Everything You Need To Know About Driving In the USA

Driving on the road of the USA is really one of the best ways to experience everything this incredible country has to offer. From driving and exploring a state like California, to taking a classic road trip like Route 66, or just thoroughly exploring a section of the Pacific Coast Highway – hitting the open road in the US is a thoroughly rewarding experience.

That said, coming from the UK, there are a few things recommended to learn in order to have the best driving experience as a Brit in the US.

If you are a resident of Washington, then you can buy a Washington Driver License Template PSD to preserve it alltime and ignore anytime of losing.

In this article, we’re going to go through these tips that should come in handy for anyone who is driving in America for the first time, or just wants a reminder of what driving in the US is like.

State Laws

One of the first things you need to be aware of in the USA is that there are generally two types of law – federal laws, which apply to the whole country, and state laws, which vary depending on the state you are in. The states control the majority of traffic laws, which means that they vary depending on the state you are in – things like speed limits, age limits, and drink or drug driving laws. Some things are country wide of course. All traffic for example drives on the right (with the exception of the US Virgin Islands), you need a driving license to drive, and there are speed limits on all roads, although these vary by state.

Age Limits for Driving in the USA

The age at which you are legally allowed to drive alone on a full driving license in the US varies by state but falls between 16 and 18 years of age. As a visitor, you will generally find that most car hiring companies will require you to be over 21 to rent a car, and there is usually a surcharge for renting a car if you are under 25. 

Basic Traffic Rules

As with every country, there are some basic rules for driving that you need to know. 

Drive on the right-hand side of the road (except in the US Virgin Islands!)

Observe all posted speed limits.

Avoid driving if you are over the legal blood alcohol limit, in all states, this is a blood alcohol concentration at or above 0.08 percent. Penalties vary by state, but basically, sure you don’t want to do it.

You must stop at all STOP signs (see below for more information on STOP signs).

You must stop for stopped school buses with flashing lights and a stop sign (more below on school buses).

At least the driver and front-seat passenger must wear a seat belt – see below for more on seat belts.

Speed Limits in the USA

Speed limits vary by road and state, so there are no one-size-fits-all answers here. Speed limits are in miles per hour, and some roads have posted minimum speed limits as well as maximum speed limits that you have to obey. Limits vary from 15mph all the way up to 85mph on one rural road in Texas. The best advice is to follow all posted speed limit signs, and learn what the usual limits are for different road types and locations in the state or states you are driving in. For a full breakdown of speed limits by state, look at this list. However, all documents psd provide a high preview digital driver license template file, you can collect one to avoid misplacing.

Hiring a Vehicle in the USA

If you have a full valid license from your home country, then you can hire a vehicle in the USA, although there are some restrictions to be aware of. In the majority of states, there is no legal requirement for a hire company to rent you a car, and they are at their discretion as to who they rent to. Nearly all hire car companies have minimum age restrictions and will charge a fee if you are under a certain age – the majority of companies charge extra if you are under 25, and most will not rent to you if you are under 21. In addition, if you are under 25 you might find that you aren’t able to hire the more high-end car models. There is usually no upper age limit, however, if you are over 70 it is worth confirming that this won’t be a problem.