North Dakota Driving and Traffic Laws

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Knowing the rules of the road will not only keep you and your family safe, it will save you money on increased car insurance rates. The consequences for breaking the rules of the road vary from state to state, but most of the main guidelines apply. The following driving and traffic laws pertain specifically to the state of North Dakota.

Children and infants under the age of seven must be in an approved child safety seat or you could be fined $25. Once a child weights 80 pounds or is more than 59 inches tall he or she can use a seat belt instead of a car seat or booster. Older children from age 7 to 17 must be seated in the vehicle using an adult safety belt.

If you are caught driving under the influence of alcohol in the state of North Dakota with a .08 blood alcohol level you can lose your drivers license for up to 180 days and receive fines of $250 with your first offense. A second offense will cost you up to $500 and a one year suspension on your license with no leeway in getting a restricted license or work permit.

You can drive up to 75 mph on the rural freeways of North Dakota. The speed limits in effect on the urban freeways in the state are 55-75 mph, and on rural county roads it is limited to 50-65 mph. And your fines will be doubled if you speed through a construction site with a minimum fine of $80.

The State of North Dakota assigns points to their moving and non-moving traffic violations. If you are convicted of reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident or racing another car on the highway, you have earned yourself 8 points. Six points are given out if you pass a school bus, are convicted of careless driving or do not carry the appropriate liability insurance.

 The state does not currently have any cell phone laws, aggressive driving laws or speed and red light cameras set up. They do conduct random checks to catch impaired drivers.

If you do not follow the rules of the road you will accumulate points for each violation. Every point will not only cost you money in fines but it will result in increased insurance rates. These increases will follow you for up to three years. Some companies let you take defensive driving classes so that these points are not added to your driving record. Most classes can be taken in person or online and are 4 to 6 hours in length. There is a fee for attending the classes but it may save you money in the long run.