Arizona Permit Test Key Numbers: Speeds, Distances & Fines

Speed limits when no sign is posted

SCHOOL15approaching a school crosswalk

TOWN25business or residential

HIGHWAY55open highway or city freeway

OPEN65designated open highway

RURAL75rural freeway

White speed sign = legal maximum. Orange speed sign = only a recommendation. (p. 40)

Distances (yellow border = commonly missed)

3 secminimum following distancecount one-thousand-one…three

6 secfollowing distance on slippery roads or in raindouble it

100 ftsignal before every turnabout 4 seconds

100 ftno passing near an intersection, rail crossing, bridge or tunnel

15 ftno parking near a fire hydrant

20 ftno parking near a crosswalk at an intersection

50 ftno parking near a railroad crossing

15 ftstop at least this far from railroad trackswhen lights flash or the gate is down

500 ftdim high beams for oncoming cars

200 ftuse low beams when following a car

500 ftstay behind a fire truck on a call

300 ftstay behind a police car on a call

3 ftminimum space when passing a bicycle

2 ftgap from the car ahead when you start to parallel park

1 blockhow far ahead to look while driving

1.5 secaverage time to notice + react0.75 + 0.75

Alcohol, points & penalties

0.00legal BAC if you're under 21zero tolerance · 2-yr suspension

0.08DUI for 21 and overcan be DUI below this if impaired

0.04DUI in a commercial vehicle

0.15Extreme DUI0.20+ is even harsher

12 molicense suspension for refusing a DUI test24 mo if 2nd within 84 months

8 ptsin 12 months → Traffic Survival School

3 ptsspeeding · driving over a gore areamost others: 2

6 ptsleaving the scene of a crashthe LOWEST of the serious ones (DUI/reckless = 8)

Permit & license rules

15½minimum age for a graduated permit18 for an operator permit

21+age of licensed driver who must sit beside you

12 mohow long a permit is valid

6 mohold your permit before a graduated license

30 hrssupervised practice, 10 of them at nightif no driver's ed

12–5no driving midnight to 5 a.m. (first 6 months)with exceptions

1max passengers under 18 (first 6 months)siblings don't count

10 daysreport a name or address change

25/50/15minimum insurance ($ thousands)

< 5child must be in a car seat5–8 until 4 ft 9 in tall

< 16driver must make these passengers buckle up

≤ 12kids this age shouldn't ride in frontair bags

Picture these

Image from the Arizona Driver License Manual

Parking on hillsDownhill: wheels toward the curb. Uphill with a curb: wheels away (left). No curb: always turn right.

Hand signal: LEFTArm straight out.

Hand signal: RIGHTArm bent UP.

Hand signal: SLOW / STOPArm bent DOWN.

White curbPick up or drop off passengers only.

Yellow curbLoad or unload. Stay with your car.

Red curbNo stopping, standing or parking.

Solid + broken yellowBroken line on YOUR side = you may pass.

Double yellowNo passing either way. Cross only to turn left.

School bus, undivided roadEVERYONE stops, both directions.

School bus, divided roadOpposite side may go. Painted lines don't count as divided.

T intersectionThe street that ENDS yields.

Arrive together, no signsLeft yields to the car on the right.

Gore areaNever drive over or park in it (3 points).

Arizona-only situations

Dust stormPull completely off, turn ALL lights off, foot off the brake, stay buckled."Pull Aside, Stay Alive"

Move OverAny vehicle with flashing lights on the shoulder: move over a lane, or slow down.includes tow trucks & private cars

Flooded washDon't cross. Drive around barricades and you can be billed for the rescue.

Dark signalTreat a dead traffic light as a 4-way stop.

Flash redSame as a stop sign. Flashing yellow = slow & caution.

Fender benderNo injuries and car drives? Move it out of the lanes, then call."quickly clear"