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New York driver handbook guide

New York driver handbook guide.

Use this guide to navigate the 16 chapters in the handbook edition behind Roadwise’s New York course. Read the source, look up a rule in the study app, or work through 61 companion lessons.

Read the handbook in Roadwise Open source PDF
Handbook chapters
16
Source PDF pages
84
Companion lessons
61
Licensing agency
DMV

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. Organ and Tissue Donation Source p. 3
  2. Table of Contents Source p. 4
  3. Chapter 1: Driver Licenses Source p. 6
  4. Chapter 2: How to Keep Your License Source p. 19
  5. Chapter 3: Owning a Vehicle Source p. 24
  6. Chapter 4: Traffic Control Source p. 29
  7. Chapter 5: Intersections and Turns Source p. 34
  8. Chapter 6: How to Pass Source p. 39
  9. Chapter 7: Parallel Parking Source p. 42
  10. Chapter 8: Defensive Driving Source p. 45
  11. Chapter 9: Alcohol and Other Drugs Source p. 54
  12. Chapter 10: Special Driving Conditions Source p. 60
  13. Chapter 11: Sharing the Road Source p. 67
  14. Chapter 12: If You Are in a Traffic Crash Source p. 77
  15. Chapter 13: Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Source p. 78
  16. DMV Consumer Directory Source p. 80

What you will find in each chapter

Chapter 1 · source p. 3

Organ and Tissue Donation

This chapter’s sections include:

  • CHAPTER 1 / DRIVER LICENSES
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 2 · source p. 4

Table of Contents

This chapter’s sections include:

  • PART THREE – Safe Driving Tips
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 3 · source p. 6

Chapter 1: Driver Licenses

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Types Of Licenses
  • & Vehicle Owners
  • Personal Use Vehicle (Rental, Recreational
  • License
  • Proof of Identity and Age
  • Proof of Name
  • Proof of Age
  • Vision and Knowledge Tests
  • Automated Knowledge Test
  • Online Knowledge Test Application The Learner Permit
  • the manual)
  • Regional Restrictions For A Junior Permit
  • Permits
  • Driving with a Junior Learner Permit
  • Preparing for the Road Test
  • Safe Driving Course Requirement
  • Driver Education For Junior Drivers with Permits For All Other Drivers with Permits
  • The Road Test
  • After the Road Test
  • Driving with a Junior License
  • Driving Alone with a Junior License
  • Motorcyclists and Moped Operators
  • NYS Drivers Visiting Other States
  • Change Of Address
  • License Renewal
  • Drivers
  • Drivers from Outside New York State
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 4 · source p. 19

Chapter 2: How to Keep Your License

This chapter’s sections include:

  • CHAPTER 2 / HOW TO KEEP YOUR LICENSE
  • Junior Permits And Licenses
  • Newly Licensed Drivers
  • If You Receive A Traffic Ticket
  • Out Of State Or Revocation
  • Chapter 9: Alcohol and Other Drugs)
  • Alcohol and Other Drugs)
  • Drivers Under Age 21
  • Speeding and Other Violations
  • No Insurance
  • Indefinite Suspensions/Revocations The Point System
  • Traffic Crashes
  • Fees And Civil Penalties
  • Assessments Or Revoked
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 5 · source p. 24

Chapter 3: Owning a Vehicle

This chapter’s sections include:

  • CHAPTER 3 / OWNING A VEHICLE
  • Registration And Title To Register a Vehicle
  • Proof of Ownership
  • Disclosure Statements
  • Proof of Sales Tax Payment
  • Proof of Insurance
  • Fees
  • Trading In or Selling Your Old Car
  • Registration Renewal
  • Insurance
  • Responsibility
  • Inspection
  • Complaints Against Businesses
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 6 · source p. 29

Chapter 4: Traffic Control

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Signs
  • Stop Sign
  • Yield Sign
  • Other Regulation Signs
  • Rules Of The Road
  • Work Area Signs
  • Route Signs
  • Traffic Lights
  • Proceed
  • Lane Use Control Lights
  • Pavement Markings
  • Edge and Lane Lines
  • Traffic Officers
  • Questions
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 7 · source p. 34

Chapter 5: Intersections and Turns

This chapter’s sections include:

  • CHAPTER 5 / INTERSECTIONS AND TURNS
  • Right-Of-Way
  • Emergency Vehicles
  • Move Over Law
  • Blue, Green And Amber Lights
  • Turns
  • Left Turn From One-Way Road Into One-
  • Left Turn From One-Way Road Into
  • Left Turn From Two-Way Road Into
  • Left Turn From Two-Way Road Into One-
  • U-Turns
  • Questions
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 8 · source p. 39

Chapter 6: How to Pass

This chapter’s sections include:

  • CHAPTER 6 / HOW TO PASS
  • How To Pass On The Left
  • How To Pass On The Right
  • Being Passed
  • School Buses
  • Questions
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 9 · source p. 42

Chapter 7: Parallel Parking

This chapter’s sections include:

  • CHAPTER 7 / PARALLEL PARKING
  • How To Park
  • How To Park On A Hill
  • Parking
  • Parking Regulations
  • With Disabilities
  • Questions
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 10 · source p. 45

Chapter 8: Defensive Driving

This chapter’s sections include:

  • CHAPTER 8 / DEFENSIVE DRIVING
  • Be Prepared And Look Ahead
  • Driver Distractions
  • Aggressive Drivers
  • Road Rage
  • Speed
  • Allow Yourself Space And Air Bags
  • How To Drive Safely In Work Zones
  • What is a roundabout?
  • Motor Vehicles
  • Exiting the Roundabout
  • Pedestrians
  • Bicyclists
  • Drowsy And Fatigued Driving
  • Symptoms of Fatigue
  • Effective Countermeasures
  • Actions for the Drowsy Driver
  • Telephone
  • Penalties for texting, electronic device use
  • Vehicle Condition
  • Questions
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 11 · source p. 54

Chapter 9: Alcohol and Other Drugs

This chapter’s sections include:

  • CHAPTER 9 / ALCOHOL & OTHER DRUGS
  • What Alcohol Does
  • Other Drugs
  • Alcohol, Other Drugs And The Law
  • Your Bac
  • .02 Bac =
  • Chemical Tests The Consequences
  • Repeat Offenders
  • Repeated Alcohol- or Drug-Related Driving
  • Zero Tolerance for Drivers Under Age 21
  • Containing Alcohol
  • Open Container Law
  • PENALTIES FOR ALCOHOL/DRUG RELATED VIOLATIONS
  • AGG-DWI (0.18 and higher Blood Alcohol Content [BAC])
  • Driving While Ability Impaired By A Drug
  • DWAI-Combination
  • Driving While Ability Impaired
  • Law
  • A Few Important Reminders
  • How To Avoid Trouble
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 12 · source p. 60

Chapter 10: Special Driving Conditions

This chapter’s sections include:

  • CHAPTER 10 /SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS
  • Questions
  • Grade Crossings
  • Railroad Crossing Warning Sign
  • Railroad Crossing Signals
  • Pavement Markings
  • Stalling on Railroad Tracks
  • Expressway Driving
  • Night Driving
  • Driving In Rain, Fog Or Snow
  • How To Drive In Winter
  • How To Avoid Collisions With Deer
  • Driving Emergencies
  • Vehicle Approaching Head-On In Your
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 13 · source p. 67

Chapter 11: Sharing the Road

This chapter’s sections include:

  • CHAPTER 11 /SHARING THE ROAD
  • Pedestrians
  • Bicyclists And Non-Motorized Scooters
  • Motorcyclists
  • Moped Operators
  • Guide To Limited Use Motorcycle (Moped) Operation
  • Large Vehicles
  • Side Blind Spots
  • Blind Spots in Back
  • Distance to Stop
  • Ability to Maneuver
  • Average Total Stopping Distance at 55 MPH*
  • When you pass
  • When a truck is backing up
  • When you approach a truck
  • When you stop behind a truck
  • Slow-Moving Vehicles
  • Snowmobiles
  • Horse Riders
  • Questions
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 14 · source p. 77

Chapter 12: If You Are in a Traffic Crash

This chapter’s sections include:

  • At The Scene
  • Emergency First-Aid
  • Reports To Dmv
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 15 · source p. 78

Chapter 13: Advanced Driver Assistance Systems

This chapter’s sections include:

  • (Adas)
  • Yes
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 16 · source p. 80

DMV Consumer Directory

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Upstate Region
  • Long Island Region
  • Metropolitan Region
  • County Dmv Offices
  • Dmv Call Centers
  • Office of Traffic Violations
  • Driver Improvement Bureau
  • (formerly Insurance Services Bureau)
  • Bureau of Consumer & Facility Services
  • Custom Plates Unit
  • Title Services Bureau The DMV website: dmv.ny.gov
Open this handbook chapter

Turn the reading into a study routine

The New York course groups the source material into 12 units. Each lesson includes handbook page references, examples, and a checkpoint in the study app.

Unit 1 · 7 lessons

Your License

License classes, applying, permits, junior rules & the road test

  1. License classes & who needs a CDL
  2. Applying & proving who you are
  3. The vision & knowledge tests
  4. Learner permit rules & who can supervise
  5. Getting ready for the road test
  6. Junior license restrictions
  7. Address changes, renewal & new residents

Unit 2 · 5 lessons

How to Keep Your License

Suspension, revocation, tickets, points & penalties

  1. Suspension, revocation & new-driver rules
  2. Traffic tickets & out-of-state violations
  3. Mandatory suspensions & revocations
  4. The point system
  5. Fees, assessments & driving while suspended

Unit 3 · 4 lessons

Owning a Vehicle

Registration, title, insurance, inspection & upkeep

  1. Registration & title
  2. Registration fees, renewal & selling a car
  3. Insurance & inspection
  4. Keeping your vehicle safe

Unit 4 · 6 lessons

Traffic Control

Signs, signals, pavement markings & officers

  1. Sign colors, STOP & YIELD
  2. Warning, work-area, route & service signs
  3. Traffic lights
  4. Lane-use lights & traffic officers
  5. Edge lines & lane lines
  6. Stop lines, crosswalks, arrows & diamond lanes

Unit 5 · 5 lessons

Intersections and Turns

Right-of-way, emergency vehicles, turns & U-turns

  1. Right-of-way rules
  2. Emergency vehicles & the Move Over law
  3. Signaling & preparing to turn
  4. Left-turn lane positions
  5. U-turns & the three-point turn

Unit 6 · 3 lessons

How to Pass

Passing on the left, on the right & school buses

  1. Passing on the left
  2. Passing on the right & being passed
  3. Stopping for school buses

Unit 7 · 3 lessons

Parallel Parking

How to park, and where you can't

  1. Parallel parking & parking on a hill
  2. No parking, no standing, no stopping
  3. Parking for people with disabilities

Unit 8 · 7 lessons

Defensive Driving

Distractions, speed, seat belts, work zones & roundabouts

  1. Look ahead & avoid distractions
  2. Aggressive driving & road rage
  3. Speed & following distance
  4. Seat belts, child seats & air bags
  5. Driving safely in work zones
  6. Roundabouts
  7. Drowsy driving & phones

Unit 9 · 6 lessons

Alcohol and Other Drugs

BAC, chemical tests, Zero Tolerance & penalties

  1. What alcohol does & your BAC
  2. Alcohol, other drugs & the law
  3. Chemical tests, Zero Tolerance & open containers
  4. Repeat offenders
  5. Penalties for alcohol & drug violations
  6. Interlocks, Leandra's Law & avoiding trouble

Unit 10 · 6 lessons

Special Driving Conditions

Railroad crossings, expressways, night, weather & emergencies

  1. Railroad crossings
  2. Expressway driving
  3. Night driving & headlights
  4. Rain, fog, snow & winter driving
  5. Avoiding collisions with deer
  6. Driving emergencies

Unit 11 · 6 lessons

Sharing the Road

Pedestrians, cyclists, motorcycles, mopeds & large vehicles

  1. Pedestrians
  2. Bicyclists, skaters & scooters
  3. Sharing the road with motorcycles
  4. Mopeds (limited use motorcycles)
  5. Trucks, buses & other large vehicles
  6. Slow vehicles, ATVs, snowmobiles & horses

Unit 12 · 3 lessons

Crashes & Driver Assistance

At the scene, reporting a crash, and using ADAS safely

  1. At the scene of a crash
  2. First aid & reporting a crash to DMV
  3. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)