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Most people know on a basic level that there are differences between the states in their driving laws. Some states have t-shirts that sarcastically read “I am the same weight as my driver’s license says,” whereas other states don’t have this requirement at all.
But the differences apply to much more than just physical characteristics. Rules of the road, DUI policies and more have different rules depending on where you drive. And if you plan on taking that cross-country road trip anytime soon, it would be to your advantage to familiarize yourself with them. Fortunately, you can find drivers ed online and familiarize yourself with many of the basic rules before you even leave your home.
Speed limits
This is a big one. People who have never been to Texas might not realize just how different their approach to the open road is than states on the east coast.
While every state has its own laws, there are a few general rules that you can use to orient yourself:
- West coast speed limits tend to be 10-15 miles per hour higher than those on the east coast. This is, of course, because of the amount of open space and greater distances between cities, etc. While traveling from West to East might pose the biggest problem (beware, Texans: Hawaii’s speed limit is 55 in many areas), it can also cause headaches for people going in the opposite direction as angry tailgaters can be a fierce lot.
- Many states’ maximums change depending on what part of a particular highway you are on, with areas closer to cities having lower speed limits. Some states even have minimum speed limits on highways as cars that go very slowly can slow other cars down. Also, BEWARE of places like small-town Pennsylvania. Speed cameras are strategically placed in spots where police know you will start speeding up to get back on the freeway, and they are notorious for nabbing people who accelerate just slightly too soon.
- While most states have an understood policy of slower cars keeping to the right, there are multiple nuances from state to state. Colorado and Kentucky restrict trucks to being in the three left-most lanes of some highways. Florida and New York have actual laws – rather than understood ones – restricting slow drivers from being in the left lane. And there are further nuances still.
- Enforcement for speeding violations can also vary considerably from state to state. Arizona and Virginia enforce the most severe penalties on drivers that exceed the speeding limit (speeding can be classified as a crime), while Texas and Utah are known to have the most lenient enforcement. Speeding violations can include fines, the accumulation of penalty points, and eventually license suspension or even revocation.
Seat Belt Laws
Seat belt laws might seem like something that would be standardized from state to state. However, this too varies in ways that you might not think about. Variation specificity includes the following:
- Primary versus secondary enforcement. States that implement primary enforcement follow the principle that law enforcement is legally able to stop a vehicle and give the driver a ticket only because of a seatbelt violation. This can include both not wearing one, or wearing one incorrectly. Primary enforcement states are actually the majority of US states, and also include DC and territories such as Guam and the Northern Marianna Islands!
- States that follow secondary enforcement rules allow law enforcement officials to issue a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt only if there was another reason to pull over the driver. While there are a slightly lower number of secondary-enforcement states, you should read up before becoming too lax about your seat belt standards.
- Front and rear-seat occupants. States vary considerably in terms of whether both front- and rear-seat occupants are required to wear seatbelts, or just front-seat occupants. There are also a few states that only require children up to a certain age to wear seatbelts in the back seat, but not anyone older than the required age. In the state of New Hampshire, only adults 18 and older are required to wear seatbelts in both the front and the back seats.
Cell Phone Usage
Most states have total bans on the hand-held use of cell phones while driving, but there are differences between states in specific aspects of their usage. Differences include the following:
- Many states allow the use of hands-free devices while driving. As many phones also act as GPSes, it is understood that drivers will want to use their phones for this purpose. However, in 31 states, it is required that the driver find a place to secure the phone while driving so that they don’t have to hold it.
- All states but Alabama and Missouri allow for primary enforcement rules for drivers that are using their phones while driving. In other words, they can be pulled over strictly for this reason and no other.
- Most states ban texting while driving, but not all.
- There are a few exceptions – which also vary from state to state – for drivers in emergency situations. While law enforcement officials still have the right to pull drivers over for cell phone law violations, they may get off without a penalty if it is clear that they have a real emergency.
DUI Laws
DUI laws are complex and diverse. Variations include the following major differences:
- Blood alcohol content level. Unlike many countries in the world, where any amount of blood alcohol content is illegal, no US state has a zero tolerance law. Utah has the lowest BAC, where the legal limit is 0.05% (as opposed to 0.08% for most states). However, every US state has zero tolerance laws for drivers under 21 because it is illegal to drink until you are 21.
- The degree of punishment varies from state to state. States vary in terms of both the severity of punishments for different levels of alcohol in the blood, and in terms of absolute numbers. As with other types of violations, punishments can include fines, points, suspension, and forcing drivers to go through remedial driver education programs. Arizona is said to have the strictest laws altogether.
Learn the rules and you’ll be good
Taking the time to learn the rules of the states you’re planning to drive through won’t take that long, and you will be glad you did so in the end. If you find yourself in a situation where you aren’t sure about a particular state’s laws, it is always a good idea to err on the side of caution. For example, if you’re not sure about a speed limit, drive a bit slower. If you’re not sure about a BAC limit, be sure to drive sober. Figure this out in advance, and you should be in good shape to have an awesome road trip.
