Road rules for foreigner need to know
Moving to the United States, there will be those who want to travel by themselves by renting a car or can buy a car for themselves. However, the biggest barrier for many people is driving and understanding the road rules.
Compulsory documents in a vehicle while driving – road rules number 1
International driver’s license
Proof of car ownership or car rental
ID / passport with your photo.
What to do in case of an accident?
Try to remember basic information like (vehicle type, vehicle color or, better yet, license plate number) of the vehicle that collided with you, as much as possible.
If the two sides stop, please exchange information politely, without arguing. The driver also need to contact emergency services and rent another car as soon as possible. Do not forget to provide all the necessary information with other drivers, such as your address, phone number, insurance information. Take photos of the scene and all damage. Wait for the police to arrive before moving the vehicle or leaving the scene. If the accident is not too serious, you can move the vehicle to a safe location on the side of the road to avoid any other accident.
Emergency services
You can get connect to emergency services by dialing 911. In some areas of the United States, you can call 511 to get current travel and traffic information.
Safety strings regulations in the USA
All passengers in the vehicle, both adults and children, must wear seat belts at all times. Infants and toddlers should wear seat belt to ensure safety.
Minimum age for driving – one of the most essential road rules
The minimum driving age for cars in most states is 16 years. However, some states require drivers to be 18 years or older. Most car rental companies require drivers to be 25 years or older with a variety of driving experiences.
Restricted alcohol
The amount of alcohol allowed to drive is regulated by state, but exceeding the limit is always severely punished. Some states only allow legal alcohol concentrations at 0.05%. It’s best to avoid alcohol if you want to drive. It is even illegal to open the lid of the wine bottle in your car.
Attention to all vehicle signals
Drive to the side of the road quickly if a police car, fire truck, or ambulance honk to warn you to pass.
You should know that when a school bus (usually painted yellow and clearly marked) is in the process of picking up or dropping passengers, all vehicle traffic must stop. This is one of the very strict rules in America. When the bus stops, it will give a loud “STOP” sign and the flash will blink. At this point, you must stop and wait for the bus to finish. The rules in each state may differ slightly, for example, about the distance from the bus you must stop and other details. So it is best to find out the regulations for the state you are visiting.
Paid roads
Paid sugar appears all over America. Some places take cash, but most only accept electronic payments. You should check the route before going to get the correct information and be prepared.
Speed limit – One of the most important road rules
One kilometer is equal to 0.62 miles.
Most states the freeway maximum speed limit is 65 mph and this speed limit is routinely monitored by radar guns (no radar sensors allowed in your vehicle). The speed limit in a school zone is usually 15 miles per hour and you could be fined even more than 2 miles per hour in this zone.
Note that some highways have six to eight lanes. If you drive in the left-handmost lane of the driver (Fastlane), you are entitled to run no more than 10 miles faster than the speed limit.
If you have problems with the police, following these road rules below
In the US, the police are not allowed to stop your vehicle just to ask for documents. They only approach you when they see you making a mistake. If you are in a vehicle and detect a police vehicle honking, flashing their lights to signal you from behind, you must slow down, find a safe place on the right side to stop.
Sit still, put your hands on the steering wheel and wait for the police to come. Therefore, when the police signal, you will turn the glass down a handful to let them see you clearly, if the car is dark, you must turn on the lights .
Sign the papers the police ask for even if you don’t understand. This confirms that you already know, does not mean that you agree to the police report. If you want to object to anything, you can go to court, it is normal to go to traffic court in America.
If the police find that you have alcohol in your body or vehicle that contains illegal objects or drugs, they can ask you to return to the station. Please follow the request of the police in all cases, they will respect you.
Keep in mind 10 important road rule in the USA
In addition to the above 10 things, you need to keep in mind and follow some general rules after driving in the United States.
Speed limits vary between states and counties or towns at times. As a general rule of thumb, consider 55 mph to 75 mph (120 km / h) on most major routes and 55 (88 km / h) to 65 mph (100 km / h) on networks. secondary grid – covers most sections of Line 66. The best way to avoid tickets from US police is to always observe the speed in each area clearly.
All vehicles in road traffic must go on the right side of the road, while the steering wheel is on the left-hand side of the vehicle. Observe the speed limit because driving too fast will result in a heavy fine. You must wear a seat belt, which is required by law if you don’t want a fine.
The traffic lights are usually red, green, yellow and red back. Wait until the green light to continue driving on intersections. Yellow appears as a warning that traffic will stop soon, do not speed up to pass the yellow light. Red light all stopped vehicles, except for priority vehicles, ambulances, and urgent duty vehicles.
If you hear a siren or see a police vehicle, ambulance, or fire truck behind you, pull over to the side of the road or slow down. It is illegal to block these vehicles.
If you see a school bus (yellow, flashing lights) in your lane or the opposite direction, stop immediately, wait until the bus lights and roll, if urgent, turn around and go other way.
Pedestrians always have priority, allowing them to cross the street, even when there is a green light.
Do not park at the signboard: No parking.
Use the turn signal when changing lanes or within a reasonable time before turning.
Watch out for four-way traffic jams where all vehicles must stop.
Conclusion
The traffic law regulations in the United States are very strict and each state has its own rules. Therefore, when driving in the US, you need to carefully learn the general rules and obey the traffic laws of this country.
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