Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide (form 99-0117): study guide

Key rules by chapter

A few of the rules from each chapter that come up in our practice questions:

0. Customer service guide: offices, fees, records, license classes, permits, GDL, ID cards

• Arizona issues graduated and motorcycle instruction permits starting at age 15½ (15 years, 6 months).
• You must be at least 18 for an operator permit; younger applicants get a graduated permit.
• A permit driver needs a companion who is at least 21, holds a Class A, B, C or D license, and sits in the front passenger seat.

1. Before You Drive

• A working horn that can be heard for 200 feet is required.
• Defensive driving means staying aware of conditions, planning ahead, anticipating dangers and acting to avoid contact with obstacles or vehicles.
• Head restraints should fit against the back of your head and line up with the middle of the ear to reduce whiplash in rear-end crashes.

2. Safe Driving Practices

• Arizona prohibits holding or supporting a wireless device, reading or writing texts, and watching video while driving; hands-free and voice-to-text are allowed.
• A wireless device may only be held while driving to report an emergency.
• Signal at least 100 feet (approximately 4 seconds) before you turn; the law requires it.

3. Roadway and Vehicle Knowledge

• MVD must order Traffic Survival School for every red light conviction; failure to complete it results in an indefinite suspension.
• During the posted HOV hours (Monday through Friday), a vehicle needs at least two occupants, counting the driver, to use the lane.
• Speeding up to make it through on yellow is against the law and can lead to a crash.

4. Sharing the Road with Other Vehicles

• A motorcyclist may filter past stopped vehicles only on roads with 2+ same-direction lanes and a posted limit of 45 mph or less, traveling no faster than 15 mph.
• Arizona law requires at least 3 feet of space between your vehicle and a bicyclist you pass going the same direction.
• At night bicyclists need a white head lamp visible from 500 feet and a rear reflector; a rear flashing red beacon improves visibility.

5. Actively Avoiding Crashes (incl. impaired driving, DUI, points, suspensions)

• Collecting 8 or more points in any 12-month span means you must attend Traffic Survival School, or your privilege may be suspended.
• Speeding is assessed 3 points.
• DUI, extreme DUI, reckless driving, racing, aggressive driving and aggravated DUI are each 8 points.

6. Handling Emergencies

• Failure to stop at a crash with only vehicle damage brings a 1-year suspension; injury, serious injury or death bring 3, 5 and 10-year revocations.
• Failure to stop at a crash involving a death results in a 10-year revocation, not including time incarcerated.
• If the animal isn't yet on the road, don't sound your horn; it may startle it into running in front of you.

7. Law Enforcement (traffic stop safety)

• Failure to stop at a crash with only vehicle damage brings a 1-year suspension; injury, serious injury or death bring 3, 5 and 10-year revocations.
• Failure to stop at a crash involving a death results in a 10-year revocation, not including time incarcerated.
• Signing a traffic ticket is not an admission of guilt; however, refusing to sign may result in arrest.

How to study the handbook

Read one chapter, then take a practice test. Every answer explanation names the handbook section it comes from, so when you get one wrong, go back to that section. Pay most attention to exact numbers and to the rules specific to Arizona, which are where most people lose points.