Nevada: Cheat Sheet

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Road signs

With no signs or markings, slow down and stop, if necessary, at the point nearest the intersection where there is a view of approaching traffic on the through roadway.
Signs have three purposes: they regulate, warn, and inform.
If the view of the cross street is blocked, slowly move forward to determine when it is safe to proceed.
A stop sign means you must come to a full stop behind the sign at the crosswalk or stop line.
Route signs and markers show U.S., Interstate and state route numbers.
Regulatory signs inform you of traffic laws and regulations, and you must obey these signs.

Sign shapes and colors

The diamond is the standard shape for warning.
Warning signs are yellow, diamond-shaped, with black letters and symbols.
The octagon, with 8 sides, is the shape used for STOP.
The rectangle is the standard shape for traffic regulations or directions to drivers.
Green on a sign means direction or guidance.

Traffic signals

For a red light, drivers stop their vehicle behind the crosswalk or stop line.
A yellow X with MERGE means the lane is ending, and the driver should prepare to safely merge into another open lane.
The yellow light warns that the light is changing from green to red so vehicles already in the intersection can proceed safely.
A flashing red light means drivers must come to a full stop and go only when the road is clear and they have the right-of-way, the same as a stop sign.
A red X with CLOSED means drivers cannot drive in the lane under the red X and must safely merge into another open lane.
A yellow arrow means the signal is going to change to red and warns drivers to clear the intersection.

Right-of-way, turning and passing

Right-of-way rules help traffic move smoothly through intersections and emphasize courtesy, common sense, and cooperation.
The handbook lists a one-way street as a place where you must never make a U-turn.
You turn into the right-hand lane of the roadway you are entering or the lane designated for the turn.
When approaching an intersection, you should look left, right, and left again just before entering it.
On school days a U-turn in a school zone is allowed from half an hour after school ends until a half hour before the next school session begins.
You may pass on the left only when you can see clearly ahead, there is a broken yellow line on the highway or in your lane, and it is safe.
The handbook says to decrease your speed to travel with the traffic already in the roundabout.

Alcohol and drugs

A second DUI offense within seven years brings a driver license revocation of one year.
A driver under 18 found by juvenile court to have been driving under the influence, or a driver under 21 convicted of DUI, must undergo an evaluation for alcohol or drug abuse.
A driver under 21 whose chemical test shows an alcohol concentration of .02%, but less than .08%, is subject to an administrative penalty.
Any court finding of driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance can cost a young driver the license for 185 days.
The administrative action may require you to file an SR-22 Proof of Financial Responsibility.
Both types of drugs can greatly affect motor skills and impair a driver's ability to think and react.

Speed and following distance

When bad weather makes it hard to see or makes the road slick, drivers need to adjust their speed.
At 45 mph the braking distance is 113 feet, after 165 feet of perception and reaction distance, for a total of 278 feet.
Stopping distances on slippery roads may be 2 to 10 times greater than on dry pavement.
The handbook lists never wearing sunglasses when driving at night as a way to make night driving safer.
Commercial vehicles should follow 5 seconds or more behind the vehicle ahead.
Some areas use flashing yellow lights to tell drivers when the school zone speed limit is in effect.
Each stretch of road may differ depending on sun, shade and sanding, so there is no completely safe speed on snow and ice.
Nevada has a Basic Rule for driving at a “reasonable or proper” speed, in addition to any posted speed limits.

Licensing basics

Restriction 7 requires a yearly medical letter.
Motorcycles are among the vehicles exempt from the Vehicle Inspection Report requirement.
When driving your motorcycle, you are required to wear a helmet.

Vehicle controls and equipment

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) developed the classification system for the degree of driving automation.
Turn your left signal light on 100 feet ahead in business or residential areas.
The driver should safely monitor and maneuver while backing, including checking side mirrors, rear-view mirror, over the shoulder (head checks), and camera(s), if equipped.
If the gap in traffic is too small to permit a turn, the system prevents the vehicle from moving forward.

Pavement markings

Drivers may not travel more than 200 feet in a center turn lane before making a left-hand turn.
A solid yellow line is also used to mark the left edge on multi-lane divided highways.
Yellow lines separate lanes of traffic moving in opposite directions.
Drivers may not travel more than 50 feet in a center lane after turning left onto the highway before merging with traffic.
A solid yellow line indicates that you are not to cross over or pass.

Freeway driving

HOV lanes exist to give drivers an incentive to use ridesharing and public transportation, which also removes congestion from the normal lanes.
Never turn around or back up; go to the next exit, get back on the freeway in the opposite direction, and return to the exit.

Parking rules

With no curb or barrier and no signs or markings, you should park parallel to the road.
Spaces marked with the symbol may only be used when the person to whom the valid disabled placard or license plate was issued is either operating or being transported in the vehicle.
At that point you straighten the wheels by steering smoothly and quickly to the left, keeping your speed slow.
When headed uphill and there is a curb, you turn your front tires away from the curb.

Railroad crossings

If the signal lights are flashing, drivers must stop.
The crossbuck (X) marks the actual location of the train tracks.
A crossbuck sign indicates the location of a train crossing and means drivers must yield to trains.

Pedestrians

The handbook says to be particularly aware of pedestrians at intersections, and to watch for them at stop signs, traffic signals and around transit stops.
Vehicles do not always stop, so pedestrians should make certain cars in both directions have stopped before stepping off the curb.
Pedestrians facing a yellow light must not start across the street unless a crosswalk signal or police officer directs them.

Sharing the road

The handbook says cyclists must obey the same rules and regulations as other types of vehicles.
The handbook says to always dim your headlights when approaching a motorcycle.
The handbook says large commercial vehicles take more time and space to slow down or stop.
Before pulling into the truck's lane, look for the whole front of the commercial truck or bus in your rearview mirror.

Seat belts and child safety

Law enforcement, firefighters and other officials may use reasonable force to rescue the animal.
The back seat generally is the safest place in the car.

Distracted driving

Getting ready to drive includes checking your attitude: are you calm and in control?
You may use the device to report an emergency if stopping the vehicle would be inadvisable, impractical or dangerous.
Using a handheld wireless device for voice communications is prohibited unless the device is used with a hands-free accessory.

Emergencies and bad weather

Skidding usually happens on ice or packed snow, but it can also occur on wet pavement or gravel roads.
The handbook says that, if possible, you should get all four wheels off the roadway.
In an emergency, four-wheel ABS pumps the brakes automatically at a much faster rate than the driver ever could.

Emergency vehicles, work zones and police stops

The rules for approaching stopped emergency, utility or service vehicles also apply to anyone attending to a repair of a vehicle.
Be aware of flaggers working to direct traffic and follow their instructions for everyone’s safety.
You must immediately drive to the right side of the road, clear of any intersection, and stop until the emergency vehicle has passed.

Insurance and crashes

SR-22 allows the Department to monitor the insurance of a suspended and/or revoked driver record through information received from the driver's insurance company.

Demerit points and suspension

A conviction of a major offense will result in license revocation, and these offenses are not assigned demerit points.
Careless driving carries 6 demerit points.