Class D & E Driver's Guide
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Class D & E Driver’s Guide LOUISIANA OFFICE OF MOTOR VEHICLES DPSMV2052 (R042013) Message from the Commissioner “Welcome to driving in Louisiana.” I am pleased to present the Louisiana Driver’s Guide to our new and current drivers. This guide is designed to provide you with the rules of the road, knowledge to assist you in making better driving decisions and valuable information on safety and sharing the road with others. It is incumbent upon you, the driver, to respect all traffic laws and other drivers as well. Driving is a vital part of life. It provides you with a means of attaining the necessities of daily living as well as providing you with the added convenience to move about at leisure. The driving experience, however, is a privilege and comes with great responsibilities. Please strive to become a safe and dependable driver to ensure that this privilege is not lost. Driving, the same as life is a constant learning experience. The information contained in this guide, along with your experience and responsive actions while driving will assist in protecting you, your family, and other drivers. This guide is not intended to be an official legal reference to the Louisiana traffic laws. It only highlights those laws, driving practices and procedures that you will use most often. It should be noted that the material in this guide is subject to change to comply with amended State and Federal legislations. Remember to buckle up. Safety belts save lives. Let’s work together to make Louisiana a safer place for all. Karen G. St. Germain Karen G. St. Germain Commissioner CHAPTER 1 ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 GETTING A DRIVER’S LICENSE .......................................................................................................................................... 1 WHO MUST HAVE A DRIVER’S LICENSE? ............................................................................................................... 1 CLASSES OF LICENSE ......................................................................................................................................................... 1 IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................................................................... 2 GRADUATED LICENSING PROGRAM .......................................................................................................................... 6 DRIVER’S LICENSE TESTS ................................................................................................................................................ 8 REVOCATION OF YOUR LICENSE ............................................................................................................................. 12 CHAPTER 2 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM ...................................................................................................................... 17 MAKE UP OF A COMPLEX SYSTEM .......................................................................................................................... 17 THREE MAIN COMPONENTS ......................................................................................................................................... 17 NUMBER AND TYPES OF HIGHWAYS ..................................................................................................................... 20 CHAPTER 3 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 SIGNS, TRAFFIC LIGHTS, AND PAVEMENT MARKINGS ................................................................................... 22 TRAFFIC SIGNS ...................................................................................................................................................................... 22 TRAFFIC SIGNALS ................................................................................................................................................................ 33 LANE MARKINGS ................................................................................................................................................................... 34 CHAPTER 4 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 38 BASIC DRIVING AND SAFETY ............................................................................................................................................ 38 USE OF SAFETY BELTS .................................................................................................................................................... 39 PREPARING TO DRIVE ...................................................................................................................................................... 44 DRIVING HABITS .................................................................................................................................................................... 47 STEERING METHODS ........................................................................................................................................................ 49 SEASONAL CHANGES AND HOW THEY AFFECT DRIVING ....................................................................... 51 CHAPTER 5 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 54 SAFE DRIVING HABITS .......................................................................................................................................................... 54 DEFENSIVE DRIVING TECHNIQUES ......................................................................................................................... 55 ILLNESS AND DRIVING ...................................................................................................................................................... 58 AGGRESSIVE DRIVING/ROAD RAGE ....................................................................................................................... 59 LOOKING AND SCANNING AHEAD ............................................................................................................................ 61 FOLLOWING DISTANCES ................................................................................................................................................. 65 SAFETY TIPS ON PASSING ............................................................................................................................................ 71 NIGHT DRIVING ...................................................................................................................................................................... 73 SHARING THE ROAD WITH BICYCLES .................................................................................................................... 78 SHARING THE ROAD WITH MOTORCYCLES ...................................................................................................... 80 SHARING THE ROAD WITH BIG TRUCKS .............................................................................................................. 81 CHAPTER 6 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 85 TRAFFIC LAWS AND REGULATIONS ............................................................................................................................. 85 RAILROAD GRADE CROSSING .................................................................................................................................... 94 OTHER LAWS YOU SHOULD KNOW ......................................................................................................................... 97 AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE FRAUD ........................................................................................................................ 100 TIPS TO PREVENT VEHICLE REPAIR FRAUD ................................................................................................. 100 TIPS TO AVOID BECOMING A VICTIM OF A STAGED AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT...................... 100 TIPS TO PREVENT AUTOMOBILE THEFT – “PARK SMART” ................................................................... 101 CHAPTER 7 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 102 INTERSTATE DRIVING AND RURAL ROADS ......................................................................................................... 102 GENERAL INTERSTATE DRIVING ............................................................................................................................ 102 RURAL ROADS .................................................................................................................................................................... 105 SLOW MOVING