Learners Permit (Tx)

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DISCLAIMERS: This is my note, please consume it caution, if you find anything misleading, please let me know. Thanks.

Revision Notes

shapes:

  • 🛑 octagon: stop

  • circle:

    • ⊗ rail road advance warning signs
    • ⛔️ circle inside square: do not entry
    • 🚭 circle with cross deny actions

  • rectangle:

    • ▯ vertical: generally for regulatory sign (speed limits)
    • ▭ horizontal: used guide signs (one way)
  • ⬠ pentagon: school advance and school crossing
  • ◇ diamond: warning hazards

  • triangle:

    • ▿ equilateral (down): yield
    • ▷ pennant: advance warning for no passing

colors

  • 🛑 red: stop, prohibited entry
  • 🟢 green: go, distance, direction
  • ⚠️ yellow: warning ️
  • 🟧 orange: construction
  • 🟫 brown: local recreation(parks)
  • 🟦 blue: guidance(hospitals)
  • 🔲 black/white: regulation signs

alcohol

If you are found on DUI(driving under influence)

  • if you are asked to for blood testing, and you denied the testing:

    • your license is suspended

      • first offence: 180days
      • second offence: 2yrs

  • illegal to carry the open container

    • closed containers should be in trunk or locker
  • legally intoxicated level: 0.08% Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)

  • drinking and driving:

    • is illegal, mostly likely kills or get killed
    • don't drive if you are drunk (take a cab)
    • don't ride with drunk driver also(they might be ok, but you could die)

parking

  • without curb:

    • uphill/downhill: right

  • with curb:

    • uphill: left / away from curb
    • downhill: right / sharply into the curb

  • Notes:

    • no person may park or stop a vehicle within 15 feet of any fire hydrant
    • no parking within 20 feet of an intersections
    • no parking within 50 feet of a railroad crossing

frequency:

  • A driving license could be suspended or revoked if person has

    • 4 or more traffic convictions separately occurring in past 12months

speed:

  • Texas: max speed limit 80mph
  • The default speed limit in residential (municipal, business) area is 30mph
  • The default speed limit in alley area is 15mph
  • The default speed limit in school area is 25mph

distance:

  • Q: illegal to park within how many feet of crosswalk at an intersection ? A: 20 feet

  • Notes:

    • When driving:

      • slower than 30mph : keep minimum following distance of : 2 seconds
      • faster than 30mph : keep minimum following disntance of : 4 seconds
    • it is illegal to follow within 500ft of a fire truck that is sounding its siren

  • Notes:

    • Never drive via left side(while passing) if you are within 100ft of crossing an intersection, tunnels, bridge, railroad crossing.
    • A foot brake must have ability to stop a car within a distance of 25ft at a speed of 20 mph.
    • If you are driving with you high beam headlight, and approaching a vehicle from behind, dim your lights within 300ft.
    • A rear view mirror must be able to reflect a view of a road for a distance of at least 200ft to the rear of the vehicle.

time:

  • Q: If you are involved in crash that is not investigated by law enforcement officer how long would you have report the crash ? A: 10 days

  • Notes:

    • provisional license not allowed to drive between midnight-5AM

license type

  • Class A:

    • Can operate combination vehicles (e.g., semi-trucks)
    • with a Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) of 26,001+ lbs, towing over > 10,000 lbs.

  • Class B:

    • Can operate single vehicles (e.g., buses, dump trucks)
    • with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 26,001+ lbs, towing under < 10,000 lbs.

  • Class C:

    • Covers passenger cars, small trucks, and vehicles transporting 16+ passengers or hazardous materials,
    • with GVWR under < 26,001 lbs.

  • Class M:

    • Required for motorcycles and motor-driven cycles, requires special motorcycle training.

General Knowledge:

  • A blind pedestrian might carry a white cane.
  • no-fault insurance covers insured person's losses and expenses associated with a collision regardless of fault
  • The minimum legal tread depth for passenger car tires is 2/32 in (1.6 mm)
  • Texas DPS has authority to deny issuance of driving license to someone who has been involved in criminal mischief like graffiti.
  • Defensive driving is using a safe driving strategies to prevent crashes. Defensive drivers should constantly be aware of their surrounding, be alert to trouble, and have plan of action prepared in case problems arise.

bicycles

  • Two bike riders are allowed to travel side-by-side, known as two abreast, if they are no more than 1.5 metres apart.

    • It is legal in any traffic lane on single and multi-lane roads.
    • It is not legal for more than two riders to travel together side-by-side, but a third rider can overtake riders who are two abreast.

age

  • Children under the age of 8 must be on car safety seat.
  • Minimum age for a person to get Class M license to operate a moped is 15yrs

Steps for your Learners Permit / Restricted Driving License

  1. You need to visit the dps office, walking appointment might not be options.

    • so schedule an online appointment(date & time) to your nearby DPS office
    • for texas: https://public.txdpsscheduler.com/ (if you don't have ssn, don't worry use any 4 numbers like: 5678, you will get appointment details via email )

    • finding your favorable appointment slot could tricky

      • if you need closest date, keep refreshing your page(check it periodically), you could be lucky to get appointments freed up by others
      • you would have to search other nearby office (within 1-1.5hrs, you might get appointment on less crowded cities)

  2. Take online test you can give online written test(~30 mcqs test actually, with passing socre if >= 70%)

https://i.imgur.com/ykcwyKp.png

NHSA exams are not proctored, but:

  • seriously study the materials, you could actually learn a lot
  • tips: make your own notes while studying, it was lot easier than I thought; actually it was fun.

learning life skills like driving and understanding road concepts in details is not something you want to outsource.

  1. Visit dps office with your documents:

If you are doing it from Texas, visit this: https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license/apply-texas-driver-license and do the needful.

tldr; gather all required docs:

  • id like your passport
  • i-94 with your F1/F2 (If you are on non-immigrant visa like me 😊)
  • 2 or more proof residence with utility bills(electricity, water, internet) or bank statement
  • SSN (they will ask you to fill up the form if you don't have SSN)
  • print out your certificate from nhsa

  • fill up the form for license: https://www.dps.texas.gov/internetforms/Forms/DL-14A.pdf and print it

    • you can fill this form at dps office also (but it will save you time at office)

At dps office:

  • ✍🏼 they ask you to sign the relevant docs, they will review all the docs throughly

    • 👀 they will take a simple vision test, you will be asked to echo(say) out texts/colors in a paper
    • 📸 they will take a photo(you can smile )
    • 💸 they charge you 32$ for the registration, you can donate some $$ for charities. (pay by cash/card is available)

As everything completes:

  • you will get a temporary copy of your learners permit(original copy will be mailed to your address in 2 weeks) / please verify it on your end before signing /
  • a receipt of your payment
  • Don't forget to collect all of your docs and you are all set 🚀

Q&A

  1. Can you take learners permit in texas and use it at san francisco ?

    yes, your learners permit is valid all around the usa.

  2. What is validity of the learners permit (driving license with restriction: 'A' )?

     Validity for me was 90days