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Maine driver handbook guide

Maine driver handbook guide.

Use this guide to navigate the 28 chapters in the handbook edition behind Roadwise’s Maine course. Read the source, look up a rule in the study app, or work through 60 companion lessons.

Read the handbook in Roadwise Open source PDF
Handbook chapters
28
Source PDF pages
126
Companion lessons
60
Licensing agency
BMV

A way through the handbook

Start with the application and licensing material that applies to your age and license type. Then work through the driving rules, signs, and safe-driving chapters. A rule is easier to remember when you can explain what it asks you to do in a real road situation.

For a quick refresher, use the chapter list below. For a deeper study session, follow a companion lesson and its checkpoint questions. The page numbers refer to this course’s source edition and may differ from the newest agency edition.

Chapter list

  1. Introduction Source p. 1
  2. Introduction Source p. 6
  3. Section 1: Your Driver's License Source p. 7
  4. License Penalties and Suspension Source p. 12
  5. Section 2: Owning and Maintaining a Motor Vehicle Source p. 17
  6. Inspecting Your Motor Vehicle Source p. 20
  7. Section 3: Ready to Drive Source p. 23
  8. Alcohol and Other Drugs Source p. 27
  9. Section 4: Before You Drive Source p. 39
  10. Section 5: Getting Started Source p. 44
  11. Section 6: Rules of the Road Source p. 48
  12. Traffic Signs Source p. 51
  13. Pavement Markings and Use of Lanes Source p. 55
  14. Section 7: General Driving Source p. 61
  15. Passing and School Buses Source p. 66
  16. Parking and Turning Around Source p. 69
  17. Section 8: Managing Time and Space Source p. 75
  18. Managing Speed Source p. 79
  19. Managing Space Source p. 85
  20. Communicating Source p. 89
  21. Section 9: Avoiding Crashes Source p. 94
  22. Vehicle Problems Source p. 98
  23. Section 10: Sharing the Road Source p. 101
  24. Large Vehicles Source p. 105
  25. Section 11: Special Driving Challenges Source p. 112
  26. Wildlife Safety Source p. 118
  27. Section 12: Test Your Knowledge Source p. 121
  28. Appendix: Road Test and Residency Requirements Source p. 123

What you will find in each chapter

Chapter 1 · source p. 1

Introduction

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Section 1 – Your Driver’S License……..…………………………………………1-1
  • Section 2 – State Laws And Rules..….……………………………………………2-1
  • Section 3 – Ready To Drive…………………………………………………………..3-1
  • Section 6 – Rules Of The Road……………………….……………………………..6-1
  • Section 7 – General Driving………………………………………………………...7-1
  • Section 8 – Managing Time And Space…………………………………………...8-1
  • Section 9 – Avoiding Crashes………………………………………………………9-1
  • Section 10 – Sharing The Road……………………………………………………10-1
  • Section 11 – Special Driving Challenges……………………………………11-1
  • Section 12 – Test Your Knowledge……………………………………………..12-1
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 2 · source p. 6

Introduction

Read this chapter in the study app to see its complete text, source page references, and any accompanying illustrations.

Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 3 · source p. 7

Section 1: Your Driver's License

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Acquiring a Maine Driver's License
  • Who Needs a Maine Driver's License?
  • How Do You Obtain A Permit in Maine?
  • License Classification (Types of Vehicles)
  • How Do You Obtain A Driver's License?
  • What Will the Tests Include?
  • Who Must Take the Examinations?
  • Out of State License or Driving on an Existing License
  • Non-Commercial Driver's License
  • Information about Your Driver's License
  • Maintaining Your Driver's License
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 4 · source p. 12

License Penalties and Suspension

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Secretary of State's Authority
  • Suspension of a Minor's License or Permit
  • Administrative License Suspension
  • Suspension Periods for Designated Convictions
  • Using False Identification to Obtain Liquor
  • Eluding a Police Officer
  • Leaving the Scene of an Accident
  • Violation Free Credit
  • Continuing Driver Education
  • 120 Day Suspension
  • Mandatory Suspensions
  • Revocation of a driver's license for certain crimes
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 5 · source p. 17

Section 2: Owning and Maintaining a Motor Vehicle

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Owning and Maintaining a Motor Vehicle
  • Titling Your Motor Vehicle
  • 1. What is a title?
  • 2. Why do I need a title?
  • 3. How do I apply for a title?
  • 4. Who is the title given to?
  • Registering Your Vehicle
  • 2. Where is a motor vehicle registration issued?
  • 5. Is payment of sales tax required?
  • Insuring Your Motor Vehicle
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 6 · source p. 20

Inspecting Your Motor Vehicle

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Maintaining Your Motor Vehicle
  • Vehicle Maintenance
  • Tools and Supplies
  • Excessive Sound System Noise
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 7 · source p. 23

Section 3: Ready to Drive

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Ready to Drive
  • Vision and Hearing
  • Fatigue
  • Wake Up to the Facts
  • You Can't Fight Off the Sandman
  • How Much Sleep Does Your Body Really Need?
  • Give It a Rest for Safety The Danger Signs of Drowsiness
  • Driver Distractions
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 8 · source p. 27

Alcohol and Other Drugs

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Using a Cellular Telephone in Your Vehicle
  • Aggressive Driving
  • Keeping Fit to Drive
  • One Of The Surest Ways To Lose Your License Is To Drink And Drive.
  • If you are under 21
  • Effect of Alcohol and other Impairing Drugs
  • How Drinking Impairs Driving
  • Good Drivers Don'T Drink!
  • Myths Concerning Alcohol
  • Immediate Suspension by Secretary of State
  • Breath Alcohol Concentration
  • Alcohol Level Testing
  • "Implied Consent" What is it All About? results to back it up!
  • Alcohol Level
  • Conditional Licenses
  • Other Impairing Drugs and Driving
  • Over-the-Counter Drugs
  • Prescription Drugs
  • Illegal Drugs
  • Combining Alcohol and Other Drugs
  • Vehicle Seizure
  • Drivers Involved in Fatal Accidents
  • Open Container Law
  • Special Notice for Teenagers and Young Adults In Addition
  • Emotions
  • Your Health
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 9 · source p. 39

Section 4: Before You Drive

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Adjusting Your Seat
  • Adjusting Your Mirrors
  • Using Safety Belts
  • Air Bags
  • Keeping Children Safe
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 10 · source p. 44

Section 5: Getting Started

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Starting the Engine
  • Moving Forward
  • Basic Operating Procedures: Manual Transmission
  • How can you use each forward gear?
  • Shifting to a higher gear
  • Downshifting
  • Holding the car in place
  • Stopping
  • Signaling When You Slow Down or Stop Unexpectedly
  • Steering
  • Hand Position
  • Backing
  • Conservation
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 11 · source p. 48

Section 6: Rules of the Road

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Operating a Motor Vehicle
  • Yielding Right-Of-Way
  • Traffic Controls
  • Traffic Signals
  • Lighted Arrows
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 12 · source p. 51

Traffic Signs

Read this chapter in the study app to see its complete text, source page references, and any accompanying illustrations.

Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 13 · source p. 55

Pavement Markings and Use of Lanes

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Pavement Markings
  • Use of Lanes
  • Lane Restrictions
  • When making: Left Turns
  • Right Turns
  • Sign and Road Markings
  • Crosswalks and Stop Lines
  • Crosswalks
  • Stop Lines
  • Shared Center Left Turn Lane
  • Reversible Lanes
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 14 · source p. 61

Section 7: General Driving

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Turning
  • Intersections
  • Traffic Circles and Roundabouts
  • Changing Lanes
  • Entering a Multi-lane Highway
  • Expressway passing
  • Exiting a Multi-lane Highway
  • Stopping on an expressway
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 15 · source p. 66

Passing and School Buses

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Expressway Hypnosis
  • Space to Pass
  • Rules for School Buses
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 16 · source p. 69

Parking and Turning Around

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Parking
  • Access Aisle
  • Perpendicular and Angle Parking
  • Parallel Parking/Offset Backing
  • Starting from a Parking Place
  • Turning Around
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 17 · source p. 75

Section 8: Managing Time and Space

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Managing Time and Space
  • Seeing what’s Critical
  • Having Clear Windows and Mirrors
  • Wearing Glasses
  • Taking in the Whole Scene/Look to the sides
  • Roadside Areas
  • Railroad Crossings
  • When You Slow Down Suddenly
  • Allowing a Space Cushion for Problem Drivers
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 18 · source p. 79

Managing Speed

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Adjusting for Road Conditions
  • Curve to the right
  • Stopping Distance
  • Speed Limits
  • What is the Road Surface Like?
  • How Well Can You See?
  • How Much Traffic is there?
  • How Fast Is Traffic Moving?
  • Warning Signs
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 19 · source p. 85

Managing Space

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Maintaining a Safe Cushion
  • Space in Front
  • Space to the Side
  • Space Behind Affects Your Following Distance
  • Splitting the Difference
  • Taking Dangers One at a Time
  • Sharing Space with Other Road Users
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 20 · source p. 89

Communicating

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Space to Merge
  • Space to Cross or Enter
  • Attract attention
  • Seeing Well at Night
  • Signal
  • Signaling Change of Direction
  • Hand Signals
  • Using Emergency Signals
  • Keeping Your Car Where It Can Be Seen
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 21 · source p. 94

Section 9: Avoiding Crashes

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Emergencies and Avoiding Crashes
  • Braking
  • Steering
  • Speeding Up
  • Protecting Yourself in Collisions
  • Accidents
  • Emergency First Aid
  • Skids
  • Drop Offs/Uneven surfaces
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 22 · source p. 98

Vehicle Problems

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Brake Failure
  • Tire Blowout
  • Stuck Gas Pedal
  • Breakdowns
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 23 · source p. 101

Section 10: Sharing the Road

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Sharing the Road
  • Pedestrians
  • Bicycles
  • Bicycle Operation
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 24 · source p. 105

Large Vehicles

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Motorcycles or Mopeds
  • Large Vehicles The No-Zone
  • Turning and Oncoming Large Vehicles
  • Maintaining Space
  • Passing
  • Emergency Vehicles
  • Police/Traffic Stops
  • Move-Over Laws
  • Slow Moving Vehicles
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 25 · source p. 112

Section 11: Special Driving Challenges

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Night Driving
  • Work Zones
  • Rural Roads
  • Winter Driving
  • How to steer out of a skid
  • Fog
  • Rain
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 26 · source p. 118

Wildlife Safety

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Flooded Roadways
  • May and June are Peak Moose Collision Months!
  • From Dusk to Dawn
  • Warning Signs Mean Business
  • "Herd" the One About the Traveling Moose? The Moose Standoff
  • What if a Crash is Unavoidable?
  • Carrying Passengers and Freight
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 27 · source p. 121

Section 12: Test Your Knowledge

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Test Your Knowledge
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 28 · source p. 123

Appendix: Road Test and Residency Requirements

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Typical Reasons for Road Test Refusals
  • Road Test Information
  • Residency/Lawful Presence Requirements
Open this handbook chapter

Turn the reading into a study routine

The Maine course groups the source material into 11 units. Each lesson includes handbook page references, examples, and a checkpoint in the study app.

Unit 1 · 6 lessons

Your Driver's License

Permits, license steps, suspensions and points

  1. Getting your learner's permit
  2. License classes and endorsements
  3. Earning your license: practice hours and teen limits
  4. Tests, transfers and keeping your license valid
  5. Suspension, revocation and demerit points
  6. Serious offenses and mandatory suspensions

Unit 2 · 4 lessons

Owning and Maintaining Your Vehicle

Title, registration, insurance, inspection and upkeep

  1. Titling and registering your vehicle
  2. Insuring your vehicle
  3. Inspecting your vehicle
  4. Maintenance, emergency supplies and noise limits

Unit 3 · 6 lessons

Fit to Drive: Fatigue, Distraction, and Alcohol

Vision, fatigue, distractions, alcohol, OUI and drugs

  1. Vision, hearing and fatigue
  2. Distractions, cell phones and aggressive driving
  3. How alcohol impairs driving
  4. OUI penalties and implied consent
  5. After an OUI: conditional licenses, fatal crashes and open containers
  6. Other drugs, emotions and your health

Unit 4 · 3 lessons

Seat Belts, Air Bags and Child Safety

Seat and mirror setup, belts, air bags and child seats

  1. Adjusting your seat and mirrors
  2. Seat belts and air bags
  3. Keeping children safe

Unit 5 · 3 lessons

Basic Vehicle Control

Starting, steering, stick shift, backing and fuel

  1. Starting, stopping and steering
  2. Driving a manual transmission
  3. Backing and conserving fuel

Unit 6 · 7 lessons

Right-of-Way, Signals, Signs and Markings

Who goes first, lights, signs, lines and lanes

  1. Yielding the right-of-way
  2. Traffic signals, arrows and lane-use lights
  3. Warning signs
  4. Railroad crossing and work zone signs
  5. Regulatory, guide and route signs
  6. Pavement markings and lane use
  7. Crosswalks, stop lines and special lanes

Unit 7 · 6 lessons

Turns, Lane Changes, Passing and Parking

Intersections, roundabouts, expressways, passing, parking

  1. Turning and intersections
  2. Roundabouts and changing lanes
  3. Expressway driving
  4. Passing and school buses
  5. Parking rules
  6. Parking maneuvers and turning around

Unit 8 · 8 lessons

Managing Speed, Space and Visibility

Scanning, speed, following distance, lights and signals

  1. Seeing well: scanning ahead and to the sides
  2. Looking behind and giving problem drivers room
  3. Adjusting speed for road conditions
  4. Speed limits and stopping distance
  5. Following distance
  6. Space to the side and behind, and gaps to merge or cross
  7. Headlights, high beams and the horn
  8. Signals and emergency warnings

Unit 9 · 4 lessons

Emergencies and Vehicle Problems

Avoiding crashes, crash scenes, failures and breakdowns

  1. Avoiding a crash
  2. After a crash: reporting and first aid
  3. Skids, drop-offs, brake and tire failures
  4. Breakdowns and other emergencies

Unit 10 · 7 lessons

Sharing the Road

Pedestrians, bikes, motorcycles, trucks and emergency vehicles

  1. Pedestrians and the visually impaired
  2. Sharing the road with bicycles
  3. Rules for bicycle riders
  4. Motorcycles and mopeds
  5. Large vehicles and the No-Zone
  6. Turning, passing and keeping space near large vehicles
  7. Emergency vehicles, police stops and slow-moving vehicles

Unit 11 · 6 lessons

Special Driving Conditions

Night, work zones, winter, rain, wildlife and loads

  1. Night driving
  2. Work zones and rural roads
  3. Winter driving and skid control
  4. Fog, rain and flooded roads
  5. Wildlife safety
  6. Carrying passengers, loads and pets