North Carolina Driver Handbook: study guide

Key rules by chapter

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

1. Your License

• A Level One Limited Learner Permit is available to North Carolina residents who are at least 15 but under 18 and have completed approved driver education.
• The approved driver education course must include at least 30 hours of classroom instruction and six hours of behind-the-wheel instruction.
• For the first six months a Level One permit allows driving only between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m., and always with the supervising driver.

2. Alcohol and the Law

• For commercial motor vehicle drivers, a BAC of 0.04 or more establishes DWI.
• DWI can also be proven by showing the driver's physical or mental fitness was appreciably impaired by alcohol, drugs or both, regardless of BAC.
• Refusal brings an immediate revocation of at least 30 days and an additional minimum 12-month revocation by DMV, and the refusal can be used as evidence in court.

3. Your Driving Privilege

• Provisional licensees are suspended 30 days for a second moving violation within 12 months.
• A third moving violation within a 12-month period brings a 90-day suspension for a provisional licensee.
• A fourth moving violation within 12 months brings a six-month suspension for a provisional licensee.

4. Your Driving

• You must immediately report any crash involving injury or death, or total apparent property damage of $1,000 or more.
• The handbook suggests trying to set a limit of 300-400 miles of driving per day.
• The handbook notes that at 55 mph a vehicle covers the length of a football field in 3.7 seconds, so even a brief 'mini' sleep is dangerous.

5. Signals, Signs and Pavement Markings

• Failure to yield to a pedestrian when turning right on red carries a penalty of $100 to $500.
• U-turning traffic should yield to opposing right-turning traffic when both have their green arrows.
• With a flashing yellow arrow, the turn is permitted but you must first yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.

6. Sharing the Road

• A bicycle at night must have a front light visible for at least 300 feet and a red rear light or reflector visible for at least 200 feet.
• All bicycle riders and passengers under 16 must wear an approved protective bicycle helmet.
• A moped travels on the right side of the lane; to pass one you must stay at least two feet to the left.

7. How DMV Serves You

• North Carolina requires at least $30,000 for injury to one person, $60,000 for all injuries in a crash, and $25,000 for property damage.
• The allowable light transmittance for tinted windows is no less than 35%.

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 North Carolina, which are where most people lose points.