Administrative and Traffic Laws Chapter 2 Administrative and Traffic Laws

Administrative Laws Each state has laws that control its highway transportation system. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is the national organization) Administrative Laws – Establish the procedures for issuing and removing people’s driver’s licenses, for registering a vehicle, and for securing a title. Other administrative laws cover the financial responsibilities of vehicle owners and drivers and establish standards for the minimum safety equipment and care of the vehicle.

Getting a Driver’s License Driving is a privilege, not a right You must pass a series of tests including: Vision Test Knowledge Test Road Test

Suspensions States reserve the right to suspend, revoke, and penalize licensed drivers for listed infractions Suspensions – Temporarily eliminate driving privileges due to a violation. (duration of suspension varies depending on severity of the violation.) Licenses are typically suspended for 30-90 days and always fewer than 365 days.

Revoked License States reserve the right to revoke a license and strip the powers of operating a motor vehicle. Revoked license – Take license away (duration depends on the severity of the violation). When the revoked period has passed the driver must reapply for another license.

Point System Suspensions and revoked license depend on a point system. Excessive points on your license can lead to surcharges imposed by the state and your insurance company. Point System – A driver receives points based on a violation which remains on their record. Each traffic violation “costs” a number of points and when accumulated can lead to suspension or revoking. Examples of point earning infractions are: DUI: Driving Under the Influence Collisions Moving Violations

Certificate of Title Proves ownership of the car you claim to own. It lists the following: Name of owner Make and style of vehicle VIN # (Vehicle Identification Number) Engine Number This document must be presented when attempting to sell a car and if buying a car you should always ask to see the title to ensure that they vehicle does belong to the person who claims ownership. Therefore, this document should be kept in a very safe place.

Vehicle Registration Your registration reveals who is responsible for operating the vehicle. When a car is registered you will receive a registration certificate and license plates. Your vehicles registration must be reregistered every year or two. Keep the registration in the vehicle it belongs to and place the correct registration stickers on the license plates as legally required

Registration Form

Registration Card

Insurance Auto insurance pays some of the bills when you crash and is required in New Jersey. Insurance offsets the costs of a collision by paying a portion of the damages for your car as well as the other person involved in the crash if you are found liable. Costs could include death, injury, or property damage.

Insurance Card

Right of Way Rules Right of way rules can help improve traffic flow, minimize confusion, avoid collisions, identify liability, and decrease emotional driving. These rules are not state mandated and are consistent throughout the United States. You can avoid a collision by knowing who should go first and who should wait. To do this, you need to know the rules that govern right-of-way. Right-of-way laws in every state are based on the Uniform Vehicle Code, which are vehicle laws recommended by a national committee and used in part by all states.

Right-of-Way The right to proceed first. There are situations in which you must always yield the right of way: Yield the right of way to any emergency vehicle, such as an ambulance, that has hits sirens on and its lights flashing. If you are going in the same direction as the emergency vehicle, move to the far right of the road and STOP. If you are traveling the opposite direction, move to the far right. You do not have to stop in this case but always move to the right. Yield to people who are blind and carrying a white cane or guide dog regardless of where they are crossing the street. Yield the right of way to all pedestrians.

4 way stop rules Who has the right-of-way? Whoever gets to the intersection first has right-of-way. If you arrived at the same time, always yield to the vehicle to the right. (that means knowing when you are on the right of someone else as well) If there is a vehicle coming from the opposite direction, the person going straight has the right of way. Always yield to pedestrians. NEVER ASSUME THE OTHER PEOPLE AT THE INTERSECTION ARE GIVING YOU THE RIGHT OF WAY. ALWAYS WAIT TO ASSESS THE SITUATION.

Four way stop

Speed Limits Speed limits are assigned to all roadways and posted to protect ALL drivers. Traffic engineers study road conditions, traffic patterns, and collision frequency to assess the appropriate speed limit for each road. Posted speed limits are not regulations demanding that you drive that speed on that road. Speed limits express the maximum speed at which you should travel under the BEST WEATHER AND ROAD CONDITIONS.

Types of Speed Limits Fixed Speed Limit – a maximum or minimum speed that a vehicle may be driven on a particular roadway. Fixed speed limits DO NOT change. Advisory Speed Limits – informs drivers to interrupt their current driving speed for a limited time. This is due to roads going up and down hills, over bridges, and around sharp curves. Day and Night Speed Limits – some states have lower speed limits at night. Night driving is more dangerous due to visibility.

Fixed speed limit

Advisory speed limit

Basic Speed Laws All states have basic speed laws: Always drive at a speed that is reasonable and proper for existing conditions. Your ability to manage visibility, time, and space also determines what is a safe speed at any given time. Basic speed laws are determined by various situations: Road condition Weather Traffic Light

Weather Conditions

Road Conditions

Light

Continued Drivers can be cited for traveling below or above the posted minimum and maximum speed limits if conditions permit. 55mph+ : more than half of all fatal crashes occur on roads with posted limits of 55 miles per hour or more. Driving faster than the posted speed limit is never safe or reasonable. The following facts reveal critical information about speed. The higher the speed: The less time the driver has to spot dangerous situations and take action. The greater the time and distance it takes to change direction or stop a vehicle. The greater the chance the vehicle will skid or roll over on a turn. The greater the chances of collision, personal injuries, and property damage.

Driver-Condition Laws When you get behind the wheel, your physical, mental, and emotional conditions affect your ability to drive safely. Driving a motor vehicle while your judgment is impaired by alcohol, drugs, fatigue, lack of sleep, or emotions increases your chances of a serious accident. DWI: Driving While Intoxicated DUI: Driving Under the Influence

Illegal per se law Every state has taken measures to prohibit and discourage driving under the influence of alcohol and mind altering drugs. Every state has enacted the Illegal per se law. Illegal per se law – renders it unlawful for a person to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) above a certain level: Over 21: .08% (45 states including NJ) Commercial Driving: .04% (Bus drivers, truck drivers, etc.) Under 21: .02% (37 states), .01% (2 states), .00% also known as Zero Tolerance (11 states including NJ) Start here for first and second block

Implied Consent Law Every state has enacted this law. When you receive your license you agree that if you are stopped by the police you will automatically agree to take a blood alcohol concentration test if requested. In 32 states, drivers who either test above the BAC limit established by law or who refuse to take the BAC test face immediate penalties. Drivers who exceed the BAC limit or refuse to take a BAC test immediately suffer a license suspension or revocation for 7 to 180 days for the first offense. In addition, drivers who refuse to take a BAC may still be charged with DWI based on observed erratic driving and physical behavior.

Aggressive Driving High risk behavior that threaten the safety of others, and it’s a moving traffic violation. Includes running stop signs and ignoring traffic signals. Examples: Driving at an inappropriate speed (15-20 mph above the posted limit) Tailgating Failing to stay in the right lane except to pass Frequent and unsafe lane changes (weaving in and out of traffic) Passing on the shoulder during heavy traffic

Reckless Driving Driving recklessly endangers the lives of others and is identified when 3 conditions are met: A driver must consciously and intentionally drive in a dangerous manner. The driver knows, or should know, that their current driving behavior places themselves and everyone else on the road at an increased risk. Conditions (including time and place of occurrence, weather, traffic volume, and vehicle/driver condition) make the increased risk obvious and serious.

Inattention and Distractions Is a leading cause of motor vehicle crashes. Failure to pay attention to driving is a contributing factor in HALF of all collisions each year. American Automobile Association (AAA) reports that inattention is the primary cause of all collisions involving 16-18 year olds. Examples of distractions include: Eating Drinking Fidgeting with the radio Talking/Texting on a cell phone Falling asleep Talking to passengers New Jersey has recently passed legislation banning the use of cell phones without a hands-free device while operating a motor vehicle. It is a primary offense and will result in a minimum $300 fine. Texting has recently been added to this piece of legislation.