Introduction PA Driverʼs Manual

INTRODUCTION
This manual is designed to help you become a safe driver. It presents many of
Pennsylvaniaʼs laws governing driving. It should be used as a general guide to the
laws but not as a substitute for the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, which contains the
laws affecting Pennsylvaniaʼs drivers and vehicles. It should also be noted that the
information contained in this manual is subject to change.
The purpose of this manual is to prepare you to take the driverʼs examination and to
obtain a Pennsylvania driverʼs license. However, the rules of the road and traffic
operation principles presented in this manual apply to the three types of vehicles
recognized by Pennsylvania law: bicycles, horse-drawn vehicles and motor vehicles. For
example, all bicyclists, just like motorists, are required to stop at red lights.
If you are learning to drive, this manual will give you all the information you need to
study for the driverʼs examination. If you already have a Pennsylvania driverʼs license,
you can use this manual to review some of the rules of the road you may have
forgotten or to learn about some of the rules that may be new or have changed since
you received your license.
Driving is a privilege and not a right. This privilege comes with many responsibilities.
One very important responsibility is that you never mix drinking and driving.

For the days and hours of operation at a Driver License Center nearest you,
to download the most current forms, publications, and fact sheets or
to access PennDOTʼs online services, including scheduling your
On-the-Road Skills Test, visit PennDOTʼs Driver and Vehicle Services
Web site at www.dmv.state.pa.us
or call
PennDOTʼs Customer Call Center at
1-800-932-4600 (in state) or 1-717-412-5300 (out-of-state)

Please read this manual carefully, learn and practice

the rules of the road in order to become a safe driver and
enjoy your driving privilege in our beautiful state.

Courtesy of
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

THIS PUBLICATION IS NOT FOR SALE

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Table of Contents PA Driverʼs Manual

Table of Contents
Chapter 1 – Non-Commercial Special Circumstances and Emergencies . . . . . 45
Learnerʼs Permit Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Work Zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Applying for a Learnerʼs Permit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Railroad Crossings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Social Security Number Information . . . . . . . . 2 Sharing the Road with Pedestrians,
Pennsylvania Vision Standards. . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Bicyclists, Motorcyclists/Moped Drivers . . . . 46
Who needs a Pennsylvania Driverʼs License . 3 Sharing the Road with Trucks and Buses. . . 47
Junior Learnerʼs Permit Information . . . . . . . . 3 School Buses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Junior Driverʼs License Information. . . . . . . . . 3 Emergency Vehicles/Situations . . . . . . . . . . . 49
What Class of Driverʼs License Do You Need. . . 4 Horse-Drawn Vehicles & Horseback Riders 49
Classes of Driverʼs Licenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Snow Plows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Dealing with Road Rage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Knowledge Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Dealing with Driving Emergencies . . . . . . . . 50
Road Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Funeral Procession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Chapter 2 – Signals, Signs and Chapter 4 – Driving

Pavement Markings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Record Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Pennsylvaniaʼs Point System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Red, Yellow and Green Traffic Lights What To Do If You Are Stopped By Police . . 56
and Arrows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Crashes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Flashing Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Fleeing or Eluding Police . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Non-Functioning Traffic Lights. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Ramp-Metering Signals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 or a Controlled Substance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Lane Use Control Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Underage Drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Pedestrian Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Driverʼs License Compact (DLC) . . . . . . . . . 60
Blind Pedestrians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
School Zone Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Chapter 5 – Laws and Related Issues . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Railroad Crossing Signals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Required Notification for Change in
Signs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Name or Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Regulatory Signs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Seat Belt Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Warning Signs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Child Restraint Law. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Guide Signs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Air Bag Safety Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Pavement Markings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) . . . . . . . . 64
Parking Areas for Persons with Disabilities . . . . 64
Chapter 3 – Learning to Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Organ Donor Designation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Choosing Safety First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Anti-Littering Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Vehicle Checks: Preparing to drive . . . . . . . . 23 Passengers in an Open-Bed Truck. . . . . . . . . . . 65
Driver Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Vehicle Safety and Emissions Inspection . . . . . . 65
Inattention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Steer Clear Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Health Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Headlight/Windshield Wiper Law . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Alcohol and Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Snow/Ice Removal Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Drugs and Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Everyday Driving Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Chapter 6 – References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Managing Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Road Test and Special Point Examination
Managing Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Appointments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Turning, Merging and Passing . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Departmental Forms and Publications . . . . . . . . 67
Negotiating Intersections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Statewide and County Maps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Negotiating Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Information on Other Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Negotiating Highways and Interchanges. . . . 43
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Parallel Parking Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

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