Understanding Traffic Laws When Learning How To Drive

When you are learning how to drive, it is important to have an understanding of what the precursors are for traffic laws. There are many different types of people that drive daily with different types of cars and motorcycles. For this reason, there are certain rules set in place by the government.

These rules are designed to create order on our roads, reduce accidents, and most importantly maintain safety for all drivers including teens. In every state, there has been a complete overhaul or revision of their driving handbooks specifically targeted at teenagers under 18 years old from the time they first start learning how to drive. These changes have been made by legislators and a lot of research has helped contribute to this process.

In this article, you will find a general outline of what traffic laws are, and how they will affect you when you begin learning how to drive.

What are traffic laws?

A city, state, or federally approved set of rules that govern how people drive their vehicles on public roads to maintain safety for all road users (which includes motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians). These laws can be further broken down into two categories: traffic signs and traffic signals. Traffic signs tell you what is expected of you while driving. Traffic signals indicate whether it is legal or illegal to continue moving forward at a specific point in time. At the most basic level, understanding these components will help you become an intelligent, aware driver.

The driving handbook

Most states have made it mandatory for teens under 18 years old to have their license to drive or a temporary driving permit to drive on the road. If you are caught driving without one of these licenses at this age, your parents will be notified and could face heavy penalties (fines) if they do not take proper action by suspending your license or permit temporarily or even revoke it. This is because the state does not want you behind the wheel if they do not feel confident enough that you can handle a vehicle safely.

Every single state has an official handbook that goes into great detail about traffic laws, how to check your vehicle's oil, how to deal with car accidents, etc. The Minnesota drivers practice tests are a great example of what a teen driver's handbook looks like. It is also one of the best tools you can use when preparing yourself for the license permit test.

Traffic signs

The Traffic Sign section in the driver's handbook goes in-depth about what specific traffic signs and signals mean. The reason for this is so that when you are behind the wheel, you will be aware of any changes to your direction or speed required by a sign. For instance, if you are driving on a road that instructs you to drive with caution when it is wet, you need to know what this means.

The sign itself indicates that the speed limit of the road has been reduced due to wet conditions. The reason for this is so that drivers can reduce their speed to maintain safety if they cannot see out of the windshield because it is too foggy or it just started raining within minutes before entering the road.

Traffic signals

Traffic signals are different from traffic signs because they give specific instructions for cars and motorcycles alike to proceed at their designated time during green lights and turn on red. For instance, in most cases when approaching an intersection where two roads meet, you will see two sets of traffic lights facing north and south, and one facing east and west.

Understanding the reason for this is to prevent drivers from facing a confusing situation where two cars are faced with the same green light, and they both proceed to enter the intersection at the same time. This could cause an accident which in some cases results in injury or even death of motorists, bicyclists, or pedestrians.

Seat belt laws

The primary purpose of seat belt laws is for safety purposes. While some states still issue tickets to drivers or passengers who are not wearing their seatbelts, most only suggest that you wear your seatbelt to prevent injury. The reason why this is stressed so much is that it has been proven time and time again that people who drive with proper restraints are more likely to escape a serious accident unharmed than those without them.

Distracted driving laws

Distracted driving laws are those that go into effect to keep motorists from causing accidents due to their lack of focus on the road while behind the wheel. This includes talking, texting, or any other activity that is conducted by a motorist who then becomes distracted as a result of performing such activity. The purpose behind these laws is simple - they should help you become a safer and better driver. If you are performing an action that causes your attention to wander away from the task at hand (i.e. driving), then you should not be doing it in the first place!

Driving curfew

This is one of the most common traffic laws that are enforced in many cities and places around the United States. It usually goes into effect for teens under 18 but can be even stricter depending on your state or county's driving laws. You may not be able to drive at any time during the night, also known as "driving after dark".

This means it would be illegal to get behind the wheel between 12 AM-5 AM if you are not accompanied by a parent or guardian who is over 25 years old. In some cases, this curfew time extends further into the morning when school is in session, instead of just when school is closed for holiday breaks or weekends only. For example, if your high school starts at 7:30 AM, you will not be able to drive until 7:30 AM either on mornings when school is in session.

Be sure to check with your DMV about any other possible laws that may affect your driving curfew that could apply specifically toward your area or county.

Having a strong understanding of traffic laws and how they affect your behavior on the road will help you become a safe driver over time. It all starts with the basics, such as knowing what is expected of you when approaching an intersection or if it is legal to park in certain areas during certain hours of the day. Understanding what these traffic signs and signals mean can ultimately save lives, which is why teens must know what is expected of them at every turn when learning how to drive.