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New License - Under 18
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- Basic Tips for Safe Driving
Page OverviewFor teenagers, getting a driver's license is an important milestone. It's a step toward independence, and for some it's their first taste of adult responsibility. For the most part, teens are so eager and excited to get behind the wheel that they might not be very focused on the important issue of safety.
Operating a motor vehicle requires the coordination of several complex tasks simultaneously. When you factor in all of the other elements, including road conditions, weather, other drivers on the road, and distractions within the car, driving can be one of the most dangerous activities that we undertake each day. For teens, who are just learning to do all these things at once, safety becomes an even more important issue.
Youth-involved automobile crashes are a huge problem in the United States. According to the National Safety Council, traffic crashes are the leading cause of teen fatalities,
accounting for 44% of teen deaths in this country. The District of Columbia has the dubious distinction of having the highest teen driver death rate in the nation, according to a study compiled by the National Safety Council and the Coalation to End Needless Death on Our Roadways.While it's true that driving carries with it countless inherent risks, it is still incredibly fun to get behind the wheel and go wherever you want to go. These depressing statistics are shared not to frighten you, but to make sure that you understand how important it is to drive responsibly, take the time necessary to get adequate training, and always obey the rules of the road.
Top Graduated Driver Licensing
Given the fact that lack of experience behind the wheel can be a large contributor to the cause of many traffic accidents, graduated licensing programs have been established in many states and in the District of Columbia. The purpose of the graduated licensing program, or GRAD (Gradual Rearing of Adult Drivers), is to make sure drivers under 21 are properly educated and trained, and that they take on additional responsibilities only as they become able to handle them.
The graduated licensing program gives teens plenty of supervised time behind the wheel to allow them the opportunity to learn from the experience of the adult driver. This allows time for knowledge to be translated into experience, and for the novice driver to gain skills and confidence behind the wheel before encountering more dangerous situations such as driving late at night or while other distracting teens are in the car.
The GRAD license program has three stages:
Top Basic Tips for Safe Driving
When you are getting ready to practice driving, it's a good idea to make sure that the car you will be driving is in good working order. Have the adult who will be supervising you show you how to check the car's fluid levels, as well as the tire pressure and tread depth. These are things that you will need to know how to do regularly once you become a motorist.
It's also smart to make sure that you have plenty of gas to get where you're going. Getting stranded is never fun.
Here are more things to remember every time you drive:
- Always wear your seatbelt and make sure that your passengers do as well.
- Never drink and drive, or drive after you have taken drugs (or even certain over-the-counter medications―check the label).
- Make sure that your windshield, mirrors, and rear window are clean and clear.
- Adjust your seat and mirrors before pulling away from the curb.
- Always obey posted speed limits.
- Use your turn signals to indicate to the traffic around you your intention to turn.
- Keep a safe driving distance between your car and the car ahead of you on the road.
- Never get behind the wheel if you are overly tired or sleepy.
Related Questions from DMV Answers
Does getting a DUI automatically result in a suspended license?
Driving is a privilege, not a legal right. In every state, drivers can have their license taken away if they are found guilty of behaviors that endanger the safety of other motorists. This includes driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The length of time you will have a suspended license for a DUI varies by state. Kansas, Kentucky, and Missouri will suspend your drivers license for just 30 days if you are a first time offender. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia, however, take a much stricter approach to punishing drunk drivers and will pull your license for one year on the first offense. Regardless of where they live, motorists can expect progressively harsher punishments for repeated DUI offenses. New Jersey drivers convicted of a DUI will have a suspended license for three months on the first offense, two years on the second offense, and ten years for the third offense. Vermont and Connecticut will permanently suspend the drivers license of a third ti...
Read more >>How much are commercial drivers license practice tests?
CDL practice test offers abound on the Internet. Each CDL test company charges different prices for different tests. An online general knowledge quiz, for example, may cost as little as $17.95 or as much as $59.95, while an endorsement exam for tank vehicles may price in around $9.95. There is no set amount. You should be able to find prices listed on each company's individual Web site. Don't let cost deter you from purchasing a CDL practice test. These quizzes provide the exact type of multiple choice questions found on actual CDL exams, making them ideal commercial drivers license study sources. With a practice test you can accurately gauge your weaknesses and strengths. In addition to practice tests, you should also spend time studying your state's CDL manual. All of the actual CDL questions are directly based on information found in the CDL manual. You can pick up a copy from any DMV office, or download one from your state's DMV Web site.
Read more >>How useful is a free drivers permit practice test?
Practice tests for the drivers permit test are very useful, if you want to pass the learners permit test the first time you take it and be on the road to getting a regular drivers license. Free tests, available from your state motor vehicle office, are usually only about ten questions long; some states have several available. These tests are taken right out of the driver’s manual. But, the more practice tests you take, the better you’ll be at taking the exam to get your drivers permit. Some people find that the free tests aren’t quite comprehensive enough to make them 100% confident that they’ll pass the regular test. Taking some extra practice tests compiled by expert third-party companies that specialize in creating practice tests will reinforce what you have studied--and will boost your test-taking confidence. Many of these companies have put together learners permit practice tests for every single state; and these tests have more questions, so you g...
Read more >>Does the state's free DMV permit practice test have the same questions as t...
Yes, but the questions may not be exactly the same when you take the learners permit test. The practice test questions from the DMV consist of about ten random samplings from the drivers handbook. For example, when you take a practice drivers license test, the sample questions may ask you about turning right on a red light. The actual test may not have that question at all; instead, it might ask you about a four-way stop. The best way to prepare for the drivers permit test is to study the drivers manual and take plenty of practice tests, so you have lots of exposure to any type of question the test will throw at you. In addition to taking the free DMV permit practice test, which have a limited number of questions, you can also buy permit practice tests with more questions that you can also take on your home computer. This allows you extra practice. Once you are consistently scoring well on the sample questions, you have a much higher likelihood of passing the DMV test so you can get...
Read more >>Is a work permit the same as a restricted or hardship license?
While some states group all of these under the same category, a work permit is usually considered to be a bit more limited that a restricted or hardship license.That's because a work permit normally only allows you to drive to and from work. Meanwhile, a restricted or hardship license allows you to drive within certain hours of the day - perhaps to go to the doctor's office, school, or grocery store - as well as to and from your job. Some states also offer hardship licenses to young drivers under the legal driving age, depending on their family needs and distance from school and public transportation.Again, though, states define work permits and hardship licenses differently, so you'll need to inquire with your state's driver's license agency to specifically find out what driving activities you're allowed to do - and when.If you have a revoked drivers license, you might find it more difficult to obtain a work permit or hardship license than if you have a suspended drivers ...
Read more >>
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