Chapter 1: Your License to Drive

Understanding the licensing process is the first step to becoming a safe and legal driver in Virginia. These rules are designed to ensure every new driver, regardless of age, has the foundational knowledge and experience needed to handle the responsibilities of operating a vehicle. Mastering this information is critical for passing the DMV exams and for building safe driving habits that last a lifetime.

Glossary

• Right-of-way: The legal right of a pedestrian or a vehicle to proceed in a lawful manner in preference to another vehicle or pedestrian.
• Per-se BAC: The blood alcohol concentration level at which a driver is legally considered to be intoxicated (.08% for adults in Virginia) without needing further proof of impairment.
• Implied Consent: By operating a vehicle on Virginia’s public roads, you agree to submit to a chemical test for alcohol or drugs if requested by law enforcement.
• Divided Highway: A road separated into two one-way roadways by a median or physical barrier not intended for travel.
• Keep Right/Left-Lane: The general rule that drivers should stay in the rightmost lane except when passing, making a left turn, or when the right lane is blocked.
• No-Zone: The large blind spots around trucks, tractor-trailers, buses, and RVs where cars are not visible to the driver.
• Hydroplaning: A dangerous condition where a vehicle’s tires lose contact with the road surface and ride on a thin film of water, causing a loss of steering and braking control.
• Reversible Lane: A traffic lane where the direction of traffic flow can be changed to match the peak traffic patterns, typically controlled by overhead lane-use signals.