driving regulations

Driving in the USA and Canada

Regulations

Introduction

Visitors from other countries would be most unwise to assume that claiming to be unfamiliar with American and Canadian driving regulations would be sufficient for them to avoid incurring any penalty for failing to observe them.

Accidents, Breakdowns and Emergencies

The following advice may prove helpful:

Although there are many Americans and Canadians who have the best of intentions and would be willing to assist should you suffer an accident, breakdown or emergency while on the road, there are a small number who prey on tourists. Don't be paranoid about this, but be alert. The ideal is to use a mobile (cellular) phone and call for help, using the 911 number (or other number if one is posted on signs on the road). If in doubt, ring 0 for the operator. However, most visitors from abroad are very unlikely to have such a phone of course. Putting the bonnet up is a generally recognised sign of a breakdown. Some car sunshades (concertina-like folding cardboard shades which are meant to be put up inside the windscreen when the car is parked in the sun) have the words "Call Police" on one side. If you have any doubts about anyone offering help, the best advice is to tell them that the Police are on the way. In extreme need, lock yourself inside the car if possible. It is almost always best to stay with the car.

Blind Persons

Drinking and Driving

It is certainly illegal to have an open container of alcohol in the passenger compartment of a car.

Four Way Stops

Every road approaching one of these junctions has a stop sign with the phrase "4-Way Stop" (or "3-Way Stop", of course) on it. There are no traffic lights.

At one of these junctions every vehicle must come to a complete stop before proceeding across the intersection, regardless of whether there is any other traffic in sight and regardless of whether a turn is being made at the junction or not.

If two or more vehicles draw up to one of these junctions and stops, waiting to proceed across it, then they should proceed in the same order in which they arrived - the first to arrive is the first to proceed, the second to arrive is the second to proceed, and so on.

The fact that the four way stop system works so well, with so few accidents, is a very good example of the difference between driving in the USA/Canada and in the UK.

Insurance

Intersections and Crosswalks

Left Turns at Intersections

When you are turning left and the road on which you are approaching the turn on has only one lane for left turns, or no separate left turn lane, and you are turning into a road which has more than one lane in the direction in which you are travelling, then you should turn into the leftmost lane for your direction of travel.

In Illinois, and probably in most other American states and Canadian provinces, if not all of them, you can enter an intersection in order to make a left turn at any time on a green light. When the signal turns red you can make your left turn after the oncoming traffic stops or clears. If the traffic in the opposite direction has a longer green light then there is often a sign warning you of this.

However, I have heard rumours of a possible regulation which states that cars should wait until the way is clear before entering an intersection in order to turn left. In other words this rule (if it exists, and there is considerable doubt about that) says that it is forbidden to enter an intersection and then wait for traffic to clear before turning left. Cars should wait behind the white line at the entrance to the intersection. If such a rule exists then it might only apply in some states and/or provinces.

I would greatly appreciate receiving any information regarding the existence or otherwise of this regulation. Please send EMail using the link at the bottom of this page.

In Canada the sign "Advance Green When Flashing" at a junction controlled by traffic lights means that the left turn is on a filter (i.e. the traffic in the opposite direction is stopped), that this occurs before traffic going straight on is released, and that the left turn traffic light will flash green during this time.

Littering

On Ramp Filtering

Parking

The road sign "Parallel Parking Only" means that you must park with the side of your vehicle parallel to the side of the road, not at an angle to it. This usually applies on narrow streets where there is insufficient room for vehicles to park at an angle to the kerb.

There are very severe penalties for parking in spaces reserved for handicapped people (indicated by the wheelchair symbol) without the required permit. These spaces are always respected in the USA and Canada.

Passing on an Inside Lane

Restricted Lanes

A "car pool" is a car with at least a certain number of occupants - road signs will say how many. You don't need to be part of an official car pool or ride sharing scheme to qualify - you just have to have at least the specified minimum number of occupants in the car at the time.

Beware of restricted lanes finishing and changing into shoulder lanes with little or no indication. This is particularly dangerous when the shoulder lane which is the continuation of a restricted lane has a bridge support in it or suddenly narrows as the road passes over or under a bridge or through a tunnel.

Right Turns on Red Lights

Some busy junctions have signs indicating "no right turn on red".

Where it is legal to turn right on a red light, you can also turn left at a red light when you are joining a one-way road, with the usual proviso that you must first stop and make sure that the road is clear. You must turn into the leftmost lane.

There is some confusion, at least in my mind, regarding whether you can turn right (after stopping and making sure the way is clear) when presented with a traffic light showing a red rightward pointing arrow (what in Britain would be called a filter arrow, but I don't think the same term is used in the USA). It would appear from some unofficial comments that I have seen in the rec.travel.usa-canada news group that this is legal in some states but not in others. For example, I have seen comments indicating that it is legal in Florida but prohibited in California.

The "turn right on red" rule was introduced as a petrol saving measure in the 1970's. It is designed to avoid cars sitting at lights wasting petrol when they could safely turn and continue on their way.

If you know of any other areas of the USA and Canada (other than New York City and the Province of Quebec) where right turns on red lights are generally prohibited, please EMail me using the link at the bottom of this page.

Finally, if in doubt as to whether a right turn on a red light or red arrow is permitted or not, then you can observe the actions of the vehicle in front. Failing that, you will usually be informed fairly rapidly by means of an audible indication from the vehicle behind should you fail to turn where such a manoeuvre is legal.

Running Out of Petrol (Gas)

However, I have had a number of people write to me saying that this rule only applies on some long bridges and similar structures and not on normal roads. I can't find any mention of the rule in the California Driver's Handbook so perhaps this is a myth perpetuated from one guide book to another.

Some correspondents have pointed out that there are a number of other long bridges and similar structures in the USA (and possibly in Canada) where it is illegal to run out of petrol.

Since gas stations (petrol stations) can be widely separated in the west, it is wise to fill up whenever convenient.

Seat Belts

School Buses

When a school bus stops to pick up or drop off children the driver switches on red flashing lights and makes a stop sign extend out from the side of the bus on a folding arm.

If a school bus has its stop sign extended and/or its red lights flashing then traffic in both directions must stop to allow children to cross the road safely.

According to the California Driver's Handbook you do not need to stop if the school bus is travelling in the opposite direction on a divided highway (dual carriageway), i.e. where there is a median strip (central reservation) between the carriageways. I'm informed that the same rule applies in Illinois. Passing a stopped school bus with its stop sign extended and red lights flashing may result in suspension of your driver's licence, so many drivers are naturally over cautious and would stop in this situation anyway. Some American states and Canadian provinces may vary in respect of this rule, so I would advise you to err on the side of caution and to stop.

Traffic Lights

Traffic lights turn from red to green with no intermediate red and amber stage as in Britain. There is an intermediate amber-only stage when changing from green to red.

There is often a separate traffic light for traffic turning left. Left turns are often but by no means always controlled by a filter (i.e. the traffic in the opposite direction is stopped).

A flashing amber traffic light is just a caution - you don't need to stop.

A flashing red traffic light means that you must come to a complete stop and check that the road is clear before proceeding. A flashing red light is not the same as a Four Way Stop, because cross traffic may be presented with a flashing amber light. Four Way Stops are explained in a separate section of this page.

In most states, if the traffic lights at a road junction are malfunctioning, or not functioning at all, and there is no police officer controlling the traffic, then the intersection should be treated as if it was a Four Way Stop.

U-Turns in Urban Areas

I once made a U-turn at an intersection on a divided highway in the town of Prince George, British Columbia and was immediately stopped by a traffic cop for doing so. He was of the definite opinion that U-turns were illegal in urban areas, even at intersections, throughout Canada and the USA. I escaped penalty because I was England and therefore ignorant of the law (not an excuse which is guaranteed to work on other occasions, I should point out).

However, I have received messages from several people claiming that the cop was wrong - that U-turns are permitted at intersections in urban areas unless there is a sign indicating otherwise. This is confirmed by a statement in the California Driver's Handbook saying that U-turns are prohibited in business districts (i.e. urban areas, or built-up areas) except at intersections. However, the rules may differ in other states and especially in Canada so I would advise exercising caution in making U-turns in urban areas and to avoid doing so if possible.

In towns laid out in blocks, U-turns can be easily performed by going round a block (for example turn left, right, right and finally right again; this particular permutation minimises the number of left turns and gives you a right turn back onto what is probably a main road).

Other Sources of Information

The AAA (American Automobile Association) publish a printed book entitled "Digest of Motor Laws". Public libraries in the USA usually carry copies, I am informed.

Many American states (quite possibly all of them) publish an official printed book entitled "Driver's Manual" or "Driver's Handbook" or similar. I would imagine that the same may well be true for Canadian Provinces.

Specific questions on American and Canadian driving regulations can be posted on the rec.travel.usa-canada news group or perhaps more appropriately on the misc.transport.road news group.

California Driver's Handbook

Massachusetts Department of Motor Vehicles

Acknowledgements