Chapter 1: Your License to Drive

Understanding the licensing process is the first step toward becoming a safe and legal driver in Arizona. Mastering these rules is essential not only for passing the driver’s license exam but also for maintaining a clean driving record and avoiding penalties. This knowledge forms the foundation of a driver’s responsibilities on the road.

Glossary

• Right-of-way: The legal right of a pedestrian, vehicle, or vessel to proceed with precedence over others in a particular situation or place.
• Per-se BAC: The blood alcohol concentration level at which a driver is legally considered intoxicated (0.08% for adults in Arizona) without needing further proof of impairment.
• Implied Consent: A law stating that by driving a vehicle, you have agreed to submit to a chemical test of your blood, breath, or urine to determine alcohol or drug content if asked by a law enforcement officer.
• Divided Highway: A road which has a physical barrier or unpaved median strip separating traffic moving in opposite directions.
• Keep Right/Left-Lane: The general rule that drivers should stay in the rightmost lane on a multi-lane road, using the left lanes primarily for passing.
• No-Zone: The large blind spots around trucks and buses 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 flow at different times of the day, typically controlled by overhead signals.

License Classes

Arizona issues several classes of driver’s licenses, each authorizing the operation of different types of vehicles. For non-commercial purposes, the primary classes are: