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Rules of the road

"Rules of the road" are those instructions we've all seen from time to time which tell us how to drive. 

• Where do you stop when you come to a stop sign?
• How fast is too fast?
• What are the rules about crossing a painted yellow line?
• Is it ever legal to pass a school bus?

Most of us learned these rules when we learned to drive. Certainly if you took classroom driver's education, and most of us did, they were a big part of the curriculum.

But, over time, most of us have forgotten some or even most of the rules we learned. Some you'll remember. Others may surprise you.

This information is good for answering friendly disputes or diagnosing the misadventures of "that bonehead" you saw on the way home from work. It can also save you from an embarrassing or even dangerous situation in traffic.

Finally, even though most people will never get a citation for parking more than 12 inches from the curb (the legal standard), you should know that these "rules of the road" are part of Wisconsin state law and, as such, it's not just a bad idea to break any of the rules, it's against the law!

All external hyperlinks are provided for your information and for the benefit of the general public. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation does not testify to, sponsor or endorse the accuracy of the information provided on externally linked pages.

Questions about the content of this page:
Sandra Huxtable, sandra.huxtable@dot.state.wi.us
Last modified: January 24, 2006