roadwise.Open study app

District of Columbia driving lesson · Speed, Safety Equipment & Work Zones

Safety zones, earplugs & vehicle equipment

A 3-minute lesson from the District of Columbia course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

Study this lesson in the app Back to the course
Read time
3 minutes
Course unit
Speed, Safety Equipment & Work Zones
Checkpoint questions
3
Source pages
47, 48

A few rules cover what you may wear, what you may do with your car's equipment, and where you may never drive at all.

Safety zone

An area on a roadway marked by signs for pedestrians only. Never drive through one.

Handbook p. 47 ↗

Know the rule

Always proceed cautiously whenever people are standing, walking, sitting or bicycling close to traffic.

Handbook p. 47 ↗

Know the rule

You may not wear earplugs, a headset or earphones attached to a radio, tape player, CD player or other audio device while driving. Earphones or earplugs for cellular phones are acceptable, and so are hearing aids.

Handbook p. 47 ↗

Know the rule

Never coast: don't drive with the gears in neutral or the clutch pedal pressed longer than needed to shift. You may not be able to get back in gear if you need to react quickly.

Handbook p. 47 ↗
1965

Since then the U.S. has required safety equipment and emission controls on vehicles sold here

Handbook p. 47 ↗

It is unlawful to:

  • Remove or alter any safety device or equipment placed on a vehicle or trailer to comply with US or DC law
  • Remove, alter or disable a catalytic converter or other exhaust emission control device
  • Remove, alter or disable a gasoline tank filler inlet or crankcase ventilation device
  • These emission rules apply to factory-equipped 1968 or later model vehicles
Handbook p. 47 ↗

Know the rule

Head restraints protect against whiplash when you're struck from behind. Before driving, adjust yours to a position directly behind your head.

Handbook p. 48 ↗

Put it into practice

You want to listen to music through earbuds while driving. Not allowed in DC: no earphones attached to an audio device. An earpiece for a hands-free phone call is fine, and so is a hearing aid.

Check your understanding

Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.

What is a 'safety zone' as described in the handbook?
  1. A pedestrian-only zone; never drive through
  2. A reduced-speed area near schools only
  3. A designated pull-off area for disabled vehicles
  4. A marked zone for police traffic stops

Answer: A pedestrian-only zone; never drive through

A safety zone is a pedestrian-only area marked by signs; drivers should never drive through one.

Handbook p. 47 ↗
Wearing earplugs or a headset attached to a radio while driving in DC is:
  1. Allowed if only in one ear
  2. Allowed while stopped at red lights
  3. Allowed for music at low volume
  4. Prohibited

Answer: Prohibited

A person may not wear earplugs, headsets, or earphones attached to an audio device while driving.

Handbook p. 47 ↗
Which audio accessory is still acceptable to use while driving in DC?
  1. Cell-phone earpieces or hearing aids
  2. Noise-canceling headphones for music
  3. A personal CD player headset
  4. Earplugs for a portable radio

Answer: Cell-phone earpieces or hearing aids

Earphones/earplugs for cell phone calls and hearing aid devices remain acceptable while driving.

Handbook p. 47 ↗
Take the lesson checkpoint in the app

More in Speed, Safety Equipment & Work Zones

All District of Columbia lessons