Fill - Free fillable Mv21 Driver's Manual (New York) PDF form

New York State's need for organ and tissue donation is tremendous. Approximately 10,000 New Yorkers

are waiting for a life-saving transplant. Just one person who donates his or her organs can save up

to eight lives.

What can you do to help?

Enroll in the NYS Registry Online:

If you are 16 years of age or older, simply go to dmv.ny.gov and sign up to be an organ donor through

MyDMV, or go to donatelife.ny.gov.

Enroll By Mail:

If you prefer, enroll by signing the organ donation box on your driver license or non-driver identiﬁcation

card application or on your renewal form. If it's not time for you to renew your license or non-driver ID,

simply go to donatelife.ny.gov to print and mail in your enrollment application or enroll online;

it's just that easy!

What You Should Know if You Enroll in the NYS Registry:

• Tell your family you have enrolled in the

Registry and have given your legal

consent for donation to occur upon your death;

• Your decision to donate will not a ect your

medical treatment;

• The organs and tissues you donate will go

to the patients in the greatest need;

• There is no cost to the donor's family;

• You can have your name removed from

the Registry at any time;

• After you enroll, you will receive a

conﬁrmation email or letter to conﬁrm

your enrollment and provide you with

additional information.

For more information call 1-866-NYDONOR (693-6667)

visit donatelife.ny.gov or contact one of these organizations:

Donate Life NYS: 518-326-3237 www.donatelifenewyork.com

Center for Donation & Transplant: 1-800-256-7811 www.cdtny.org (Capital District)

Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network: 1-800-81 0-5494 www.donorrecovery.org (Finger Lakes Region)

LiveOnNY, Inc.: 1-800-443-8469 www.liveonny.org (Metro NYC and Long Island Area)

Upstate Transplant Services: 1-800-227-4771 www.unyts.org (Western NY/Bu alo)

the

extra

mile,

ORGAN

DONOR

4 | Driver’s Manual

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART ONE – Information for Drivers and Vehicle Owners

Chapter 1 – Driver Licenses

Types of Licenses

When You Apply for Your First License

The Learner Permit and Road Test

Junior Operator Restrictions

Change of Address

License Renewal

Non-Resident and New Resident Drivers

Chapter 2 – How to Keep Your License

Special Rules for Drivers with Junior Permits & Licenses

Probation Period for All Other Newly Licensed Drivers

If You Receive a Trac Ticket

Trac Tickets Received Out of State

Mandatory Suspension or Revocation

The Point System

Trac Crashes

Fees and Civil Penalties

Driver Responsibility Assessments

Driving While Suspended or Revoked

Chapter 3 – Owning a Vehicle

Registration and Title

Registration Renewal

Resident and Non-Resident Responsibility

Inspection

Complaints Against Businesses

PART TWO – Rules of the Road

Chapter 4 – Trac Control

Signs

Trac Signals

Pavement Markings

Trac Ocers

Chapter 5 – Intersections and Turns

Right-of-Way

Emergency Vehicles

Blue, Green and Amber Lights

Turns

U-Turns

Chapter 6 – How to Pass

How to Pass on the Left

How to Pass on the Right

Being Passed

School Buses

Chapter 7 – Parallel Parking

How to Park

How to Park on a Hill

How to Pull Out from Parallel Parking

Parking Regulations

Reserved Parking for People with Disabilities

Driver’s Manual | 5

PART THREE – Safe Driving Tips

Chapter 8 – Defensive Driving

Be Prepared and Look Ahead

Driver Distractions

Aggressive Drivers

Road Rage

Speed

Allow Yourself Space

Seat Belts, Child Safety Seats, and Air Bags

How to Drive Safely in Work Zones

How to Drive Through a Roundabout

Drowsy and Fatigued Driving

Using a Cellular or Mobile Telephone

Vehicle Condition

Chapter 9 – Alcohol and Other Drugs

What Alcohol Does

Other Drugs

Alcohol, Other Drugs, and the Law

Your BAC

Chemical Tests

The Consequences

A Few Important Reminders

How to Avoid Trouble

Chapter 10 – Special Driving Conditions

Railroad Crossings

Expressway Driving

Night Driving

Driving in Rain, Fog, or Snow

How to Drive in Winter

How to Avoid Collisions With Deer

Driving Emergencies

Chapter 11 – Sharing the Road

Pedestrians and Skateboarders

Bicyclists and In-Line Skaters

Motorcyclists

Moped Operators

Large Vehicles

Slow-Moving Vehicles

All-Terrain Vehicles and Snowmobiles

Horse Riders

Chapter 12 – If You Are in a Trac Crash

At the Scene

Emergency First-Aid

Reports to DMV

DMV Consumer Directory

State DMV Oces

County DMV Oces

DMV Call Centers

Important DMV Addresses and Telephone Numbers

TABLE OF CONTENTS

6 | Driver’s Manual

PA R T

INFORMATION FOR DRIVERS

& VEHICLE OWNERS

CHAPTER 1 / DRIVER LICENSES

You must have a valid driver license to drive le-

gally in New York State. If you reside in and hold a

valid license from another state or nation, you can

drive legally in New York State. However, even if

you are licensed somewhere else, people under

age 16 cannot drive in New York State.

Drivers who have moved here must turn in their

out-of-state driver license and get a New York

license within 30 days of becoming a permanent

resident. In most cases, it is illegal to hold a New

York driver license and a driver license from an-

other state at the same time. It is also a violation

of Federal and state law to hold more than one

commercial driver license (CDL).

It is a crime to alter or forge any motor vehicle

document, including a driver license. This may

cause suspension or revocation of the driver

license and criminal prosecution resulting in a ﬁne

or imprisonment.

TYPES OF LICENSES

New York State recognizes six types of

non-commercial driver licenses. The information

in this chapter applies to passenger car and mo-

torcycle licenses. Information about commercial

driver licenses can be found in the Commercial

Driver’s Manual (CDL-10). This is available from

the DMV website (search under Forms) or at any

motor vehicle oce. You must have a CDL if you

drive any vehicle that:

• Has a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight

rating (GVWR) of more than 26,000 pounds

(11,794 kg); or

• Has a gross combination weight rating

(GCWR) of more than 26,000 pounds

(11,794 kg), including any towed unit with a

GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds (4,536

kg); or,

• Is made or used to carry 15 or more

persons, in addition to the driver; or,

• Regardless of seating capacity, is deﬁned

as a bus by Article 19-A of the Vehicle and

Trac Law (including vehicles that carry

school children or disabled people); or,

• Carries hazardous materials required by

federal law to contain a placard.

The non-commercial driver licenses in this

manual are:

Operator, Class D - Minimum age is 18, or age

17 with a driver education Certiﬁcate of Comple-

tion (see Driver Education later in this chapter).

Allows you to drive a vehicle with a manufactur-

er’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,000

pounds (11,794 kg) or less; to tow a vehicle with a

GVWR of 10,000 pounds (4,536 kg) or less; or tow

a vehicle of more than 10,000 pounds if the gross

combination weight rating (GCWR) of the two

vehicles together is no more than 26,000 pounds

(11,794 kg). You can also operate Class B and C

mopeds with this driver license.

Junior Operator, Class DJ - Minimum age is

16. Allows you to drive a vehicle with a GVWR

of 10,000 pounds (4,536 kg) or less, and tow a

vehicle of 3,000 pounds (1,361 kg) or less. You can

also operate Class B and C mopeds with this driv-

er license. Please note you are limited with where,

when, and with whom you can drive – please

refer to the section of this manual labelled “Junior

Operator Restrictions” found later in this chapter.

Non-CDL Class C - Minimum age is 18. Allows

you to drive some vehicles with a GVWR of

26,000 pounds or less, or to tow a vehicle with

a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or less providing the

GCWR is not more than 26,000 pounds (11,794 kg)

where no CDL endorsement is required.

Taxi/Livery, Class E - Minimum age is 18.

Allows you to drive the same vehicles as a Class

Driver’s Manual | 7

D license, and transport passengers for hire in a

vehicle designed or used to carry 14 or fewer pas-

sengers. If the vehicle is deﬁned as a bus under

Article 19-A of the Vehicle and Trac Law (e.g., a

school car or a van that transports physically or

mentally disabled persons), regardless of seating

capacity, you must have a CDL.

Motorcycle, Class M - Minimum age is 18, or

age 17 with a driver education Certiﬁcate of Com-

pletion (see Driver Education later in this chapter).

Allows you to drive motorcycles and mopeds.

Junior Motorcycle, Class MJ - Minimum age is

16. Allows you to drive motorcycles and mopeds.

You are also limited with where, when, and with

whom you can drive – please refer to the section

of this manual labelled “Junior Operator Restric-

tions” found later in this chapter.

Note: If you have a motorcycle license and

another type of driver license, both classes will

be listed on one document (e.g., “Class DM”).

Enhanced Driver License - Can be used for

land and sea border crossings to and from the

U.S., Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbe-

an. This license can be used instead of a passport

as an identity and Citizenship document at these

crossings and for air travel within the U.S. This is

an option for NYS residents who are U.S. citizens.

Commercial driver licenses and motorcycle licens-

es can also be issued as an EDL.

Real ID License – The REAL ID Act is a federal

law passed by Congress resulting from the 9/11

Commission’s recommendation that establishes

speciﬁc federal requirements for state-issued

driver licenses, permits and ID cards to be ac-

ceptable for certain federal purposes. Beginning

October 1, 2020, every air traveler ﬂying within

the United States will need to present a REAL ID

or an Enhanced Driver License, or bring another

acceptable form of identiﬁcation, determined by

the federal government, to get through security at

U.S. airports. To get a REAL ID, you will need to go

to a DMV Oce.

Personal Use Vehicle (Rental, Recreational

Vehicle) or “R” endorsement - The Personal Use

Vehicle “R” endorsement is required for opera-

tion of recreational and/or rental vehicles used

to transport personal household goods when the

vehicle is over 26,000 pounds (11,794 kg.) GVWR

and/or forty (40) feet in length. This endorsement

is available to Class D and E license drivers.

To get an “R” endorsement: Submit a complet-

ed Application for Driver License or ID Card (MV-

44) to a state or county motor vehicle oce; pay

a permit fee, which is valid for a maximum of two

road tests; and pass a road test in the size and

type of vehicle you will drive. No written test is re-

quired. For the road test, a driver who is at least 21

years old, with a license valid for the vehicle you

will drive during the test, must accompany you.

(e.g., a driver license with an “R” endorsement

or the correct Commercial Driver License). The

road test will take approximately 15 minutes and

will include turns, intersections and backing the

vehicle to the curb. When you pass the road test,

you must go to a motor vehicle oce and pay

the required fee to complete the license

amendment process.

8 | Driver’s Manual

WHEN YOU APPLY FOR YOUR FIRST

LICENSE

The information and required application forms

you need to apply for a learner permit or driver

license are available at any motor vehicle oce.

You can also download them from the DMV

website. To apply for a learner permit or driver

license you must complete an Application for

Driver License (MV-44). You must pass a vision

and written test and pay the application and

license fees. Most drivers must also complete an

approved 5-hour Pre-Licensing Course and pass

a road test. For more information about how to ap-

ply for and receive a license to drive a motorcycle

or a commercial vehicle that requires a CDL, refer

to the Motorcycle Operator’s Manual (MV-21MC)

or the Commercial Driver’s Manual (CDL-10).

You must bring your completed application to

any motor vehicle oce, show the required proof

of name and date of birth, provide your Social

Security card and pay the correct fee.

Your ﬁrst New York driver license will be issued

for a period not to exceed 5 years, on your month

and day of birth. Your fee for a learner permit and

license in Class D, DJ, M or MJ will be based on

your age and date of birth.

Proof of Identity and Age

For your protection, DMV must be sure who

you are. As part of the application, you must pro-

vide your Social Security card. You must present

documents that prove your name and age. All

proofs must be in English or accompanied by a

certiﬁed English translation. The list of acceptable

documents and assigned point values, described

below, are on forms License/Permit/ID Instructions

(MV-44.1 and MV-44.1RID) and Proofs of Identity

(ID-44 and ID-44RID) available from the DMV

website (search under Forms) or at any motor

vehicle oce.

Proof of Name

Documents that prove your name are assigned

a point value. You must present proofs that total

six points or more. At least one of the proofs must

have your signature.

Examples of common proofs and their point val-

ues are listed below.

Each document below has a value of 6 points:

• New York Photo Driver License/Permit/

Non-Driver ID Card

Each document below has a value of 4 points:

• If Under Age 21 — Statement of Identity

by Parent/Guardian (MV-45) (see special

instructions and requirements on the DMV

form). Proof of date of birth and an original

Social Security card are required for

the applicant.

• U.S. Passport, must be valid

Each document below has a value of 3 points:

• Foreign passport - in English and with a U.S.

Visa and valid I-9 or unexpired I-551 stamp

or statement on visa. If the document is not

in English, a certiﬁed translation by the em-

bassy or consulate of the issuing country

is required. See the publication Proofs of

Identity (ID-44).

• Valid U.S. Re-entry Permit (I-327)

• Valid U.S. Refugee Travel Document (I-571)

• Certiﬁcate of Citizenship or Certiﬁcate of

Naturalization (N-550, N-560, N-561, N-570,

N-578 or N-645)

• Permanent Resident Identiﬁcation Card

(INS I-551)

• Valid U.S. Employment Authorization Card

(INS I-688B or I-766, with photo)

• U.S. Military Photo Identiﬁcation Card

(issued to military personnel only)

• NYS Medicaid/Beneﬁt/Food Stamp Card,

with photo (or, 2 points without photo)

Driver’s Manual | 9

Each document below has a value of 2 points:

• Photo Driver License issued by another U.S.

state, jurisdiction, territory or possession, or,

a Canadian province or territory (must be in

eect at least 6 months and not expired for

more than 12 months)

• U.S. Military Dependent Photo ID card

• NYS DMV Non-Photo Interim License or

Computer Generated Learner Permit

• NYS Vehicle Certiﬁcate of Title

• NYS Vehicle or Boat Registration Document

• U.S. Social Security Card (must have

your signature)

• U.S. High School ID With Report Card

• U.S. College ID With Photo and Transcript

• U.S. Marriage or Divorce Record or Court-

Issued Name Change Document

• NYS Professional License

• NYS or New York City Pistol Permit

Each document below has a value of 1 point:

• Valid U.S. Major Credit Card, or

• U.S. Cash (ATM) Card (with pre-printed

name and signature), or

• U.S. Canceled Check (with your pre-printed

name), or

• U.S. Bank/Financial Institution

Statement/Record

• U.S. Employee Identiﬁcation Card

• U.S. Computerized Pay Stub (must include

your name

• U.S. Supermarket Check Cashing Card

(must have your pre-printed name

and signature)

• U.S. Insurance Policy (in eect at least

two years)

• U.S. Health Insurance Card/Prescription

Card

• U.S. Utility Bill (must have your name

and address)

• U.S. High School Diploma or General

Equivalency Diploma (GED)

• W-2 Form (must include Social Security

Number)

• U.S. Union Card

• Veteran Universal Access Photo Identiﬁca-

tion Card

Proof of Age

You must prove your date of birth. The DMV will

accept the original or certiﬁed copy of ANY ONE

of these documents from the issuing agency:

• Birth Certiﬁcate issued and certiﬁed by

the U.S. Department of State or a Board of

Health or Bureau of Vital Statistics in the

U.S., its territories or possessions

• Certiﬁcate of Birth Registration issued by

the Department of Health of New York State

or New York City

• U.S. Military Photo Identiﬁcation Card

• U.S. Passport

• Foreign Passport (with INS documentation)

or Immigration Documents - See the publi-

cation Proofs of Identity (ID-44) for details

• Certiﬁcation of Citizenship or Certiﬁcate of

Naturalization

10 | Driver’s Manual

Vision and Written Tests

To pass the vision test, you must have 20/40 vi-

sion in at least one eye with or without corrective

lenses. If you cannot pass this test or if you wear

special lenses, contact a DMV Call Center for

additional instruction.

The written test for a Class D, M, DJ, MJ or E

license examines knowledge of the rules of the

road, safe driving techniques, road signs and the

laws about alcohol and drug use while driving. To

pass the written test, you must correctly answer at

least 14 of the 20 questions asked, but you must

correctly answer two of the four questions about

road signs. You can practice for the written test

with the questions included in this Driver’s Manual

and you can take practice quizzes online at the

DMV website. (dmv.ny.gov)

If you require a motorcycle license, also study

the Motorcycle Operator’s Manual (MV-21MC).

There is a separate commercial driver license

written test for a CDL Class A, B, or C. If you want

to apply for a commercial driver license, also

study the Commercial Driver Manual (CDL-10).

Automated Knowledge Test

Class D knowledge tests are oered in multiple

languages and can be taken via touch screen test

stations or on paper. For practice tests, please

visit our website by scanning the QR code below.

The QR code can be scanned with your smart-

phone once you’ve downloaded a free QR Code

Reader to your phone.

Online Knowledge Test Application

Before you apply for a learner permit, students

who are at least age 15 can take the written

test through the DMV Online Knowledge Test

Application (OKTA) program. The test is given at

participating high schools across New York State.

The test is given in an easy-to-use format and is

oered in English and Spanish.

It is not necessary for schools that participate

to have a driver education program. They must

provide a personal computer with Internet access,

a printer and at least one sta person to monitor

the tests. The OKTA program automatically scores

each test and displays the results for the student

on the computer screen.

Students who pass the test online will receive

a receipt, instructions and all required forms to

apply for a learner permit. Students who are at

least age 16 can bring their receipt and completed

forms to any state or county motor vehicle oce

to apply for a learner permit. Students who fail the

test can take it again online as many times as the

school allows.

THE LEARNER PERMIT AND ROAD TEST

The Learner Permit

When you pass the vision and written tests and

pay your fees, your learner permit will be issued

and you can start to learn to drive. When you

practice, you must be supervised by a licensed

driver who is at least 21 years old, has a license

valid for the type of vehicle you are driving, and

is seated in the front seat with you when you

are driving. New York State also has additional

restrictions that apply to drivers under the age of

18. Based on the Graduated Driver Licensing laws,

if you have a DJ Learner Permit you are restricted

by where and when you drive, and who can be in

the car with you when you drive. These restric-

tions are based on where you are driving and are

best explained by the chart on the next page:

Driver’s Manual | 11

You must drive only under the

immediate supervision of your:

1. Parent

2. Guardian

3. Person “in loco parentis”

4. Driver Education Teacher

5. Driving School Instructor

Those listed above must be age

21 or older and have a license

valid for the vehicle being driven.

Vehicle must have dual controls

(dual brakes)

REGIONAL RESTRICTIONS FOR A JUNIOR PERMIT

New York City (5 Boroughs) Long Island (Nassau & Suolk) Upstate (All Other Counties)

5AM – 9PM 5AM – 9PM 5AM – 9PM

You must drive only under the

immediate supervision of your:

1. Parent

2. Guardian

3. Person “in loco parentis”

4. Driver Education Teacher

5. Driving School Instructor;

6. Anyone who has been desig-

nated in writing by the parent,

guardian, or person “in loco

parentis”.

Those listed above must be age

21 or older and have a license

valid for the vehicle being driven.

You must drive only under the

immediate supervision of:

A person who is age 21 or older

and has a license valid for the

vehicle being driven.

9PM – 5AM 9PM – 5AM 9PM – 5AM

You must NOT drive. You must NOT drive You must drive only under the

immediate supervision of your:

1. Parent

2. Guardian

3. Person “in loco parentis”

4. Driver Education Teacher

5. Driving School Instructor

Those listed above must be age

21 or older and have a license

valid for the vehicle being driven.

The restrictions for drivers with learner permits

are also available at state or county motor vehicle

oces or online, “Important Information About

Learners’ Permits” (MV-500H), at the DMV web-

site, dmv.ny.gov/forms/mv500h.pdf.

Deﬁnitions (For the purpose of this section of

the manual)

“Properly Licensed” means has a license valid

in this state to drive the type of vehicle being

driven by the new or junior driver.

“Guardian” means a person who has, on a reg-

ular and extended basis, assumed the character

of a parent and discharges parental duties as the

result of a court appointment.

“In Loco Parentis” means a person who

assumes the role of a parent for the purpose of

performing parental duties with the implied or

actual consent of a parent (e.g. as a result of the

death, incapacity, or in the absence, of a parent).

“School Course” means instruction that is

licensed or approved by a state agency or depart-

ment, or training conducted by the U.S. Armed

Forces. The term “school course” does NOT

include activities or events for which no scholastic

credits are given.

New York City (5 Boroughs) Long Island (Nassau & Suolk) Upstate (All Other Counties)

12 | Driver’s Manual

“Employment” means a place of business at

which you are paid to work on a scheduled basis.

You cannot drive during work or as part of your

work duties.

“Work Study Program” means a state-ap-

proved work-study program. For example, a

Board of Cooperative Educational Services

(BOCES) course for which academic credit is

granted for work experience.

“Medical Appointment” means medical treat-

ment that is necessary for you or a member of

your household.

“Daycare” applies to travel to and from child

care if the attendance of the child is necessary

for a family member to maintain employment or

attend a school course.

General Rules for All Drivers with Learner

Permits

If you hold a learner permit, you cannot drive:

• Unless you are accompanied by a super-

vising driver who is at least age 21 and has

a license to operate the vehicle you are

driving. In Long Island and New York City,

this person must be a parent, guardian or

driving instructor. For example, a person

with a motorcycle license can supervise a

motorcycle learner.

• In a DMV road test area.

• On any street within a park in New York City

or any bridge or tunnel under the jurisdic-

tion of the Triborough Bridge and

Tunnel Authority.

• On the Cross County, Hutchinson River,

Saw Mill River, or Taconic State parkways in

Westchester County.

Driving with a Junior Learner Permit

• You cannot drive with more than one

passenger under the age of 21 unless they

are members of your immediate family or

if your supervising driver is your parent,

guardian, person “in loco parentis,”

driver education teacher or driving

school instructor.

• You and each passenger must wear a seat

belt: one per person. Every child passenger

must use a correct child restraint. (See:

Chapter 8, “Seat Belts, Child Safety Seats,

and Air Bags”)

• If you hold a junior permit, the only pas-

senger allowed in the front seat is your

supervising driver.

• Also see “Special Rules for Drivers with

Junior Permits and Licenses,” Chapter 2.

Preparing for the Road Test

Safe drivers often ﬁnd their amount of practice

before the road test makes a positive dierence.

Before you take the test, it is important that you

have had at least 50 hours of practice, with at

least 15 hours after sunset. It is recommended

that at least 10 hours of the supervised practice

be in moderate to heavy trac. Road tests are

given on city streets, but you should practice on

expressways and other types of highways as

well. DMV suggests you take a high school or

college driver education course or lessons from a

DMV-licensed driving school. If you cannot take a

course or lessons, have the person who teaches

you read Parts 2 and 3 of this manual.

You cannot practice in a DMV road test area

or on any restricted roads. In New York City,

these areas include any street within a park and

all bridges and tunnels under the jurisdiction of

the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority. In

Westchester County, the streets and roadways

you cannot practice on include these parkways:

Cross County, Hutchinson River, Saw Mill River

and Taconic State.

Safe Driving Course Requirement

Before you can make a road test appointment,

you must ﬁrst complete an approved safe driver

course. This requirement is automatically fulﬁlled

as part of a state approved high school or college

driver education course. Or you can complete this

requirement when you take a special Pre-Licens-

ing course available at most licensed driving

schools. When you complete the course, you will

receive a certiﬁcate which you’ll need to schedule

your road test appointment. The certiﬁcate is valid

for one year.

Driver’s Manual | 13

Note: A defensive driving course, taught

through the DMV-certiﬁed Point & Insurance

Reduction Program does NOT meet the Safe

Driving course requirement.

Driver Education

If you are 17, you are eligible for a senior driver

license (Class D or M) if you have a junior driver

license and have completed a state-approved

high school or college driver education course.

To change your junior license to a senior license,

bring your junior license and the Student Certif-

icate of Completion (MV-285) that you received

from your instructor to any motor vehicle oce.

You must return your certiﬁcate and junior license

to receive the senior license. If you do not change

your junior license to a senior license, you are

subject to the restrictions for junior drivers until

you are age 18, even if you carry the completion

certiﬁcate with you. You can also give your certiﬁ-

cate with your junior permit to the license examin-

er at your road test. You will automatically receive

a senior license when you become eligible.

For Junior Drivers with Permits

Your permit must be valid for a minimum of six

months in order to take the road test. When you

pass the road test, you will be issued a Junior

License (Class DJ or MJ). See the chart “Regional

Restrictions for a Junior License.”

A DMV license examiner will conduct the road

test. You must give the license examiner your

photo learner permit, your 5-hour Pre-Licensing

Course Completion Certiﬁcate (MV-278) or your

Student Certiﬁcate of Completion (MV-285) and

a completed Certiﬁcation of Supervised Driving

(MV-262). All junior drivers with permits are re-

quired to present a completed MV-262 at the time

of the road test.

The Certiﬁcation of Supervised Driving (MV-

262) is available from the DMV website dmv.

ny.gov and at any motor vehicle oce. With this

statement, your parent or guardian certiﬁes that

you completed at least 50 hours of practice driv-

ing, including at least 15 hours after sunset, with

an appropriate supervising driver

(See chart “Regional Restrictions for a Junior

Permit” later in this chapter).

For All Other Drivers with Permits

When you take your road test, you must give

the license examiner your photo learner permit,

your 5-hour pre-licensing course completion

certiﬁcate (MV-278) or your Student Certiﬁcate of

Completion (MV-285).

The Road Test

After you have completed the Safe Driving

Course Requirement, and you feel you are ready

for your road test, you can schedule your road

test appointment using DMV’s Road Test Sched-

uling System online at dmv.ny.gov/roadtest or

by telephone at 1-(518)-402-2100. You must have

your Pre-Licensing Course Completion Certiﬁcate

(MV-278) or driver education course Student

Certiﬁcate of Completion (MV-285) before you

schedule your appointment. When scheduling

your appointment, you will need to have your

Learner Permit and Safe Driving Course certiﬁcate

(MV-278 or MV-285) with you.

You must bring a vehicle to drive during the

road test. The vehicle must be legally registered,

inspected, insured and equipped, and in good

working order. This includes doors and seat belts.

The passenger side seat belt must be available

and clean for use by the examiner. If you drive to

the road test site, you must also bring a supervis-

ing driver who is at least 21 and holds a license

valid for the vehicle you will drive during the road

test. Motorcycle applicants must bring a car or

truck and a licensed driver to transport the license

examiner during the test.

The DMV can cancel road tests because of bad

weather. Check DMV’s website (dmv.ny.gov) for

any cancellation information.

After the Road Test

At the conclusion of the road test, the Examiner

will issue you a receipt of your test results. Any er-

rors you made will be listed on the receipt. Please

follow the Examiner’s instructions, if any.

When you qualify for your original license the

examiner will issue you a printed receipt.

14 | Driver’s Manual

This receipt plus your photo learner permit will be

a temporary driver license valid for 90 days. Your

new photo license will arrive in the mail within

three to ﬁve weeks. If you qualiﬁed to add anoth-

er license class to your current driver license, you

will need to wait 7 days, then go to a DMV oce

to upgrade your driver license.

When you qualify for a license, you must

continue to be careful and obey the trac laws to

gain experience as a capable driver. Many motor-

ists enroll in a DMV-certiﬁed Accident Prevention

Course to help them gain knowledge of safe

driving practices and important highway safety

issues. This course, commonly known as the Point

and Insurance Reduction Program (PIRP), is avail-

able through private companies or corporations in

New York State.

The course is available as a classroom course

or online (called I-PIRP) and reviews time-tested

safe driving tips and provides a summary of the

vehicle and trac laws. If you are eligible for

point reduction, as many as four (4) points can be

reduced from your driving record. (For more infor-

mation on the point system, see The Point System

in Chapter 2.) You can complete this course every

18 months for the purpose of point reduction. You

can also qualify for a minimum 10% reduction in

the base rate of liability and collision insurance

premiums for three years. More information

regarding the Point and Insurance Reduction

Program, including lists of sponsors approved to

provide this course, is available on DMV’s website

at https://dmv.ny.gov/learn-more-about/pirp.

JUNIOR OPERATOR RESTRICTIONS

Driving with a Junior License

• You cannot drive with more than one pas-

senger under the age of 21 unless they are

members of your immediate family.

• You and each passenger must wear a seat

belt: one per person. Every child passenger

must use a correct child restraint. (See:

Chapter 8, “Seat Belts, Child Safety Seats,

and Air Bags”)

• Also see “Special Rules for Drivers with

Junior Permits and Licenses,” Chapter 2.

New York State also has additional restrictions

that apply to drivers under the age of 18. Based

on the Graduated Driver Licensing laws, if you

have a Class DJ Driver License (also known as

a Junior Operator License) you are restricted to

where and when and who can be in the car with

you when you drive. These restrictions are based

on where you are driving and are best explained

by the chart on the next page:

Driver’s Manual | 15

You must NOT drive.

New York City (5 Boroughs) Long Island (Nassau & Suolk) Upstate (All Other Counties)

5AM – 9PM 5AM – 9PM 5AM – 9PM

You may drive alone only directly

between your home and employ-

ment, a work-study program, a

course at a college, university, or

registered evening high school, a

driver education course, or while

engaged in farm employment.

You may drive when accompa-

nied by your licensed parent,

guardian, person “in loco paren-

tis”, driver education teacher, or

driving school instructor.

You may drive without being

accompanied.

9PM – 5AM 9PM – 5AM 9PM – 5AM

You must NOT drive. You may drive alone only directly

between your home and a work-

study program, a course at a

college, university, or registered

evening high school, a driver

education course, or while

engaged in farm employment.

You may drive alone only directly

between your home and employ-

ment or a school course.

All other driving must be accom-

panied by your licensed parent,

guardian, or person “in loco

parentis”.

REGIONAL RESTRICTIONS FOR A JUNIOR LICENSE

Driving Alone with a Junior License

Please see this important information:

If you hold a Junior License and drive in the coun-

ties of Nassau or Suolk:

You can drive by yourself between home and

your employment, which can include farm work, if

you carry the correct proof of employment. Your

employer can complete a Certiﬁcate of Employ-

ment (MV-58A), available from the DMV website

(search under Forms) or at local motor vehicle

oces. In the upstate counties only, instead of an

employment certiﬁcate, you can carry a letter from

your employer. The letter must be marked with

a date and signed by your employer, and must

show the business name, address and telephone

number where you work.

It also must list your name, date of birth, driver

license number, job description, and days, hours

and location of employment. The address and

telephone number at which the employer can be

contacted must be included for veriﬁcation by a

magistrate or police ocer.

When you drive by yourself between your

home and a qualiﬁed school course or approved

work-study program, you must carry proof of en-

rollment. This must be a letter, marked with a date

and signed by an appropriate school or program

ocial, on the school or program letterhead. It

must include the address and telephone number

of the ocial for veriﬁcation by a magistrate or

police ocer. The letter also must include the

date(s), hour(s) and location(s) of the school

course or program activity, your name, date of

birth, and driver license number.

New York City (5 Boroughs) Long Island (Nassau & Suolk) Upstate (All Other Counties)

16 | Driver’s Manual

Motorcyclists and Moped Operators

The restrictions in this manual also apply to

operating a motorcycle or moped. Your learner

permit or junior license (Class M or MJ) does not

allow you to carry any passenger except your

supervising driver. Your supervising driver must

have a driver license valid to operate the same

class motorcycle or moped you are driving, and

must exercise general supervision and control by

remaining within one-quarter mile. It is strongly

recommended that your supervising driver be

able to see you at all times.

NYS Drivers Visiting Other States

You can drive outside New York State with

your learner permit, junior learner permit or junior

license if it is allowed by the laws of the other

state. You must obey that state’s permit, junior

permit and driver license restrictions that may

apply. Ask the police or motor vehicle authorities

in the state you are visiting.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

If you change your address you must notify

DMV within 10 days by mail, on a Change-of-Ad-

dress Form (MV-232), or online at the DMV web-

site dmv.ny.gov. You must write the new address

in the space provided on the back of your

driver license.

LICENSE RENEWAL

You are responsible to know when your

driver license expires and to renew it on time. If

the DMV has your current address, you should

receive a renewal notice and instructions in the

mail approximately 45 days before your license

expires. If you do not receive the notice, you can

apply for renewal at a motor vehicle oce. You

can renew your license up to one year before its

printed expiration date.

Beginning October 1, 2020, the federal govern-

ment will require your driver license, permit or ID

card to be REAL ID compliant if you wish to use it

as identiﬁcation to board a domestic ﬂight (within

the U.S.), or enter military bases and certain

federal facilities. You may also use an Enhanced

driver license, permit, or non-driver ID or valid U.S.

Passport or other identiﬁcation acceptable to the

federal government. To get a REAL ID, you will

need to go to a DMV Oce on or after October

30, 2017. You cannot get a REAL ID online, by

phone, or through the mail.

To get a Real ID you MUST bring to the oce

the following original or certiﬁed proof documents:

• Proof of identity.

• Proof of Social Security Number or Social

Security Number ineligibility.

• Proof of your date of birth.

• Proof of U.S. citizenship, lawful permanent

residency or temporary lawful status in

the U.S.

• Two proofs of New York State residence

such as utility bill or mortgage statement

(P.O. Box not acceptable). This address will

be displayed on your card.

• The application process also requires the

DMV to take a new photo.

If you decide you do not want a REAL ID or

Enhanced document, your license most likely can

be renewed through the mail or through the DMV

website, but be advised that any license, permit

or ID card issued after October 30, 2017 will be

marked “Not for Federal Purposes”. If you renew

by mail or through the DMV website you must

prove you have passed an eye test within the past

six months or within one year as determined by a

licensed health care professional before the date

you renew your license. To renew by mail, you

must return to the DMV your renewal application

and a completed Eye Test Report (MV-619) which

documents that you passed the vision test. If you

renew through the DMV website dmv.ny.gov, you

will need information from a completed Eye Test

Report by your health care professional. An Eye

Test Report form is available from the DMV web-

site dmv.ny.gov (search under Forms) or at any

motor vehicle oce. Make sure to renew early if

your license will expire while you are out of state.

If you cannot renew early or a serious illness

Driver’s Manual | 17

prevents you from doing so, contact a DMV Call

Center.

If you enter military service, your license can

be automatically extended throughout your active

service and for six months after discharge. You

must notify the department within 60 days of the

entry date into service. You must submit the form,

Notiﬁcation of Military Service (MV-75), available

from the DMV website (search under Forms) or at

any motor vehicle oce.

NON-RESIDENT AND NEW RESIDENT

DRIVERS

If you are a resident of another state or country

and hold a valid driver license there, you can

legally drive in New York State. You should not

apply for a New York driver license unless you

become a resident of this state. Then, to remain

legally licensed, you must apply for a New York

driver license within 30 days after you establish

you are a New York State resident.

If you are a new resident with a valid driver

license issued by a U.S. state, territory or posses-

sion, or a Canadian province or territory, you must

turn in your out-of-state license to get a New York

driver license. You must show additional proof of

name and date of birth (see “Applying for your

First License”), and provide your Social Security

card. You must pass the vision test. If your out-

of-state license has been valid for less than six

months or had expired more than one year ago,

you must also pass the written and road tests and

complete the safe driving course.

If you are a new resident licensed in a country

other than Canada, you must pass the vision

test, complete the safe driving course, turn in

your foreign license, and you must pass a written

and road test. When you pass the road test, you

must give your foreign license to the DMV motor

vehicle license examiner who conducted the

test. Your foreign driver license will be destroyed

unless you provide the examiner a written request

to hold your foreign license on ﬁle at a New York

State Department of Motor Vehicles oce. The

license examiner will tell you which DMV District

Oce will hold your foreign license. Your foreign

license will be returned at your request, but only

after you return your New York license.

Drivers from Outside New York State

If you are under age 18 and hold a learner

permit, junior permit or junior driver license from

outside New York State, you must obey the

restrictions described in this publication as well as

the restrictions from your home state. Make sure

your permit or license is valid to drive outside

your home state before you operate a vehicle in

New York. If you are less than 16 years of age, you

cannot drive in New York State even if you have

an out-of-state license.

18 | Driver’s Manual

CHAPTER 2 / HOW TO KEEP YOUR LICENSE

If you commit a serious trac violation or

several violations that are less serious, you can

lose your driving privilege through suspension or

revocation of your license.

“Suspension” means your license (or privilege

to drive) is taken away for a period of time before

it is returned. You may be required to pay a sus-

pension termination fee.

“Revocation” means your license (or privilege

to drive) is cancelled. To get a new license, you

must re-apply to the Department of Motor

Vehicles (DMV) once the revocation period is

over. You may be required to pay a license

re-application fee. Your application may be denied

if you have a poor driving record or refuse to

meet DMV requirements. Revocation periods

may be longer than the minimum periods listed in

this publication.

“Driving privilege” means the courtesy extend-

ed to out-of-state-drivers that allows them to drive

a motor vehicle in New York State. It also refers

to permission from New York State for a person

without a license to get a New York driver license.

A driving privilege can be suspended or revoked

for the same reasons as are New York driver

licenses. Driving with a suspended or revoked

privilege carries the same penalties as driving

with a suspended or revoked license.

SPECIAL RULES FOR DRIVERS WITH

JUNIOR PERMITS AND LICENSES

Every driver with a junior permit or driver

license could face sanctions and other penalties.

For example, your permit, license or privileges will

be suspended for 60 days if you are convicted of

a serious trac violation (three points or more) or

two other violations.

Your junior permit, license or privileges will be

revoked for 60 days if you are convicted of a se-

rious violation (three points or more), or two other

violations within the ﬁrst six months after you

receive your license or privileges back following

suspension or revocation.

In addition, your junior permit, license or priv-

ileges will be suspended for 120 days when you

are convicted of a texting or cell phone violation.

A junior permit must be held for a minimum

of six months, excluding any time the permit is

suspended or revoked, before a road test can

be scheduled.

PROBATION PERIOD FOR ALL OTHER

NEWLY LICENSED DRIVERS

If you are 18 or older when you pass your road

test for a driver license, or obtain a license follow-

ing revocation, you will be on probation for

six months.

If you are convicted of DWAI (alcohol),

speeding, reckless driving, following too closely,

participating in a speed contest, or any two trac

violations while on probation, your license will be

suspended for 60 days. Following the end of the

60-day suspension, a new six month probationary

period will begin. If you are found guilty of one of

the above violations or any two trac violations

during this second probationary period, your

license will be revoked for at least six months. If

your license is restored following the revocation,

you will be on probation for another six months.

If you are convicted of a texting or cell phone

violation, your probationary license will be sus-

pended for 120 days.

IF YOU RECEIVE A TRAFFIC TICKET

If you receive a trac ticket, do not delay –

follow the instructions on the ticket for the plea

you want to make. Your driver license will be

suspended indeﬁnitely if you do not answer the

ticket in the time allowed, or pay a ﬁne (other

than parking tickets and ﬁnes), surcharge, crime

victim assistance fee or suspension-termination

fee. If you do not respond that you have received

the ticket, you could be found guilty by default

conviction. If you are convicted by default, your

license will be suspended for not paying the ﬁne

and a judgment will be entered against you.

Driver’s Manual | 19

The DMV Trac Violations Bureau (TVB) pro-

cesses the tickets for non-criminal moving trac

violations issued in the ﬁve boroughs of New York

City. The TVB system allows the other courts in

these areas to concentrate on criminal cases. This

includes driving oenses like Driving While Intox-

icated (DWI) and driving while suspended or re-

voked. In other areas of the state, trac violations

are processed in the criminal and trac court of

the city, county, town or village where the alleged

oense occurred. No matter what court system

is involved, every motorist who receives a trac

ticket can present a defense and be represented

by a lawyer.

TRAFFIC TICKETS RECEIVED

OUT OF STATE

The New York State Department of Motor

Vehicles does not record convictions of moving

trac violations by NYS non-commercial licensed

drivers in other jurisdictions, except trac oens-

es committed in the provinces of Ontario and

Quebec in Canada. Out-of-state trac convic-

tions, except for Ontario and Quebec, are not

added to your New York State “violation point”

driving record.

However, your New York driver license will

be suspended if you fail to answer a ticket for a

moving trac violation in any state except Alaska,

California, Michigan, Montana, Oregon or Wis-

consin. Your license will remain suspended until

you answer the ticket. For clearance of your NYS

driver license or permit you must submit proof

to the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles that

the ticket has been satisﬁed. If you are a driver

from any state, except one of the six states listed

above, you will have your driver license suspend-

ed in your own state if you fail to answer a moving

trac violation summons in New York State.

If you are over 21 years old and are convicted

of an alcohol- or drug-related driving violation

(e.g., DUI) in another state or the provinces of

Ontario and Quebec in Canada, your New York

driver license will be revoked for at least 90 days.

Out-of-state drivers who get tickets in New York

State can contact the motor vehicle department of

their own state or province about how a

conviction aects them.

If you are under 21 years old and convicted of

any alcohol or drug-related violation that occurred

out of state, your New York driver license will be

revoked for at least one year. If you have any

alcohol conviction your license will be revoked for

at least one year or until the age of 21, whichever

is longer.

The New York State Department of Motor

Vehicles records the conviction of any New York

driver for criminal negligence, homicide, or assault

that arises from the operation of a motor vehicle

and which results in death. The driver license or

privilege to drive will be revoked and vehicle

registrations may also be revoked. It does not

matter if the conviction occurred in this state or

another state.

MANDATORY SUSPENSION

OR REVOCATION

Your driver license or driving privilege can be

suspended or revoked for many reasons. NOTE:

Motorboat and snowmobile operators less than 21

years old who drink alcohol face similar penalties

and sanctions against their privileges to operate a

motorboat or snowmobile. Examples of revoca-

tions and suspensions that are required by law:

Alcohol and Drug Violations (Also see

Chapter 9: Alcohol and Other Drugs)

• Aggravated driving while intoxicated (Agg-

DWI), with .18 of one percent blood alcohol

content (.18 BAC): minimum one-year

revocation.

• Driving while intoxicated (DWI), with .08

of one percent blood alcohol content (.08

BAC): minimum six-month revocation

• Driving while ability impaired by alcohol

(DWAI): 90-day suspension.

• Driving while ability impaired by drugs

(DWAI-drug): minimum six-month suspen-

sion

• Driving under the inﬂuence of alcohol or

drugs out-of-state (DUI): minimum 90-day

to six-month revocation, depending

on conviction.

20 | Driver’s Manual

Chemical Test Refusals (Also see Chapter 9:

Alcohol and Other Drugs)

• Chemical test refusal, drivers over age 21:

minimum one-year revocation

• Chemical test refusal, drivers over age 21,

within ﬁve years of a prior refusal revocation

or any alcohol or drug-related violation:

minimum 18-month revocation

• Chemical test refusal, drivers under age 21,

ﬁrst time: minimum one-year revocation

• Chemical test refusal, drivers under age 21,

second time: Minimum revocation until age

21 or one year, whichever is longer

• Zero Tolerance test refusal: Minimum

one-year revocation

Drivers Under Age 21

If you are under age 21 when arrested,

conviction for any of the alcohol or drug-related

violations listed above will result in a minimum

one-year revocation. A second violation while

under age 21 requires a revocation for one year

or until you reach age 21, whichever is longer.

These penalties apply to youthful oenders, or if

you were arrested or convicted out of state (see

Trac Tickets Received Out-Of-State).

Under the state’s “Zero Tolerance Law,” a driver

under age 21 will have his or her license suspend-

ed for six months if found to have a BAC from .02

to .07. A .02 BAC could occur from only one drink.

For a second Zero Tolerance violation, the driver

license will be revoked for one year or until the

driver turns age 21, whichever is longer.

Speeding and Other Violations

Your driver license will be revoked for at least

six months if you are found guilty of:

• Three speeding and/or misdemeanor trac

violations within 18 months (based on date

of violation, not date of conviction).

• Three “passing a stopped school bus”

violations within three years.

• One violation of “leaving the scene of a

personal injury or fatal accident.”

• One “participating in a speed contest” viola-

tion. Conviction of a second speed contest

violation within 12 months results

in a revocation of at least one year.

No Insurance

Your driver license will be revoked for at least

one year if you operate or allow another person

to operate your uninsured vehicle, or if the DMV

receives evidence that you were involved in a

trac crash without being insured. If the insurance

coverage for your vehicle has expired, you must

turn in the license plates and registration to a mo-

tor vehicle oce. If the vehicle is removed from

the road and not being driven, you must return the

plates or you can face civil penalties or registra-

tion suspension and/or license suspension.

Indeﬁnite Suspensions/Revocations

Your driver license will also be suspended

indeﬁnitely if you fail to ﬁle an accident report,

submit a bad check or incur a credit card charge

back for DMV fees, fail to pay child support, fail

to pay taxes or fail to fulﬁll a court judgment that

results from a trac accident. This suspension will

be in eect until you correct the condition that led

to the suspension.

THE POINT SYSTEM

The DMV point system identiﬁes “persistent

violators”, that is, drivers who commit a series of

violations in a short time period. The table in this

chapter lists the point values assigned to various

moving trac violations.* .* Note that trac laws moving trac violations Note that trac laws

which must be obeyed on public highways, roads

and streets also apply to parking lots open to

the public.

While each violation listed alone is not serious

enough to require license suspension or revoca-

tion, the accumulation of several violations on

your driving record can indicate that action must

be taken.

*All V&T Law violations result in ﬁnes to the

driver in addition to license sanctions.

Driver’s Manual | 21

Violation

Points

Violation

Points

Speeding MPH not speciﬁed 3

Speeding MPH over

1 to 10

posted limit:

11 to 20 4

21 to 30 6

31 to 40 8

More than 40 11

Reckless driving

Passing a stopped school bus 5

Inadequate brakes 4

Following too closely (tailgating)

Use of mobile telephone or portable electron-

ic device while operating a motor vehicle

Improper passing, unsafe lane change, drove

left of center, or drove wrong direction

Violation involving a trac signal, stop sign

or yield sign

Failing to yield right-of-way

Railroad crossing violation

Leaving scene of incident involving property

damage or injury to domestic animal

Safety restraint violation involving

person under 16

Inadequate brakes (while driving

employer’s vehicle)

Any other moving violation

Note: Insurance companies can have their own point systems. These have no relationship to and should not be confused

with the DMV point system.

The point values charged against your record

are from the date you commit the violation, not

the date you are convicted. If you get 11 or more

points within 18 months, you will be notiﬁed by

mail that your driver license will be suspended.

You can request a DMV hearing only to show that

the convictions in question were not yours. You

cannot re-argue the convictions or request

the suspension be waived based on

special circumstances.

You can reduce your point total by up to four

points and save up to 10 percent on your auto lia-

bility and collision insurance premiums by taking

a DMV-approved “Motor Vehicle Accident Pre-

vention Course.” Completion of a point reduction

course cannot prevent a mandatory suspension

or revocation or be applied as a “credit” against

future points, or prevent or reduce a Driver Re-

sponsibility Assessment by the DMV.

TRAFFIC CRASHES

At this time, except where required by law,

the term “accident” is frequently replaced by

“crash.” This is because a “crash” can normally be

prevented. If you are involved in a trac crash in

which another person is killed, your license can

be suspended or revoked after a DMV hearing

even if you were not charged with a violation

when the incident occurred.

FEES AND CIVIL PENALTIES

In most cases, if your driver license has been

suspended for an exact period, like 30 days or 90

days, your license will not be returned until you

pay a non-refundable $50 suspension termination

fee. If your license was suspended as a result of

the Zero Tolerance Law, you will be required to

pay a $125 civil penalty and a $100 suspension

termination fee.

In most cases, if your driver license has been

revoked, you cannot apply for a new license until

you pay a non-refundable $100 fee to reapply for

the license. This fee is not required if your license

was revoked for operating without insurance or

if you were issued a license with conditions or

restricted uses.

After the following revocations, you must pay a

civil penalty to DMV before your application for a

new license can be accepted:

• Operating without insurance or accident

without insurance: $750 civil penalty.

• Chemical test refusal: $500 civil penalty

($550 if while driving a commercial motor

vehicle).

• Chemical test refusal within ﬁve years of

an earlier alcohol, drug or refusal-related

revocation: $750 civil penalty.

Speeding MPH over

posted limit:

Speeding MPH over

posted limit:

Speeding MPH over

posted limit:

Speeding MPH over

posted limit:

22 | Driver’s Manual

DRIVER RESPONSIBILITY

ASSESSMENTS

In addition to any ﬁnes, fees, penalties and sur-

charges authorized by law, you may have to pay

a “Driver Responsibility Assessment” for some

violations that result in a conviction or administra-

tive ﬁnding. Your learner permit, driver license or

driving privileges will be suspended if you do not

make these payments.

If you are convicted of Aggravated Driving

While Intoxicated (Agg-DWI), Driving While Intoxi-

cated (DWI), Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI),

Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs, DWAI-al-

cohol combined with drugs, or if you refused to

submit to a chemical test, you will be required to

pay a driver responsibility assessment of $250

each year for the next three years.

If you are convicted of one or more trac

violations resulting in six points in any 18-month

period, you will be required to pay $100 each

year for the next three years. For each additional

point you receive during that period, you will be

required to pay another $25 per point every year

for three years. For information about how points

are assessed, see “The Point System” in

this chapter.

This assessment applies to motorists convicted

of violations while driving motor vehicles, and

in some cases, motorboats and snowmobiles.

Completion of a DMV-approved “Motor Vehicle

Accident Prevention Course” will not prevent or

reduce the calculation of points that aect the

Driver Responsibility Assessment.

DRIVING WHILE SUSPENDED

OR REVOKED

It is a criminal violation to drive while your

license is suspended or revoked, and there are

mandatory ﬁnes from $200 to $5,000. You can

face mandatory imprisonment or probation. The

vehicle being driven could be seized and forfeit-

ed. More severe penalties apply to drivers who

drive while intoxicated or impaired by alcohol or

drugs while their license or privilege are already

under suspension or revocation for a previous

alcohol or drug-related incident. Drivers with 10

or more suspensions for failure to answer trac

tickets or pay ﬁnes are also subject to severe

penalties. Drivers with 20 or more suspensions

for failure to answer tickets or pay ﬁnes face a

criminal charge, even if you were not driving

when arrested.

CHAPTER 3 / OWNING A VEHICLE

Whether you are a vehicle owner or registrant,

or a driver of a vehicle owned or registered by

someone else, it is your responsibility to make

sure it is registered, insured and inspected before

the vehicle operates on a public roadway.

REGISTRATION AND TITLE

A registration allows a vehicle to be driven

on public roads and highways. A title certiﬁcate

proves who owns the vehicle.

You must be at least 16 to register a vehicle.

You can title a vehicle at any age. A new resident

of the state must get a New York registration

within 30 days of establishing residence.

To Register a Vehicle

To register a vehicle, you must prove you own

the vehicle or that the owner authorizes you to

state and county sales taxes have been paid and

provide any required odometer reading and/or

damage disclosure statement. If the ownership

proofs listed below are not available from the

seller, contact any motor vehicle oce or a DMV

Call Center before you purchase the vehicle.

To apply for registration, you must complete

a Vehicle Registration/Title Application (MV-82).

You must also present proof of name (6 points)

and proof of date of birth. For additional informa-

tion see Registering a Vehicle in New York State

(MV-82.1), available from the DMV website (search

under Forms) or at any motor vehicle oce. When

your vehicle is registered, you will get vehicle

plates, a registration document and a registration

sticker for the windshield or vehicle plates. If you

purchased the vehicle from someone other than

a New York State registered dealership, you will

also receive a 10-day inspection extension sticker

on request when you register the vehicle. You

must then have the vehicle inspected within 10

days from the date of registration. It should have

a valid inspection sticker if you purchased the

vehicle from a New York State registered dealer.

The dealer must have the vehicle inspected within

30 days before they sell the vehicle to you.

Driver’s Manual | 23

When you purchase a new or used vehicle

from a dealer registered with the DMV, the dealer

can register the vehicle for you and give you a

temporary registration and, if you need them,

new vehicle plates. The dealer can charge a

processing fee for this service. It can also charge

registration, vehicle plate and title fees.

Your title certiﬁcate will be mailed to you sever-

al weeks after the vehicle is registered.

Proof of Ownership

If you purchase your vehicle from a New York

State registered dealer, the proof of ownership for

a new vehicle will be a Manufacturer’s Certiﬁcate

of Origin (MCO) and a dealer’s Certiﬁcate of Sale

(MV-50). For a used vehicle, proof of ownership is

the previous owner’s Certiﬁcate of Title (MV-999),

the correct odometer and salvage disclosure

statement and the dealer’s Certiﬁcate of

Sale (MV-50).

If the dealership does not register the vehicle

for you, make sure it gives you the ownership

documents listed above and a completed Appli-

cation for Registration/Title (MV-82) signed by the

dealer’s representative. Examine the ownership

documents carefully before closing the sale.

If you purchase a used vehicle from a dealer

registered outside New York State – the proof of

ownership is the title certiﬁcate or transferable

registration signed over to the dealer by the previ-

ous owner, plus the bill of sale and/or invoice from

the dealer and other proofs from the dealer.

For a used vehicle purchased from a private

seller – the proof of ownership is the “Certiﬁcate

of Title” (MV-999), or a transferable registration for

1972 or older models, signed over to you. The sell-

er must complete and you must acknowledge with

your signature, the correct odometer and damage

disclosure statements.

Before you accept the title certiﬁcate from any

seller, check the front of the title for the names

and addresses of “lien” holders. A lien indicates

the current owner owes money on a loan for the

vehicle. If a lien is listed on the title, ask the seller

to give you proof the lien has been paid – in most

cases, it is an ocial lien release from the lender.

24 | Driver’s Manual

If proof is not provided and the loan has not been

paid, the lien holder could repossess the vehicle.

A motor vehicle oce will not accept a title cer-

tiﬁcate if the correct odometer or damage disclo-

sure statement is not completed, or if information

on the title is adjusted, erased or canceled. This

includes any name or signature.

Disclosure Statements

• If you purchase a vehicle eight model

years old or newer, the DMV will NOT reg-

ister your vehicle or issue you a new title

certiﬁcate unless the seller has completed,

and you have signed, both the odometer

and the damage disclosure statements

on the Certiﬁcate of Title (MV-999). These

statements indicate whether the new title

certiﬁcate should be described as

“Rebuilt Salvage.”

• If you purchase a vehicle 10 model years

old or newer, make sure the private seller

has completed the odometer statement on

the back of the Certiﬁcate of Title (MV-999).

The damage disclosure statement is not

required for vehicles nine model years old

or older. As the buyer, you must conﬁrm

the odometer statement as shown on the

title certiﬁcate by writing your initials next

to the odometer box on the title certiﬁcate.

Compare the odometer statement on the

title certiﬁcate with the odometer reading

in the vehicle.

IMPORTANT: The DMV must examine every ve-

hicle described as “Rebuilt Salvage”, OR SIMILAR

WORDS, for stolen parts before the vehicle can

be registered or titled. If you are to purchase a

vehicle that is registered or titled out-of-state,

contact a DMV Call Center for more information.

Proof of Sales Tax Payment

When you purchase a vehicle from a New York

State registered dealer, the dealer collects the

sales tax.

If you purchase a vehicle from someone other

than a NYS registered dealer, you need to ﬁll out

a Statement of Transaction/Sale or Gift of Motor

Vehicle (DTF-802), which is available at any motor

vehicle oce and from the DMV website dmv.

ny.gov. This form certiﬁes the purchase price and

determines the sales tax you must pay when you

be completed and signed by the buyer. The other

side must be signed by the seller if the selling

price is below fair market value or if the vehicle is

being given as a gift from someone who is not a

family member. If the form is not completed by the

seller, you will be charged sales tax based on the

current fair market value of the vehicle. Bring the

completed form to a state or county motor vehicle

oce when you register your vehicle.

Proof of Insurance

When you purchase vehicle liability insurance,

the insurance agent or broker gives you two

insurance identiﬁcation cards. The name(s) and

vehicle identiﬁcation number (VIN) on these cards

must exactly match the information on the reg-

istration application. You must present one card

when you register your vehicle. Keep the second

card with the vehicle.

Fees

Registrations for most vehicles with a maximum

gross weight of not more than 18,000 pounds

(8,165 kg) are valid for two years, and fees are

based on vehicle weight. There are also vehicle

plate and title fees.

By law, registration fees cannot be refunded if

you use the vehicle plates or registration sticker

on your vehicle even for one day. However, if

your vehicle plates and registration sticker are

returned unused within 60 days after you register

your vehicle, you can receive a full refund, minus

a processing fee. You may receive a refund of the

fee for the second year of a two-year registration,

minus a processing fee, if you use the plates &

registration only during the ﬁrst year. Make sure

to get a DMV Universal Receipt (FS-6T) to turn in

your plates.

If you transfer a registration from one vehicle

to a replacement vehicle, you will receive credit

for the remaining part of your current registration.

This credit cannot be applied to other vehicles

registered to you.

Trading In or Selling Your Old Car

Before you trade in or sell your old vehicle,

make sure to remove the vehicle plates and the

windshield registration sticker, which shows your

plate number. This can prevent you from being

charged with parking tickets that are not yours.

REGISTRATION RENEWAL

Most registrations are renewed every two

years. Approximately 45 to 60 days before your

registration will expire, you should receive a

renewal reminder in the mail. If you changed your

address and did not notify the DMV, you will not

receive the reminder. If you did not answer three

or more parking tickets, or if your registration is

suspended or revoked, you will not receive the

reminder. Allow two weeks to process and deliver

the registration. You are responsible to know

when your registration expires and to renew it on

time. This is true even if you do not get a reminder

in the mail.

If the expiration date falls on a weekend or le-

gal state holiday, your registration is automatically

extended to midnight of the next business day.

Make sure you maintain liability insurance on your

vehicle during the extension period.

If you have not received a renewal notice, you

may be able to renew your registration –

By mail: Complete a Vehicle Registration/Title

Application (MV-82), available at any motor vehi-

cle oce and from the DMV website dmv.ny.gov

(search under Forms). If your registration must be

sent to an address that is not the mailing address

you entered on the application form (MV-82),

enclose a separate note that requests the DMV

to mail your registration to the other address. Do

not put this mailing address on form MV-82 unless

you want it to appear on the registration and

your DMV registration record. Reminder – if you

indicate a change of address on your registration,

it will aect ONLY that registration. Use a Change

of Address Form (MV-232) to change all your

DMV records. This form is available at any motor

vehicle oce and from the DMV website (search

under Forms).

Enclose a check or money order for the correct

fee, payable to the “Commissioner of Motor

Driver’s Manual | 25

Vehicles.” If you do not know the exact fee you

must pay, you can determine the fee using the

Schedules of Registration Fees (MV-204A) avail-

able at any motor vehicle oce or through a work

page at the DMV website. Make sure to include

your insurance card with your renewal application

if your insurance company has changed and you

have not responded to a DMV Insurance

Inquiry Letter.

Mail your completed Vehicle Registration/Title

Application and other documents to:

NYS DMV Utica Processing Center, P.O. Box

359, Utica, NY 13503.

Allow two weeks to receive your registration

renewal. If you do not receive it after two weeks,

contact a DMV Call Center or visit any state or

county motor vehicle oce. Allow more time for

overseas mail.

If your name has changed and you have not

notiﬁed the DMV, you must visit a DMV oce and

show proofs of your identity. For more informa-

tion, contact a DMV Call Center.

Online at the DMV website dmv.ny.gov:

Online registration renewal requires that you have

not changed your address or insurance company,

and that the registration is for a passenger car,

small commercial truck or a motorcycle that is not

used exclusively o road. Your registration fee,

and any related fees, will be displayed on the

computer screen. In three quick steps, you can

renew your registration online and use your credit

card for payment. Your renewal will be automat-

ically processed and mailed to you. Allow two

weeks for delivery.

In person at a state or county motor vehicle

oce: You must complete and submit a Vehicle

Registration/Title Application (MV-82). Note: An

application brought into an oce by a second

party (someone who is not the registrant) must be

accompanied by the original New York license/

permit/non-driver identiﬁcation card for the sec-

ond party and either the original or a photocopy

for the registrant. This includes spouses (hus-

bands and wives). The application must be signed

by the registrant, not the person who brings the

form into the oce.

26 | Driver’s Manual

Insurance

Your vehicle must be covered by liability insur-

ance as long as it is registered, even if you do not

drive it.

Minimum liability coverage is required of

$50,000 against the death of one person and

$100,000 against the death of two or more per-

sons, $25,000 against injury to one person and

$50,000 against injury to two or more persons

and $10,000 against property damage. Insurance

coverage limits refer to death, injury or damage

related to any one incident.

Before your liability insurance expires or is

discontinued, return vehicle plates at any state

or county motor vehicle oce. Be sure to obtain

a DMV Universal Receipt (FS-6T) to turn in your

vehicle plates. If you do not do this, you may have

to pay a civil penalty for each day the vehicle

was not insured or your vehicle registration can

be suspended. If your vehicle is not insured for

90 days, unless you have turned in your vehicle

plates, your driver license will also be suspended.

If you receive a letter from DMV that asks

about your vehicle insurance, read it carefully and

respond as directed in the letter.

Motorcycles must be insured, but you are not

required to turn in the vehicle plate when your

motorcycle insurance is discontinued or expires.

RESIDENT AND NON-RESIDENT

RESPONSIBILITY

Anyone who drives or permits a vehicle to be

driven in New York State, this includes people

who are not New York residents, must be able

to prove the vehicle has acceptable liability

insurance, (see “Insurance,” above, for minimum

insurance coverage required). If you are convicted

of driving an uninsured vehicle or if you allow an-

other person to drive your uninsured vehicle, your

license or privilege to drive in New York State will

be revoked for at least one year. The same penal-

ty applies if the DMV receives evidence that you

were involved in a trac crash without insurance.

INSPECTION

Most vehicles sold in New York State must be

inspected within 30 days of the date of transfer

or sale and must have a certiﬁcate of inspection

before delivery. If you purchase a vehicle from

someone who is not a NYS dealer, you must have

the vehicle inspected within 10 days after you

Extension for Motor Vehicle Inspection” (VS-1077).

If a person moves to NYS, an inspection certiﬁ-

cate that was issued before is valid until it expires

or one year from the date it was issued,

whichever occurs ﬁrst.

Under some conditions, vehicles sold at retail

are exempt from the inspection requirement.

These conditions are: transfer to a “welfare to

work” program; transfer of a chassis; transfer of

a vehicle through factory direct delivery; transfer

of a vehicle for registration in another state or

country; transfer of a scrap vehicle; and transfer of

a vehicle to a long-term lessee (lease buyout).

After the ﬁrst inspection of your vehicle, it

must be inspected at an ocial state-licensed

inspection station before the expiration date on

the current inspection certiﬁcate. An inspection is

also required on change of registrant. Inspection

stations have yellow and black “Ocial Motor

Vehicle Inspection Station” signs. Heavy trucks,

buses, tractors and semi-trailers must be inspect-

ed at special “Heavy Vehicle” Inspection Stations

and motorcycles at special Motorcycle

Inspection Stations.

Putting your signature on a registration renewal

form certiﬁes that the vehicle was inspected as

required by law. Keep track of when your annual

inspection is. Schedule a new inspection early, so

you will have time to repair your vehicle if it does

not pass.

After inspection, the vehicle inspector will issue

a sticker for the vehicle to prove it has passed in-

spection. If your vehicle did not pass, the inspec-

tor will give you a rejection notice. In most cases,

your vehicle must be repaired to meet standards

and must be inspected again. A vehicle that is

Driver’s Manual | 27

subject to a high enhanced or OBD II emissions

inspection that fails a ﬁrst inspection can qualify

for a waiver. An attempt must be made to repair

the malfunction and the cost for repairs must be

at least $450. Many gasoline-powered vehicles

(except motorcycles) must be inspected for

exhaust emissions during the safety inspection.

Exceptions are gasoline-powered vehicles that

are 26 or more model years old, or less than two

model years old, or registered as historic. Those

vehicles are subject to a safety inspection only.

Diesel-powered vehicles that operate in NYS,

even if registered elsewhere, are subject to ran-

dom roadside safety tests by the NYS Police and

the NYS Department of Transportation. Vehicles

with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) more

than 8,500 pounds are subject to a Diesel fuel

emissions inspection.

COMPLAINTS AGAINST BUSINESSES

The DMV regulates motor vehicle dealers,

inspection stations and auto repair shops. These

businesses should be identiﬁed by registration or

license certiﬁcates and outside signs. Make sure

you are dealing with a registered or

licensed business.

If you have a complaint against one of these

businesses, ﬁrst try to resolve it with the manage-

ment. If that fails, call (518) 474-8943 between

8:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. weekdays. You can also

write to Vehicle Safety Services, DMV, Bureau of

Consumer and Facility Services, Box 2700-ESP,

Albany, N.Y., 12220-0700. By regulation, the DMV

can receive a repair shop complaint only within

90 days or 3,000 miles (4,828 km) of the vehicle

repairs, whichever comes ﬁrst.

28 | Driver’s Manual

RULES OF THE ROAD

PA R T

CHAPTER 4 / TRAFFIC CONTROL

SIGNS

Trac signs tell you about trac rules, special

hazards, where you are, how to get where you are

going and where services are available.

The shape and color of trac signs give indica-

tions to the type of information they provide:

REGULATION SIGNS normally are white rectan-

gles with black letters or symbols, but some are

dierent shapes, and some can use red letters

or symbols.

WARNING SIGNS normally are yellow and dia-

mond-shaped, with black letters or symbols.

DESTINATION SIGNS are green with white letters

and symbols.

SERVICE SIGNS are blue with white letters and

symbols.

Know the signs shown below and what they

indicate. You will be asked about them on your

written test.

Here are descriptions of common trac signs

and what they indicate.

REGULATION SIGNS:

Stop Sign

COLOR: Red, with white

letters

MEANING: Come to a full

stop, yield the right-of-way to vehicles and pedes-

trians in or heading toward the intersection. Go

when it is safe. You must come to a stop before

the stop line, if there is one. If not, you must

stop before you enter the crosswalk. (See “Stop

Crosswalk Lines” under the “Pavement Markings”

section of this chapter.) If there is no stop line or

crosswalk, you must stop before you enter the

intersection, at the point nearest the intersection

that gives you a view of trac on the

intersecting roadway.

Yield Sign

COLOR: Red and white, with

red letters.

MEANING: Decrease speed

as you reach the intersec-

tion. Prepare to stop and yield the right-of-way

to vehicles and pedestrians in or heading toward

the intersection. You must come to a full stop at

a YIELD sign if trac conditions require it. When

you approach a YIELD sign, check carefully for

trac, and be prepared to stop.

Other Regulation Signs

COLOR: White,

with black and/

or red letters or

symbols

MEANING:

These signs give information about rules for trac

direction, lane use, turns, speed, parking and

other special requirements.

Some regulation signs have a red circle with

a slash over a symbol. This indicates that an

action, like a right turn, is not allowed or that some

vehicles are restricted from the road. Rectangular

white signs with black or red letters or symbols

are indications to be alert for special rules.

Driver’s Manual | 29

WARNING SIGNS:

COLOR: Yellow,

with black letters or

symbols

MEANING: You are

approaching a haz-

ardous location or a

location where there

is a special rule, as shown in the sample signs.

Sometimes a warning sign is joined with a yellow

and black “recommended speed” sign. This indi-

cates reduced speed is advised in that area.

Work Area Signs

COLOR:

Orange, with

black letters

or symbols

MEANING: People are at work on or near the

roadway and trac can be controlled by a ﬂag

person. A work area speed limit as low as 25 MPH

(40 km/h) can be posted. Even if no speed limit

is provided, you must drive at a reduced speed

through the work zone and you must always obey

the ﬂag persons. These illustrations show some

signals a ﬂag person will use. Know and

obey them.

STOP

PROCEED

SLOW

DESTINATION SIGNS:

COLOR: Green, with white

letters

MEANING: Show the direction and distance to

locations.

Route Signs

COLOR: Varied.

MEANING: Indicate interstate, U.S., state

or county routes. The shape tells you the type of

route you are on. The sample signs, left to right,

are for state, U.S., and interstate routes. When you

plan a trip, use a highway map to decide which

routes to take. During the trip, watch for destina-

tion signs so you will not get lost, or have to turn

or stop suddenly.

SERVICE SIGNS:

COLOR: Blue,

with white letters

or symbols

MEANING: Show the location of services,

like rest areas, gas stations, camping or

medical facilities.

TRAFFIC SIGNALS

Trac Lights

Trac lights are normally

red, yellow and green from

the top to bottom or left to

right. At some intersections,

there are lone red, yellow

or green lights. Some trac

lights are steady, others ﬂash.

Some are round, and some are arrows. State law

requires that if the trac lights or controls are out

of service or do not operate correctly when you

approach an intersection, you must come to a

stop as you would for a stop sign. You must then

continue according to the rules of right-of-way,

unless you are told to continue by a

trac ocer.

30 | Driver’s Manual

Here is what dierent trac lights indicate:

STEADY RED: Stop. Do not go until the light is

green. If a green arrow is shown with the red light,

you can go only toward the arrow and only if the

intersection is clear.

You can make a right turn at a steady red light

after you come to a full stop and yield the right-of-

way to oncoming trac and pedestrians. You can

make a left turn at a steady red light when you

turn from a one-way road into another one-way

road after you come to a full stop and yield the

right-of-way to oncoming trac and pedestrians.

You cannot make a turn at a red light if there is

a NO TURN ON RED sign posted or another sign,

signal or pavement marking prevents the turn.

You are not allowed to turn on a red light in New

York City unless a sign that permits it is posted.

The driver of a school bus containing students

cannot turn right on any red light.

FLASHING RED: Means the same

as a STOP sign: Stop, yield the

right-of-way, and go when it is safe.

RED ARROW: Do not go in the di-

rection of the arrow until the red arrow light is o

and a green light or arrow light goes on. A right or

left turn on red is not permitted at a red arrow.

STEADY YELLOW: Be prepared to

stop. A steady yellow light means

the trac signal is about to turn red.

FLASHING YELLOW: Drive with

caution.

YELLOW ARROW: The protection of a green

arrow will end. If you intend to turn in the direction

of the arrow, be prepared to stop.

STEADY GREEN: Go, but yield the

right-of-way to other trac at the

intersection as required by law (see

Chapter 5).

GREEN ARROW: You can go in the

direction of the arrow, but you must

yield the right-of-way to other trac

at the intersection as required by

law (see Chapter 5).

Lane Use Control Lights

Special above the pavement lights are sometimes

used to indicate which lanes of a highway can be

used at certain times:

STEADY RED “X”: Do not drive in this lane.

STEADY YELLOW “X”: Move from this lane.

FLASHING YELLOW “X”: This lane can only be

used for a left turn.

GREEN ARROW: You can use this lane.

PAVEMENT MARKINGS

Lines and symbols on the roadway divide lanes

and tell you when you can pass other vehicles or

change lanes. They also tell you which lanes to

use for turns and where you must stop for signs

or trac signals. The arrows on these illustrations

show the direction of trac.

Edge and Lane Lines

Solid lines along the side of the road tell you

where its edge is – where the travel lane ends

and the shoulder begins. It is illegal to drive

across the edge line, except when told to by a

police ocer or other authorized ocial or when

allowed by an ocial sign. An edge line that

angles towards the center of the road shows that

the road is narrower ahead.

Driver’s Manual | 31

Lines that separate lanes of trac that move in

the same direction are white. Lines that separate

trac that moves in opposite directions are yel-

low. There may be two lines between lanes and

lines can be solid or broken. Read Chapter 6 for

the Rules on how to pass other vehicles.

What some lane lines indicate:

One broken line: You can pass other vehicles

or change lanes if you can do so safely without

interfering with trac.

you reach the stop line,

if there is one, or the

crosswalk. You need

only stop at a stop line

or crosswalk if required

Solid line with broken line: If you are on the side

with the solid line, you cannot pass other vehicles

or go across the line except to make a left turn

into a driveway. If you are on the side with the

broken line, you can pass if it is safe to and you

will not interfere with trac.

Double solid lines: You cannot pass or change

lanes. You cannot go across the lines except to

turn left to enter or leave the highway (e.g. to or

from a driveway or to do a U-turn, see

Chapter 5).

One solid line: You can pass other vehicles or

change lanes, but you can only do so when ob-

structions in the road or trac conditions make

it necessary.

Stop and Crosswalk Lines: At an intersection

controlled by a STOP sign, YIELD sign or

trac light, there can

be a white stop line

painted across the

lane, (called a Stop

Line) and/or two

parallel lines painted

across the road (called

a Crosswalk). When

required to stop be-

cause of a sign or light,

you must stop before

to by a light, sign or

trac ocer, or to yield

to a pedestrian, in-line

skater or scooter at a

marked or unmarked crosswalk. A single stop line

may be placed at intersections to allow room for

larger vehicles (such as tractor-trailers, buses, and

trucks) to turn without forcing other trac to back

up. It’s important that you stop before you reach

this stop line (See “Pedestrians” in Chapter 11).

Arrows: Arrows show which lanes you must use.

In this illustration, for example, you can turn right

only from the right lane. To go straight, you must

use the left lane. You must be in the correct lane

before you reach the solid line that separates

the lanes.

32 | Driver’s Manual

Diamond Symbol: This symbol indicates the lane

is reserved lanes for buses, HOV (High-Occupan-

cy Vehicles) like car-pools and van-pools, bicycles

or other special vehicles. You cannot enter and

use these lanes unless your vehicle complies with

the occupancy or other requirements indicated

by signs for the times the special conditions are

in eect. When used to designate reserved lanes

on city streets, sections of the solid white line that

separates the diamond lanes from the normal

lanes can be replaced by broken white lines. In

these locations, non-HOV can enter the HOV lane

if they make a right turn at the next intersection.

Bus lanes and HOV lanes are to promote the

most ecient use of limited street and highway

capacity. They assure that vehicles with the

highest importance move the fastest.

TRAFFIC OFFICERS

Directions given by trac ocers take prece-

dence over signs, signals or pavement markings.

If a trac ocer signals you to stop at a green

light, for example, you must stop. If an ocer sig-

nals you to drive through a red light or stop sign,

you must do it.

Among the persons authorized to direct trac

are police ocers, ﬁre police, highway work area

ﬂag persons and school crossing persons.

QUESTIONS

Before you move on to Chapter 5, make sure

you can identify the signs in this chapter and

know what they mean. Also, make sure you can

answer these questions:

• A regulation sign is normally what shape?

• What is the normal color and shape of a

warning sign?

• What color and shape is a destination sign?

• What must you do at a STOP sign?

• What color and shape is a railroad crossing

warning sign?

• What must you do when you encounter each

of the following: a ﬂashing red light, ﬂashing

yellow light, steady yellow light, a red light

with a green arrow?

• What does it indicate if an edge line angles

in toward the center of the road?

• What do each of these lines indicate: one

broken, one solid, double solid, solid and

broken together?

• If an intersection has crosswalk lines but no

STOP line, where must you stop for a red

light at that intersection?

• What type of pavement marking shows you

which lane you must use for a turn?

• Which of the following must you obey over

the other three: red light, ﬂashing red light,

STOP sign, police ocer?

CHAPTER 5 / INTERSECTIONS AND TURNS

Most trac crashes occur at intersections when

a driver makes a turn. Many occur in large parking

lots like at shopping centers. To prevent this type

of crash, you must understand the right-of-way

rules and how to make correct turns.

RIGHT-OF-WAY

Trac signs, signals and pavement markings

do not always resolve trac conﬂicts. A green

light, for example, does not resolve the conﬂict

of when a car turns left at an intersection while

an approaching car goes straight through the

intersection. The right-of-way rules help resolve

these conﬂicts. They tell you who goes ﬁrst and

who must wait in dierent conditions.

Here are examples of right-of-way rules:

• A driver who approaches an intersection

must yield the right-of-way to trac that is

in the intersection.

Example: You approach an intersection. The

trac light is green and you want to drive straight

through. Another vehicle, coming from the oppo-

site direction, is already in the intersection making

a left turn. You must let that vehicle complete its

turn before you enter the intersection.

• If drivers approaching from opposite di-

rections reach an intersection at about the

same time, a driver that turns left must yield

to trac that moves straight or turns right.

Example: You want to turn left at an intersection

ahead. A vehicle reaches the intersection from the

opposite direction and moves straight ahead. You

must wait for approaching trac to go through

before you turn. You may enter the intersection to

prepare for your left turn if the light is green and

no other vehicle ahead of you plans to make a

left turn (see “Turns” later in this chapter). When

you enter the intersection, keep to the right of the

center line. Keep your wheels straight to prevent

being pushed into oncoming trac if your vehicle

is hit from behind. When trac headed toward

you clears or stops for a red light, complete your

turn when you can do so safely.

Driver’s Manual | 33

You must also yield to trac headed toward

you when you turn left into a driveway, parking lot

or other area, even if there are no signs or signals

that control the turn.

For any left turn, the law requires you to yield

to any trac headed toward you that is close

enough to be a hazard. The decision about when

trac is too close takes experience and judg-

ment. If you have any concern, wait for trac to

pass before you turn left.

• At intersections not controlled by signs or

signals, or where two or more drivers stop at

STOP signs at the same time and they

are at right angles, the driver on the left

must yield the right-of-way to the driver on

the right.

Example: You are stopped at a stop sign and you

are going to go straight through the intersection.

A driver on the cross road has stopped at a stop

sign on your right and is going to go straight. You

must yield the right-of-way to the other driver.

• A vehicle that enters a roadway from a

driveway, private road or another place that

is not a roadway, must stop and yield the

right-of-way to trac on the roadway and

to pedestrians.

Example: You intend to leave a parking lot and

turn right when you enter a street. A vehicle

approaches from your left. You must stop and wait

for the vehicle to pass before you enter the street.

If you were to turn left, you would have to yield to

vehicles that approach from both directions. If a

pedestrian walked across the parking lot exit, you

would have to wait for that person to go across.

• Drivers must yield to pedestrians who

legally use marked or unmarked crosswalks.

This means you must slow down or stop

if necessary.

Example: You are stopped at a red light. A pedes-

trian steps into the crosswalk, and then the light

turns green. You must wait for the pedestrian to

go across. You must also yield to pedestrians in

crosswalks on your left or right before you turn.

• You cannot enter an intersection if trac is

backed up on the other side and you can-

34 | Driver’s Manual

not get completely through the intersection.

Wait until trac ahead clears, so you do not

block the intersection.

• Be alert to cross-streets or oset intersec-

tions, so that you don’t cause gridlock by

blocking another street.

• A driver who approaches a trac circle or

rotary must yield the right-of-way to drivers

already in the circle. (For more information

on how to drive in a rotary see “How to

Drive Through a Roundabout” in Chapter 8

of this manual.)

EMERGENCY VEHICLES

You must yield the right-of-way to ﬁre, ambu-

lance, police and other authorized emergency ve-

hicles when they respond to emergencies. They

will display lights that are ﬂashing red, red and

blue or red and white and/or may sound a siren

or air-horn. When you hear or see an emergency

vehicle heading toward your vehicle from any

direction, safely pull over immediately to the right

edge of the road and stop. Wait until the emer-

gency vehicle passes before you drive on. If you

are in an intersection, drive out of the intersection

before you pull over.

You must pull over and stop for an emergency

vehicle even if it is headed toward you in the

opposite lane of a two-lane roadway.

If you hear a siren or air-horn close by but do

not know exactly where the emergency vehicle

is, you must safely pull over to the right-side edge

of the road and stop until you are sure it is not

headed toward you.

An emergency vehicle that uses lights and a

siren or air-horn can be unpredictable. The driver

can legally exceed the speed limit, pass red lights

and STOP or YIELD signs, go the wrong way on

one-way streets and turn in directions not normal-

ly allowed. Although emergency vehicle drivers

are required to be careful, you must be cautious

when an emergency vehicle heads toward you.

Move Over Law

This law requires every driver to exercise care

to avoid colliding with an authorized emergen-

cy or hazard vehicle that is parked, stopped or

standing on the shoulder or any portion of the

highway with its emergency lights or one or

more amber hazard lights activated. Drivers must

reduce speed on all roads when encountering

such vehicles, but on parkways, interstates and

other controlled access roads with multiple lanes,

drivers are further required to move from the lane

adjacent to the emergency or hazard vehicle

unless trac or other hazards prevent doing so

safely. Drivers are also required to move over

for vehicles with blue and green lights which are

described in the next section. Violations of this

law are punishable as a moving violation.

BLUE, GREEN AND AMBER LIGHTS

Personal vehicles driven by volunteer ﬁre

ﬁghters responding to alarms are allowed to

display blue lights and those driven by volunteer

ambulance or rescue squad members can display

green lights. Amber lights on hazard vehicles

such as snow plows and tow trucks warn other

drivers of possible dangers. Flashing amber lights

are also used on rural mail delivery vehicles and

school buses to warn trac of their presence. The

vehicles that display blue, green or amber lights

are not authorized emergency vehicles. Their

drivers must obey all trac laws. While you are

not required to yield the right-of-way, you should

yield as a courtesy if you can safely do so.

TURNS

Always signal before you turn or change lanes.

It is important that other highway users know your

intentions. The law requires you to signal a turn or

lane change with your turn lights or hand signals

at least 100 feet (30 m) ahead. A good safety tip

is, when possible, to signal your intention to turn

before you begin to brake or make the turn. The

proper hand signals are shown on the next page.

Driver’s Manual | 35

Remember these other tips when you prepare

to turn:

• Reduce your speed.

• Be alert for trac on all sides. Take special

caution to check for motorcycles. Most

crashes that involve motorcycles and other

vehicles are caused because the driver

of the other vehicle has failed to see

the motorcycle.

• Keep your wheels straight until you actually

begin to make your turn. If your wheels are

turned, and you are hit from behind, your

vehicle could be pushed into the oncoming

lane of trac.

• Remember that your rear wheels will travel

inside the path of the front wheels, nearer

to the curb (right turn) or to trac headed

toward you (left turn).

• Watch for pedestrians, bicyclists and mo-

ped riders, especially on right turns. They

are often dicult to see in trac.

• Be especially alert to individuals in wheel

chairs, people pushing strollers, or some-

one pulling a wheeled suitcase behind

them. They may be closer to the ground

and hidden behind a car.

The following illustrations show the correct

position of your vehicle for turns. These positions

are from requirements in the law and are not just

good advice.

RIGHT TURN:

As you prepare to turn, get as far to the right

as possible. Do not make wide, sweeping turns.

Unless signs direct you to do otherwise, turn into

the right lane of the road you enter.

LEFT TURN FROM ONE-WAY ROAD INTO ONE-

WAY ROAD:

Move into the left lane when you prepare to

turn. If the road you enter has two lanes, you must

turn into its left lane.

LEFT TURN FROM ONE-WAY ROAD INTO

TWO-WAY ROAD:

Approach the turn in the left lane. As you pro-

ceed through the intersection, enter the two-way

road to the right of its center line, but as close as

possible to the center line. Be alert for trac that

approaches from the road to the left. Motorcycles

are often hard to see, which may make it dicult

to judge their speed and distance from you.

LEFT

RIGHT

STOP

36 | Driver’s Manual

LEFT TURN FROM TWO-WAY ROAD INTO LEFT TURN FROM TWO-WAY ROAD INTO

TWO-WAY ROAD: FOUR-LANE HIGHWAY:

Approach the turn from the right half of the

roadway closest to the center. Try to use the left

side of the intersection to help make sure that you

do not interfere with trac headed toward you

that wants to turn left. Keep to the right of the cen-

terline of the road you enter, but as close as pos-

sible to the center line. Be alert for trac heading

toward you from the left and from the lane you are

about to go across. Motorcycles headed toward

you are hard to see and it is dicult to judge their

speed and distance away. Drivers often fail to see

a motorcycle headed toward them and hit it while

they turn across a trac lane.

LEFT TURN FROM TWO-WAY ROAD INTO ONE-

WAY ROAD:

Approach the turn from the right half of the road-

way closest to the center. Make the turn before

you reach the center of the intersection and turn

into the left lane of the road you enter.

Approach the turn from the right half of the

roadway closest to the center. Enter the left lane,

to the right of the center line. When trac permits,

you can move out of the left lane.

U-TURNS

A “U-turn” is any turn you make so you can

proceed in the opposite direction.

Do not try a U-turn on a highway unless

absolutely necessary. If you must turn around,

use a parking lot, driveway or other area, and, if

possible, enter the roadway as you move forward,

not backing up.

You can make a U-turn only from the left part of

the lane nearest to the centerline of the roadway,

never from the right lane. Unless signs tell you

otherwise, you can make a U-turn when you get

permission to proceed by a green arrow left turn

trac signal, provided it is allowed and you yield

to other trac.

You cannot make a U-turn near the top of a hill,

a curve or any other location where other drivers

cannot see your vehicle from 500 feet (150 m)

away in either direction. U-turns are also illegal in

business districts of New York City and where NO

U-TURN signs are provided. You can never make

a U-turn on a limited access expressway, even if

paths connect your side of the expressway with

the other side. In addition, it is prohibited for a

vehicle to make a U-turn in a school zone.

Unless prohibited, a three-point turn can be

used to turn around on a narrow, two-way street.

You may be required to make a three-point turn

on your road test.

To make a three-point turn:

1. Signal with your right turn signal, then pull over

to the right and stop. Signal with your left turn

signal, then check carefully for trac from

all directions.

2. Turn left, go across the road so you come to

a stop while you face the left curb or edge of

the road.

3. Look again for trac. Turn your steering wheel

as far to the right as possible, then look behind

you as you back up. Stop before you reach the

right curb or any obstacle to the right curb or

edge of the road whichever comes ﬁrst.

4. Stop, check again for other trac, then turn

your steering wheel all the way to the left and pull

forward to complete your turn when it is safe.

QUESTIONS

Before you go on to Chapter 6, make sure you

can answer these questions:

• What is the hand signal for a stop?

• A right turn?

• If two drivers enter an intersection from op-

posite directions at the same time, and one

travels straight, the other prepares to turn

left, which must yield the right-of-way?

• If you enter an intersection to make a left

turn, but oncoming trac prevents the turn

immediately, what should you do?

• If you reach an intersection that is not con-

trolled at the same time as a driver on your

Driver’s Manual | 37

right, and both of you prepare to go straight,

who has the right-of-way?

• What must you do if you enter a road from

a driveway?

• You face a green light, but trac on the

other side of the intersection does not allow

you to travel all the way through the inter-

section. May you enter the intersection?

• Does a vehicle prepared to enter a trac cir-

cle or rotary have right-of-way over vehicles

in the circle?

• What should you do if you hear a siren close

by but cannot see where the emergency

vehicle is?

• How far before a turn must you signal?

• When you prepare for a right turn, should

you remain as near the center of the lane

as possible?

• Where must you position your vehicle when

you prepare to make a left turn from a two-

way roadway into a one-way roadway?

38 | Driver’s Manual

CHAPTER 6 / HOW TO PASS

The law requires that we drive on the right

side of the road. When we are allowed to pass

other vehicles, we usually pass on the left. You

are permitted to pass on the right only in certain

circumstances and it must be done only when

necessary and safe. When you pass other vehicles

or change lanes to keep away from hazards, do

so with caution and only when necessary. You

must not exceed the speed limit to pass another

vehicle.

When you pass a motorcycle, remember to

give the motorcycle the same full-lane width as

other vehicles are allowed. Never move into the

same lane space as a motorcycle, even if the lane

is wide and the motorcycle is to one side.

The law requires you to use turn signal lamps

or hand and arm signals to indicate your intention

to change lanes at least 100 feet (30 m) before

you make a lane change. You must never pass a

vehicle that has stopped at a crosswalk to allow a

pedestrian to go across.

HOW TO PASS ON THE LEFT

The left lane is normally used to pass other

vehicles. You cannot pass a vehicle on the left if:

• Your lane has a solid yellow center line.

• You cannot safely return to the right lane

before you reach a solid yellow center line

for the right lane.

• You cannot safely return to the right lane

before any oncoming vehicle comes within

200 feet (60 m) of you.

• You approach a curve or the top of a hill on

a two-way road and cannot see around or

over it.

• You are within 100 feet (30 m) of a railroad

crossing on a two-way roadway.

• You are within 100 feet (30 m) of a bridge,

tunnel or viaduct on a two-way road and

your view is obstructed.

• If you try to pass, you will interfere with

oncoming trac.

If conditions are correct to pass, check in your

mirrors and signal your lane change. Before you

pull into the left lane, look quickly over your left

shoulder, through the back side window, to make

sure there is no vehicle close behind you in the

left lane. Never depend on your mirrors when you

prepare to change lanes. Even correctly adjusted

mirrors will leave “blind spots” behind both sides

of your vehicle. If a vehicle is in the blind spot, you

may not see it in your mirrors. Always quickly look

over your shoulder before you change lanes

or pass.

When you pass, move completely into the left

lane. Before you return to the right lane, signal

and look at your interior rear-view mirror and

make sure you can see the front bumper of the

vehicle you passed. Look quickly over your right

shoulder to make sure that you can safely move

into that lane without crowding the vehicle you

passed. Then return to the right lane.

HOW TO PASS ON THE RIGHT

Although you normally pass other vehicles on

the left, some situations allow you to pass on the

right. You can pass a vehicle on the right only in

the conditions listed below and only if you can

pass safely. You cannot drive on or across the

shoulder or edge line of the road unless a sign

allows it or when indicated by a trac ocer (see

Chapter 4). You can pass on the right:

• When a vehicle ahead makes a left turn.

• When you are on a two-way road that is

marked for two or more lanes or is wide

enough for two or more lanes in each

direction and passing is not prohibited by

signs or restricted by parked cars or

other obstructions.

• When you drive on a one-way road that is

marked for two or more lanes or is wide

enough for two or more lanes, and to pass

is not prohibited by signs or restricted by

parked cars or other obstructions.

If you prepare to pass on the right at an inter-

section, check the trac ahead carefully. Make

sure a vehicle that is approaching is not prepared

to turn left into your path, and watch at the right

side of the road for pedestrians, bicyclists, in-line

skaters and moped riders.

Before you pass on the right on multi-lane

roads like expressways, make sure you check

your mirrors, use the correct signals for the lane

change and look over your right shoulder for oth-

er vehicles. After you pass, make sure to quickly

look over your left shoulder and signal before you

return to the left lane.

BEING PASSED

If another vehicle passes you on the left,

decrease your speed slightly and stay centered in

your lane. When the vehicle has safely passed and

is ahead of you, continue at your normal speed.

If you ﬁnd that you are being passed on the

right by many vehicles, you should move into the

right lane and allow them to pass you on the left.

SCHOOL BUSES

When a stopped school bus ﬂashes its red

light(s), trac that approaches from either direc-

tion, even in front of the school and in school

parking lots, must stop before it reaches the bus.

You should stop at least 20 feet (6 m) away from

the bus. You can identify this bus by a “SCHOOL

BUS” sign, the red lights on the top and its unique

yellow-orange color.

Before a school bus stops to load or discharge

passengers, the driver will usually ﬂash warning

lights, which are located on the front and back

of the bus near the roof. When you see them,

decrease speed and be prepared to stop.

When you stop for a school bus, you cannot

drive again until the red lights stop ﬂashing or

when the bus driver or a trac ocer signals

that you can proceed. This law applies on all

roadways in New York State. You must stop for a

school bus even if it is on the opposite side of a

divided highway.

Driver’s Manual | 39

After you stop for a school bus, look for chil-

dren along the side of the road. Drive slowly until

you have passed them.

Safety Tip: Most school bus-related deaths and

injuries occur while children cross the street after

being discharged from the bus, not in collisions

that involve school buses.

Remember that vehicles that transport disabled

persons can be equipped as school buses and

you must stop for them as you would for other

school buses.

The ﬁne when you pass a stopped school bus

ranges from a minimum of $400 for a ﬁrst viola-

tion to a maximum of $1,500 for three violations in

three years. If you are convicted of three of these

violations in three years, your driver license will

be revoked for a minimum of six months.

QUESTIONS

Before you go on to Chapter 7, make sure you

can answer these questions:

• Under most conditions, on which side can

you pass another vehicle that is headed the

same direction?

• What should you do before you pass

another vehicle?

• What should you see in your rear-view mirror

before you attempt to return to the right lane

after you pass a vehicle on the left?

• Under what conditions can you pass a

vehicle on the right?

• When can you pass a vehicle stopped at

a crosswalk to allow a pedestrian to

go across?

• What action should you take when another

vehicle passes you on the left?

• What do yellow lights going on and o on a

school bus indicate?

• What do red lights going on and o on a

school bus indicate?

40 | Driver’s Manual

CHAPTER 7 / PARALLEL PARKING

Parallel parking takes skill and is part of every

road test. You must know where parking is illegal

and what NO PARKING, NO STANDING and NO

STOPPING signs indicate.

HOW TO PARK

Many motorists consider parallel parking the

most dicult part of driving. But practice will

teach you how to back up correctly and to judge

distances and angles.

Some vehicles have additional safety equip-

ment (such as back up cameras and range-de-

tecting sensors) to help the driver back up safely.

Some vehicles can even park themselves (in

certain conditions). Although these can be useful

features, you need to be alert and check the area

behind your vehicle before you back up. YOU –

as the driver – are ultimately responsible for the

safe operation of your vehicle.

The following instructions are general. You must

adjust parallel-parking procedures to the particu-

lar situation. Practice is the only method to

learn correctly.

1. Select a space that is large enough for your ve-

hicle on your side of the road. Check your mirrors

before you stop and signal to warn other drivers.

Stop next to the vehicle in front of the space and

leave about two feet between the other vehicle

and your vehicle.

2. Look behind you over both shoulders to make

sure you will not interfere with pedestrians or on-

coming trac. Back the vehicle slowly and begin

to turn your steering wheel completely toward the

near curb. Look through the rear window, not the

mirrors, when you back up. Look to the side and

front occasionally to make sure you will not touch

the vehicle ahead.

3. When your front wheels are opposite the back

bumper of the vehicle ahead, turn the steering

wheel the other way while you continue to back

up. Make sure you clear the vehicle ahead. Look

back and stop to ensure that you do not bump the

vehicle behind you.

4. Bring your wheels straight and pull forward. Al-

low room for the vehicles ahead and behind you.

In your ﬁnal parking position, your wheels must be

no more than one foot (30 cm) from the curb.

To get nearer to the curb, alternately pull forward

and back up, and turn the steering wheel ﬁrst

toward the curb and then quickly straight again.

After parking, remember that you must not open

the door on the road side if it will interfere with

bicyclists and other trac.

HOW TO PARK ON A HILL

After you park on a hill, make sure to set your

parking brake. Put the transmission in “Park” (or,

if your vehicle has a manual transmission, put

the transmission into 1st gear). Turn the wheels

toward the curb or side of the road, so they will

keep your vehicle from heading into trac.

HOW TO PULL OUT FROM PARALLEL

PARKING

To pull away from a parallel parking space, make

sure your wheels are straight, back up to the

Driver’s Manual | 41

vehicle behind you and turn your wheels away

from the curb.

Six steps to enter safely into trac:

1) Turn your head to look over your right

shoulder and check through the rear-win-

dow for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists

and other vehicles that can become

a hazard;

2) Use your interior rear-view mirror to

help keep an eye on hazards behind

your vehicle;

3 Signal your intentions to move from your

parking space into trac;

4) Check your side mirrors for oncoming vehi-

cles, pedestrians, bicyclists, in-line skaters,

motorcyclists and other highway users;

5) Turn your head to look over your left shoul-

der out through the rear-window and begin

to slowly drive forward. Make sure you can

avoid the vehicle parked ahead when you

enter trac;

6) Turn your head and look over your left

shoulder to look through the rear-window,

drive into the trac lane when it is safe

to do so.

PARKING REGULATIONS

What people understand as “parking” is legally

divided into three categories: parking, stand-

ing and stopping. Parking is when a vehicle is

stopped, occupied or not, other than temporarily

for the purpose of loading or unloading merchan-

dise or passengers. Standing is similar to Parking,

except that it only relates to receiving or discharg-

ing passengers. Stopping is literally that, bringing

the vehicle to a stop (even temporarily).

A NO PARKING sign means you can make a

temporary stop to load or discharge merchandise

or passengers.

A NO STANDING sign means you can only make

a temporary stop to load or discharge passen-

gers. The driver cannot exit the vehicle.

A NO STOPPING sign means you can stop only to

obey a trac sign, signal or ocer or to prevent

conﬂicts with other vehicles.

Besides parking, standing and stopping rules,

there are statewide rules not always indicated

by signs:

You cannot park, stop or stand:

• Within 15 feet (5 m) of a ﬁre hydrant, unless

a licensed driver remains in the vehicle to

move it in an emergency.

• On the road side of a parked vehicle

(“double parking”).

• On a sidewalk or in a crosswalk.

• In an intersection, unless permitted by signs

or parking meters.

• On railroad tracks.

• Next to or opposite road work, construction

or other obstructions if your vehicle

blocks trac.

• Within 30 feet (10 m) of a pedestrian safety

area, unless another distance is marked.

• On a bridge or in a tunnel.

Parking or standing is not allowed:

• In front of a driveway.

• Within 20 feet (6 m) of a crosswalk at

an intersection.

• Within 30 feet (10 m) of a trac light, STOP

sign or YIELD sign.

• Within 20 feet (6 m) of a ﬁre station driveway

or within 75 feet (23 m) on the opposite side

of the road.

• Along a curb that is cut, lowered or made for

access to the sidewalk.

You cannot park your vehicle within 50 feet

(15 m) of a railroad crossing.

42 | Driver’s Manual

RESERVED PARKING FOR PEOPLE

WITH DISABILITIES

Parking reserved for persons with disabilities

is a legal requirement. These special parking

spaces for motorists with disabilities ensure safe

and equal access to goods and services, access

which is taken for granted by

many persons. You can park

in reserved spaces only if you

have a permit or vehicle plates

for persons with disabilities

and only when the person who

received the permit or vehicle

plates is in the vehicle.

It is illegal for any vehicle to

park, stop or stand in a space

reserved for the disabled unless it has vehicle

plates for the disabled issued by the DMV, a New

York State Parking Permit for the Disabled issued

by a city, town, county or village or a similar

vehicle plate or permit issued by another state.

The vehicle must be in operation to transport the

disabled person described in the registration or

permit. This law applies to spaces reserved and

provided by local ordinance on streets and high-

ways and those held for special use by state law

in shopping centers that have ﬁve or more stores

and 20 or more o-street public parking spaces.

It is a misdemeanor to make a false statement

or give false information on an application for

vehicle plates. If you make a false statement or

provide false information to get a parking permit

for a person with a disability, you face a ﬁne from

$250 to $1,000, plus a mandatory surcharge of

$30 and possible civil penalties from $250 to

$1,000. These penalties apply to the applicant

and to a doctor who provides certiﬁcation.

To apply for vehicle plates for the disabled or

for a NYS Parking Permit for the Disabled use

the MV-664.1 Instructions and Application for a

Parking Permit or License Plates for People with

Severe Disabilities.

Reserved spaces must be marked with signs

like the one shown above, and also can be des-

ignated with pavement markings. Do not park in

the spaces with diagonal stripes next to reserved

parking areas. These spaces are needed to give

access to those with wheelchairs and vehicles

with special equipment.

The ﬁnes for parking violations on a street are

set by municipalities. Unless a municipality sets

higher penalties, the ﬁne for a shopping center

violation is $50 to $75 for a ﬁrst oense and $75

to $150 for a second oense within two years in

the same municipality. A mandatory surcharge of

$30 will be added to each penalty.

QUESTIONS

Before you go on to Chapter 8, make sure you

can answer these questions:

• After you have parallel parked, how near to

the curb must your vehicle be?

• May you open a door on the road side of

your vehicle if there is no oncoming trac?

• Before you leave a parking space, what

should you do?

• What does a NO STOPPING sign mean?

• Can you stop to load or drop o passengers

at a NO STANDING or NO PARKING sign?

• May you park on a crosswalk in the middle

of a block?

Driver’s Manual | 43

SAFE DRIVING TIPS

PA R T

CHAPTER 8 / DEFENSIVE DRIVING

Most drivers are good drivers. But even the

best drivers make errors now and then. Equip-

ment fails, weather conditions can be bad, and

some drivers ignore trac laws or drive in an

erratic manner. To prevent making errors or being

involved in a crash because of someone else’s

error, learn to drive in a defensive manner:

• Be prepared and look ahead.

• Maintain the correct speed.

• Signal before you turn or change lanes.

• Allow space.

• Wear your seat belt.

• Do not drive if you are very weary, are on

medication or have been drinking beverag-

es that contain alcohol.

• Keep your vehicle in good condition.

• Do not use hand held mobile devices

while driving.

BE PREPARED AND LOOK AHEAD

You should sit in a comfortable but vertical

position and keep both hands on the steering

wheel. Slouching in the driver’s seat or using only

one hand on the wheel makes it more dicult or

even dangerous to control your vehicle.

Trac conditions change continuously. Always

scan the road ahead. Do not use the road or even

the vehicle ahead as your only points of focus.

Look ahead so you can prevent, or decrease,

possible problems.

Keep your eyes moving, notice what is happen-

ing at the sides of the road, and check behind

you through your mirrors every few seconds.

Anticipate errors by other drivers, bicyclists and

pedestrians and think about what you will do if

an error occurs. Do not assume that a driver who

approaches a STOP or YIELD sign on a side road

is actually going to stop or yield. It is better to

assume the other driver will not stop.

DRIVER DISTRACTIONS

A distraction is anything that takes your

attention away from driving. Distracted driving

can cause crashes, resulting in injury, death, or

property damage. Taking your eyes o the road

or hands o the steering wheel presents obvious

driving risks. Mental activities that take your mind

away from driving are just as dangerous.

When driving:

• Do not use cell phones or text.

• Avoid arguments and stressful or emotional

conversations with passengers.

• Avoid eating while driving.

• Be sure children are properly and

safely restrained.

• Properly secure pets in a pet carrier or por-

table kennel.

You must pay attention to the driving task. You

are responsible for operating your vehicle in a

safe manner.

AGGRESSIVE DRIVERS

Aggressive driving includes speeding, which

often leads to following too closely, frequent or

quick lane changes without a signal, passing on

the shoulder or parts of the roadway that are not

paved or being a nuisance to motorists, bicyclists

or pedestrians, who don’t get out of the way.

Aggressive drivers sometimes run stop signs and

44 | Driver’s Manual

red lights, pass stopped school buses, fail to keep

right, drive while impaired by alcohol or drugs

and drive in a reckless manner. Some aggressive

drivers try to cause harm to another driver, and

that is how aggressive driving becomes

road rage.

To prevent road rage, it is sometimes better

not to make eye contact with another driver. The

other driver can take this as being challenged.

When an aggressive driver confronts you:

• Do not make eye contact.

• Remain calm and relaxed.

• Try to move away safely.

• Do not challenge an aggressive driver with

increased speed or try to hold your position

in your travel lane.

• Wear a seat belt and encourage your

passengers to do the same.

• Ignore gestures and shouts and do not

return them.

• Report aggressive drivers to law enforce-

ment authorities and give a vehicle descrip-

tion, location, vehicle plate number and

direction of travel.

• If an aggressive driver is following you, do

not stop or get out of your vehicle. Drive to

the nearest police station.

• If an aggressive driver is involved in a crash,

stop a safe distance from the crash scene.

When the police arrive, report the driving

behavior you saw.

To avoid becoming an aggressive driver:

• Allow enough travel time to reach your

destination on schedule.

• Adjust your schedule to prevent driving

during times with the most highway trac.

• If you are late, call ahead so you can relax.

• Do not drive when you are angry, upset or

very tired.

• Make your vehicle comfortable. Listen to

relaxing music and prevent conditions that

make you anxious.

• When you drive, relax and be aware of how

you sit. Sit back in your seat, loosen your

hold on the steering wheel and do not grind

your teeth.

• Be polite, courteous and forgiving to

other drivers.

• You can control how you react. If another

person drives aggressively, do not do

the same.

If you have the right-of-way, do not think of

it as a complete right. Be prepared to yield the

right-of-way to other highway users. To wait a few

seconds for another driver is far better than to risk

a crash.

ROAD RAGE

What is “road rage”? Road rage is an angry,

hostile state, which can increase into violent

criminal actions or attempts of violent action that

result from the operation of a motor vehicle. Road

rage can include behavior to provoke others or to

make them fearful.

Aggressive driving is not road rage. Howev-

er, aggressive driving can become road rage.

Aggressive driving generally involves the violation

of a trac safety law, while road rage involves the

breaking of a criminal law.

Who can become road raged? It could happen

to anyone when our irritation or anger with others

leads us to behavior that is a threat to ourselves

and to the safety and lives of others on and near

the road or highways. To endanger, threaten or

assault another person is illegal. These behaviors

can result in severe penalties that include ﬁnes,

imprisonment and court-ordered probation. They

can also result in revocation or suspension of a

driver license.

Driver’s Manual | 45

Road rage can include many behaviors, such as:

• Shouts, excessive use of a horn or obscene

gestures and threats.

• Driving actions like when you cut o another

vehicle, drive too closely, block another

vehicle so it cannot use a trac lane, chase

another vehicle or run it o the road, or

deliberately slam into a vehicle.

• When you stop a vehicle at the side of the

road, get out to threaten, attack, ﬁght or

injure another motorist or passenger or a

pedestrian, bicyclist or other person.

Research indicates that being in a state of rage

can aect your blood pressure and your ability to

reason and make decisions. As a driver, you will

make more errors. The chance of being involved

in a trac crash will increase.

Aggressive driving and road rage can lead to

revoked or suspended driver licenses, problems

between family members and friends, loss of

employment and legal problems.

Many drivers do not recognize when their own

aggressive driving or road rage is aecting their

ability to drive safely. State law requires every

DMV-approved accident prevention course to

address the hazards and dangers of road rage.

For information about DMV-approved accident

prevention courses, go to the DMV website at

https://dmv.ny.gov/learn-more-about/pirp. You

can also contact one of the program sponsors.

Information is available at any state or county

motor vehicle oce.

SPEED

You must obey the speed limit. If no limit is

posted, drive no more than 55 mph (88 km/h).

Often, it is common sense to keep your actual

speed below the posted limit. For example, the

legal limit on a slippery or fogged-in expressway

might be 55 mph (88 km/h), or even 65 mph (100

km/h), but the safe speed to drive would be much

lower. Even if you were to drive at 50 mph (80

km/h) on that hazardous highway, a police ocer

could ticket you for a speed “not reasonable” for

the conditions.

To keep a smooth trac ﬂow, some highways

also have minimum speed limits. If you drive slow-

er than the minimum speed you can interfere with

the trac ﬂow and create a dangerous condition.

Even if there is no minimum speed limit, those

driving too slow can be as dangerous as those

who drive too fast.

Know that some cities have speed limits less

than 55 mph (88 km/h) that are not always posted.

For example, the speed limit is 25 mph (48 km/h)

in New York City unless another limit is posted.

ALLOW YOURSELF SPACE

Four of every 10 crashes involve rear-end colli-

sions, normally because a person is following too

closely (tailgating). Leave enough room between

your vehicle and the one ahead so you can stop

safely if the other vehicle stops suddenly. Brake

early and gently when you prepare to stop or turn.

It gives drivers behind you plenty of warning that

you plan to decrease your speed.

For a good “space cushion,” use the two-sec-

ond rule: Select an object near or above the road

ahead like a sign, tree or overpass. As the vehicle

ahead passes it, count slowly, “one thousand one,

one thousand two.” If you reach the same object

before you ﬁnish the count, you are following too

closely. In bad weather and when following large

trucks, increase the count to at least three or four

seconds for additional space.

If a driver follows you too closely (tailgates),

move to another lane if possible or reduce speed

and pull o the road to let the driver go by. Make

sure to signal when you drive o the road and

when you return to it. Do not press your brakes

suddenly or unnecessarily as this may startle the

motorist behind you and could escalate into

road rage.

In case you must change lanes quickly or pull

over to avoid a hazard, leave some “escape”

room to your left and right.

46 | Driver’s Manual

SEAT BELTS, CHILD SAFETY SEATS

AND AIR BAGS

Seat belts save lives and can prevent serious

injuries in trac crashes. This is why New York

State requires seat belt use by adults in motor ve-

hicles and seat belts, booster seats or child safety

seats for children.

New York is a “primary enforcement” state,

which means a police ocer can pull you over

just because you or one of your passengers isn’t

wearing their seatbelt. A law enforcement ocer

can issue a trac ticket for failure to wear a seat

belt. This law also applies to visitors from outside

New York State. Highlights of the New York State

occupant restraint law:

• In the front seat, the driver and each passen-

ger must be properly restrained, one person

per belt. The driver and front-seat passen-

gers age 16 or older can each face a ﬁne of

up to $50 if they fail to buckle up.

• For vehicles driven by persons with a

Class-DJ learner permit or a Class-DJ driver

license, every occupant, no matter the age

or seating position, must correctly use a

safety restraint.

• The driver must make sure that each pas-

senger under 16 obeys the law. The driver

can face a ﬁne of $25 to $100 and receive

three penalty points on his driver license for

each violation.

• Seat belt use is not required in taxis or

livery vehicles, emergency vehicles, 1964

or older vehicles or by passengers in buses

(except school buses; seat belt use can be

required by a school district). Rural Letter

Carriers are also exempt when they are

delivering mail.

Every passenger under age 16 must use a

safety restraint. If under age 4, persons must be

correctly secured in a government approved child

safety seat that is attached to a vehicle by a safe-

ty belt or universal anchorage (LATCH) system.

A child under age 4 who weighs more than 40

pounds can be restrained in a booster seat with

a lap and shoulder belt. A child of age 4, 5, 6 or

7 must use a booster seat with lap and shoul-

der belt or a child safety seat (The child safety

restraint system must meet the height and weight

recommendations of the restraint manufacturer.)

Exception: A child more than 4 feet 9 inches

in height or weighing more than 100 pounds is

allowed to use a seat belt that has both a lap belt

and a shoulder harness. If the seat belt does not

ﬁt correctly, the child must use a booster seat with

a lap and shoulder belt.

When you drive, you must make sure each

person in your vehicle is properly restrained by

a seat belt, child restraint system, or car seat.

During a crash, a person not properly restrained

becomes a ﬂying object and a danger to each

person in the vehicle.

• For added protection, adjust your vehicle

head rest, lock the doors and do not keep

loose, heavy objects in the passenger area.

Put them in the trunk.

• Air bags are meant to work WITH seat belts,

not to replace them. An air bag protects a

front-seat occupant in a head-on crash by

inﬂating on impact and providing a cushion

so the occupant does not collide with the

steering wheel, dashboard or windshield.

The combination of a seat belt and an air

bag oers maximum protection, partly be-

cause they help the driver maintain control

of the vehicle and help prevent

secondary collisions.

• Air bags engage (expand quickly) from the

steering wheel and/or dashboard. Most adults

who are correctly fastened are safer in a

vehicle with air bags, but the pressure of an

air bag as it opens could injure those who sit

too close to it. You should sit with at least 10

inches between the center of your chest and

the cover of the air bag. Place your hands on

opposite sides of the steering wheel, at the 3

and 9 clock positions, to keep them away if

the air bag engages.

IMPORTANT: NEVER PUT AN INFANT IN A

REAR-FACING CHILD SAFETY SEAT

IN THE FRONT SEAT OF A VEHICLE THAT HAS

A PASSENGER AIR BAG.

Driver’s Manual | 47

HOW TO DRIVE SAFELY IN WORK ZONES

Areas where road work takes place are danger-

ous to drive in -- and to work in. That is why when

you speed in work zones, ticket ﬁnes double,

even when the workers or work vehicles are not

there. Expect to ﬁnd a work zone wherever you

drive – you may have to decrease speed quickly

or even stop. Trac lanes can shift or be com-

pletely closed. Workers and work vehicles can be

on or near your driving lane. When you drive in a

work zone, make it safer because you know what

to do.

Orange signs in the shape of diamonds -- “work

zone” warning signs – are often placed before

road construction projects and other work areas

that can change trac ﬂow. One sign can read:

“ﬂagger ahead.” A ﬂagger is a worker who

motions for you to stop, continue with caution or

change lanes. A ﬂagger has the same authority as

a sign, which indicates you can receive a ticket for

disobeying their directions. Decrease speed! Be

Alert! Obey the signs!

Work Zone Tips:

• Some signs can indicate a detour that allows

you to avoid the work zone. If you know

where a work zone is ahead, you should try

to use a dierent route.

| • As you enter a work zone, ﬂashing signs or

signs with arrows or signs that warn “lane

closed ahead” mean you should merge

your vehicle into the correct lane when it is

safe. Do not speed to the end of the closed

lane and try to get into the other lane. If you

move to the correct lane at ﬁrst notice, you

will drive in a calmer, more ecient, and

safe manner.

• Decrease your speed when a sign indicates:

“Road Work 1,500 feet,” that means your car,

with a speed of 60 miles per hour, will get

there in 17 seconds.

• The rear-end collision is the most com-

mon crash in a work zone. To avoid being

involved in one, it helps to keep a braking

distance of two seconds or more between

you and the vehicle in front of you. (See

“Allowing Yourself Space,” earlier in this

chapter) Keep a safe distance between your

vehicle and trac barriers, trucks, construc-

tion equipment and workers.

• Some work zones are not stationary, like

when workers paint lines, patch roads or

mow. In these cases the size and/or location

of the work zones may change. As work pro-

gresses, the work zone size may increase,

decrease, or move to dierent sections of

the roadway. Workers can be close even if

you do not see them immediately after the

warning signs. Obey the signs until you pass

the one that states the work zone

has ended.

48 | Driver’s Manual

HOW TO DRIVE THROUGH A

ROUNDABOUT

A “roundabout” or “trac circle” is a round

intersection with a small diameter that makes

drivers decrease speed, normally to 30 mph or

less. Vehicles travel counterclockwise around a

raised center island, with entering trac yielding

the right-of-way to trac already circulating in the

roundabout. Studies show a roundabout can re-

duce the number and severity of accidents at an

intersection, compared to intersections controlled

by stop signs or trac signals. Roundabouts, or

rotaries, are now more common in New York State

and other states.

When using roundabouts or trac circles:

• As you get near the roundabout, look for

the street and direction signs you need. This

will help you know which exit to take. These

signs will be provided along the roadside

before you reach the entrance to the

roundabout. Slow down when you enter the

roundabout. A sign, like the one on the left

above, warns of a roundabout.

• When you arrive at the roundabout, yield

the right-of-way to any pedestrians and

bicyclists. You must also yield to any drivers

who were in the roundabout before you.

Sometimes a stop sign or trac signal will

control your point of entry. When the trac

level allows enough space and time, you

can enter the roundabout in a counterclock-

wise direction.

• While inside the roundabout, remain in your

lane until you are ready to exit. Use your

right turn signal to let the other users know

your intention to move from the “inside

path” to the “outside path”, or if you are in

position to exit now. Start to signal at the

exit BEFORE the one you want to take. Do

not change lanes or take an exit before you

check for vehicles that may be continuing

through the roundabout in the lane next to

you or behind you. Expect vehicles to be in

the “blind spots” you cannot see in your mir-

rors. (For more about blind spots see, Large

Vehicles, Chapter 11.)

DROWSY AND FATIGUED DRIVING

Driving and sleep do not mix. When you are

behind the wheel of a car or truck, fatigue is

dangerous. If you are tired when driving you are

slower to react, and not as aware as you should

be and your judgment will be impaired. As with

drugs and alcohol, drowsiness can contribute to a

trac crash.

Symptoms of Fatigue

Researchers have found the following symptoms

to be associated with drowsy driving:

• Your eyes close or go out of focus by them-

selves.

• You ﬁnd it dicult to keep your head up.

• You continue to yawn.

• Your thoughts wander and are

disconnected.

• You do not remember driving the last

few miles.

• You drift between lanes, tailgate or miss

trac signs.

• You must jerk the car back into the lane.

• You have drifted o the road and hit the

rumble strips, which produce a loud noise

and vibrations.

Who is Most at Risk? All Drivers who are:

• Deprived of sleep or fatigued.

• Driving long distances without rest breaks.

• Driving through the night or at times when

you are normally asleep.

• Taking medication that increases sleepiness

or drinking alcohol.

• Driving alone.

• Driving on long, rural, or boring roads.

• Frequent travelers, e.g., business travelers

and long-distance commuters.

• Young People – Drowsy driving crashes are

most common for young people, who tend

to stay up late, sleep too little and drive at

night.

• Shift Workers – Drivers who have non-tradi-

tional work schedules have a greater risk of

being involved in a fatigue-related

trac crash.

• People With Undiagnosed Sleep Disorders –

The presence of a sleep disorder increases

the risk of crashes. If you ﬁnd you are regu-

larly tired in the daytime or experience any

of these symptoms on a regular basis, you

may have a sleep disorder and should seek

medical help.

Eective Countermeasures

Prevention – Before you embark on a trip, you

should:

• Get enough sleep.

• Plan to drive long trips with a companion.

• Schedule regular stops for every 100 miles

or two hours.

• Avoid alcohol and medications (over-the-

counter and prescribed) that may impair

performance. Check with your doctor or

pharmacist about any medication you are

taking. Alcohol ampliﬁes fatigue, increasing

its eects.

• You are not at your best if you are ill or very

tired. Do not drive for at least 15 minutes

after waking from sleep.

Actions for the Drowsy Driver

If you suspect that you are drowsy when driving,

you must:

Driver’s Manual | 49

• Recognize that you are close to sleep and

cannot calculate when sleep may occur.

• Not depend on the radio, open window or

other “tricks” to keep you awake.

• Find a safe place to stop for a break in

response to symptoms of fatigue.

• Pull o into a safe area away from trac and

take a brief nap (15 to 45 minutes).

• Drink coee or another source of caeine to

promote short-term alertness if needed. (It

takes about 30 minutes for caeine to enter

the bloodstream.)

NOTE: See Chapter 9 for more information about

the dangers of driving under the inﬂuence of

alcohol and other drugs.

USING A CELLULAR OR MOBILE

TELEPHONE

A driver can become distracted from safe

driving by use of a mobile telephone (like a

cellular telephone). In New York State, it is a trac

infraction to speak into or listen to a hand-held

mobile telephone while driving. For a ﬁrst oense,

you could be required to pay a ﬁne up to $200

and receive ﬁve license points. The phone may

be hand-held to activate, begin, or end a call.

Exemptions are provided for calls for emergency

situations, for police and other law enforcement

ocers and for ﬁre department personnel and op-

erators of authorized emergency vehicles in the

performance of ocial duties. In New York State,

a hands-free mobile telephone allows the user to

communicate without the use of either hand. A

driver can use a hands-free telephone at any time.

Penalties for texting, electronic device use

In New York State, it is illegal to use portable

electronic devices, such as cell phones and

smart phones, to send or receive text messages

or e-mails while driving. The penalty for a ﬁrst

oense is a ﬁne of up to $200. A second oense

(both committed within 18 months) is a ﬁne up to

$250. A third or subsequent oense (all commit-

ted within 18 months) is a ﬁne up to $450. Also,

drivers with probationary and junior licenses who

use a hand-held phone or text while driving will

50 | Driver’s Manual

receive a 120-day suspension for a ﬁrst conviction

and a revocation of at least one year for subse-

quent convictions within six months of the time a

license is restored after suspension.

VEHICLE CONDITION

New York State Law requires that all vehicles

registered in New York pass an annual safety

inspection, but that does not mean it is the only

time you should have safety equipment checked.

Follow your owner’s manual for routine mainte-

nance. Have problems corrected by a qualiﬁed

mechanic as soon as possible. Do not wait until

mechanical problems cause breakdowns

or crashes.

Pay special attention to the maintenance and

repair of the brakes, steering mechanism, lights,

tires and horn. Depend on your owner manual

and an experienced mechanic as keys to a safe

vehicle. It is the operator’s responsibility to ensure

that the vehicle being driven is safe.

Here are some common problems, and some

equipment checks you can do:

BRAKES - Brakes that pull to one side may be

wet or may need to be adjusted or repaired. If

wet, you can dry them riding the pedal lightly. If

this does not help, have your brakes checked by

a mechanic. If you notice any change in the brake

performance, have them checked immediately.

STEERING - There should not be much free

movement in the steering wheel. If your vehicle

has power steering, check the ﬂuid level periodi-

cally. A noise like a whine when you make a sharp

turn can indicate a problem.

LIGHTS - Keep your lights clean and free of dirt,

snow and ice. Broken lenses can cause danger-

ous glare for other drivers, so replace them as

soon as you can. Make sure headlights are adjust-

ed correctly to give you the best view of the road.

TIRES - The law requires that your tires have

at least ⁄nds of an inch (.16 cm) of tread. Most

tires for passenger cars and light trucks have

indicators called “wear bars” that show across the

tire grooves when the minimum tread depth is

reached. You can check your tread depth with a

penny. Hold a penny with Abraham Lincoln’s body

between your thumb and foreﬁnger. Place Lin-

coln’s head ﬁrst into the deepest looking groove.

Can you see all of his head? If yes, your tires are

too worn – don’t drive on them, and make sure

to get them replaced. It is also illegal to drive with

tires that have cuts down to the cords, bumps or

bulges. Refer to your owner manual or a tire store

about correct tire pressure, and check it often

with a reliable gauge.

GLASS - Keep your windows clean and clear.

Replace worn wiper blades. Keep your defroster

and rear window defogger in good condition and

make sure there is enough windshield ﬂuid in

the reservoir. Any broken or cracked glass must

be repaired or replaced.

HORN - Your horn is important safety equipment

that could become your only means of warning

other drivers or pedestrians of possible problems.

If the horn does not work, get it repaired as soon

as possible. It should be used properly, not to

express anger at other drivers or pedestrians.

QUESTIONS

Before you move on to Chapter 9, make sure you

can answer these questions:

• Should you always look straight ahead when

you drive?

• If there is no posted speed limit, what is the

fastest you can legally drive in New York

City?

• Is it always safe to drive at the assigned

speed limit?

• What is the purpose of minimum speed

limits?

• Who must wear seat belts? Who should

wear them?

• How can you prevent fatigue on a long trip?

• What is road rage? How can you prevent

becoming involved in road rage?

• How should you drive safely through a

work zone? A roundabout?

CHAPTER 9 / ALCOHOL & OTHER DRUGS

You have probably heard the facts before –

driving while impaired or intoxicated is a serious

trac safety problem in the United States. In New

York State, more than 20 percent of all highway

deaths involve the use of alcohol or other drugs.

But the facts and statistics do not tell the whole

story. Behind the numbers are thousands of lives

cut short, permanent or disabling injuries, and

families devastated because someone drove

while under the inﬂuence of alcohol or

other drugs.

When you drink alcohol or take other drugs,

safe driving is not possible. Not every impaired or

intoxicated driver causes a trac crash, but each

one is dangerous, putting the lives of himself or

herself and those sharing the road at risk.

Young people, who have less experience with

alcohol or drugs and driving are especially at high

risk. Drivers under age 21 are approximately 4

percent of the driving population, but 7 percent of

the impaired drivers involved in fatal crashes. This

is one reason the driver license revocation penal-

ties are more severe for young drivers who drive

under the inﬂuence of alcohol or other drugs.

Because driving “under the inﬂuence” is so

dangerous, the penalties for alcohol or drug-re-

lated violations are tough and enforcement is

important. The chance of apprehension and con-

viction are high and New York State law strictly

limits your ability to plea bargain when charged

with an oense related to alcohol or drugs.

WHAT ALCOHOL DOES

Alcohol increases reaction time, reduces your

ability to see clearly, changes your judgment of

speed and distances, often makes you less inhib-

ited and makes you more prone to take chances.

The important skills you need to drive safely are

made weaker.

Because your vision is normally restricted at

night, it is especially dangerous to drink and drive

after dark. Alcohol also reduces your ability to re-

cover from the glare of headlights. When another

vehicle moves toward you, you can be blinded by

its headlights for a long period of time.

Driver’s Manual | 51

You do not have to look or feel intoxicated

for these things to occur. The eects of alcohol

consumption can begin long before you become

intoxicated or even legally impaired and begin

with the ﬁrst drink.

As alcohol physically limits your ability to drive,

it also makes you less aware of what is happening

to your safe driving abilities. It becomes dicult

for you to judge your condition. You can gain

conﬁdence about driving, when you should not be

driving at all.

During each mile you drive, you make hundreds

of decisions. Your decisions turn into actions that

keep your vehicle controlled and ensure you

avoid crashes. Alcohol makes it dicult to make

correct decisions and to take the safest actions.

For example: You have just stopped at a STOP

sign. You see another vehicle approaching the

intersection. You must quickly make a decision

whether it is safe to go through the intersection.

Under the inﬂuence of alcohol, you are more like-

ly to make a wrong decision and “take a chance.”

Your slower reaction time, and the bad decision,

could cause a crash.

OTHER DRUGS

Drugs, which include many prescription and

over-the-counter medications, can aect your

ability to drive. They can have eects similar to

alcohol or even worse. If you take medication,

even a remedy for colds or allergies that is not

prescribed, check the label for warnings about

its eects. If you are unsure, ask your doctor or

pharmacist about driving while on the medication.

Never drink alcohol while you are taking other

drugs. It could be dangerous, often enhancing

the eects of the alcohol and the other drug. For

example, taking one drink while you are also

using a cold remedy could aect you as much

as several drinks.

52 | Driver’s Manual

It can be a criminal oense to drive while

impaired by the eect of drugs or alcohol and

drugs, illegal drugs like marijuana, cocaine, LSD,

heroin and opium and by some prescription drugs

like tranquilizers. Drugs can aect your reﬂexes,

judgment, vision and alertness in ways similar

to alcohol and they may have other dangerous

eects as well.

A combination of alcohol and other drugs se-

verely reduces your ability to drive and can cause

serious health problems, which can include death.

ALCOHOL, OTHER DRUGS AND

THE LAW

In New York State, you can be arrested for

any of these oenses: aggravated driving while

intoxicated (Agg-DWI), driving while intoxicated

(DWI), driving with a blood alcohol content of .08

percent or more (.08 BAC), driving while ability im-

paired by a drug (DWAI-drug), driving while ability

impaired by alcohol (DWAI), or driving under the

combined inﬂuence of alcohol and drugs.

Blood alcohol content (BAC) is the percentage

of alcohol in your blood and is normally deter-

mined by a chemical test of breath, blood, urine

or saliva. A BAC of more than .05 percent is legal

evidence that you are impaired, a BAC of .08

percent or higher is evidence of intoxication, and

a BAC of .18 percent or more is evidence of aggra-

vated driving while intoxicated.

Many people think chemical test evidence is re-

quired to prove you were intoxicated or impaired.

However, the testimony of a police ocer about

the way you drive, your appearance and behavior

when arrested can provide enough evidence to

convict you, even without a chemical test.

If you are found guilty of any alcohol or drug-re-

lated violation, the court must revoke or suspend

your driver license when you are sentenced. Even

if the court allows you to continue driving for 20

days, your driver license will be taken immediately.

The BAC standards and penalties for commer-

cial drivers are even tougher than those indicated

in this chapter. For complete information, see Sec-

tion 1 of the Commercial Driver’s Manual (CDL-10).

YOUR BAC

Your blood alcohol content (BAC) depends on:

• How much alcohol you drink.

• How much time passes between drinks.

• Your weight.

Your BAC does not depend on the type of bev-

erage you drink, how ﬁt you are, or how you can

“hold your liquor.”

.02 BAC =

OR OR OR

5 oz. glass of wine

1 ⁄ oz. liquor 12 oz. (360 ml) 12 oz. wine cooler

12% alcohol

80 proof can of beer 5% alcohol

5% alcohol

Driver’s Manual | 53

Dierent types of drinks do not aect you dier-

ently. It is the amount of alcohol you consume, not

whether it is in beer, wine or liquor that raises your

BAC and reduces your driving ability. These drinks

contain about the same amount of alcohol – 1-1⁄2

ounces of liquor, 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of

beer, and 12 ounces of wine cooler. None is “safer

to drink” than the others.

For a 150-pound male, each one of these drinks

contains enough alcohol to increase his BAC by

about .02 percent. On average, it takes the body

approximately one hour to remove that much

alcohol. Studies indicate that a woman will take

longer to process and remove alcohol from the

blood. This can cause a higher BAC over a longer

period of time.

Compared to the 150-pound male described

above, your body weight can make some dier-

ence in the BAC and the eects of alcohol. No

one has immunity to the eects of alcohol. It is a

simple fact: the more you drink in a given period

of time, the higher your BAC will be and the less

safe you will drive.

It takes only a few drinks to increase your BAC

to levels at which it is illegal to drive. And remem-

ber, the eects of alcohol on your ability to drive

begin at even lower BAC levels after just

one drink.

Eating before or while you drink helps slow the

absorption of alcohol somewhat, but it cannot

prevent intoxication or impairment if you have too

much to drink.

The only method to eectively reduce your

BAC is not to drink over a period of time. Coee,

exercise and cold showers cannot reduce your

BAC and the eects of alcohol. They can help you

remain awake, but it cannot change your BAC or

make you sober.

CHEMICAL TESTS

Chemical tests use blood, breath, urine or saliva

to measure the BAC of a person. If you are ar-

rested for an alcohol or drug related violation, the

police ocer will likely request that you submit to

a chemical test (breath test analyzer). Under New

York’s “Implied Consent” law, when you drive a

car in this state you are considered to have given

your consent to take this type of test.

Chemical test refusal is a separate issue

from whether you were guilty of an alcohol or

drug-related violation. If you refuse to take the

test after being arrested, your driver license will

be suspended when you are arraigned in court

on the alcohol or other drug-related charge. In

addition, the fact that you refused a chemical test

can be brought up in court when you are tried

on the alcohol or drug-related charge. If a DMV

hearing later conﬁrms you refused the test, your

driver license will be revoked even if you are

found not guilty of the alcohol or other drug-relat-

ed violation. For information about driver license

revocations and civil penalties for chemical test

refusals, see Chapter 2.

THE CONSEQUENCES

The table “Penalties for Alcohol/Drug Related

Violations” describes ﬁnes, surcharges, license

penalties and possible imprisonment if you are

convicted of an alcohol or drug-related violation.

Impaired or intoxicated driving can also have

other serious results.

Repeat Oenders

Drivers with repeat dangerous driving convic-

tions in New York State face one of the toughest

licensing policies in the nation. These regulations

call for:

• Lifetime Record Review by DMV: DMV will

review the lifetime record of all drivers who

apply to have a license reinstated after

a revocation.

• Truly Permanent License Revocation for

Persistently Drunk & Dangerous Drivers:

After conducting a lifetime record review, DMV

will deny any application for reinstatement of a

license after revocation if the applicant has:

• Five or more alcohol or drug related driving

convictions in his or her lifetime, or

54 | Driver’s Manual

• Three or more alcohol or drug related

driving convictions in the 25 year look back

period plus at least one other serious driving

oense during that period. A serious driving

oense includes: a fatal crash, a driving-re-

lated penal law conviction, an accumulation

of 20 or more points assessed for driving

violations within the 25 year look back peri-

od or having two or more driving convictions

during the 25 year look back period each

worth ﬁve points or more.

• Delayed Re-Licensing, Driving Restrictions,

& Interlocks for Other Drivers with Repeated

Alcohol- or Drug-Related Driving Convic-

tions: For those drivers seeking reinstatement

of a license after revocation who have three or

four alcohol- or drug-related driving convic-

tions but no serious driving oense in the 25

year look back period, DMV will:

• Deny their applications for ﬁve years beyond

their statutory revocation period if the appli-

cant’s license was revoked for an alcohol- or

drug-related oense; or two additional years

if the applicant’s license was revoked for

a reason other than an alcohol or drug

related oense;

• Restore the applicant’s license after that

additional period as a “restricted” license

limiting the applicant’s driving to, for exam-

ple, travel to and from work or medical

visits; and

• Require an interlock device on the vehicle

driven by the applicant for ﬁve years from

the date of the interlock device installation.

• End the Reduction of Mandatory Suspension

or Revocation Periods: Previously, repeat

drunk drivers whose licenses had been re-

voked or suspended could get their full driving

privileges back in as little as seven weeks by

completing DMV’s Impaired Driver Program.

DMV’s new regulations will ensure that those

drivers cannot regain their driving privileges

until their full term of suspension or revocation

has ended.

Zero Tolerance for Drivers Under Age 21

The legal purchase and possession age for

beverages containing alcohol in New York State

is 21. Under the state’s “zero tolerance” law, it

is a violation for a person under 21 to drive with

any BAC that can be measured (.02 to .07). After

a ﬁnding of violation is determined at a DMV

hearing, the driver license will be suspended for

six months. The driver then must pay a $100 sus-

pension termination fee and a $125 civil penalty

to be re-licensed. For a second Zero Tolerance

violation, the driver license will be revoked for

at least one year or until the driver reaches 21,

whichever is longer.

Illegal Purchase of Beverages

Containing Alcohol

When you use a driver license or Non-Driver ID

card as proof of age to illegally purchase bever-

ages that contain alcohol, state law requires the

suspension of your driver license or privilege to

apply for a license.

Open Container Law

It is a trac infraction for a driver or passenger

in a motor vehicle on a public highway, street or

road to drink a beverage containing alcohol or to

have a beverage containing alcohol. The penalty

for a ﬁrst conviction is a ﬁne up to $150, a man-

datory surcharge, a crime victim assistance fee,

and possible imprisonment of 15 days. Additional

oenses within 18 months bring higher penalties.

The law exempts passengers in vehicles like

stretch limousines and other vehicles that display

a commerce certiﬁcate or permit issued by the

U.S. Department of Transportation or the NYS

Department of Transportation.

Driver’s Manual | 55

PENALTIES FOR ALCOHOL/DRUG RELATED VIOLATIONS

AGGRAVATED DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED

AGG-DWI (0.18 and higher Blood Alcohol Content [BAC])

CONVICTION FINE ONLY* JAIL SENTENCE LICENSE ACTION**

AND REQUIREMENTS

Oense

(Misdemeanor)

Minimum $1000

Maximum $2500

Up to 1 year Minimum 1-Year

Revocation

Oense Minimum $1000 Up to 4 years Minimum 18-Month

(Class E Felony) Maximum $5000 Revocation

Within 10 Years

DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED OR

DRIVING WHILE ABILITY IMPAIRED BY A DRUG

DWI (0.08 and higher Blood Alcohol Content [BAC]) or DWAI-Drug

CONVICTION FINE ONLY* JAIL SENTENCE LICENSE ACTION**

AND REQUIREMENTS

Oense Minimum $500 Up to 1 year Minimum 6-Month

(Misdemeanor) Maximum $1000 Revocation DWI;

Minimum 6-Month

Suspension (DWAI-D)

Oense Minimum $1000 Up to 4 years (DWI & DWAI-D): Minimum 1-Year

(Class E Felony) Maximum $5000 minimum 5 days jail or 30 Revocation

Within 10 Years days of community service

(for DWI within prior 5 years)

DRIVING WHILE IMPAIRED BY COMBINED ALCOHOL & DRUGS

DWAI-Combination

CONVICTION FINE ONLY* JAIL SENTENCE LICENSE ACTION**

AND REQUIREMENTS

Oense

(Misdemeanor)

Minimum $500

Maximum $1000

Up to 1 year Minimum 6-Month

Revocation

Oense Minimum $1000 Up to 4 years Minimum 1-Year

(Class E Felony) Maximum $5000 Revocation

Within 10 Years

DRIVING WHILE ABILITY IMPAIRED

DWAI (more than 0.05 up to 0.07 Blood Alcohol Content [BAC])

CONVICTION FINE ONLY* JAIL SENTENCE LICENSE ACTION**

AND REQUIREMENTS

Oense

(Trac Infraction)

Minimum $300

Maximum $500

Up to 15 Days 90 Day Suspension

Oense

(Trac Infraction)

Within 5 Years

Minimum $500

Maximum $750

Up to 30 Days Minimum 6-Month

Revocation

NOTE: Higher ﬁnes, longer jail sentences, and increased license penalties (including lifetime revocation) may result from a third or subsequent

conviction within 10 years.

**Conviction ﬁne only, does not include mandatory surcharge or crime victims’ assistance fee.

**The Department of Motor Vehicle determines when your license can be returned. Its return or reinstatement, based on state law or regulation, is

not automatic. You must reapply for your license and may have to pass a test.

NOTE: License actions for those under age 21 are dierent.

Minimum 6-Month

Suspension (DWAI-D)

56 | Driver’s Manual

The Ignition Interlock Program and

Leandra’s Law

Courts must order all persons convicted of

driving while intoxicated, aggravated driving while

intoxicated, or of a penal law of which an alcohol

related violation of any provision of section 1192

of the Vehicle & Trac Law is an essential ele-

ment to install and maintain an ignition interlock

on any vehicle owned or operated by such driver

for at least 12 months. (This device, purchased

and installed at the expense of the motorist, is

connected to a motor vehicle ignition system

and measures the alcohol content of the breath

of the driver. The vehicle cannot be started until

the driver provides an acceptable sample breath.)

The 12-month requirement may be waived by

the court if the defendant demonstrates that

the interlock device was installed for at least six

months, unless the court orders the interlock

device to be installed for a longer period of time.

The judge also must order an alcohol assessment

for a repeat oender. If the assessment indicates

alcohol treatment is necessary, the judge may be

required to order the completion of treatment as a

condition of probation.

Drivers who commit these alcohol-related

oenses with a child under 16 years old in the

vehicle may be charged with a class E felony,

punishable by up to four years in prison. (This is

known as Leandra’s Law.)

The law also makes it a felony to drive drunk

with a conditional license, which is a license that

may be issued by the DMV when someone is

convicted of an alcohol-related oense. Such a

license may be used only for driving to and from

essential destinations such as school, work and

medical appointments. The conditional driver

license will be revoked if the motorist does not

comply with the court terms or for a conviction

for any trac oense except parking, stopping

or standing.

A FEW IMPORTANT REMINDERS

• If you kill or cause an injury to another

person because of an alcohol or other

drug-related violation, you can be convicted

of criminally negligent homicide, vehicular

manslaughter or assault. These carry a ﬁne

of thousands of dollars and a maximum jail

term of 15 years.

• If you drive while your license is suspended

or revoked, you face a mandatory ﬁne of

$200 to $1000 and a mandatory jail term or

probation. If impaired or intoxicated when

you are arrested, the maximum mandatory

ﬁne is $5,000 and the vehicle can

be seized.

• Liability insurance may not cover the cost of

injuries and damage from a trac crash. You

could be sued for thousands of dollars and

you would ﬁnd it dicult and expensive to

buy liability insurance for several years.

• Besides ﬁnes and surcharges, you could

also face costly legal fees.

• You could have a criminal record, which

makes it harder to get a job or move forward

in your job.

HOW TO AVOID TROUBLE

You are not likely to worry about the results of

your actions while you are impaired or intoxicat-

ed. The time to consider them, and how to

prevent them, is before you become impaired

or intoxicated.

• If you go to events with the same group of

friends, rotate drivers. Each friend takes a

turn being the “designated driver” who does

not drink any alcohol.

• Arrange to remain overnight or ride home

with a friend who does not drink.

• Before you drink, give your car keys to a

friend who does not drink and who will not

let you drive after you drink.

• Call a cab or use public transportation.

• Drink slowly. Alternate between drinks with

alcohol and drinks without any alcohol.

• Do not make alcohol the focus of your event.

• If you have had too much alcohol, stop

drinking several hours before you intend

to leave so your body can begin to lower

your BAC

QUESTIONS

Before you move on to Chapter 10, make sure you

can answer these questions:

• How does impaired driving rank as a high-

way safety problem?

• What are the eects of alcohol on the skills

you need to drive?

• Which of these drugs could aect your

ability to drive: marijuana, a cold remedy,

a tranquilizer?

• If you take a non-prescription drug, what

must you do before you drive?

• What is a likely eect when you take another

drug while you drink beverages

containing alcohol?

• On what three conditions does your blood

alcohol content (BAC) depend?

• Which of these contains more alcohol than

the other three: 1-1⁄2 ounces (30 ml) of liquor,

ﬁve ounces (120 ml) wine, 12 ounces (360 ml)

of beer, 12 ounces (360 ml) of wine cooler?

• On average, how long does it take your

body to remove the alcohol contained in 12

ounces of beer?

• What is the only eective method to reduce

your BAC?

• What happens to your driver license if you

refuse a chemical test?

• Other than ﬁnes, action against your driver

license and a possible jail term, what are

some of the results when you drive under

the inﬂuence of alcohol or other drugs?

Driver’s Manual | 57

CHAPTER 10 /SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS

Even under the best conditions, driving requires

your full attention and your best judgment. When

special conditions or hazards occur, attention and

judgment become even more important. To be a

good and safe driver, you must learn how to drive

on expressways, at night, in bad weather and

when an emergency occurs.

RAILROAD CROSSINGS

GRADE CROSSINGS

A grade crossing is the point at which train

tracks intersect with a roadway and is considered

an intersection. As you approach a crossing,

always expect a train. Trains can run on any track,

at any time, from either direction. Never race a

train to a crossing, never drive around lowered

gates, and do not stop on tracks. (You will learn

later in the section what to do if your vehicle stalls

or gets stuck on a track.) When crossing tracks,

always stay in your lane and in the same gear.

Some grade crossings have ﬂashing red lights

or lowering gates when a train approaches

(“active” grade crossings). When approaching

marked, or active, grade crossings, do not pro-

ceed until the gates are completely raised and

the lights are o. It is illegal and dangerous to go

around lowered gates or to cross while the lights

are still ﬂashing.

Some grade crossings do not have gates or

ﬂashing lights. When approaching unmarked,

or passive, grade crossings, slow down and be

prepared to stop. Before you cross, be sure that a

train is not coming. If you see a train coming, wait

until it passes, and then cross the tracks when it is

safe to do so. If there are multiple tracks, wait until

you can clearly see down all sets of tracks in

both directions for another approaching train

before crossing.

Remember that the train you see is closer and

faster-moving than you think, and be aware that

trains cannot stop quickly.

58 | Driver’s Manual

Railroad Crossing Warning Sign

COLOR: Yellow with black letters

“RR” and “X” symbol.

MEANING: There is a railroad

crossing ahead. Use caution,

and be prepared to stop. If you

are following a bus or truck

approaching a railroad crossing, be careful.

Most buses and some trucks must stop at

railroad crossings.

(See “Railroad Crossing Signals”.)

Railroad Crossing Signals

Flashing red

lights, lowered

crossing gates

and/or a bell at a

railroad crossing

indicate that you

must stop, at least

15 feet (5 m) from

the tracks. Do

not go across the

tracks until the

lights and bell have stopped and the crossing

gates are completely up. Do not drive around or

under a gate that is moving up or down.

Yield when you see a

crossbuck sign, which is a sign

shaped like an “X” with “RAIL-

ROAD CROSSING” printed on it

(like the sign above but without

ﬂashing lights). If there are

multiple train tracks, the sign

will show the number of tracks.

Look and listen for trains

before crossing any railroad

tracks. If an approaching train

is near enough or going fast

enough to be a danger, you

cannot go across the tracks,

even if they have no signals or

the signals are not working.

Do not under any circumstances, attempt to

cross any railroad tracks unless you are certain

your entire vehicle will clear all of the tracks at

the crossing. You cannot go across any railroad

tracks unless there is room for your vehicle on the

other side. If other trac prevents you from going

fully across, wait and go across only when there

is room.

School buses with or without passengers, other

buses with passengers on board and vehicles

with explosives or ﬂammable cargo must stop at

all railroad crossings. Remember those rules if

you are following one of these vehicles.

Pavement Markings

Sometimes, grade crossings do

not have ﬂashing red light signals

or gates. Pavement markings

will often show you that a grade

crossing is ahead. Stay behind

the stop line while waiting for a

train to pass.

Stalling on Railroad Tracks

What should you do if you

stall on the tracks, for any

reason?

1. GET OUT! (That

includes EVERYONE

in the car, children, babies, an elderly

passenger, etc.)

2. Get away from the tracks, even if you do

not see a train.

3. Locate the Emergency Notiﬁcation System

sign and call the number provided, telling

them about the stalled vehicle.

Run toward the general direction the train is

coming from. If a train is approaching, run toward

the train but away from the tracks at a 45-degree

angle. If you run “down the track,” in the same

direction as the train, you can be hit with debris

when the train hits your vehicle.

Driver’s Manual | 59

EXPRESSWAY DRIVING

“Expressway” means any divided highway

where trac moves in one direction on two

or more lanes. You normally enter or exit the

expressway on ramps (controlled-access). The

speed limit is normally 55 mph (88 km/h), but can

be posted at 65 mph (100 km/h) in some rural

areas. Examples of expressways are the New

York State Thruway, major interstate routes and

parkways.

Before you travel on an expressway, identify

your entrance and exit points on a road map.

Know where to get on and o the expressway

and be prepared to get into the correct lanes for

your entrance and exit. If you enter an express-

way going a dierent direction than you intended,

or at the wrong exit, stay on the expressway

until the next exit. After you exit the expressway,

you can ﬁgure out where you need to go and

(if necessary) get back on the expressway. IT IS

DANGEROUS to back up on an entrance or exit

ramp, or to try to cross a median.

Unless there is a STOP or YIELD sign or trac

light on the entrance ramp, use the ramp to accel-

erate to expressway speed and blend with trac.

Signal, then look over your shoulder for trac

already on the expressway. If necessary, slow

down to safely merge into trac.

If the entrance lane is too short to allow accel-

eration to expressway speed, the safest method

to enter is to stop and wait for a large space in

trac. Then enter the expressway and accelerate

quickly. To avoid conﬂicts with other entrance

lane trac, stop when necessary and merge into

expressway trac as soon as possible.

As you drive on the expressway, make sure

to signal all lane changes and check over your

shoulder to make sure you will not cut o any

vehicles behind you. Make sure your directional

signal goes o after you change lanes.

Remain alert for trac that enters ahead. If

possible, move from the right lane when you

approach the entrances to allow more room for

trac entering the expressway from the ramp.

To prevent a last-minute lane change, check the

destination and exit signs and get into the correct

lane for your exit ahead of time. Make sure to

signal your exit at least 100 feet (30 m) before

you reach the exit ramp. When you are on the

exit ramp, decrease your speed. There is often a

lower speed limit for the ramp.

After you leave an expressway, look for speed

limit signs and check your speedometer to be

sure you are within the posted limit. You are not

likely to be on a 55 mph (88 km/h) road.

Expressway driving normally combines higher

speeds with heavy trac. The higher speed and

amount of trac require you to think faster and

handle your vehicle in a more ecient manner

than in most other conditions. On long trips, plan

frequent rest stops. On a bright day, sunglasses

can reduce glare and eye fatigue.

NIGHT DRIVING

About 90% of your decisions are based on what

you see. At night, you must use extra caution to

make up for reduced visibility. You should also

know that the ability to see well at night decreas-

es with age.

Night driving is more dangerous because the

distance you can see ahead or to the side is

reduced. You should drive slower than you would

in daylight, especially in areas that are not known

or on narrow roads with many curves. Your head-

lights cover about 350 feet ahead. It is important

that you drive at a speed that allows you to stop

safely within that distance. This is called “driving

within the range” of your headlights.

60 | Driver’s Manual

The law requires you to use your headlights

from one-half hour after the sun sets to one-half

hour before the sun rises, when visibility is less

than 1,000 feet (300 m) and when you use your

windshield wipers to clear rain, snow or sleet.

Turn your headlights on at dawn, dusk and in fog.

Even when headlights do not help you see in low-

light periods, they make it easier for other drivers

and pedestrians to see your vehicle. Do not use

parking lights or daytime lights as a replacement.

Headlights do a better job. If an oncoming driver

ﬂashes headlights at you during a period of low

visibility, it means your vehicle was dicult to see

and you should turn on your headlights.

Be considerate when you use your high beams.

Your headlights must be on low beam when you

are within 500 feet (150 m) of an oncoming vehicle

or within 200 feet (60 m) of a vehicle ahead of

you, even if the vehicle ahead is in a dierent lane.

You should also dim your lights for pedestrians

who approach you. Any fog or driving lights your

vehicle has must be arranged, adjusted or operat-

ed to avoid dangerous glare to other drivers.

If an approaching driver does not dim the

headlights, ﬂash your headlights to high beam for

a second, then return to low beam. To help avoid

the glare of approaching high beams, move your

eyes to the right. Use the road edge as a guide

until the approaching vehicle passes by.

To reduce glare from the lights of following

vehicles, switch your inside rear view mirror to the

“night” position.

Light from inside your vehicle or from street

lights makes it harder for you to see the road

ahead. Keep the interior roof light o and dim the

dashboard lights. Adjust your visors to reduce

glare from lights from above.

A dirty windshield increases glare from ap-

proaching headlights. Make sure your lights and

windshield glass are clean for night driving.

DRIVING IN RAIN, FOG OR SNOW

A bit of rain, snow or ice makes roads slip-

pery. Wet leaves can be slippery and hazardous.

Reduced speed and increased following distance

improve your safety under these conditions (see

Chapter 8). Take additional care on curves, turns

and expressway ramps.

In heavy rain, your tires can begin to ride on the

water that is on top of the road pavement. This

is called “hydroplaning” and can cause complete

loss of traction and control of steering. Hydroplan-

ing normally occurs at higher speeds, but it also

can occur if your tires are tread worn or not in-

ﬂated properly. When there is heavy rain, it always

makes sense to drive more slowly. If your vehicle

begins to lose traction, decrease your speed even

more. Good tires with deep tread help to

prevent hydroplaning.

Rain, fog or snow make it harder to see through

your windshield, and dicult for other drivers to

see you. New York State law requires you to turn

on your headlights when the weather conditions

require the use of windshield wipers to clear rain,

snow, sleet or fog. “Daytime lights” do not qualify

as headlights.

Headlights on high beams reﬂect rain, fog and

snow as it falls. This makes it even harder for you

to see. For better visibility during these weather

conditions, keep your headlights on low beam.

Reduce your speed. Signal your turns further

ahead of time to give other drivers and roadway

users more warning. Brake early when you de-

crease speed behind another vehicle or come to

an intersection stop.

Some vehicles have front fog lights or front and

back fog lights, for use when heavy fog or similar

hazardous weather conditions restrict visibility.

In New York State, all fog lights must be correctly

installed and of a type approved by the Commis-

sioner of DMV. Front fog lights can be amber or

white in color. Back fog lights must be red and

can be larger than the normal back lights – they

will give advance warning of the presence of your

vehicle to the drivers behind you. When visibility

improves, you can switch o your fog lights to

reduce the glare that can bother other drivers.

HOW TO DRIVE IN WINTER

Winter is the most dicult season in which to

drive. In addition to snow and ice on the roads,

there are fewer hours of daylight.

Driver’s Manual | 61

Before winter weather arrives, make sure your

vehicle is in good condition. Make sure your vehi-

cle has good snow tires. Put them on the vehicle

before the ﬁrst storm. Never combine radial and

non-radial tires on the same vehicle. Tires with

metal studs can be used in New York State only

from October 16 through April 30.

During ice or snow storms, do not drive unless

you must. If you must drive, ﬁrst clear the ice

and snow from your vehicle. This includes the

headlights and back lights, the windshield wipers

and all of the windows. Make sure the windshield

washer reservoir is ﬁlled with a cleaning solution

that resists freezing.

Drive slowly. Even if your vehicle has good trac-

tion in ice and snow, other drivers will travel with

caution. Do not break the ﬂow of trac by driving

faster than other vehicles.

In a rear-wheel drive vehicle, you can normally

feel a loss of traction or the start of a slide. With

a front-wheel drive vehicle, there might not be

a warning. Although front-wheel drive and four-

wheel drive vehicles normally handle better in

ice and snow, they do not have ﬂawless traction;

skids can occur without a warning. Do not let the

ability to better handle a front-wheel drive or four-

wheel drive vehicle make you drive faster than

the conditions dictate.

The best method to recover from a skid is the

same for both front and rear wheel drive vehicles.

If your rear wheels start to skid:

• Turn the steering wheel in the direction the

vehicle is trying to go. If your rear wheels

slide left, steer left. If they slide right,

steer right.

• If your rear wheels start to slide in the other

direction as you recover, turn the steering

wheel toward that side. You might have to

turn the wheel left and right several times to

get your vehicle completely controlled.

• If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS),

keep your foot with even pressure on the

brake pedal. If your vehicle does not have

ABS, pump the pedal carefully. Pump more

rapidly only as your car slows down. If you

brake hard with regular brakes, it will make

the situation worse.

If your front wheels skid:

• Take your foot o the gas and shift to neutral

or push in the clutch, but do not try to

immediately steer.

• As the wheels skid sideways, they will slow

the vehicle and traction will return. As trac-

tion returns, turn the wheel in the direction

you want to go. Then put the transmission

in “drive” or release the clutch and

accelerate carefully.

To prevent skids on snow and ice, brake early,

carefully and gently. “Press” your brakes in slow,

steady strokes. Allow the wheels to keep turning.

If they begin to lock, decrease pressure on the

brake pedal. As your vehicle decreases speed,

you can also shift into a lower gear.

When sleet, freezing rain or snow begin to fall,

remember that bridges, ramps and overpasses will

freeze ﬁrst. Also know that slippery spots may re-

main after road workers have removed the snow.

HOW TO AVOID COLLISIONS WITH DEER

Two-thirds of all deer-vehicle collisions occur

during the months of October, November and

December. This is also the time when deer breed

and when they travel the most. Daily deer activity

is highest at dawn and dusk, which often is the

highest time of travel for motor-vehicle com-

muters. Deer travel in groups – if you see one,

expect more. Areas where there have been many

deer-vehicle collisions often are marked with

62 | Driver’s Manual

deer crossing signs. The New York State Depart-

ment of Environmental Conservation recommends

these precautions motorists can take to reduce

the chance of a deer hit:

• Be careful when you drive at dawn and

dusk; this is when driver visibility is bad and

the deer are most active.

• The risk of deer-vehicle collisions increases

when deer movements increase during

breeding season in October, November

and December.

• Decrease speed when you approach deer

near roadsides. Deer can “bolt” or change

direction at the last minute.

• If you see a deer go across the road, de-

crease speed and be careful. Deer travel in

groups, expect other deer to follow.

• Use emergency lights or ﬂash your head-

lights to warn other drivers when deer are

seen on or near the road.

• Use caution on roadways marked with deer

crossing signs. These signs are put in areas

that have had a large number of deer-

vehicle collisions.

DRIVING EMERGENCIES

The most important rule in any emergency is

do not panic. You have a better chance in an

emergency if you do not let fear take over. In most

emergencies, you will have a second or two to

think before you act.

Here is what to do in dierent emergency

situations:

TIRE BLOWOUT - A thumping sound can be a

warning that a blowout is about to occur. If you

hear it, get safely o the road and check your

tires. If a tire blows out, hold the steering wheel

tight and slowly take your foot o the gas pedal. If

your vehicle skids, handle it as you would on ice

or snow. Do not use your brake until your vehicle

is controlled. Leave the road when it is safe to

do so.

LOSS OF A WHEEL - Handle this as you would

a blowout. A thump or noise in the wheel can be

a warning sound. Leave the roadway and stop.

Then check your vehicle or have it checked.

STEERING FAILURE - If your vehicle suddenly will

not respond when you steer, slowly take your foot

o the gas pedal, turn on your emergency lights

and keep your foot o the brake pedal while it is

safe to do so. The balance of the vehicle will allow

it to continue going straight, but a sudden change

in speed could send it out of control. As the vehi-

cle decreases speed, you can brake very carefully

to bring it to a stop.

BRAKE FAILURE - If your brake pedal suddenly

goes to the ﬂoor, try pumping it to increase pres-

sure. If that does not help, use your emergency or

parking brake – but use it gently. If you shift to a

lower gear, it will help your vehicle

decrease speed.

HEADLIGHT FAILURE - If your headlights sud-

denly go out, try your emergency lights, parking

lights and directional signals. These may continue

to work and can give you enough light to leave

the roadway safely. If your headlights begin to

dim, drive to a service station or pull o the road

and go for help.

STUCK GAS PEDAL - Hook your shoe under the

pedal and see if you can free it. If not, shift into

neutral and use the brake to slow your vehicle

and get o the road. Do not turn o the ignition

if your vehicle has power steering or a steering

wheel that has a column that locks, because if

you do, you will lose your power steering or not

have the ability to steer at all.

RUNNING OFF THE PAVEMENT - If your wheels

move o the pavement, do not pull the steering

wheel back. Ease your foot o the gas pedal and

brake gently. When your vehicle has decreased

speed, check for trac behind you, then turn

carefully back onto the pavement.

VEHICLE APPROACHING HEAD-ON IN YOUR

LANE – Decrease speed, pull over to the right

and sound your horn to warn the other driver.

Do not turn into the left lane. If you do, the other

driver may suddenly recover and pull back into

that lane, causing a head-on collision.

Driver’s Manual | 63

STALLING ON RAILROAD TRACKS - If a train

approaches, release your seat belt, leave the

vehicle and get as far away as you can from the

tracks. Run toward the general direction the train

is coming from. If you run “down the track” in the

same direction as the train, you can be hit with

debris when the train hits your vehicle. When you

are completely sure no trains are coming, open

your window to listen for a train and try to start the

engine. If that fails, shift your vehicle into neutral

and push it from the tracks.

GOING INTO WATER - A vehicle will normally

ﬂoat for a while, and you should have time to

remove yourself before it starts to sink. Release

your seat belt and escape through a window. An

open door would cause water to rush in and the

car could turn over on top of you.

If the vehicle sinks before you can remove

yourself, get into the back seat. An air pocket can

form there as the weight of the engine pulls the

vehicle down front ﬁrst. When the vehicle settles,

take a breath and escape through a window.

When you rise air pressure will build in your lungs.

Let it out in small breaths through your nose or

lips as you surface. Do not hold your breath tight

or try to blow air out; just allow the air to escape in

a natural way.

FIRE - If you see smoke come from under the

hood, pull o the road and park your vehicle. Turn

o the ignition. Get away from the car and call the

ﬁre department. It is dangerous to try to ﬁght the

ﬁre yourself.

BLOCKED VISION - If your hood opens suddenly

or your vision through the windshield becomes

blocked by some other object or wipers that have

failed, you can open the side window so you can

see. Turn on your emergency lights and carefully

pull your vehicle o the road and park it.

QUESTIONS

Before you go on to Chapter 11, make sure you

can answer these questions:

• What should you do if you miss an

expressway exit?

• What are expressway entrance ramps

used for?

• What should you do if an entrance ramp

is short?

• When should you signal that you are exiting

an expressway?

• What should you check for when you leave

an expressway?

• Why is expressway driving dierent from

normal driving?

• What is the main reason night driving is

more dicult than daytime driving?

• Driving within the range of your headlights

indicates you can stop your vehicle within

about how many feet?

• What should you do if you are blinded by

the headlights on an approaching vehicle?

• Is it best to keep your headlights on high

beam or low beam when there is fog, rain or

falling snow?

• Which direction should you turn your steer-

ing wheel to get out of a skid?

• How should you use your brake pedal on a

slippery road?

• What is the most important rule to remember

in any emergency?

• What should you do if one of your tires

blows out?

• What is the ﬁrst thing you should do if your

brakes fail?

• What should you do if your wheels move o

the pavement?

64 | Driver’s Manual

CHAPTER 11 /SHARING THE ROAD

As a driver, you must learn to safely share the

road with a variety of other users. These include,

but are not limited to: large vehicles, motorcycles,

mopeds, pedestrians, bicyclists, in-line skat-

ers, roller skaters, skateboarders, slow moving

vehicles, non-motorized scooters and horseback

riders. You should know how to safely manage

the problems they can present and understand

the special rules they must obey.

PEDESTRIANS AND SKATEBOARDERS

Pedestrians and skateboarders are at high risk

in trac. The law requires you to be extra careful

to avoid a collision with them.

Look out for children, near schools, bus stops,

playgrounds, parks and ice cream trucks.

When you back up your car or truck, look

through your back window for pedestrians. Do

not rely only on mirrors when children are near.

Before you back into a driveway, or out of it, get

out of the vehicle and check behind your vehicle.

Pedestrians are supposed to walk on the side

of the road and face the trac in the lane nearest

them. When you make a right turn, watch for

those pedestrians on your right. When you make

a left turn, watch for pedestrians on the other side

of the road on your left.

Pedestrians and skateboarders who are legally

crossing the road or street at marked or un-

marked crossings, like at an intersection, always

have the right-of-way. You must decrease your

speed or, if necessary, come to a complete stop.

Elderly and disabled pedestrians can require

additional time to complete their crossings.

A special right-of-way law allows blind pedes-

trians to go across the road with a guide dog or a

white or metal cane. You must always give them

the right-of-way when they are trying to cross at a

marked or unmarked crosswalk even if the trac

signals or other right-of-way rules are not in

their favor.

Remember to move your eyes as you drive.

Look to either side every few seconds to help

you spot pedestrians near or approaching the

roadway.

The law requires pedestrians and skateboarders

to:

• Obey trac and pedestrian signals, trac

ocers and ocial signs.

• Use the sidewalk when available or face traf-

ﬁc as they walk, as far from the near trac

lane as possible.

• Never stand in the road to hitchhike or

conduct business with motorists.

BICYCLISTS AND IN-LINE SKATERS

Bicyclists and in-line skaters have the right to

share the road and travel in the same direction

as motor vehicles. They are often hard to see in

trac and have no protection from a trac crash.

Check your “blind spots” before you make a turn,

parallel park, open a door or leave a curb. Do not

depend only on your mirrors – turn your head to

look for bicyclists, skaters and scooter operators

that may be next to you or approaching.

Give bicyclists and in-line skaters room when

you drive. Reduce speed as you pass them. Air

pressure from a vehicle that passes them quickly

can send them o balance.

Be aware that the bicyclist or in-line skater

near or in front of you can react to road hazards

with sudden changes of speed, direction or lane

position.

The rules of the road and right-of-way apply to

and protect these and other highway users. You

must yield the right-of-way to them just as you

would to another vehicle. And they must obey the

rules of the road just as motor vehicle drivers do.

Driver’s Manual | 65

Bicyclists and in-line skaters must:

• Ride in a bicycle lane, if available. Where

there is none, they must remain near the

right curb or edge of the road or on a right

shoulder of the road, to prevent interference

with other trac. When they prepare for a

left turn or must move left to avoid hazards,

cyclists do not have to remain to the right.

• Come to a full stop before they enter a road-

way from a driveway, an alley or over a curb.

• Never travel with more than two side-by-side

in a single lane.

• Never ride on a sidewalk if it is prohibited by

local laws.

Bicyclists and their passengers and in-line skat-

ers, ages 1 through 13, must wear an approved

helmet. Adults must obey any local laws or regula-

tions about helmet use.

Bicyclists also must:

• Signal turns, lane changes and stops

through the use of the hand signals shown.

A bicyclist can signal a right turn when they

extend the right arm straight out to the

right. Never carry an infant under a year old

as a passenger. It is against the law. Child

passengers ages 1 - 4 must ride in attached

bicycle safety seats.

• Never carry a passenger unless the bicycle

has a passenger seat.

• Keep at least one hand on the handlebars

at all times and do not carry any item which

prevents correct control of the bicycle.

• Any bicycle crash that causes death or seri-

ous injury must be reported to DMV within

10 days of the incident. Bicycle accident

report forms (MV-104C) are available at any

motor vehicle oce.

A bicycle driven on public highways must have

adequate brakes and a horn or bell that can be

heard at least 100 feet (30 m) away. A bicycle

used at night must have a headlight visible from

at least 500 feet (150 m) ahead and a red taillight

visible from at least 300 feet (90 m) behind. One

of these lights must be visible from at least 200

feet (60 m) away on each side. A bicycle sold by

a dealer must have wide-angle, spoke-mounted

reﬂectors or reﬂective tires, a wide-angle rear

reﬂector and pedal reﬂectors.

66 | Driver’s Manual

MOTORCYCLISTS

As a driver, you share the road with a lot of

other motorists – not all of which are driving cars

or trucks. Motorcycles are common on New

York roads. As a driver, you are responsible to

be aware of motorcycles and understand how to

safely share the road with them.

Motorcycles (which include scooters and mo-

peds) come in a variety of shapes and sizes. New

York State Law deﬁnes a motorcycle as “Every

motor vehicle having a seat or saddle for the use

of the rider and designed to travel on not more

than three wheels in contact with the ground,

but excluding a tractor.” Most motorcycles you’ll

see have either two or three wheels. Examples

include (but are not limited to):

Motorcyclists have the same rights and respon-

sibilities as drivers of other vehicles, and must

follow the same trac laws. However, motorcy-

clists, like pedestrians, bicyclists and skaters, are

less visible to drivers. Though you may often see

motorcycles on the roads in the spring, summer,

or fall – you can encounter motorcycles anytime

and anywhere. Because we don’t see them all

year, we may not actively think about them.

When there is a crash involving a motorcycle

and another vehicle, the rider (and passenger)

have a much higher chance of being seriously

hurt or killed than the driver (and passengers) of

the other vehicle. Though motorcyclists are re-

quired to wear approved helmets and goggles or

a face shield, motorcycles themselves do not oer

the rider the protections that you have with other

types of vehicles. For example, motorcycles don’t

protect the rider with a frame around the rider.

Driver’s Manual | 67

Many drivers who are involved in a crash with

a motorcyclist report that they did not see the

motorcycle. The question is “why not?”

There are several factors that make motorcy-

clists less visible.

• Motorcycles, when compared to other

highway users, are smaller. No matter

from which direction you view a motorcycle

(front, back, or side), you’ll ﬁnd they are

smaller than most other highway users.

• Motorcycles may appear to move faster

than other vehicles. A motorcycle’s smaller

size makes it seem much farther away, and

makes it dicult to judge how far away they

are or how fast they are going.

• Motorcycles may not take up the entire

lane because they are not as wide as

other vehicles, but an experienced rider

may move around within a lane to avoid

obstacles, or to help them see better. In

addition to using the full lane, two motorcy-

clists are allowed to ride side-by-side in a

single lane, but a motorcyclist cannot pass

or share a lane with another motor vehicle

that is not a motorcycle. If you are overtak-

ing a car/SUV/truck, you might not have

seen the motorcycle in front of that vehicle

until you’re already in the passing lane.

The same holds true if you are entering an

expressway. You may not see a motorcycle

that is driving in the left portion of the lane

you intend to merge into.

• Motorcycle lighting is dierent, and often

less obvious, than other vehicles:

• Headlights and taillights on motorcy-

cles must be illuminated when driving.

But, with so many vehicles equipped with

daytime running lights (i.e. headlights

that are always on – even in daylight),

motorcycle headlights don’t stand out.

• It’s harder to see the brake lights. Tail

lights on a motorcycle are generally

smaller in size than those on other vehi-

cles, and because motorcycle tail lights

are always on, the brake lights don’t

always stand out.

• Motorcycles don’t have a tail light

at eye level. Most cars and trucks are

equipped with a “Center High Mount

Stop Light” (CHMSL) which is designed

to be at, or close to, eye level. Most mo-

torcycle brake lights are mounted lower

than eye level, which makes them less

obvious to many motorists.

• Turn signals on motorcycles are often

close to the headlight or taillights,

which can make them more dicult to

see. Additionally, on most motorcycles,

the directional signal does not turn o

automatically after a turn, so their turn

signal may be on inadvertently when the

motorcyclist has no intention of turning.

Intersections can be especially dangerous for

motorcycles. It’s human nature to notice large

vehicles ﬁrst. Motorcycles are smaller than other

vehicles, and they may seem to “blend in.” Num-

bers help tell the story:

• The National Highway Trac Safety Admin-

istration reports that, in 2015, 41 percent of

fatal motorcycle crashes in the US occurred

with “the other vehicle turning left while the

motorcycles were going straight, passing,

or overtaking other vehicles.”

• In 2014, there were 4,750 reported motorcy-

cle crashes in New York State. 2,546 of

these crashes involved another vehicle.

That’s 53.6% of the reported crashes.

Another factor is that drivers may not see

motorcycles simply because they don’t look

for motorcycles. It’s human nature to look for

something speciﬁc. A new driver may be told to

look for cars (and trucks) before going through an

intersection – and that is precisely what s/he will

look for. All drivers need to train themselves to

look for motorcycles and to share the road safely

with them.

GUIDE TO LIMITED USE MOTORCYCLE (MOPED) OPERATION

68 | Driver’s Manual

Because motorcyclists must take additional pre-

cautions when they come upon special highway

surfaces, you should know what a motorcyclist

may do:

• The motorcyclist may quickly change speed

or lane position to avoid loose gravel,

debris, seams or grooves in the pavement,

sewer or access covers or small animals.

• When approaching a railroad crossing, a

motorcyclist may decrease speed and rise

o the seat to cushion the rough crossing

and change direction to go across the

tracks at a right angle.

• On steel deck bridges the motorcyclist may

move to the center of the lane to adjust

for the surface that is not even. Stay a

good distance behind a motorcyclist in

this situation.

Drivers need to adjust how they drive around

motorcycles.

• Don’t tailgate. Motorcycles can stop in a

shorter distance than cars – under the right

conditions. Also, it may be more dicult to

notice they are slowing or stopping.

• If it’s raining, or dark, give motorcycles even

more space.

• Be careful when you pass a motorcyclist.

Like bicycles, the air pressure created by

vehicles as they quickly pass by can

aect motorcycles.

MOPED OPERATORS

Limited use motorcycles, often called mopeds,

are low speed, two- or three-wheeled vehicles for

limited use on public highways. There are three

dierent classes of mopeds based on maximum

performance speed. The chart below describes

the requirements for moped operation.

Class A B C

Top speed range mph (km/hr)

31 to 40

(over 48 to 64)

21 to 30

(32 to 48)

20 or less

(32 or less)

Type of license or learner

permit required

ANY CLASS

Registration required

YES (A Plate)

YES (B Plate)

YES (C Plate)

Headlight to be on

when operating

YES YES

YES

Helmet & eye protection

required when operating

YES

YES Recommended

Where operation is permitted

Any Trac Lane & Shoulder

Right Hand Lane or

Shoulder

Right Hand Lane or

Shoulder

Mandatory insurance required

YES

Recommended

Safety responsibility applies

YES

Annual inspection required YES

Recommended

Title required

1 Except when making a left hand turn

2 If a Class C limited use motorcycle is used in a rental business, insurance is

mandatory.

3 Safety responsibility is the requirement to pay for or post security for damage

or personal injury you may cause in a trac crash.

4 Usual learner permit and junior license restrictions apply.

55 Motorcyclists must wear approved motorcycle helmets, as deﬁned by

USDOT federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS 218). To improve the

motorcyclist’s visibility, the DMV recommends that helmets have at least four

square inches of reﬂective material on both sides. Motorcyclists must also

wear approved eye protection, even if the motorcycle is equipped with a

windshield. Prescription or made-to-order safety glasses may be used if the

user can present written certiﬁcation that they meet DMV standards. The eye

protection must be manufactured in conformity with the regulations issued by

the Vehicle Equipment Safety Commission (ANSI Z87.1).

Driver’s Manual | 69

Class B and C mopeds can be driven only

in the right lane of trac, as far to the right as

possible. Class A mopeds are allowed to drive in

any lane and any section of a lane. Mopeds are

not permitted on expressways or other controlled

access highways unless posted signs permit it.

When you approach a moped, use the same

precautions you would when you approach

a bicyclist.

LARGE VEHICLES

In more than 60 percent of all fatal crashes that

involve cars and big trucks, the car driver, not the

truck driver, contributes to the cause of the trac

crash. Four out of ﬁve times, it is the car driver

who is killed.

Many of these crashes could be prevented if

motorists know about truck (and bus) limits and

how to steer free from situations that are unsafe

and involve large vehicles.

Large trucks, recreational vehicles and buses

are not big cars. The bigger they are:

• The bigger their blind spots.

• The longer it takes them to stop.

• The more room they need to maneuver.

• The longer it takes for an automobile to

pass them.

Dierent from cars, large vehicles have deep

blind spots behind them. They also have larger

blind spots on both sides. Tractors with long

hoods can have a blind spot of 20 feet in front of

the vehicle. You should avoid these “no zones.”

Side Blind Spots

Large vehicles have large blind spots on both

sides. If you drive in these blind spots, you cannot

be seen by the driver. Even if the driver knows

you are there, if you remain next to the vehicle,

it can make it dicult for the driver to avoid a

dangerous situation.

Blind Spots in Back

If you remain in the back blind spot of a large

vehicle, you increase the chance of a crash. The

other driver cannot see your car and your view of

other trac will be blocked.

Distance to Stop

Large vehicles take much longer to stop than

smaller vehicles

that travel at the

same speed. For

tractor trailers, the

dierence comes

from brake delay.

Air brakes use

compressed air

to transmit brake

power to all the

wheels. Compressed

air takes longer to

transmit the brake

power than hydraulic

brakes, and this can

add many feet to the

distance it takes to

stop. Leave plenty of

space between your

car and the truck. If

you are in front of a

truck, indicate your

intention to turn or

change lanes early.

Do not make sudden moves.

Ability to Maneuver

Large vehicles are not as maneuverable as cars.

They take longer to stop and to accelerate and

they often need to move wide to make their turns.

You can reduce the chance of a collision with a

large vehicle if you:

• Do not cut abruptly in front of the large ve-

hicle; when you exit, take a few additional

seconds to decrease speed and exit behind

it; when you pass, do not pull in front of it

unless you can see the whole front of the

vehicle in your mirror.

• Pay close attention to the turn signals.

Because trucks make wide right turns, they

move to the left before they turn right.

Look at the turn signals.

70 | Driver’s Manual

• Do not delay near a large vehicle. You may

not be visible to the driver in the wide area

the truck needs for making a turn.

When you pass

When you pass a large vehicle, it takes a lon-

ger time and requires more space than when you

pass a car. On a two-way road, leave more time

and space when you pass a large vehicle. Make

sure you can see the whole front of the vehicle

before you return to your lane after you pass. A

large vehicle normally loses speed on a grade or

a hill. Look far ahead when you drive. If you need

to pass a large vehicle, be prepared and know

when you are near a grade that can cause the

other vehicle to decrease speed. Also, as your

own vehicle begins a downward grade, the speed

of the other vehicle can increase signiﬁcantly. This

will increase the time it takes you to pass it.

When a truck is backing up

Never pass close behind a large vehicle that

is backing up. Often a truck driver has to block a

road to back into an area to load or unload goods.

Be patient!

It is far better to wait until the large vehicle has

completed its backup maneuver than to try to

pass. If you try to pass in this situation, it is likely

that you will enter one of the blind spots. This

could make your vehicle invisible to the driver

and increase the risk of a trac crash.

When you approach a truck

Do not underestimate the size and speed of an

approaching tractor-trailer or other large vehicle.

Its larger size will often make it appear to move at

a slower speed than it really is. Also, from a dis-

tance it may not appear to be as large as it really

is. The other vehicle will often reach you before

you expect! When you drive on a two-way high-

way, it is often better to move as far to the right as

possible to make sure your vehicle will not be hit

by an approaching tractor-trailer or other

large vehicle.

When you stop behind a truck

Always leave space when you stop in back of a

truck or bus at a trac light or stop sign, especial-

ly when you face up a hill. The truck or bus could

move backward slightly when it starts. If you leave

enough room between your vehicle and the vehi-

cle ahead, you usually can pull away from behind

and go around it.

*Distance based on a study of average braking distances by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety + reaction

distance recommended by the National Safety Council

Passenger Car

Tractor-Trailer With Cool Brakes

Tractor-Trailer With Hot Brakes

Tractor - Trailer, Empty

Tractor Unit Only

Average Total Stopping Distance at 55 MPH*

SLOW-MOVING VEHICLES

The “slow-moving vehicle” symbol, a reﬂective

orange triangle, must be displayed on the back

of vehicles drawn by animals, most farm vehi-

cles, and construction equipment. The United

States Postal Service also requires these orange

safety-triangles to be displayed on all rural mail

delivery vehicles. Use caution when you approach

a slow-moving vehicle and make sure it is safe

before you pass.

ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES AND

SNOWMOBILES

State law allows all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and

snowmobiles to legally go across many state

highways and local roadways. Before they cross,

they must come to a stop and yield to trac. They

must go across at a 90-degree angle to the

road surface.

HORSE RIDERS

Horse riders are subject to, and protected by,

the rules of the road. They also must ride single

ﬁle near the right curb or road edge or on a right

shoulder, lane or path that can be used.

The law requires you to be careful when you

approach a horse being ridden or walked along a

road. You must drive at an acceptable speed and

at an acceptable distance away from the horse. It

is illegal to sound your horn when you approach

or pass a horse.

QUESTIONS

Before you go on to Chapter 12, make sure you

can answer these questions:

• How do the blind spots around a large com-

mercial vehicle dier from the blind spots

around a car?

• How does the stopping distance of a large

vehicle with air brakes compare with the

stopping distance of a car?

Driver’s Manual | 71

• After you pass a large vehicle, what should

you make sure of before you return to the

lane of the large vehicle?

• What is the best method to follow when you

approach a large vehicle that is in reverse

as it moves toward a loading area?

• When children are close, what should you

do before you back out of a driveway?

• How can you identify a blind pedestrian to

whom you must yield the right-of-way?

• Where must a pedestrian walk when there

are no sidewalks?

• How must you approach a bicyclist?

• Must a bicyclist obey trac laws and signs?

• Where there is no bicycle lane, where on

the road must a bicyclist ride?

• What equipment must a bicycle have when

used at night?

• What can a driver do to be more aware

of motorcyclists?

• What factors contribute to drivers not being

aware of motorcycles?

• Why are motorcycles harder to see?

• Why is it important for a motorist to be

aware of motorcycles?

• May three motorcyclists ride side-by-side in

a single lane?

• What is the slow moving vehicle symbol?

• Where are you likely to ﬁnd an ATV, snow-

mobile or horse rider?

72 | Driver’s Manual

CHAPTER 12 /IF YOU ARE IN A TRAFFIC CRASH

There are more than 300,000 trac crashes

in New York State each year. If you obey the law

and follow the advice in this manual, it is possible

you will avoid a crash. Yet even the most careful

drivers are involved in crashes caused by events

that are not planned or the error of other drivers. If

you are in a trac crash, you must be ready to act

in a responsible manner at the scene and obey

the law when you report the incident.

You can carry an emergency kit in your vehicle

that has ﬂares and ﬁrst aid supplies. Emergency

road-kits are available in department stores or

stores that sell automobile goods.

AT THE SCENE

If you are in a crash, you must stop. The level

of damage does not matter. You must stop. It is a

trac violation to leave the scene of an incident,

like a trac crash that involves property damage.

It is a criminal violation to leave the scene of an

incident that involves a fatality or personal injury.

Even if the crash involves only property damage,

you must exchange information with other drivers

involved. Give your name, address, driver license

number and vehicle registration and insurance

information. This includes the insurance policy

number and eective date. Give the information

to the other drivers and police on the scene. You

must show your insurance identiﬁcation card if re-

quested. If a parked vehicle or property dierent

from a vehicle is damaged or if a domestic animal

is injured, you must try to ﬁnd the owner or notify

the police.

If any person is injured or killed, the police must

be notiﬁed immediately and you should make

sure ambulance or rescue personnel have been

called.

If possible, move your vehicle o the road. Pro-

tect the scene with reﬂectors or ﬂares, but watch

for any fuel that may leak. Make sure to protect

yourself and others from oncoming trac.

EMERGENCY FIRST-AID

Do not stop at a crash scene unless you are

involved or emergency help has not arrived.

Focus on driving and the directions given by

trac ocers.

Follow these ﬁrst-aid tips if help is not immedi-

ately available:

• Do not move an injured person unless it

becomes necessary because of ﬁre or

another life threatening danger. If you must

move an injured person, keep the back and

neck as straight as possible. Put your arms

under the back, and carefully support the

neck with your upper arms. Hold clothing

with your hands and pull the victim head

ﬁrst away from the danger.

• If there are wires down, do not go near

them. If wires touch the vehicle or lay near

it, warn the occupants to remain inside until

help arrives.

REPORTS TO DMV

If you are in a trac crash that involves a fatality

or personal injury, you must report it to the DMV.

You must also report any trac incident or crash

that involves $1,000 or more in damage to the

property of any one person. The form Report of

Motor Vehicle Accident (MV-104) is available at

any motor vehicle oce, from most insurance

agents, and from the DMV website dmv.ny.gov

(search under Forms).

When you report a crash or incident to your

insurance company, it does not mean your legal

obligation is ﬁnished. You must ﬁle a report with

DMV within 10 days of the event. The failure to re-

port an accident is a criminal oense (misdemean-

or) and can mean the suspension or revocation of

your driver license and/or registrations and those

of the vehicle owner.

If the driver is injured and unable to complete

the report, a passenger or the vehicle owner may

do so.

Driver’s Manual | 73

DMV CONSUMER DIRECTORY

STATE DMV OFFICES

UPSTATE REGION

Albany

855 Central Avenue 12206

Peekskill

1045 Park Street 10566

Syracuse

4671 Onondaga Boulevard,

Western Lights Plaza 13219

North Syracuse

5801 East Taft Road 13212

West Haverstraw

50 Samsondale Plaza, State Route 9W 10993

White Plains

200 Hamilton Avenue 10601

No written tests.

LONG ISLAND REGION

Bethpage

4031 Hempstead Turnpike 11714

No CDL tests. No escort vehicle testing.

Garden City

801 Axinn Avenue 11530

No driver or motorcycle permit testing.

Hauppauge

250 Veterans Memorial Highway 11788

Huntington

Big H Shopping Center,

813 New York Avenue 11743

No permit testing.

Massapequa

927 Carmans Road, Carmans Plaza Shopping Center

11758

Medford

2799 Route 112, Suite 1 11763

Port Jeerson

3 Roads Plaza,

1055 Route 112 11776

No CDL testing. No written tests.

Riverhead

200 Old Country Road, Route 58

11901

METROPOLITAN REGION

Manhattan

• Harlem

159 East 125th Street,

3rd Floor New York 10035

• Midtown Manhattan – Herald Square

366 West 31st Street,

2nd Floor New York 10001

No renewal of licenses and ID cards.

• License Express

145 West 30th Street New York 10001

Limited to license and registration duplicates

and plate surrenders.

Lower Manhattan – Greenwich Street

11 Greenwich Street New York 10004

Brooklyn – Atlantic Center

625 Atlantic Avenue, 2nd Floor 11217

Brooklyn - Coney Island

2875 West 8th Street 11224

No oral exams.

Bronx Registration Center

696 East Fordham Road 10458

No original license, permit, or non-driver I.D.

transactions.

Bronx Licensing Center

1350 Commerce Avenue 10461

Limited to original permit/license applications and

tests, and original non-driver I.D. applications.

Queens

Jamaica

168-46 91st Avenue, 2nd Floor 11432

• Springﬁeld Gardens

168-35 Rockaway Boulevard

Jamaica 11434

• College Point

30-56 Whitestone Expressway

Flushing 11354

Richmond

1775 South Avenue,

West Shore Shopping Plaza Staten Island 10314

Yonkers

1 Larkin Plaza 10701

74 | Driver’s Manual

DMV CONSUMER DIRECTORY

COUNTY DMV OFFICES

Allegany

7 Court Street, Court House

Belmont 14813

Broome

137 Washington Avenue

Endicott 13760

• Binghamton

81 Chenango Street 13901 and,

181 Clinton Street 13905

Cattaraugus

303 Court Street

Little Valley 14755

• Delevan

1006 North Main Street 14042

• Olean

1 Leo Moss Drive,

Suite 1412 14760

Cayuga

160 Genesee Street

Auburn 13021

Chautauqua

7 North Erie Street

Mayville 14757

• Dunkirk

3988 Vineyard Drive 14048

• Jamestown

512 West 3rd Street 14701

Chemung

425-477 Pennsylvania Avenue

Elmira 14904

Chenango

5 Court Street

Norwich 13815

Clinton

137 Margaret Street

Plattsburgh 12901

Columbia

560 Warren Street

Hudson 12534

Cortland

112 River Street 13045

Delaware

1 Court House Square, Suite 1

Delhi 13753

• Deposit

3 Elm Street 13754

• Margaretville

773 Main Street 12455

• Sidney

21 Liberty Street, Civic Center

13838

Dutchess

22 Market Street, County Oce

Building, Poughkeepsie 12601

• Beacon

223 Main Street 12508

• Millbrook

15 Merritt Avenue 12545

• Pawling

20 East Main Street 12564

• Wappingers Falls

29 Marshall Road, Suite 3B 12590

Erie

170 Pearl Street, Rath Building,

Bualo 14202

• Cheektowaga

2122 George Urban Boulevard

Depew 14043

• Eastern Hills Mall

4545 Transit Road

Williamsville 14221

• Evans Town Hall

8787 Erie Road (Route 5)

Angola 14006

• Amherst - Tonawanda

2309 Eggert Road Tonawanda

14150

• Erie County Community

College - South Campus

4041 Southwestern Boulevard

Orchard Park 14224

Essex

7559 Court Street

Elizabethtown 12932

• Ticonderoga

132 Montcalm Street Suite 3

12883

Franklin

355 West Main Street Room 107

Malone 12953

• Saranac Lake

39 Main Street Suite 4 12983

Fulton

223 West Main Street

Johnstown 12095

Genesee

15 Main Street County Building 1

Batavia 14020

Greene

411 Main Street Catskill 12414

Hamilton

County Oce Building, Route 8

Lake Pleasant 12108

Herkimer

109 Mary Street, Suite 1111

13350

• Old Forge

183 Park Avenue 13420

Jeerson

175 Arsenal Street, County Building

1st Floor Watertown 13601

Lewis

7049 State Route 12

Lowville 13367

Livingston

6 Court Street, Room 204

Geneseo 14454

• Dansville

North Dansville Town Hall

14 Clara Barton Street 14437

Madison

138 North Court Street, Building 4

Wampsville 13163

Monroe

Suburban Plaza

2199 East Henrietta Road

Rochester 14623

• Greece

Greece Ridge Mall, 152 Greece

Ridge Center,

Rochester 14626

• Irondequoit

545 Titus Avenue Rochester

14617

• Westside Mobile Units

1940 West Ridge Road

Rochester 14626

Montgomery

County Oce Building

64 Broadway, Fonda 12068

Niagara

111 Main Street Lockport 14095

• Niagara Falls

1001 11th Street 14301

• North Tonawanda

500 Wheatﬁeld Street 14120

Driver’s Manual | 75

Oneida

321 Main Street Utica 13501

• Rome

301 West Dominick Street 13440

Ontario

20 Ontario Street

Canandaigua 14424

• Geneva

83 Seneca Street 14456

Orange

• Newburgh

128 Broadway 12550

• Port Jervis

20 Hammond Street 12771

• Middletown

12 King Street 10940

Orleans

14016 Route 31 West Albion 14411

Oswego

384 East River Road 13126

• Fulton

200 North Second Street 13069

• Pulaski

2 Broad Street 13142

Otsego

197 Main Street Cooperstown 13326

• Oneonta

16 South Main Street 13820

Putnam

1 Geneva Road

Terravest Corporate Park, Route 312 Brewster 10509

(adjacent to Exit 19 of I-84)

Rensselaer

1600 Seventh Avenue Troy 12180

• Schodack

Schodack Town Hall

265 Schuurman Road 12033

St. Lawrence

80 State Highway 310, Suite 3

Canton 13617

• Gouveneur

1227 US Highway 11 13642

• Massena

21 Harrowgate Commons

13622

• Ogdensburg

206-210 Ford Street 13669

Saratoga

40 McMaster Street

Ballston Spa 12020

• Clifton Park

22 Clifton Country Center 12065

• Saratoga Springs

3065 Route 50, Wilton Mall 12866

Schenectady

2025 State Street 12305

Schoharie

284 Main Street 12157

Schuyler

105 Ninth Street Watkins Glen 14891

Seneca

1 DiPronio Drive Waterloo 13165

Steuben

3 East Pulteney Square Bath 14810

• Corning

10 West 1st Street, Suite100

Corning 14830

• Hornell

12 Allen Street 14843

Sullivan

100 North Street, County Government Center,

Monticello 12701

Tioga

56 Main Street Owego 13827

Tompkins

301 Third Street Ithaca 14850

Ulster

244 Fair Street Kingston 12401

Warren

1340 State Route 9

Lake George 12845

Washington

383 Broadway

Fort Edward 12828

Wayne

9 Pearl Street. Lyons 14489

Wyoming

6 Perry Avenue Warsaw 14569

Yates

417 Liberty Street, Suite 1067

Penn Yan 14527

76 | Driver’s Manual

TELEPHONE NUMBERS

DMV CALL CENTERS

Metropolitan New York City:

From area codes 212, 347, 646, 718, 917, 929:

1-(212)-645-5550 or 1-(718)-966-6155

Downstate Call Center General Assistance:

1-(718)-477-4820

Albany Call Center General Assistance:

1-(518)-486-9786

EDL Helpline: 1-(518) 474-9981

TTY/TDD (Telecommunications Device for the

Deaf):

Within New York State: 1-(800) 368-1186,

Outside New York State: 1-(518) 473-9002

To schedule a road test: dmv.ny.gov or

1-(518)-402-2100

IMPORTANT DMV ADDRESSES &

TELEPHONE NUMBERS

Oce of Trac Violations

6 Empire State Plaza

Albany, NY 12228

(See DMV Call Centers)

To contact a Trac Violations Bureau

about a scheduled hearing:

New York City TVB: 1-(718) 488-5710

Driver Improvement Bureau

6 Empire State Plaza

Albany, NY 12228

1-(518) 474-0774

Financial Security Bureau

(formerly Insurance Services Bureau)

6 Empire State Plaza

Albany, NY 12228

1-(518) 474-0700

Bureau of Consumer & Facility Services

PO Box 2700-ESP

Albany, NY 12220-0700

• Complaints about a repair shop/dealership/

inspection station: 1-(518) 474-8943

• Questions about Emissions Inspections:

1-(518)-473-0597

Custom Plates Unit

6 Empire State Plaza

P.O. Box 2775

Albany, NY 12220

1-(518)-402-4838

Title Services Bureau

6 Empire State Plaza

Albany, NY 12228

1-(518)-486-4714

For the most recent updates of state and county motor

vehicle oce locations, useful DMV addresses

and telephone numbers, and other important information,

please visit our website.

The DMV website: dmv.ny.gov

Note: Approximate metric equivalents to U.S. measures

are provided for information only.

New York State laws and regulations use U.S. measure-

ments only.

The information in this manual is as accurate as possible

at the time of publication but is subject to change.

This manual is intended to provide basic information and

cannot possibly cover every trac law or situation.

If you have a question about the information supplied in

this manual or a situation not covered, consult a motor

vehicles representative at any motor vehicle oce, or

write to: Oce of Communications, Department of Motor

Vehicles, 6 Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12228

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