Unit 1: The Driving Privilege
The instruction permit requires that the student only operate a vehicle when accompanied by a licensed driver over 21 years old who has at least one year of driving experience. The individual who accompanies the driver must sit in the front passenger seat beside the driver and be sober, awake, and able to observe and react to the actions of the driver.
A driver must be at least 15 years old and enrolled in an authorized drivers education program to qualify for an instruction permit. Applicants for an instruction permit under the age of 18 must meet one of the following requirements: *Possess a high school diploma or the equivalent *Be enrolled in a public or private school for at least 80 days of the fall or spring semester prior to applying *Be enrolled in a program to prepare for the equivalency exam for at least 45 days before applying Individuals under 18 must obtain a Verification of Enrollment and Attendance (VOE) form from their school when applying for or renewing a drivers license or instruction permit.
If you think driving is as easy as playing a video game, you couldn't be more wrong. A motor vehicle is a powerful machine that requires knowledge and skillful handling. Your mistakes can have painful consequences for you and others. On the road, you cannot escape the consequences of irresponsible behavior by pressing the OFF button.
A motor vehicle is a deadly weapon—perhaps the deadliest weapon you will ever control. Consider that in 2011, 32,163 people were killed by a firearm (and over half of these were suicides). In the same year, 32,367 people were killed in an automobile collision. To minimize the number of crashes that occur on the road, it's essential that you learn to safely share the roadway with others. Handle your car with at least as much caution as you would handle a gun.
When you apply for your instruction permit, you will need to sign a Zero Tolerance notification that explains the Zero Tolerance Law concerning alcohol use. If you are under 18, your parent, guardian, or mentor (whoever has custody of you) will have to co-sign this document under oath at the DPS. This person must also sign your application at the DPS. Before your 18th birthday, this person may ask the DPS to cancel your license by submitting a written request.
After completing the requirements, you will be issued an instruction permit. It will be valid from the date of issue until one year after your next birthday. Generally, an instruction permit will not include a photograph. If you do not pass the first time, you will be allowed to take each exam up to two more times before you must reapply and repay the application fees. However, you must successfully complete all tests within 90 days of your original application to avoid reapplying.
The DPS can suspend or revoke your driving privilege if you are convicted of two or more moving violations within 12 months, or if you are found guilty of certain Family Code, Alcoholic Beverage Code, or Criminal Code violations. In addition, all drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using any wireless communication device while driving. Violations of this prohibition can lead to fines and a suspension of your driving privilege.
All Texas residents are required to have a Texas drivers license to operate a motor vehicle. Most drivers obtain a standard Class C classified drivers license. This license allows you to drive a single-unit vehicle that weighs no more than 26,000 lbs, and to tow a trailer of no more than 10,000 lbs. To operate a larger vehicle, you must obtain a Class A or Class B license. In addition, a Class M license is required to operate a motorcycle or moped.
Remember that when you obtain your license, you have not proven that you are an excellent driver. You have only demonstrated that you have the minimum level of skills necessary to be allowed to drive on public roads. Even after you have earned your license, you will still be considered a novice driver.
As a licensed novice driver, you should be able to: *Demonstrate a working knowledge of how to operate a car *Use visual search skills to evaluate driving environments and decide how best to respond *Demonstrate the ability to adjust your road position and manage space around the vehicle *Interact with other road users in a positive manner *Properly use all available occupant protection systems *Understand how certain physical and psychological conditions can affect you as a driver *Practice under the supervision of a licensed parent, guardian, or mentor to improve your driving skills
To get the most out of drivers education, it is not enough simply to read through the course. You must also consider how you can best apply the lessons you are learning when you get behind the wheel. This can best be accomplished by formulating a driving plan at the end of each lesson. An effective driving plan will translate the material you learn in the course into practical strategies you can use to reduce risk while driving.
As you proceed through the course and learn more about driving, you will be able to improve and modify your driving plan to incorporate the additional skills and knowledge of dangerous situations on the road into it. You should consult your parents, guardians, or instructors as you begin to formulate your driving plan to take advantage of their years of experience behind the wheel.
You should not think of your driving plan as a temporary set of rules that you can consult as you begin to learn to drive. Instead, you should think of your driving plan as the repertoire of skills and understanding that you will continue to build and improve upon as you gain more driving experience. By consciously beginning to define this knowledge for yourself now, you will be better prepared to respond safely when you encounter a dangerous situation on the road.
As you review the information presented in this unit, consider how to incorporate the following topics into your driving plan. To reduce risk on the road, you must: Uphold your responsibilities as one of millions of drivers enjoying the use of the Highway Transportation System Respect other road users and the authority of agents responsible for preserving highway safety Recognize your limitations as a novice driver and improve your abilities with behind-the-wheel practice Understand the need for drivers licensing and avoid unlicensed driving and other abuses of the driving privilege Keep your driving privilege by abiding by the rules of the road and maintaining a zero tolerance attitude towards alcohol and drugs
You must follow the examiner's instructions during the driving test. You will not be asked to do anything against the law. If you violate the law, refuse to follow instructions, drive dangerously, or have a crash, or if the examiner deducts more than 30 points from your grade during the test, your license will not be approved. You will be graded on how well you control your car, observe what other traffic is doing, position your car in the lane properly, and signal as required.
At the Drivers License Office To apply for a provisional Class C drivers license at the drivers license office, you must: *Present a Texas Driver Education Certificate (Form DE 964) stating that you have completed both the classroom and in-car phases of the Texas Driver and *Traffic Safety Education Course *Present a Certificate of Completion from the ITTD course *Present a VOE form, proving your enrollment in or completion of high school or an equivalency program *Show evidence of financial responsibility in accordance with the Texas Motor Vehicle Safety *Responsibility Act *Provide thumbprints (if they were not taken when you applied for your instruction permit) *Complete the driving skills test *Pay the required fees
The first six units of the course present the first module of instruction as defined by the Texas driver education and traffic safety program. The lessons will introduce you to the basic concepts that you must know before you begin to drive. You must complete these lessons before you may apply for an instruction permit to begin practicing behind the wheel with a parent or guardian. At the end of the first six units, you will be given the opportunity to take the DPS test with us. After you take this test, we will give you a document that certifies that you have completed these lessons. You can use this document to apply for an instruction permit at your local drivers license office.
At the end of each unit you will be required to pass a short quiz before you will be allowed to proceed with the course. You will have to answer at least 70% of the questions correctly to proceed. If you fail a quiz, you will be required to retake the lesson before you are allowed to take the quiz a second time. At the end of the course, you will be required to complete a 50-question final exam. You will have to answer at least 70% of these questions correctly to pass the course. You will be allowed three attempts to pass the quizzes and the final exam. However, failures are cumulative. If you accumulate three total failures, you will have failed the course and will have to enroll in it again.
Classified licenses only allow individuals to operate a vehicle for personal use. Drivers who want to operate a vehicle for business or employment must obtain a Commercial Drivers License (CDL). As with classified licenses, Class A, B, and C commercial licenses are available. A commercial driver must also obtain a special endorsement if he or she plans to operate a vehicle associated with a high degree of risk, such as one used to carry passengers or to transport hazardous materials.
Drivers with certain impairments or physical limitations may be issued a restricted license. If a restriction is placed on your license, you will only be allowed to drive when certain restrictions are met. The restrictions will be designed to ensure you are a safe driver. A code letter will be placed on your license indicating the type of restriction. Some common codes include A (requiring the driver to wear corrective lenses), C (requiring the driver not to drive at night), and T (requiring the driver to use a car with an automatic transmission).
While each school's program may vary in terms of requirements, course structure, test and assignment procedures, and rules concerning grading, cheating, and student responsibilities, every drivers education course offered in Texas is required to teach essentially the same content.
Due to the higher crash rates experienced by 16- and 17-year-old drivers, in the 1990s individual states began requiring these drivers to complete a Graduated Drivers License (GDL) program before obtaining full driving privileges. Since these drivers have less experience and are more likely to underestimate dangers on the road, graduated licensing programs include certain restrictions that are gradually lifted as they demonstrate competence in driving.
Phase One Individuals between 15 and 18 years old must begin the GDL program by obtaining an instruction permit. During this phase, drivers are allowed to operate a motor vehicle only under the supervision of a licensed driver over 21 years old with at least one year of driving experience.
During Phase One of the GDL program, a driver must do the following: *Complete an authorized drivers education program (including at least 32 hours of classroom training and 14 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction) *Complete the official two-hour Impact Texas Teen *Drivers (ITTD) online course offered by the DPS *Complete at least 30 hours of driving supervised by a parent, guardian, or other authorized adult, at least ten hours of which must occur at night The driver must complete these requirements and hold the instruction permit for at least six months before he or she is allowed to proceed to Phase Two. In addition, a driver must be 16 years old in order to enter Phase Two of the GDL program.
Phase Two After completing Phase One of the GDL program, drivers between 16 and 18 years old can begin Phase Two by applying for a provisional drivers license. During Phase Two, drivers do not have to be supervised when they drive. Your drivers license will remain provisional until you turn 18. Your eligibility for full driving privileges may be delayed if you violate any of the provisional license requirements. Your provisional license will expire on your 18th birthday. At this time, you can apply for a unrestricted drivers license.
During Phase Two, a driver with a provisional drivers license must: *Only drive with one passenger under 21 years old who is not a family member at all times *Not drive between midnight and 5 a.m. unless he or she must drive to attend employment or a school-related activity or to deal with a medical emergency These restrictions apply until the provisional license expires when you turn 18.
Federal Government Federal laws and agencies are responsible for setting the basic rules of the road and general standards that govern the HTS for all drivers. Some of the most important laws regulating driving include: The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, which regulates vehicle manufacturers, establishing national safety standards and issuing recalls for defective vehicles The National Highway Safety Act, which establishes general guidelines for state regulations concerning licensing, vehicle registration and inspection, and traffic laws The Uniform Traffic Control Devices Act, which defines standard shapes, colors and locations for road signs, traffic signals, and road markings
Federal agencies, such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) conduct studies on traffic fatalities to better understand the causes of collisions and suggest potential approaches for reducing risks to drivers. This mission is also pursued by private non-profit organizations such as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. You will see statistics from these and other organizations throughout this course. Click the links provided here to find out more about the research they do.
Texas State Government While following the guidelines established by federal laws, the government of Texas also considers local conditions and culture to enact statues that regulate all aspects of the HTS, including licensing, traffic laws and courts, highway construction and maintenance, and vehicle ownership, registration, and inspection.
For the most part, the laws regulating the HTS in Texas are contained within the Texas Transportation Code (TRC). You can review the code for yourself, as well as all other laws governing Texans, here. The primary agency regulating the road in Texas is the Department of Transportation (DOT), while licensing is handled by the Department of Public Safety (DPS). Issues such as vehicle registration are handled by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
If you are driving and you see a uniformed peace officer driving an official police vehicle signaling you to stop, you must pull out of traffic as soon as possible. You must stop even if you don't believe you have committed a violation. The officer may be stopping you to deliver an emergency message, or because your vehicle may have visibly defective equipment or match the description of a stolen vehicle. Moreover, you may have committed a violation without being aware of it!
If the police have reasonable grounds to believe that a violation has been committed, they may stop you. In some cases, they may not even have to witness the violation themselves! They may serve you a citation, confiscate or mark your drivers license, order a vehicle towed, or, in rare cases, destroy your license.
Obtaining a drivers license will not make you safer or more responsible. Indeed, recently-licensed teens are among the drivers most at risk of a fatal collision: according to the NHTSA, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 15- to 20-year-olds in the United States. Moreover, young drivers represent a major hazard to others on the road. While 1,987 15- to 20-year-old drivers were killed in collisions in 2011, these drivers were involved in a total of 4,347 fatal crashes, suggesting that nearly 2,400 people were killed by these drivers.
It is commonly believed that a person can only become as skilled as an "average" driver after having personally driven over 30,000 miles. There are many things about the act of driving and many aspects of your own responses that you will not truly appreciate until you have been a driver for a long time.
When you pass your driving skills test, you will be issued a provisional drivers license. The provisional license, and all restrictions associated with it, will expire when you turn 18. Provisional licenses and licenses for drivers under 21 are issued in a vertical format. The provisional license will be titled in purple, and the under-21 license will be titled in red. ID cards for individuals under 21, which use a green title, will also be issued in a vertical format.
Once you have obtained your license, you should record your license number. Always carry your license with you when driving. You are required to show your license whenever requested by a peace officer or agent of the court, and to anyone with whom you are involved in a crash.
Local Governments Counties, cities, towns, and other local municipalities may also pass laws regulating the part of the HTS under their jurisdiction. Rules concerning intersections, traffic flow, and parking are typically established by local agencies. For example, while maximum speed limits are established by the state of Texas, some local governments may decide that lower limits should be established in certain areas
One of your responsibilities as a driver is to know the rules that govern driving in Texas. The Texas Department of Public Safety issues a handbook that discusses the specific rules that Texas drivers are required to obey. You can get a copy of the Texas Drivers Handbook by visiting your local drivers license office or clicking here. Whether you are driving in Texas or another state, you will be held responsible for any traffic violation you commit, even if you didn't know your actions were against the law. Ignorance of the law is no excuse!
Individuals who demonstrate poor conduct as a driver demonstrate indifference to the safety of others and disrespect for the laws of the state. The DPS keeps a record on every driver in order to identify, penalize, and deny privileges to unsafe drivers. While minor offenses may be removed from a driver's license after only a few years, some violations, such as driving while intoxicated and refusing to submit to a blood alcohol test, will remain on a driver's record for 15 years or more.
The Police Police and law enforcement agents represent the first line of defense against unsafe drivers. All police agencies, including local police and sheriff's departments, as well as the Texas Highway Patrol, are responsible for maintaining safety on the roads and enforcing all traffic laws enacted in Texas.
If you abuse your driving privilege, the DPS or the Texas court system may decide to take action against your license. *A suspension is a temporary withdrawal of a drivers license or the driving privilege for a specified period of time. *A revocation is a termination of a drivers license or the driving privilege for an indefinite period of time. The driving privilege can only be restored when all requirements associated with the revocation have been satisfied. *A cancellation is a withdrawal of a license or the driving privilege until the driver can requalify. *A denial is a withholding of a license or the driving privilege because the person is ineligible. The individual must meet the eligibility requirements before he or she can acquire a license.
The authority of DPS to suspend or revoke an individual's drivers license extends to that person's driving privilege regardless of whether or not they are actually licensed at the time of the violation. Your driving privilege will automatically be suspended for major violations including driving while intoxicated, intoxication manslaughter and assault, evading arrest and hit-and-run. A history of committing multiple moving violations or otherwise driving recklessly or negligently is also grounds for a license suspension or revocation.
To operate your vehicle on Texas roads, you must have it registered with the DMV. You are required to renew your registration and have your vehicle inspected at an official inspection station annually. During your vehicle inspection, its equipment will be tested to make sure that it is working properly and to make sure that it meets all applicable legal standards. Among the pieces of equipment that will be tested are the windows and mirrors, the horn, the brakes, the fuel cap, the tires, the seat belts, the emission system, and the vehicle lights.To operate your vehicle on Texas roads, you must have it registered with the DMV. You are required to renew your registration and have your vehicle inspected at an official inspection station annually. During your vehicle inspection, its equipment will be tested to make sure that it is working properly and to make sure that it meets all applicable legal standards. Among the pieces of equipment that will be tested are the windows and mirrors, the horn, the brakes, the fuel cap, the tires, the seat belts, the emission system, and the vehicle lights.
Under the Safety Responsibility Act, all Texas drivers are required to obtain liability insurance or otherwise demonstrate financial responsibility. The Safety Responsibility Act was passed to make sure that all Texas drivers are capable of providing compensation in the event that they injure or kill a person or damage property in a motor vehicle collision.
At the Drivers License Office When you apply for an instruction permit, you will have to: *Fill out an application with your name, address, county of residence, and U.S. citizenship status, as well as a brief history of your physical condition and your past driving experience and record *Present proof of your Social Security number, such as a Social Security card *Present two acceptable documents or a Texas *Residency Affidavit establishing that you are a resident of the state
*Present current identification *Provide the VOE form issued by your school and proof of your enrollment in an authorized drivers education course *Provide a physical description of yourself *Provide your thumbprints *Pass written examinations on road signs and the rules of the road with a score of at least 70% (if you have not already passed the DPS test through this course) *Pass a vision test (you may be required to wear corrective lenses while driving if you need them to see the road clearly) Pay the required fee
This course is designed to teach you the basic information and skills you need to become a good driver. The course uses a variety of different teaching methods. You will encounter illustrated reading material, movies, interactive case studies, and a variety of engaging activities.
Each unit of this course addresses a specific concept related to driver safety and traffic laws. Each unit is designed to provide the equivalent of one hour of classroom instruction. Texas law states that you are limited to two hours of instruction per day. This limitation means that you can only complete two hours of the course, or two units, per day. Keep in mind that due to this requirement, you must complete any unit that you start—if you leave a unit in the middle of instruction, you will have to begin it again the next time you enter the course.
Driving is not a right. Driving is a privilege. Texas grants the privilege of using its roadways only to those drivers that prove themselves to be safe, courteous, and competent enough to use them without posing an unnecessary risk to other drivers.
Earning your license is simply the beginning of a lifetime process of learning and demonstrating safe driving behaviors. Once you obtain your license, you must still continue to show that you have the skills and knowledge to drive safely. You may be issued a traffic ticket when you demonstrate poor driving habits. If you show yourself to be an unsafe driver by committing major or multiple traffic violations, the Texas Department of Public Safety can restrict, revoke, or suspend your license.
You must have a drivers license to operate a motor vehicle. If you drive without a license, you are breaking the laws of Texas and endangering yourself and others. *If you are caught driving as an unlicensed driver, you will be fined up to $200. You may face additional fines and jail time for multiple offenses within a year. *If you are caught driving while your license is suspended, revoked, or cancelled, you will be fined up to $500 for a first offense. If you do so while suspended for a previous offense, while driving without insurance, or while driving intoxicated, you will be fined up to $2,000 and face up to 6 months in jail. *If you cause a collision while driving without a license or insurance, you will be fined up to $4,000 and face up to a year in jail. The length of your suspension will be extended if you drive while your license is suspended. If you are caught driving without a license during the GDL period, you will have to wait longer to obtain your license. PREV 74 | 84 NEXT
Even if you're not ready to drive, you may want to visit the drivers license office to obtain an official identification card (ID). Frequently, a drivers license or ID card will be required to confirm your age or identity when you want to fly on a plane, purchase alcohol, etc. Obtaining your license or ID isn't the only civic function you can perform at the drivers license office. When you submit your application, you can also register for selective service, indicate your preference to become an eye, tissue, or organ donor, and complete a voter registration form.
To accommodate these drivers, there are over 4 million miles of paved and unpaved roads criss-crossing the United States. There are more roads in the U.S. than there are in any other country in the world! Every day, Texas drivers cross millions of miles of Interstates, state highways, suburban streets, rural roads, and more. Taken together, this vast network of roads is known as the Highway Transportation System (HTS). The HTS consists of federal, state, local, and individual roads, as well as the people and vehicles that use and maintain these roads.
Everyone who uses these roads, including drivers of private vehicles, public vehicles, and commercial vehicles, as well as pedestrians and cyclists, is part of the Highway Transportation System. With so many people sharing the same roads, eventually there are bound to be conflicts and collisions. No matter how safely you drive, you will eventually find yourself in a dangerous driving situation simply because so many people are using the road. Making sure that all of America's roads are as safe and well-maintained as possible requires dozens of federal, state, and local agencies to coordinate between each other. Together, these agencies make sure that the HTS is effectively planned, designed, engineered, and regulated.
In general, drivers must cooperate with instructions issued by the police. Drivers must: * Stop when signaled to do so * Sign any citation to appear in court the officer issues * Assist at the scene of a collision upon request * Accompany the officer to the station upon request * Submit to a blood or breath test when asked When stopped by the police, you must be prepared to provide the officer with your license, vehicle registration, and proof of financial responsibility.
The Courts Some traffic violations are civil infractions, while others are misdemeanors or felonies. Depending on the particular charge and how it is resolved, a driver may be fined, referred to a special program, or, in the most serious cases, sent to jail or prison.
Graduated licensing programs have been linked with substantially decreased rates of fatal crashes among young drivers. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that fatal crash rates involving 16- to 19-year-old drivers in states where no GDL program was in place were over 50% higher than fatal crash rates in states with strong GDL programs.
The graduated drivers license (GDL) program in Texas creates two phases of driving requirements for minors. Minors must complete both phases before getting a complete license. Among other requirements, the GDL program mandates that the student complete 30 hours of driving practice supervised by a parent or guardian. To begin the GDL program, a minor must complete the requirements for an Instruction Permit, and then obtain one.
Even with a well regulated transportation system, you will still occasionally encounter dangerous situations on the road. You can limit the impact of these situations and keep traffic moving in an orderly manner by always remembering to be courteous to other drivers. The golden rule of driving is: always treat other drivers the way you want to be treated.
The purpose of the drivers education and drivers licensing process is to assure everyone using the road that no driver is an unreasonable risk to themselves or others. Other drivers, pedestrians, and other roadway users expect and need you to be sober and attentive. Their safety depends on your actions. All drivers under 25 must take some form of drivers education in order to obtain a Texas drivers license.
In certain situations, the typical driver licensing process may constitute a hardship for the driver or his or her family. To accommodate these drivers, the DPS may issue a Minor's Restricted Drivers License (MRDL), or hardship license, to minors between 15 and 18 if they meet one of the following criteria. *The minor's family would face a hardship if he or she was not issued the license *The minor needs the license due to a family member's illness *The minor is enrolled in a vocational education program that requires a drivers license To obtain a hardship license, which must be renewed every year, you must still fulfill the driver education requirement. GDL restrictions regarding passengers, driving hours, and cell phone use must still be obeyed when driving with a hardship license. The hardship license will be suspended if you are convicted of two or more moving violations within 12 months.
Traffic violations can delay your acquisition of a license. For any offense for which your drivers license may be suspended or revoked, your driving privilege may also be suspended or revoked during the GDL program. This means your ability to obtain a full license will be delayed by the length of the suspension or revocation. Moreover, you will not be able to drive during the suspension or revocation.
In a sense, learning to drive is learning to reduce risk on the road. No amount of training would ever be sufficient to eliminate all the risks associated with driving, and society will accept these dangers as long as they are significantly outweighed by the benefits of driving. Fortunately, an in-depth drivers education program can not only impart knowledge of current driving laws and common driving scenarios, but can also introduce novice drivers to attitudes and strategies that will help them decrease the inherent dangers of driving no matter what situation they encounter.
Using the knowledge, skills, and attitudes you learn in drivers education will lower your chances of becoming involved in a costly, injurious, and potentially deadly collision. When drivers apply the lessons they learned in drivers education, they help reduce the costs of law enforcement, medical care, and property replacement. They also allow everyone to use the road with less stress about the dangers posed by other drivers.
Once you acquire your permit, you should ask a parent, guardian, or another mature driver that you trust to take you on the road so that you can learn and practice driving maneuvers. Only with practice will your driving skills begin to become automatic and comfortable. The adults supervising your behind-the-wheel practice should discuss with you strategies and skills for controlling the car and interacting with other road users. By sharing with you their own experiences as drivers, they can impart valuable lessons that may help you avoid mistakes in the future. In addition, whenever you are riding as a passenger with your parents or guardians, you should engage them in conversation and ask them to discuss what they are doing to help you better understand the process of driving.
While drivers licensing can help ensure that everyone on the road has a basic set of essential skills so they don't pose a significant hazard to others, some practice is needed to develop those skills in the first place. To allow them to legally practice driving before applying for a standard drivers license, young drivers are first required to obtain an Instruction Permit.
When required to attend a court hearing, a driver must appear, testify, and abide by all penalties that the court imposes. A driver's license can be suspended simply for failing to resolve a citation. The court has the authority to assign many penalties in addition to suspensions and revocations. For instance, the court may assign a driver to attend a certain educational program or complete a specified number of hours of community service depending on the nature of the infraction.
While driving comes with increased freedom and mobility, it also involves certain responsibilities that you are required to uphold. You are responsible for your safety, the safety of your passengers, and the safety of others on the road. If you were alone on the road, driving would be a much simpler task. However, with the roads becoming more crowded every day, it is your duty to know and abide by the rules of the road and to act courteously and communicate with other road users.
You must always obey traffic laws, even when you think there's no reason to do so. For instance, you must always stop at a STOP sign, even if there seems to be no other traffic on the road. Even if you think you're right, remember that everyone can be wrong from time to time. When you're behind the wheel, a lapse in judgment can be deadly. Laws are established to ensure safety on the roads by making everyone consistently follow the same rules. Failure to obey the law can mean serious trouble.
With so many drivers on the road and more added every day, it's important to make sure that every driver is safe, competent, and knowledgeable about the rules of the road. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues licenses and endorsements to individuals who have demonstrated the skills and attitudes necessary for safe driving.
In order to apply for an instruction permit, drivers under 18 must be enrolled in an approved drivers education program privately or through their school. A student may not begin to practice behind-the-wheel lessons until he or she has obtained the instruction permit.
You must complete all parts of the required traffic safety education program, including all online classroom and in-car instruction, in order for your permit to remain valid. As long as you are under 18, you will not be allowed to apply for a drivers license until you have completed all elements of the traffic safety education program, including all online classroom and in-car instruction. Waiting until your 18th birthday won't get you out of drivers ed! Applicants between the ages of 18 and 24 are required to complete an adult drivers education program in order to obtain a license.
Every driver is required to have the following minimum amounts of coverage: *$30,000 for the injury or death of a single person *$60,000 for a single collision that causes the injury or death of more than one person *$25,000 for property damages These amounts are often not enough to cover the damages caused in a collision. You will be personally responsible for paying any claims over the amounts provided by your policy.
You must present evidence of financial responsibility when: *Applying for a drivers license *Registering a motor vehicle *Having a vehicle inspected *Requested by a law enforcement officer or by a person with whom you've been involved in a collision If you fail to show proof of financial responsibility when requested by a law enforcement officer, you will receive a citation. After more than one offense, your driving privilege will be suspended.
When you have completed your drivers education program and the first phase of the GDL program, you must return to the drivers license office to apply for your provisional Class C license. Phase Two of the GDL program begins when you apply for your provisional drivers license. In addition, all teen drivers ed students are now required by law to complete the official Impact Texas Teen Drivers (ITTD) online course after completing drivers ed and before applying for a provisional license.
You will have to pass an in-car driving skills test to obtain your Provisional Class C license. While most people take this test with a DPS examiner, Texas also certifies some driving schools, employers, and other organizations to administer the driving skills test themselves. You will have to provide a vehicle for taking your driving skills test. Moreover, to take the skills test, you must provide proof of liability insurance and your vehicle must have a valid inspection certificate. When you go to take the test, you must also bring the Certificate of Completion from your ITTD course. The DPS requires that you complete the ITTD course no more than three (3) months prior to taking the driving test.
While the material presented in drivers education course is not always exciting, by studying it carefully you will be prepared to deal calmly with stressful situations. "Excitement" is not a good thing for a safe driver to feel, so drivers education always works to help you avoid driving scenarios that aren't safe. You should always be mentally present and apply yourself diligently as you proceed through this course. To get the most out of drivers ed, you should always be prepared to learn, focus on the lessons being presented, and review the material to reinforce your knowledge.
Your parents, guardians, or adult mentors should become involved in your education as a driver from the very beginning of the process. These individuals have a vested interest in your success. Not only do they want to make sure that you remain safe when you're behind the wheel, but in some cases they may be held liable for crimes you commit as a driver.