewal

Registration is renewed every 2 years.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 4 Traffic Control

Signs

There are four types of types based on the shape and color to tell you the information that they provide.

• Regulation signs: They are normally white rectangles with black letters or symbols.
• Warning signs: Normally yellow and diamond shaped with black letters or symbols.
• Destination signs: Are green with white letters and symbols, like highway or expressway guide signs
• Service signs: Are blue and white letters and symbols. Like how many more miles until gas station or McDonalds

Regulation signs

Stop sign
You must come to a full stop. Give the right of way to vehicles and pedestrians in or heading towards the intersection. Go when it is stopped fully. If there are no stop line, then you must stop before the crosswalk.

Yield sign
Decrease speed as you get to the intersection and get ready to stop to give right-of-way to vehicles and people in or heading towards the intersection. Check for traffic and be prepared to stop.

Other regulatory signs
Give information about the rules for traffic direction, lane use, turns, speed, and parking.

Warnings Signs

You are approaching something dangerous or a location where there are special rules that you need to follow.

Work area signs, traffic will be controlled by a flag person, and you must follow the speed limit.

Flag Person

Destination Signs

Shows the direction and distance to locations

Route Signs

Indicates the interstate, county routes.

Service Signs

Show location or services.

Traffic Signals

Steady red: Stop don't go until the light is green. If a red light is shown with a green arrow, then you can go towards the arrow and only if the intersection is clear.

• You can make a right turn at a steady red light after you come to full stop and give right of way to oncoming traffic and people.
• You can make a left turn at steady red light when you turn into one way road into another one-way road after you come full stop and give right of way
• YOU CANNOT MAKE TURNS IN NYC! UNLESS PERMITTED BY SIGN
• You cannot make a turn at red light if there is a NO TURN ON RED sign

Flashing Red: Same as STOP sign, you must stop and give right of way.

Red arrow: Do not drive in the direction of the arrow until the red arrow light is off.

Steady Yellow: The light will be changing from green to red be prepared

Flashing yellow: Drive with caution

Steady green: Go but give right of way

Green arrow: Go in the direction of the arrow but give right of way

Lane use Control Lights

These  signs are used to indicate which lanes of a highway can be used at certain times.

1. Steady red X: Don't use this lane
2. Steady yellow X: Move from this lane
3. Flashing yellow X: This lane can only be used for a left turn
4. Green arrow: You can use this lane

Pavement Markings (Dread)

A solid line along the side of a road tell you where the edges is. You cannot drive across the edge it is illegal.

White lines separate traffic moving in the same direction.
Yellow lines separate traffic moving in the opposite direction.

One broken line: You can pass other vehicle if or change lane if you can do it safely

Solid line with broken line: If you are on the side it has solid line then you cannot pass the line except when you are making a left turn into driveway. If you are on the side with broken line then you can pass.

Double solid line: You must stay in lane and cannot go across line. But you can go across the line if you are making a U-Turn or leaving the highway.

Solid one: You can pass other vehicles or change lanes but only if it is necessary

Arrow: You must be in the lane if you're making a right turn or staying in straight

Diamond Symbol: The lane is only for high occupancy vehicles like a bus or truck or car-pools or van-pools.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 5 Intersections and Turns

Right of Way

Traffic light and pavement marking don't always resolve traffic conflicts, that's where right of way comes into play.

1. When you enter an intersection you must yield right of way to the current traffic
2. If there are opposite traffic, then the driver making the left turn must give right of way - otherwise, they would be obstructing traffic. Any left turn you would need to yield traffic
3. If two driver comes at a right angle - the driver on the left must give right of way to the driver on the right. Or if you're driving and see there are driver on your right side, you must give right of way
4. If you are entering roadway, private road, you must give right of way
5. You must give right of way to pedestrians, just don't collide with them
6. Don't enter if there is traffic to an intersection
7. Give right of way to those drivers already in roundabout

Emergency Vehicles

Give right of way to them if you see them. And safely pull over to the right if you hear them. If you're in an intersection drive out before you pull over.

Pull over and stop for an emergency vehicle even if it is headed towards you in the opposite lane.

Move over law: You must be careful with any car that is parked, stopped, or standing on shoulder of highway to avoid collision. Move away from them.

Turning

Always signal before you turn or change lanes. Do your signal at least 100 feet before your turn.

If somehow you can't use your turn signal

• Get as far right as possible before making right turns
• Left turn from one way road into one way road: You must turn into the left lane
  

  

• Left turn from one way road into two way road: Same rule as above, but obviously to the right of the center line (In the same traffic direction)
  

  

• Left turn from two way road into two way road: Use the left side of the intersection, and then again follow the same rule as above, stay in the lane that's to the right of the center line but closest to the center as possible
  

  

  
  
• Left turn from two way road into one way road: First case example, turn to the lane that is the leftmost
  

  

  
  
• Left turn from two way road into four lane high way: same rule, enter the leftmost lane to the center
  

  

U-Turning

U-turning is when you make any turn so that you can go to the opposite direction.

Don't do U-Turn in highway unless necessary.

You can only make U-Turn from the left portion of the lane nearest the center of the road, never use the right lane.

Consider three point turn as an alternative

1. Signal with your left turn signal. Check for traffic
2. Turn left, and go cross road, come to a full stop when you face the left curb or edge of the road
3. Look again for traffic, turn your wheel all the way to the right and look behind you as you back up. Stop when you reach the right curb
4. Stop and check again for traffic, and turn your wheel all the way to the left and pull forward.

Chapter 6 Passing

Passing

When you pass other vehicles you pass on the left side. You are only permit to pass on the right side when it is necessary and safe to do so.

You need to do your signal at least 100 feet before you intend to change lanes.

Here are some of the rules for passing on the left lane, you cannot pass on the left if:

• Your lane has a solid yellow center line (duh)
• You can't safely go back to the right lane before you reach a solid yellow center line
• You can't safely go back to the right lane before any coming oncoming vehicles
• You reaching a curve
• You are 100 feet near a railroad crossing on a two way drive
• You are within 100 feet of a bridge / tunnel / viaduct
• If you pass you will interfere with the oncoming traffic

Check your mirror and signal your lane change, look over your left shoulder as well before you change lane.
Before going back to the right lane (the right lane are originally in before passing through left), look at your rear view mirror to make sure you can see the front bumper of the other vehicle you passed.

Passing on the right

You may pass on the right under these conditions:

• When a vehicle in front of you is making a left turn
• When you are on two-way road and is wide enough for two or more lanes in each direction and passing is not prohibited. In highway you can pass on the right if there is wide enough lane!
• In a one way and there is two or more lanes or is wide enough and passing is not prohibited

Being passed

If another car passes you on the left, decrease your speed slightly and stay center in your lane.

School Buses

You must stop in either direction if a school bus starts flashing it's red light with the STOP sign. Stay at least 20 feet away from the bus.

You will get fined if you pass stopped school bus!

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 7 Parallel Parking

Parallel Parking

1. Pick a space that is big enough for your car. Check your mirrors before you stop, and stop right next to the vehicle in front of the spot that you're picking, and leave about 2 feet in front and behind the vehicle so that you and the others can get out
2. Look behind you both shoulders to make sure that there are no others around, back up the vehicle slowly and turn your wheel completely to the right / left (whichever side that you're backing into). Look at the rear windows when you back up.
3. When you can see the back bumper of the car in front, then turn the wheel the other way as you continue to back up
4. Bring your wheels straight and pull forward. At the final position your car wheels must not be more than 1 foot away from the curb

Parking on Hill

Put in parking brake. And turn your wheels towards the curb.

Pulling out from Parallel Parking

1. Back up your car and turn your wheels away from the curb
2. Turn your head to look over your right shoulder and check through the rear window for people and car
3. And then use the rear mirror to check for danger
4. Signal you want to turn
5. Beware of the traffic, look at your left shoulder rear window and rear mirror again before pulling into traffic

Parking Regulation

No Parking: Means you can make temporary stops to load or discharge items / people. The driver can exit the car

No standing: Means you can make temporary stop to load or discharge items / people, but the driver cannot exit the car

No stopping: You can only stop to obey traffic signs, signal, or officer

No parking, stopping, or standing for:

• You cannot park, stop or stand within 15 feet of fire hydrant
• Next to someone that is double parking
• Sidewalk or in crosswalk (duh)
• Intersection
• Railroad tracks
• Road work
• Bridge or in a tunnel

No parking or standing for:

• In front of a driveway
• 20 feet or crosswalk at intersection
• 30 feet of a traffic light, STOP sign or YIELD sign

Parking for Disabilities

You cannot park in disabilities if you don't have the PASS. You cannot park, stop, or stand if you don't have it.

If you have permit to disability sign, you can only park there if the person who has it is in the vehicle.

 

 

 

Chapter 8 Defensive Driving

Defensive Driving

Be a safe driver here are some tips.

• Keep your position comfortable both hands on the wheel. Always look at the road ahead and keep your eyes moving to pay attention at what is happening at the road
• Don't afford to distract yourself, eating, texting or using cell phone
• Aggressive drivers
  • They speed, change lane often without signal or passing others -> You break traffic violation safely laws
  • Prevent road rage by not making eye contact with another driver, move away from them safely and don't challenge them. Report to the nearest police station
  • Don't tryda become an aggressive driver yourself, don't drive when you are angry, upset, or very tired
• If you have right of way don't think it is completely right, give good gestures to other drivers

Minimum speed limit is meant for the traffic to flow continuously.

Road Rage

Refer to angry hostile state which can increase into violent criminal actions.

Aggressive driving can become road rage. Road rage can include

• Using horn or obscene gestures and threats
• Reckless driving that can endanger others
• Stopping your car and getting out to attack / threaten another

Aggressive driving / road rage will lead to your license being suspended

Common Sense

• Follow speed limit, if there are no speed limit drive no more than 55 mph in highway. In NYC cities if there are no speed limit imposed max is 25 mph.
• Give yourself and other car space ahead of you
• Wear seat belt properly and correctly
  • Child under 4 must be in children seat
  • Each passenger must be properly seat belt
  • Air bag works with seat belt not a replacement
• If there is work zone, DECREASE YOUR GOD DAMN SPEED. Rear end collisions are common type of crash
• If you are sleepy, don't drive
• Make sure your car is in right condition
• Drive a little bit less than the posted speed limit

Driving through Roundabout

Roundabout is a round intersection to make drivers decrease speed < 30 mph or less. 

• Look at signs to figure out which exit to take
• Give right of way to people, and to driver who is already in the roundabout before you
• Stay in your lane until you are ready to make an exit, do not change lane in roundabout

Mobile Phone Usage

You cannot speak into or listen to hand held mobile telephone while you're driving!!!

Hands free mobile telephone is allowed, but you cannot hand held the telephone for interaction.

 

 

 

Chapter 9 Alcohol and Other Drugs

GET MEH SOME GOOD O COCKTAIL AMIRITE, but seriously don't drink and drivelol

The legal age to buy alcohol is 21! You can legally drive at 18!

Alcohol Effect

Alcohol delay your response time and your ability to see, change your judgement about speed and distance!

Driving while intoxicated you can be arrested if you have more than 0.08 percentage of blood alcohol content, you are legally intoxicated.

Drug effects

If drugs has side effects double check them before driving, since if it makes you sleepy then you should not drive!

Don't drink alcohol and take drug at the same time!

Weed as well :skull:

Blood Alcohol content

• Depends on how much you alcohol you drink
• The amount of time it passes between drinks
• Your weight

Different types of drinks don't affect you differently, it is the alcohol content that you consume, not it is whether it is a beer, wine, or liquor. The alcohol content is the one that matters!

0.02% BAC equates to the following: And your body takes about an hour to remove that much alcohol from your body, women might take longer time.

1. 5 oz glass of wine at 12% alcohol
2. 1 and 1/2 liquor 80 proof
3. 12 oz can of beer 5%
4. 12 oz of wine cooler 5%

Use common sense if you are planning to drive, don't drink

Chemical Test

Measures the BAC in your blood. Through urine, blood, or saliva.

Refusing chemical test will suspend your license.

If you are found guilty for alcohol / drug related violation you can get sentence to jail! And fined + license revocation!

Laws

1. Open container law: Forbit you from drinking on public highway
2. Ignition Interlock: If you are convicted while drinking you must install this machine in your car for at least 12 months to test your alcohol level

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 10 Special Driving Conditions

Special Driving Conditions

Railroad crossing

Grade crossing: When train tracks intersect with a roadway.

Obviously use your common sense, if a train is coming don't cross it. If there are no flashes or gates then slow down and prepare to stop, before you cross check that there is no train coming.

Is the sign for railroad crossing ahead, so use caution and pay attention!

If there are gates then you must stop at least 15 feet from the tracks, don't go across the track until the light has stopped and the gates open up completely.

Is the pavement marking version if there are no sign or flashing lights.

If your car happens to be stalled on railroad tracks, get out of the car immediately and get away from the tracks even if you don't see the train and notify the emergency system.

Expressway Driving

Expressway are divided highway, you enter and exit through ramps and the speed on the expressway is 55 mph generally, or up to 65 mph in some rural area.

If you enter in the wrong expressway then go out in the next exit then figure out how to get back.

Use the ramp to accelerate to the expressway speed and blend in with the traffic, otherwise, if you need to slow down slow down to merge into the traffic.

If the acceleration ramp is short, then wait for a larger gap in traffic and speed up quickly to merge into the expressway.

After you exit pay attention to the speed limit posted. Signal 100 feet before the exit ramp

Night driving

Drive slower at night because of the lower visibility 100% with your headlight on. Headlight covers about 350 feet ahead of you so drive at a speed that allows you to stop safely within that distance.

You must turn on headlight:

1. One half hour after sun sets to one half hour before sun rises
2. Visibility is low
3. Using windshield wipers
4. Fogs

Headlight must be on low beam when you are seeing another oncoming vehicle, and dim your headlight for people walking to you.

Driving in rain, fog, or snow

In heavy rain your tire can begin to ride on water, hydroplaning and can cause loss of frictions. Drive slowly during ehavy rain of course.

For rain, fog, snow, use low beam headlight since high beam will cause reflection make it harder to see.

Winter is the hardest to drive, make sure your car have good snow tires. If your rear wheels starts to slide, turn your wheel to the direction that your car is trying to car. If your rear wheels slides left, steer left, if they steer right, steer right. DON'T TURN WHEEL TOO MUCH. This will allow you to regain control of the car.

Brake slowly if you need to.

Deer

October, November, and December is when 2 / 3 of deer collision occurs, since that's when they breed and travel the most. Be careful when you drive at dawn and dusk. Drive slowly.

Emergencies

• Tire blowout: Get off the road and check your tires. Hold your wheel tightly and stop when you regain control of the car
• Loss of wheel: Leave roadway and stop check your car
• Steering failure: Turn on your emergency light, and keep your foot off the brake, as the car decreases speed, brake to a stop
• Basically use common sense if your car have failures and slow down gradually.
• Fire: Pull off the road and park your car, turn off the ignition and get away, call the fire department

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 11 Sharing the Road

Sharing the Road

Pedestrians and Skateboards

Watch out for them as you make left and right turns, don't just rely on your mirror, look out your window, and backing up look at your rear window.

People suppose to face the traffic in the lane nearest them.

You must always give them the right of way if they are crossing. Blind people gets special right of way they always have it.

Bicyclists

They share the road and are often hard to see in traffic. Check your blind spots before making a turn, parallel park, open a door, or leaving a curb, don't just look at the mirror, turn your head to look for them.

After dark they must have front headlights and red taillight. Bicyclist don't need to insure their bicycle lol

Reduce your speed as you pass them and give them room!

Motorcyclist

They are smaller and move faster. Motorcyclist can ride side by side in a single lane, but motorcyclist cannot pass or share lane with another motor vehicle that's not a motorcycle.

Intersection is dangerous for them because they are too small to see.

Moped Operators

Low speed, 2 / 3 wheel vehicle. They are to be driven on the right lane of traffic.

Large Trucks

They have blind spots, it takes longer for them to stop, and more room to turn.

They can have 20 feet of blind spots in front of them so be careful!

Don't stay close to a large vehicle that is backing up. Wait until it is completely backed up before trying to pass.

If you stop behind a truck always leave space.

Slow moving vehicle is a orange triangle!