Minnesota Driving and Traffic Laws

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Learning the driving and traffic laws in the state of Minnesota will help you drive safely, protect others on the road and even help keep your car insurance costs down. The less accidents and moving violations that you have on your driving record the less you will pay for your insurance premiums.

As of June 9, 2009, it is a primary offense to drive in Minnesota without wearing a seat belt. A law enforcement officer can stop you simply because you or any of your passengers are not wearing seat belts. You can be fined anywhere from $25 to over $100 for this violation.

Babies that are under one year old and weigh less than 20 pounds must ride in a child car seat in the back seat facing the rear of the vehicle. Children who are at least eight years old or at least four feet nine inches tall can use a seat belt or an approved booster seat.

If you have blood alcohol content that is 0.08% or more you can be arrested and charged with driving under the influence or DUI. And if a law enforcement officer thinks that you have been driving recklessly because you have been drinking you could be arrested for an even lower blood alcohol content.

DUIs are not taken lightly in Minnesota and penalties range from misdemeanors to felony convictions. If your license is revoked you will have to pay $690 to have it reinstated. You will also have to take a driving while intoxicated test, a chemical assessment and the fees for your driver’s license application. If you fail to take sobriety test when stopped you could have your license suspended.

Any driver under the age of 18 in the state of Minnesota is banned from using a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle.

While Minnesota drivers are not held accountable to a point system if they violate any driving or traffic laws but they must comply with the state’s Office of Traffic and Safety programs. The most common driving violations on the highways of Minnesota include speeding, failure to wear seatbelts, failure to provide proof and or adequate insurance, unlawful passing and littering.

The state will suspend your driver’s license if you fall into any of the following categories: you fail to stop for a school bus, you fail to pay court ordered child support, you are under 21 years of age and it was determined that you are driving while consuming alcohol.

If you do receive any traffic violations you may be able to attend the state approved defensive driving class to keep any notice off your driving record. Once you start to accumulate moving or non moving violations your insurance costs could go up and stay that way for up to three years.