Chapter 1: Your License to Drive

Understanding the rules for obtaining and maintaining a driver’s license is fundamental to both passing the required exams and ensuring safety on the road. Delaware has specific procedures for drivers of all ages, including a multi-stage program for new teen drivers designed to build experience gradually. Knowing these regulations, from the documents required to the point system for violations, is the first step toward becoming a responsible and legal driver.

Glossary

• Right-of-way — The legal right of a pedestrian or vehicle to proceed first in a particular situation or place.
• Per-se BAC — The blood alcohol concentration level of 0.08% or higher, which is conclusive evidence that a driver is legally under the influence.
• Implied consent — The legal principle that by driving on Delaware roads, a driver has automatically agreed to submit to a chemical test for alcohol or drugs if arrested on suspicion of DUI.
• Divided highway — Any road separated into two or more roadways by a median, physical barrier, or other intervening space that impedes traffic from crossing.
• Keep right/left-lane — The rule requiring drivers to stay in the rightmost lane on a multi-lane road except when passing slower vehicles, which should be done in the left lane.
• No-zone — The large blind spots around trucks and other large vehicles where cars are not visible to the truck 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 accommodate peak traffic patterns, typically controlled by overhead signals.

License Classes

Delaware offers several classes of driver’s licenses, but for non-commercial purposes, the primary types are the Class D and the Motorcycle Endorsement.