If you are preparing for your drivers’ permit you will need to know the basic laws of the state in which you live. Online traffic school can help, but no school could delve into all the quirky rules some states and cities have on their books. Here are 12 traffic laws that you WILL NOT (thankfully) be asked about on your driver’s exam.

  1. Don’t forget your shoes when driving in Alabama. Driving barefoot is illegal there. Makes you wonder what prompted that law’s enactment.
  2. In Youngstown, Ohio it is illegal to run out of gas or ride on the roof of a taxi. So if you run out of fuel and call a cab, be careful where you sit.
  3. The ramifications of getting a DUI in most states are pretty severe. In New Jersey they take it a step further. You will never be able to buy a personalized plate. I guess “M-DRUNK” is still available in the Garden State.
  4. In California it is illegal for a car without a driver to exceed 60 miles per hour. Makes you wonder who gets the ticket.
  5. Some states, like Connecticut and California have laws on the books that prohibit shooting animals from a moving vehicle. I guess they feel the weapon itself is a big enough advantage.
  6. There is an apparent solution for road rage in Rockville, Maryland. It’s a misdemeanor if caught swearing from your vehicle in the city.
  7. In Cleveland, Ohio you can’t operate a motor vehicle while sitting on someone’s lap. Again, it makes you wonder what prompted enactment of that law.
  8. Honking your horn in Oxford, Mississippi can incur up to a $350 fine. It may scare the horses there. Just say “nay”.
  9. If you ever win big in Las Vegas and feel tempted to ride a camel on a freeway, think again. Camel riding on freeways in Nevada is illegal.
  10. If you tie an elephant to a parking meter in Florida you better have some quarters ready. They will cost the same price as your car. Maybe it’s because both have trunks?
  11. There’s no turning back in Glendale, Arizona where driving in reverse is against the law.
  12. And finally from the “what prompted that law” file, is the San Franciscan law that prohibits drivers from wiping their cars down with used underwear.

While it’s interesting to read about some of these laws, you will not need to study them to pass your test. Isn’t it good to know that Improv takes its practice tests from real drivers’ exams?