The answer to this question is yes. If you live in the same country, why do traffic laws differ from one state to the other? This is one question that many drivers find confusing to understand. The sad part is that they are always questioning when it’s late, and that’s after they crash heads with the law.
When it comes to road laws or any other kind of law, it’s important to note that every state in the US is a sovereign entity. This means that every state is granted the power to create regulations on its own and regulate them based on their needs. Therefore, you may find road laws applicable in the same way across all state borders. However, you may as well note some differences, and that’s because of the additional state laws.
Some of the reasons why a state may introduce new road laws are because of the following reasons:
- Demographic and population
- Geographic
- Business and industry operations
- Public policies and community standards
- Differences in Speed
Speed is the leading cause of accidents in the modern world. There are road laws meant to keep the sanity on the roads in check, and that involves regulating the speed. For instance, based on the state of roads and location, the law may require you to maintain a specific speed. Therefore, when planning your trip, you must be aware that speed limits may fluctuate quite a bit in different states.
Say, for instance, if you are driving through a state with a low-speed limit than you are familiar with, you may be served with an expensive ticket for over speeding. The opposite can happen as well. For example, you may be used to driving at low speeds. But, on driving through a new state, you may learn that the law there asks for a bit higher speed. The difference can get you confused to the point of even causing an accident. Luckily, if you are used to driving, adjusting to these speed differences shouldn’t be a problem.
On matters related to speed, you must as well learn that there are states where laws change with time and a good example of that is Georgia. Adjusting with these differences can be hectic, especially if you are new on the wheels. When it comes to car accidents, it’s recommended that you involve the help of a car accident attorney. Legal experts from https://www.thechampionfirm.com/atlanta-car-accident-lawyer/ often insist that the only way to deal with injury compensations caused by other people’s negligence is by hiring an expert. Personal injury cases can be complicated to deal with alone. One fantastic thing about hiring an accident attorney is that they are well-informed and know the channels to follow to ensure that you receive full compensation. Therefore, if you find yourself in an accident, your first call to action should be to contact a personal injury attorney near you.
Weirdest Laws Across Different States
Most of the road laws may have been gathered during driving school. However, not all laws are learned in those classrooms. You must know that new rules keep being introduced in different states. Some of the laws are basic, while others may sound weird to most people’s ears. California, for example, is known for having some of the strangest road laws. Did you know that you can get arrested there for touching your maps while driving? Yes, I said that right. For instance, touching the map while driving is considered illegal so does texting.
So, how should one go about with the Google maps while driving there? The law requires you to set up your route before you start the vehicle. As if that isn’t enough, the phone should be placed in a holster near the lower-left or the area lower right of your windshield. By placing the map anywhere else, like on your thighs, you may be going against the law. Also, California is known for its rules regarding bike lanes.
Bike lanes are considered to be full lanes to turn right. Say, for example, if you are driving on the rightmost path, and there is a bike next to you, you can’t turn right from the car lane by crossing over the bike lane. It’s illegal. You must merge into the bike lane before the intersection before making your turn.
Other states known for having weird road laws include; Hawaii, Massachusetts, Florida, and Alaska. Talk of using hazard lights, for instance, in an emergency or during heavy rain. If you are used to doing so back at home, you must know that it’s illegal in these states. Any car in motion shouldn’t use the hazard lights. By so doing, you will be breaking the law, and this can see you served with a hefty ticket.
When it comes to road laws, different states have different traffic laws. This is because states are allowed by the constitution to create new rules and implement them according to their needs. This article explains what causes the difference and reasons why you ought to familiarize yourself with the regulations in different states before planning for your road trip.
