Driving School Blog

A wise man once wrote that "no one can complete an education, for of necessity education is a continuing process". We see this proverb in action every day of our lives. Our best teachers are those that never seem to stop learning, and our doctors are required to attend continuing education classes throughout their careers. Likewise, we at I Drive Smart believe that driver education is not a one-time event. Instead, we hope that our students will work throughout their lives to become safer and more responsible drivers, and our instructors strive to instill that attitude in our students. One of the most important pieces to successfully continuing your driver education is to keep up-to-date on often-changing traffic laws.

Let's establish one thing quickly - laws are not always straightforward, and are often not written as clearly as we would like. That is all the more reason to take the time to review new laws and to make sure that you understand them -- before you happen to get pulled over for a violation. One huge advantage of driver education with I Drive Smart is that when traffics laws change, cops are the first to know. In the classroom, our instructors highlight new laws for our students to ensure that they are getting the most comprehensive and most current driver education available. For those of you not yet in our classes (and we hope you join us soon!), let's take a look at a law that has recently gone into effect in Maryland.

The "Move Over Law" - This law is near and dear to our hearts, as it was put in place to protect law enforcement officials, firefighters, and paramedics. Have you ever stood on the shoulder of a highway as cars speed past only a few feet from you at sixty, seventy, or eighty miles per hour? For those of us that are cops, that is an everyday experience, and it can be pretty harrowing. The Move Over Law requires motorists to move over by a lane or to slow down when passing an emergency vehicle on the side of the road with its red and blue lights on. Basically, if an emergency vehicle (a police officer, firefighter, or paramedic typically) is on the shoulder of a street or highway, you are expected to move to a lane not adjacent to the emergency vehicle if traffic allows. If you are unable to make the lane change, the law requires that you slow to a "reasonable and prudent speed". While that term is not defined in the text of the law, you should take into account road conditions, weather, and other factors when deciding on a speed passing an emergency vehicle. At the very least, it should be measurably lower than the speed limit. The bad news - if you run afoul of the Move Over Law, a $110 fine and a minimum of one point on your license awaits you.

So we at I Drive Smart ask for your help and cooperation in following the Move Over Law and keeping our law enforcement officials, firefighters, and paramedics safe on the job. In other news, have you had trouble passing your driver test, or are you nervous about an upcoming test date? I Drive Smart is now offering Simulated Driving Tests where students can practice taking the test just like they will at the MVA. Click here for more info. We can't wait to see you in our classrooms! Remember, education is a continuing process!