North Dakota: Cheat Sheet

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Road signs

With no stop line or crosswalk, you stop as near as possible before the intersection at a spot where you can safely see traffic approaching from all directions.
A square white sign with a red circle and slash over a truck is the No trucks sign.
The bicycle warning sign tells you to watch for bicyclists.
Guide signs provide information about directions, distances, available services, points of interest, and other geographical, recreational, or cultural matters.
Intersection warning signs mean you should be aware of vehicles entering the flow of traffic.
The rectangular Do Not Pass sign is on the right side of the road, while the pennant-shaped sign is found on the left-hand side.
An advisory speed sign shows the maximum recommended speed to negotiate the curve or turn.
The One Way sign means traffic on that road flows in the direction of the arrow only.

Sign shapes and colors

Service signs are rectangular, with white symbols on a blue background.
Warning signs are yellow with a black legend.
Most regulatory signs are white with black letters or red with white letters.
The Railroad Advance Warning sign is round, with black lettering on a yellow background.

Traffic signals

You may turn right on red after stopping when the intersection is clear of both pedestrians and vehicles, unless a sign prohibits it.
With a flashing yellow left-turn arrow you may cautiously turn left after yielding to oncoming traffic and to pedestrians.
A steady red left-turn arrow means left-turning drivers must stop and wait.
For a red indication you must stop at a marked stop line or before a crosswalk.
Green means go, but only if the intersection is clear.
A yellow indication means the light is changing from green to red.

Right-of-way and turning

The manual says never to pass within 100 feet of an intersection, a railroad crossing, or a tunnel.
The manual says to stay in your lane within the roundabout.
Vehicles emerging from a driveway, alley, private road, or building must come to a complete stop immediately before crossing a sidewalk area.
To turn left from a one-way road onto a two-way road, begin in the left turn lane.
At a four-way stop, the vehicle that stops first goes first.
The manual lists seeing any pavement marking or sign indicating NO PASSING as a time when you must never pass.
The manual says to change only one lane at a time.

Alcohol and drugs

A first offense with an AC of .18 or greater in seven years carries a 180-day suspension.
Anyone can report driving that would indicate alcohol impairment to law enforcement by dialing 911.
The manual says drinks at a private party tend to be quite a bit stronger.
The director shall cancel the license of a minor under 18 who committed an alcohol or drug related offense while operating a motor vehicle, when the listed conditions are met.
A chemical test showing .08% or greater alcohol in the blood means you are legally under the influence of alcohol.
The amount or concentration of alcohol in the blood or breath is known as Alcohol Concentration, or AC.

Speed and following distance

The increased weight from a trailer lengthens the distance necessary to stop your vehicle.
The maximum speed is 55 miles per hour on paved two-lane county and township highways if there is no speed limit posted.
You pick a shadow, mark, or object ahead and start counting when the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead passes it.
Snow tires or tire chains are helpful, but the manual says you should still double your distance for following other vehicles.
The manual says that as an operator you must adjust your speed to fit the weather, traffic conditions, and the condition of the road.
You should be able to stop in the distance covered by your headlights, even if you come up on a vehicle without taillights or a parked vehicle with its lights on.
There must be enough distance between vehicles to allow a passing vehicle to come into that space without any danger.

Licensing basics

North Dakota law requires registration immediately when the owner or operator becomes a resident or becomes gainfully employed in the state.
The manual says a legal guardian must present guardianship papers.
The minor is considered as never having had a permit or license before.
The manual says a non-resident must be at least 16 years of age to drive in North Dakota.

Signals and vehicle controls

Motorists must recognize hand signals given by motorcyclists and bicyclists and give them sufficient space to carry out their signaled maneuvers.
The inspection list requires an intact windshield and windows without cracks that could interfere with the driver’s or examiner’s vision.
If you meet a vehicle that does not dim its lights, look to the right edge of the road to avoid being blinded.
Every vehicle must have a mirror allowing you to see at least 200 feet to the rear.

Pavement markings

When both are used, you must stop your vehicle before crossing the stop line.
Pavement markings, like signs and signals, direct and control the smooth and orderly movement of traffic.
A divided roadway is a multi-lane roadway with a divider separating the traffic flow.
Crosswalk lines are a pair of white lines or longitudinal lines that mark where pedestrians will walk.

Interstate driving

Highway guide signs tell you the location of interchanges well in advance, so you can move into the proper lane early.
Speeds are higher on the Interstate than on city streets, so your vehicle travels further during your reaction time.

Parking rules

When parked uphill next to a curb, you turn your wheels away from the curb.
Safety zones are marked areas set aside for pedestrians, and you may not park between a safety zone and the curb next to it.
You signal your movement and stop even with the vehicle ahead and about two feet away from it.
Parking on the street side of a parked vehicle is a violation called double parking.

Railroad crossings

You must not cross the tracks when the red lights are flashing.
An active crossing has a traffic control device installed at the crossing to regulate traffic, such as flashing red lights, with or without bells, or lights with bells and gates.
When a moving train strikes a vehicle, the debris spreads out from the tracks in the same direction the train is moving.

Pedestrians

When you walk at night, walk facing traffic and wear light or white clothing so drivers can see you.
If you cross a road where there is no crosswalk, you must yield the right of way to all vehicles on the roadway.
Pedestrians in marked or unmarked crosswalks have the right of way.

Sharing the road

Truckers have a better forward view and bigger mirrors, but they still have serious blind spots or no-zones where a car can disappear from view.
Never operate a snowmobile on the roadway, shoulder, or inside bank of any road in North Dakota.
Only carry a package or bundle if it allows you to keep at least one hand on the handlebar.
The manual calls trying to beat a truck to a single-lane construction zone a particularly dangerous situation.

Seat belts and child safety

The manual says children are more vulnerable to heatstroke than adults are.
The manual states the penalty is $25 and one point against the license of the driver.

Distractions and fatigue

The manual makes it illegal to fail to maintain control due to activity not necessary to operating the vehicle that actually impairs, or would reasonably be expected to impair, safe operation.
The manual lists the inability to recall the last few miles driven among the danger signs of fatigue.
The manual says to stop and rest if you are tired.

Emergencies and winter driving

The manual says never to drive through whiteouts caused by crosswinds or plowing light snow, and to be patient and wait until you can see.
The manual says hydroplaning occurs when your tires ride on the water and not on the roadway surface.
In all crashes involving injury or damage, drivers must exchange name, address, motor vehicle insurance company, and policy number.

Emergency vehicles and work zones

The yellow-flashing light is used mostly on tow trucks and slow moving vehicles, and it warns you to slow down.
Arrow panels direct drivers into certain traffic lanes and inform them that part of the road or street ahead is closed.
Under the move-over rule, a driver approaching a stranded vehicle with flashing hazard lights should yield and move safely to the lane not adjacent to it.

Insurance and crash reports

The name of the motor vehicle insurance policy carrier and the policy number must be furnished to a law enforcement officer upon request.

Points and losing your license

When the record reveals a total of 12 or more points, the driver is informed that the authorities intend to suspend the license.
The manual says it is a two-point penalty on your driving record for driving in violation of the conditions of an instruction permit.