North Dakota DOT Road Rules — 15 Questions with Answers

Flashing red lights mean the bus is picking up or dropping off children, so traffic behind it must halt and remain stopped until the lights shut off and the stop arm retracts. Slowing down or passing instead is illegal and dangerous. How far back you must stop depends on the state; where the law gives a distance, it is usually 10 to 20 feet.

Tight or curving roads, intersections, railroad crossings, and wet or slippery pavement all leave less room for error. A lower speed buys you reaction time and cuts the distance you need to stop.

A stop sign, a red signal, and a stop order from an officer directing traffic each require a full stop. The same duty applies in other cases too, such as a school bus with flashing red lights or a train approaching a railroad crossing.

Most states require a parallel-parked car to have its wheels within 12 inches of the curb, and some allow up to 18, so staying within 12 inches keeps you legal in either case. A wider gap leaves the car sticking out into the travel lane, where it becomes a hazard to passing traffic.

Tip A gap of roughly 6 to 12 inches keeps you within the limit while protecting your tires from the curb.

Emergency vehicles may stop or turn without warning, and others may be following, so the law requires you to stay back at least 500 feet once one has passed. Trailing it closely is dangerous, and after it goes by you may resume normal driving while keeping that distance.

Without a sign showing otherwise, residential districts carry a 25 mph limit. Homes along the street mean children, walkers and bike riders may appear suddenly, so keep your speed down and stay ready to brake.

Total stopping distance is the ground you cover while reacting plus the distance needed to brake, which depends on speed, brakes, tires, and the road surface. Darkness can make hazards harder to spot, but the clock itself does not change how far the vehicle needs to stop.

Tip When judging how quickly you can stop, think about speed, reaction time, brakes, tires, and pavement, not the hour.

Headlights are required whenever poor light or bad weather keeps you from seeing people and vehicles 1,000 feet ahead. Using them then helps you see the road and helps other drivers see you.

Cutting across a parking lot, gas station, or other property to avoid a sign or signal is illegal. The only exception is when a police officer directs traffic that way.

As soon as you hear a siren or notice red or blue lights flashing, give the emergency vehicle the right-of-way by moving to the right edge of the road and stopping until it goes by. You must do this no matter what other drivers are doing.

When the wipers fail in rain or snow, ease off your speed at once, open the driver's window and look out of it if that is the only way to see, and then brake and leave the road at a safe spot. Wait there with your hazard flashers on until the weather clears or the wipers are fixed.

Highway traffic moves fast, so situations change in seconds. Paying full attention, scanning constantly, and being ready for hazards such as debris, stalled cars, or sudden braking all help you avoid a crash.

Passing must always be done on the paved, main part of the road. Pulling onto the shoulder or dirt edge to get by is never allowed, even next to a vehicle that is turning left.

Headlights are required for the whole period between sunset and sunrise, not just a short stretch at dusk or dawn, and also whenever rain, fog or other conditions make it hard to see. Your duty to use them does not depend on what other drivers are doing.

When a crash cannot be avoided, the goal is to reduce the force of the impact. Something that yields absorbs energy better than a rigid object, a stationary object is less violent to hit than an oncoming vehicle, and a glancing contact is far less dangerous than a direct, head-on hit.