Montana: Cheat Sheet

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Road signs

The manual states that signs, signals, and road markings must be obeyed and that violators will be arrested.
Regulatory signs are rectangular with black words or symbols on a white background.
At a School Crossing sign, school children cross the roadway and you must stop if pedestrians are waiting to cross.
A Range Cattle sign warns that where there are no fences, cattle and horses may be on the highway.
A One Lane Bridge sign warns that there is not room on the bridge to meet or pass another car or truck.
A winding road sign means the road ahead is winding with a series of turns or curves.
A SPEED LIMIT sign indicates the maximum speed you may travel from where it is posted until a different speed sign is posted.

Sign shapes and colors

Red always means stop, yield, do not enter, or wrong way.
The railroad crossing ahead sign is the only round warning traffic sign.
Blue is the background color for traveler services information signs and emergency evacuation route signs.
The STOP sign is the only eight-sided traffic sign.
Yellow is the background color for warning signs other than temporary signs.

Traffic signals

A flashing yellow signal means proceed with caution, which usually means you need to slow down.
A steady yellow signal means caution, and the signal is about to turn red.
Montana law permits turning left from a one-way street to a one-way street under the same conditions as turning right on red.
With special lane lights, a green arrow means you can use the lane beneath it.
You must not enter an intersection against a steady yellow light unless you are too close to stop safely.
A flashing yellow arrow allows left turns, but you must first yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians and determine that there is a safe gap.

Right-of-way, turning and passing

You may turn around on a roadway where the driver has 500 feet of unobstructed view in both directions and no vehicles are approaching.
A driver may not join a funeral procession to secure the right-of-way that the procession enjoys.
Drivers turning left must yield to oncoming cars going straight ahead.
Moving into the middle of a four-second gap gives both you and the vehicle now behind you a two-second following distance.
When there is a lot of traffic entering, the manual says to use the center travel lane.
For a left turn you look for following vehicles, give the signal, and move over close to the centerline.
When making a left turn, avoid cutting the corner so sharply that you run into someone approaching from the left.

Alcohol and drugs

Alcohol affects your judgment, and judgment is what helps you to know when to stop drinking.
For a first conviction of an alcohol violation, your license will be suspended for six months.
If you are not sure if it is safe to take the drug and drive, ask your doctor or pharmacist about any side effects.
Alcohol slows your reflexes and reaction time, reduces your ability to see clearly, and makes you less alert.
The BAC for a driver under 21 years of age is 0.02.
You can lose your driver license if you refuse to take a BAC test.

Speed and following distance

The speed limit table lists 55 mph at night for heavy trucks on two-lane highways.
In heavy rain, tires can lose all traction at about 50 mph, and badly worn tires lose traction at much lower speeds.
Braking quickly could make you skid and lose control, and it makes it harder for drivers behind you to stop without hitting you.
The manual says that because vision is reduced at night, drivers cannot see as well, so they should slow down.
You find a non-moving object such as a sign or telephone pole and count until you reach it; the count is the number of seconds ahead you were looking.
If you reach the object before you finish saying “four-one-thousand,” you are going too fast for your sight distance and need to slow down.
On pavement that is unusually slick when wet, the manual says to increase the distance between your vehicle and the one in front.

Licensing basics

Both passenger limits apply unless the teen is supervised by a licensed adult driver.
The manual says you must choose to have either a state ID or a driver license, but you cannot have both.
Applicants must prove the legal name change(s) back to the original legal name displayed on the required documents.

Older drivers

Don’t drive after taking medications unless your doctor says it’s safe to do so.

Signals and vehicle controls

Other drivers generally expect you to keep doing what you are doing, so you must warn them when you are going to change direction or slow down.
The manual says to have the windshield replaced if the glass is damaged, since damaged glass blocks your view and breaks more easily.
The manual says that at times other than when headlamps are required, a red flag not less than 12 inches square must be on the load.
The basic hand signal for a right turn is the arm bent upward at the elbow.

Pavement markings

Shared lane markings (sharrows) help bicyclists position themselves in the right location and in the right direction in a lane shared with motor vehicles.
Lines separating lanes of traffic moving in the same direction are white.
Shared center lanes are marked on each side by a solid yellow and dashed yellow line.
Shared center lanes are reserved for making left turns (or U-turns when permitted) but can be used by vehicles traveling in both directions.

Highway driving

The manual says that when you observe another driver entering a controlled-access highway, you should whenever possible move to your left so they may enter safely.
The manual says to signal your intent to exit but not to slow down until you move onto the exit ramp.

Parking rules

The last step is to straighten your vehicle's wheels and pull forward in the space.
Park as far away from traffic as possible; if there is no curb, pull over as close as practicable to the edge of the shoulder.
Double parking means parking on the road-side of a parked vehicle, which is not allowed.
With traffic coming behind you, you put on your turn signal, pull next to the space, and allow following vehicles to pass before you park.

Railroad crossings

Advance warning signs tell you to slow down, look, listen, and be prepared to stop at the crossing ahead.
The manual says not to assume a train is not coming, even if you have never seen one at that crossing; that assumption is one of the leading causes of fatalities there.
The manual says to scan to the sides at intersections and at railroad crossings, where you should always expect a train.

Pedestrians

Pedestrians who are in the crosswalk when the DON’T WALK signal begins flashing should continue crossing the street.
People walking along the highway at night should wear light-colored clothing or carry a light.
You do not share a lane with a pedestrian or bicyclist; you wait until it is safe to pass in the adjoining lane.

Sharing the road

Upon meeting or passing from either direction any school bus stopped with its red lights flashing, a driver must stop.
Bicycles are less visible and, unlike motorcycles, are not required to have lights during daytime travel.
Bicyclists must by law ride as far to the right as practical, which does not mean they are always on the shoulder.
You should avoid driving on either side and slightly to the rear of another vehicle, and either speed up or drop back so the other driver can see your vehicle more easily.

Seat belts and child safety

The most important thing you can do to lessen injuries in a crash is to use your lap and shoulder belts.
The manual lists vehicles manufactured prior to January 1, 1968, as an exception to the seatbelt law.

Distracted driving

Try to keep an extra pair of glasses in your vehicle.
The manual says headphones and earbuds make it too hard to hear emergency horns and sirens.
Eat lightly. Do not eat a large meal before you leave. Some people get sleepy after they eat a big meal.

Emergencies

Accident forms are at law enforcement agencies or available from most insurance agents.
The manual says drivers have three options in avoiding a collision: stop, turn, and speed up.
The manual says to stop where other drivers have a clear view of the vehicle, and not just over a hill or just around a curve.

Emergency vehicles, work zones and traffic stops

Construction and maintenance signs notify drivers of unusual or potentially dangerous conditions in or near work areas.
The signal lets the officer know you recognize the officer’s presence; an officer may become alarmed if you fail to.
A driver in a funeral procession must yield the right-of-way to an approaching authorized emergency vehicle giving an audible or visual signal.

Insurance and vehicle papers

A 2nd or subsequent offense is punishable by a fine of at least $350, or up to 10 days in the county jail, or both, and suspension of plates and registration.

Points and suspension

The categories are personal history, licensing information, conviction/accident history, driver license sanctions, and motor vehicle accident history.
Driving on Montana roads without a valid liability insurance policy brings 5 points against your driving record, besides the fine or jail.