If you become a licensed driver, then you can probably remember the lessons you learned in driver’s education classes. You will need to implement the behaviors you learned when you are out on the road. That way, you can avoid most accidents.
However, you might also see driver behaviors sometimes where you are not certain about their legality. Maybe you heard from someone at one point that you can’t legally do something, but that does not mean they’re an expert.
Understanding the legality of certain driver behaviors becomes important if you’re doing something while in your vehicle and you see a cop car pull up alongside you. Maybe you don’t actually know the legality of the activity in which you’re currently engaged.
In this article, we’ll talk about a few different driver behaviors. If you don’t know about the legality of some of these, it is time that you learned about them.
Can You Legally Turn Right on a Red Light at an Intersection?
Many drivers don’t know whether they can legally turn right on a red light at an intersection. It’s something that drivers might discuss heatedly, each one feeling certain they’re in the right. What’s the actual rule or law when you’re sitting at a red light waiting to turn right, though?
As it turns out, the law varies state by state. You will need to go on the DMV website for your particular state in order to make sure of how you can legally behave if you are trying to turn right on a red light at an intersection.
However, in most states, you can legally make a right turn on red in many circumstances. Usually, you can see from a sign posted there what you can legally do. Sometimes, you can only make a right turn on red at that particular intersection at certain times of day or on particular days of the week, so keep that in mind.
Can You Legally Drive with Your Interior Light On?
Someone might have told you at some point that you can’t legally drive with your interior light on. They may say that you can turn on your car’s interior light for a few seconds if you need to, but you can’t drive for miles at a time with it on.
No laws exist that state you can’t drive with your interior light on. If you need to turn it on to hunt for something in the back seat, have one of your passengers look, since you mustn’t let that distract you. There’s no legal prohibition that stops you from having that light on, though.
Must You Have Your Headlights on When It’s Rainy or Overcast?
If it’s rainy outside when you’re driving, or if it’s overcast, then you might want to turn your headlights on. That lets you see what’s ahead of you easier, and it also makes it easier for other drivers to see your vehicle approaching.
However, you don’t legally need to have your headlights on if you don’t want to use them. Here’s the thing, though. If you don’t have your headlights on, and another car hits your vehicle because the driver couldn’t see you, then they may sue you and win.
You might not get a ticket for not having your lights on, but in that situation, you’ll likely have to pay damages as a result of the lawsuit. You endangered another driver by not having your lights on.
Can You Drive While Barefoot?
Maybe someone told you at some point that you can’t drive barefoot. This also varies state by state, so you will need to look at your state’s DMV website to make sure of the answer to this question.
For the most part, there’s nothing that legally prohibits you from driving barefoot, or of driving in flip-flops, sandals, or any other footwear. You might argue that it’s not very sanitary to drive when you’re barefoot, but it’s not typically illegal.
Can You Have Your Brights on While Driving in a Busy Neighborhood?
If you’re driving somewhere with a lot of traffic, like in a residential neighborhood with many other cars around, maybe you’ve heard that you can’t legally turn on your brighter headlights, also sometimes called your brights. That’s inaccurate. You can turn your brights on any time you like.
Much like driving with your headlights off on a rainy or foggy day, though, this behavior can cause an accident. If you’re driving in an area with lots of other cars on the road, and your brights blind a person driving toward you, that can cause a crash.
Again, the other driver can sue you, and they’ll probably win. You didn’t engage in an illegal behavior, but you still engaged in an objectively dangerous one.
Can You Legally Tailgate Another Car?
You might see someone on the highway tailgate another car. That means they’re riding the lead car’s back bumper.
That’s not illegal, but again, it’s dangerous. If you do that, then the driver in front of you might brake check you. That means they will press down hard on their brakes suddenly, and you might smash into their rear bumper if you can’t stop in time.
Generally, you should keep a distance of three car lengths in between you and the vehicle ahead of you. That will give you plenty of time to stop if the other driver applies their brakes suddenly.
When Can You Legally Go While Waiting Your Turn at a Roundabout?
If you are sitting and waiting to drive forward at a roundabout, then you may not know when you can legally go. You don’t see a whole lot of roundabouts in the US. They’re all over the place in the UK, so drivers there generally know how to behave when they approach them.
The drivers in the roundabout already have the right of way. Legally, you must wait till you have enough room to safely drive forward.
