Minnesota driver handbook guide.

Chapter 1 · source p. 1

Introduction

This chapter’s sections include:

• Manual

Chapter 2 · source p. 4

New Laws and Information

This chapter’s sections include:

• Motorcycle lane sharing
• School bus flashing lights
• Work zone safety
• Crime to obstruct the work of a DVS employee
• Completing the pre-application makes office visits quicker
• A message from the Commissioner of Public Safety
• Written test checklist
• Road test checklist
• New laws and information

Chapter 3 · source p. 9

Chapter 1: Your License to Drive

This chapter’s sections include:

• Chapter 1: Your license to drive
• Getting your license to drive
• Who does not need a Minnesota license?
• Who cannot be licensed?
• Bring identification
• Standard driver’s license or ID
• Driver’s License for All
• Real Id
• Enhaced driver’s license or ID
• Verification of name change
• Translation of documents
• Social Security number
• Remote application option for incarcerated individuals
• Reintegration license The written test The vision screening
• The road test
• Vehicle safety equipment demonstration
• Vehicle control skills and driving performance
• Medical conditions
• Parent’s approval for under age 18
• Graduated Driver’s Licensing (GDL) system
• Your instruction permit
• If you are under 18
• If you are 18 and older
• Your provisional license
• Vanessa’s Law
• How this law applies to unlicensed teens
• Getting your under 21 Class D driver’s license
• Exceptions to minimum age requirement
• Driver’s license classifications
• Class D license
• License endorsements
• Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs)
• Class C license
• Class B license
• Class A license
• CDL information
• CDL for people under 21 years old
• License renewal and replacement
• Name or address change
• Active military service disability
• Veteran indictor on your license or ID
• Peace Corps and federal foreign service employees
• Selective Service
• State identification cards
• Driver services fees
• Expedited (fast track) services

Chapter 4 · source p. 25

Chapter 2: Your Vehicle

This chapter’s sections include:

• Chapter 2: Your vehicle
• Brakes
• Bumpers
• Horn
• Headlights and taillights
• License plate light
• Turn signals
• Prohibited lights
• Mufflers
• Rearview mirrors
• Seat belts and airbags
• Tires
• Windshield and windows
• Windshield wipers and window defrosters
• Wheel guards or fenders
• Keep your car in good condition
• Drive efficiently

Chapter 5 · source p. 29

Chapter 3: Traffic Laws and Vehicle Operation

This chapter’s sections include:

• Chapter 3: Traffic laws and vehicle operation
• Speed limits
• Speed limits and fines
• Reduced speed
• Speed limits on bridges
• Signaling
• Hand and arm signals
• Traffic lanes
• Changing lanes
• Blind spots
• Turns
• Right turn
• Left turn
• Left turns
• Right turns
• Roundabouts
• J-turns
• Divided highway
• U-turns
• Right-hand lane travel
• Passing
• When preparing to pass
• Do not pass
• Passing on the right
• Backing up
• Parking
• Exiting a parked vehicle
• Parking on a hill
• Parallel parking
• Highway parking
• Passenger safety
• Seat belt laws
• Use seat belts correctly
• Infant and child safety seat laws
• Other child passenger safety guidelines
• Never leave children unattended in a vehicle
• Leaving your vehicle unattended
• Animal safety
• Airbags
• Airbag safety suggestions
• Do not litter
• What to do in a traffic crash
• Insurance
• Motorcycle insurance
• Registering your vehicle
• Cell phones

Chapter 6 · source p. 44

Chapter 4: Sharing the Road

This chapter’s sections include:

• Chapter 4: Sharing the road
• Stopping
• Stopping for a school bus
• Flashing yellow lights
• Flashing red lights
• Passing a school bus
• Vehicle owner may be penalized
• School safety patrol
• School bus flagger
• Right of way and yielding
• Yield to emergency vehicles
• Passing parked emergency and service vehicles
• Following firefighting vehicles
• Following other vehicles
• Careless and reckless driving
• What to do and expect when stopped by law enforcement
• Fleeing a police officer
• Watch for pedestrians
• Crosswalks
• Sharing the road with bicyclists
• Bicycle lanes
• Passing a bicyclist
• Bicycle laws
• Riding on sidewalks and crosswalks
• Traffic light malfunctions
• Safety tips for drivers
• Motorized bicycles
• Sharing the road with motorcyclists
• Vulnerable road users
• Neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs)
• Commercial vehicles
• Passing a commercial vehicle
• Lane changing in front of commercial vehicles
• Following a commercial vehicle
• Commercial vehicles and wide turns
• Commercial vehicle “no zones”
• Patience around commercial vehicles
• Railroad crossings
• Railroad crossing warning devices
• Special vehicles at railroad crossings
• Railroad crossing safety
• Emergency Notification System (ENS) for highway-rail grade crossings
• Highway work zones
• Late merge (zipper merge)
• Zipper merge procedure
• Benefits of the zipper merge pavement markings

Chapter 7 · source p. 59

Chapter 5: Signs, Signals and Pavement Markings

This chapter’s sections include:

• Signs
• Regulatory
• Warning
• Informational
• Regulatory signs
• Stop
• Yield
• Do Not Enter
• Wrong Way
• No Parking
• Speed Limit
• Do Not Pass
• One Way
• Keep Right
• Roundabout
• Lane-Use Control Signs
• No Turn on Red
• Center Lane Left-turn Only
• Reduced Speed Ahead
• Lane for Limited Uses
• Handicapped Parking
• Warning signs
• Railroad Crossings
• Railroad Crossings Ahead
• School Zone
• School Crossing
• Pedestrian Crossing
• No Passing Zone
• Slow-Moving Vehicle Emblem
• Animal-Drawn Vehicle
• Crossroad
• Side Road
• T-Intersection Ahead
• Y-Intersection Ahead
• Curve
• Winding Road Ahead
• Two-way Traffic Ahead
• Divided Highway Begins
• Divided Highway Ends
• Traffic Signal Ahead
• Road Turns Ahead
• Crossing Signs
• Slippery Road
• Steep Hill
• Lane Ends
• Merging Traffic
• Added Lane
• Low Clearance Ahead
• Narrow Bridge
• Construction signs
• Historic, cultural and recreational signs
• Motorist services signs
• Guidance and information signs
• Route signs
• Traffic-control signals
• Intersection gridlock
• A steady red light means “stop.”
• A red arrow means “stop.”
• A flashing yellow light or arrow means “caution.”
• Pedestrian signals
• Lane use control signals
• Freeway ramp meters
• One car per green light
• Pavement markings
• White lines
• Yellow lines
• Lane markings
• Chapter 5: Signs, signals and pavement markings
• Turn lanes
• Center turn lanes
• Reversible lanes
• Carpool lanes
• Warning markings
• Traffic officers

Chapter 8 · source p. 75

Chapter 6: Driving Conditions

This chapter’s sections include:

• Chapter 6: Driving conditions
• Using the Scan, Identify, Predict, Decide and Execute (SIPDE) System
• Scan
• Identify
• Predict
• Decide
• Execute
• Three-Second Rule
• Stopping distance
• Night driving
• Headlights
• Freeway driving
• Entering the freeway
• Freeway ramp meters
• Freeway speed and lane use
• Use of freeway or expressway shoulders by buses
• Message signs
• High-occupancy vehicle lanes
• Freeway interchange
• Diverging diamond interchange
• Navigating a diverging diamond interchange
• Stopping, parking and backing up
• Emergency vehicles on the freeway
• Getting off the freeway card record
• Crashes
• Distracted driving
• Distractions inside the vehicle
• Illegal driver behaviors in Minnesota
• Aggressive driving
• Obstructed view
• Carrying a projecting load
• Campers and trailers
• Trailer requirements
• Recreational vehicle combinations
• Winter driving vehicle safety
• Snow emergencies and parking rules
• Sharing the road with snowplows
• Keep a survival kit in your vehicle
• What to do if you become stranded
• Maintaining alertness and concentration
• Skidding
• Anti-lock braking
• Driving in heavy rain or fog
• Hydroplaning
• Driving on narrow roads and hills
• Blowouts
• Steering failure
• Brake failure
• Running off the pavement
• Watch out for deer
• Vehicle approaching in your lane
• Vehicle trying to pass you
• Stalling on railroad tracks
• Flooded roadways
• Plunging under water
• Fire
• Overheating
• Headlight failure
• Windshield wiper failure or sudden opening of hood
• Stuck gas pedal
• Vehicle crash with a utility pole or power box
• Carbon monoxide poisoning and safety tips

Chapter 9 · source p. 91

Chapter 7: Your Driving Privileges

This chapter’s sections include:

• Chapter 7: Your driving privileges
• License withdrawal
• Suspension
• Revocation
• Limited license
• Cancellation
• Commercial driver’s license disqualification of alcohol or drugs

Chapter 10 · source p. 94

Chapter 8: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs

This chapter’s sections include:

• Alcohol and driving
• Drugs and driving
• Effect of alcohol on driving skills
• Types of effects
• Judgment
• Vision
• Reaction time
• Steering
• Perception
• Coordination and balance
• Attention
• Things to know about alcohol
• Making lower-risk choices
• Minnesota Driving While Impaired (DWI) law
• Implied consent/search warrant law
• Penalties
• First offense
• Second offense
• Third offense
• Ignition Interlock Device program
• Felony DWI
• Underage drinking — no tolerance rule
• Commercial driver’s licenses and alcohol and controlled substances
• Cannabis
• Use
• Possession and open package law
• Open container
• Controlled substances in motor vehicles

Chapter 11 · source p. 100

Information Directory and Index

This chapter’s sections include:

• Information directory and index
• Web services
• Office locations
• Contacts
• Voter registration
• Organ, eye and tissue donation

Chapter 12 · source p. 105

Human Trafficking Is an Everywhere Problem

This chapter’s sections include:

• With An Everybody Solution

Unit 1 · 8 lessons

Your License

Permits, testing, GDL levels, and license classes

1. Who needs a Minnesota license
2. Identification and documents
3. The written, vision and road tests
4. Instruction permits
5. Provisional license, Vanessa's Law and the under-21 license
6. Driving at 15: farm, medical and moped exceptions
7. License classes and endorsements
8. Renewal, replacement and special cases

Unit 2 · 3 lessons

Your Vehicle

Required equipment and maintenance

1. Required equipment and lights
2. Mirrors, tires, windows and upkeep
3. Loads, trailers and recreational vehicles

Unit 3 · 8 lessons

Traffic Laws & Vehicle Operation

Speed, turns, passing, and parking rules

1. Keeping right and speed limits
2. Signaling, lanes and turns
3. Turning on red, roundabouts and multiple turn lanes
4. J-turns, divided highways, U-turns and lane use
5. Passing and backing up
6. Parking rules
7. Seat belts, child seats and airbags
8. Crashes, insurance, registration and phones

Unit 4 · 8 lessons

Sharing the Road

School buses, right-of-way, and vulnerable road users

1. Stopping rules and school buses
2. Right-of-way and yielding
3. Emergency vehicles, following and careless driving
4. Traffic stops and fleeing police
5. Pedestrians and crosswalks
6. Bicycles and mopeds
7. Motorcycles, vulnerable road users and NEVs
8. Sharing the road with trucks and buses

Unit 5 · 7 lessons

Signs, Signals & Pavement Markings

Shapes, colors, and what they mean

1. Sign colors, shapes and regulatory signs
2. Warning signs
3. Railroad crossings
4. Work zones, zipper merges and guide signs
5. Traffic signals
6. Pedestrian signals, lane-use signals and ramp meters
7. Pavement markings and traffic officers

Unit 6 · 8 lessons

Driving Conditions

Following distance, night driving, and emergencies

1. SIPDE, following distance and stopping
2. Night driving, headlights and deer
3. Entering and driving on the freeway
4. Interchanges, freeway stops and exits
5. Distracted and aggressive driving
6. Winter driving and staying alert
7. Skids, rain, hydroplaning and vehicle failures
8. Floods, fire, other emergencies and carbon monoxide

Unit 7 · 2 lessons

Your Driving Privileges

Suspension, revocation, and cancellation

1. Suspension and revocation
2. Limited license and cancellation

Unit 8 · 3 lessons

Alcohol, Drugs & Driving

BAC limits, implied consent, and penalties

1. Alcohol, drugs and impairment
2. DWI law, implied consent and penalties
3. Underage drinking, CDLs, cannabis and open containers