Every state has its own road language.
Search local rule summaries and download the matching driver handbook.
Alabama
Unlike most states, Alabama requires drivers to stop for school buses even on divided highways. Open container laws here apply to ALL passengers — not just the driver.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedAlaska
Alaska is one of the few states mandating headlights on 24/7, year-round. Hitting a moose is not just dangerous — it's a common road hazard, and wildlife collisions are a leading cause of accidents here.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedArizona
Arizona stands out with driver's licenses that never expire until you turn 65. It also has the infamous 'Stupid Motorist Law' — drive through flood barricades, and you'll pay for your own rescue.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedArkansas
Arkansas is one of the few states issuing learner's permits as young as age 14. Teen drivers face a strict nighttime curfew between 11 PM and 4 AM — violators face license suspension.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedCalifornia
California enforces a total ban on handheld phones — even at red lights. It's also the only state where motorcycle lane splitting is explicitly legal. Miss a pedestrian crosswalk? That's a hefty fine, marked or unmarked.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedColorado
Colorado's Traction Law can require tire chains or snow tires on I-70 at a moment's notice. Unique to this mountainous state: uphill traffic has right-of-way on narrow mountain roads.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedConnecticut
Connecticut is one of the few states requiring a mandatory 8-hour Safe Driving course for all new drivers. Also, if your wipers are on, your headlights must be too — it's the law.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedDelaware
Delaware enforces absolute zero tolerance for under-21 drinking and driving — any detectable BAC means automatic penalties. Seat belts are required for ALL occupants, front and back.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedFlorida
Florida's 'Move Over' law is one of the most aggressively enforced in the nation. Uniquely, motorcyclists over 21 can ride without a helmet if they carry at least $10,000 in medical insurance.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedGeorgia
Georgia's 'Super Speeder' law is unique: drive 75+ mph on a two-lane road or 85+ mph anywhere, and you'll face an automatic $200 surcharge on top of your speeding ticket.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedHawaii
In Hawaii, honking your horn unnecessarily is not just rude — it's against the law. The state also requires annual vehicle safety inspections and enforces strict pedestrian right-of-way at all times.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedIdaho
Idaho issues learner's permits at just 14.5 years old — among the youngest in the nation. The state has no emissions testing, but wildlife crossing areas carry strictly enforced speed limits.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedIllinois
Illinois doubles speeding fines in construction zones, starting at $375 for first offenses — among the nation's steepest. In Chicago's Loop, right turns on red are completely prohibited.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedIndiana
Indiana has more roundabouts than any other US state. If you don't know roundabout rules, you'll struggle here. The state also requires drivers to move over for ALL stopped emergency vehicles.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedIowa
Iowa issues farm permits at age 14 — the youngest driving age in the country for any purpose. Sharing roads with slow-moving farm equipment is a daily reality, and failing to yield to them is a citation.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedKansas
Kansas also offers farm permits at 14 and restricted licenses at 15 with driver ed. Unique to tornado country: specific laws require you to pull over safely during tornado warnings.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedKentucky
Kentucky mandates 60 hours of supervised driving — more than most states. First-time DUI offenders face mandatory alcohol treatment programs, not just fines and jail time.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedLouisiana
Louisiana's flood-prone roads led to the 'Turn Around, Don't Drown' policy — driving through flooded roads can result in citations. Uniquely, it's illegal to drive with unrestrained animals in a truck bed.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedMaine
Maine requires a nation-leading 70 hours of supervised driving for drivers under 21 — far above the typical 50. Moose crossing areas here aren't suggestions — collisions are frequently fatal.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedMaryland
Maryland is one of the few states using automated speed cameras in school zones AND work zones. New drivers under 18 face a complete ban on all cell phone use — not just handheld.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedMassachusetts
In Boston, right turns on red are illegal unless a sign explicitly permits them — the reverse of every other US city. Massachusetts also requires annual vehicle safety inspections.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedMichigan
Michigan's 'Michigan Left' (U-turn to go left) confuses every out-of-state driver. The state is also a no-fault insurance state with unique PIP requirements, and studded tires are completely banned.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedMinnesota
Minnesota requires headlights at ALL times, not just at night. The state's Move Over law uniquely extends to snow plows and tow trucks — not just police and ambulances.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedMississippi
Mississippi has one of the most permissive driving systems in the nation: no mandatory driver education, no annual vehicle inspection, and no motorcycle helmet requirement for riders 18+.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedMissouri
Missouri requires annual vehicle safety inspections — one of few states still doing so. Speed limits vary significantly: 60 mph on state highways but 70 mph on interstates, with strict enforcement.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedMontana
Montana once had no daytime speed limit at all ('reasonable and prudent'). Today, its 80 mph interstate limit remains among the nation's highest. No vehicle inspections are required.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedNebraska
Nebraska issues school permits at just 14 years 2 months — the youngest permit age in the US. Notably, seat belt enforcement is secondary, meaning police can't pull you over for that alone.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedNevada
Nevada has some of the toughest DUI penalties in America — first offenses can mean jail time, heavy fines, and a breath interlock device. Left turns on red are never permitted here.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedNew Hampshire
New Hampshire is the ONLY state that doesn't require adult drivers to wear seat belts. It's also the only state with no mandatory auto insurance law — though financial responsibility still applies.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedNew Jersey
New Jersey is one of only two states where you CAN'T pump your own gas — attendants must do it. It's also famous for 'jughandle' turns: you must turn right to go left at many intersections.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedNew Mexico
New Mexico has unique jurisdictional complexity: traffic laws may differ on tribal lands. Open range rules mean you must yield to livestock, and DWI checkpoints are frequent and fully legal.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedNew York
In New York City, right turns on red are banned citywide — the opposite of the rest of the US. NYC's new congestion pricing also charges vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedNorth Carolina
North Carolina's school bus laws are among the strictest: you must stop from ALL directions on undivided roads, and violations carry severe penalties including potential license suspension.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedNorth Dakota
North Dakota issues instruction permits at age 14 — one of the youngest in the nation. The state has no vehicle inspection requirement and specific rules near active oil field operations.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedOhio
In Ohio's Amish country, sharing the road with horse-drawn buggies is routine — and legally required. Also unique: the licensing agency is called BMV (not DMV), and there's a 24-hour wait between written and road tests.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedOklahoma
Oklahoma sits in Tornado Alley, and its driving laws reflect it: specific regulations govern what to do when tornado warnings hit while you're on the road. Flash flood driving is also addressed by law.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedOregon
Oregon still doesn't let you pump your own gas in most counties — one of only two states with this rule. The state also requires a staggering 100 hours of supervised driving for new teen drivers.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedPennsylvania
Pennsylvania requires 65 hours of supervised driving — among the highest in the nation. Annual vehicle safety and emissions inspections are mandatory, and junior drivers face a 6-month passenger ban.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedRhode Island
Despite being the smallest state, Rhode Island has full-sized driving requirements: 50 hours of supervised practice and vehicle inspections every 2 years. Urban driving conditions dominate statewide.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedSouth Carolina
South Carolina issues conditional licenses as young as 15 with driver education. The state has mandatory hurricane evacuation routes — and when they're activated, specific driving rules apply.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedSouth Dakota
South Dakota ties for the youngest driving age in America: instruction permits at 14, restricted licenses at 14.5. No vehicle inspections are required, and tribal land driving rules may differ.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedTennessee
Tennessee's DUI penalties include mandatory minimum jail time — even for first offenses. The state's mountainous terrain also led to specific slow-moving vehicle laws for steep grades.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedTexas
Texas has the highest speed limit in the United States: 85 mph on State Highway 130. It's also one of the few states offering parent-taught driver education as a legal alternative to driving school.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedUtah
Utah made national headlines by setting the nation's lowest DUI threshold at 0.05% BAC — significantly stricter than the 0.08% standard used by all other states.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedVermont
Vermont's rural character means sharing roads with farm equipment and livestock is common and legally protected. Annual vehicle inspections are required, and winter tire use is strongly recommended.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedVirginia
Virginia is the ONLY state where radar detectors are illegal. Going 20+ mph over the limit or exceeding 85 mph is automatically classified as reckless driving — a criminal misdemeanor, not just a ticket.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedWashington
Washington operates the largest ferry system in the US, with specific driving regulations for boarding and disembarking. The state also requires drivers to yield to transit buses merging back into traffic.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedWashington D.C.
Washington D.C. has restricted driving zones around government buildings and one of the densest speed camera networks in the country. Right turns on red are prohibited at many intersections.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedWest Virginia
West Virginia's mountainous terrain shapes its entire driving code: specific regulations govern mountain road driving, and coal trucks have designated right-of-way on certain routes.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedWisconsin
Wisconsin is unique in treating first-offense OWI (Operating While Intoxicated) as a civil forfeiture rather than a criminal charge — the only state with this distinction.
300 questions · Handbook URL savedWyoming
Wyoming is an open range state: if you hit a cow on the road, YOU are legally responsible, not the rancher. High winds also frequently close highways to high-profile vehicles like trucks and RVs.
300 questions · Handbook URL saved