Maryland · Handbook chapter 9 · 5 min read

Maryland medical conditions you must report, supervising driver rules, organ donation, voter registration, insurance, seat belt and child seat laws, air bags, anti-lock brakes, headphones, parking maneuvers on the driving test, bicyclist rules and electric bikes.

Why this chapter matters

This last section of the manual gathers the laws every driver lives with: seat belts, child seats, insurance and supervising drivers. Several exact figures here, such as the child seat age and height and the air bag distance, are easy test questions.

Medical conditions you must report

Tell the MVA when you apply or renew, or as soon as you are diagnosed, if you have a condition that may affect driving. The MVA's Driver Wellness and Safety Division or Medical Advisory Board must approve your license. Reportable conditions include:

• diabetes that caused a low blood sugar episode needing someone else's help in the past 6 months,
• epilepsy or seizures, a stroke, or a heart condition that caused you to pass out in the past 6 months,
• dizzy spells, fainting or blackouts,
• sleep apnea or narcolepsy,
• a traumatic brain injury,
• weakness, shaking, numbness or loss of a limb or its use that may affect driving,
• an eye problem leaving you below 20/70 in your better eye or below a 110-degree field of vision,
• alcohol or drug use problems,
• a mental health condition that may affect driving, schizophrenia or dementia.

Supervising drivers

A learner's permit holder may drive only the vehicle classes on the permit, and only with a supervising driver who is:

• at least 21 years old,
• licensed for at least three years (in Maryland or another state) for the same class of vehicle, and
• seated beside the learner (except on a motorcycle).

Organ donation and voter registration

• Anyone 18 or older may register as an organ donor; at 16 or 17 a parent or guardian must agree in writing. You can mark your license to show you are a donor.
• Under the federal Motor Voter law, the MVA lets eligible customers register to vote or update their voter information when they get a license or ID.

Insurance

Every vehicle registered in Maryland must be insured for personal injury and property damage liability by a company licensed in Maryland, in the amounts the law sets. Carry a valid insurance card (paper or electronic) whenever you drive and show it to an officer who asks; refusing can bring a fine. Letting coverage lapse can cost up to $2,500 per vehicle a year in fines.

Seat belts and child seats

• The driver and every passenger must wear a seat belt or be in a child safety seat.
• Children under 8 must ride in a child safety seat unless they are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall.
• Children under 2 ride rear-facing until they reach the maker's height or weight limit.
• Follow the instructions of the seat and vehicle makers. The state's Kids In Safety Seats program can help families who cannot afford a seat.

Air bags

• Air bags work best together with the lap and shoulder belt.
• Sit as far back as you can, with about 10 to 12 inches between your chest and the steering wheel.
• A pregnant passenger wears the lap belt low, under the belly across the hips and thighs, and the shoulder belt over the curve of the belly.
• Never put a rear-facing child seat in front of a passenger air bag. Children under 13 should ride buckled in the back seat.

Anti-lock brakes

ABS keeps the wheels from locking so you can still steer. When it works, it pumps the brakes far faster than you could; you may hear a rumble and feel the pedal vibrate. Your owner's manual explains how your car's system works.

Headphones

You may not drive wearing earplugs, a headset or earphones in both ears. Hearing aids are allowed.

Parking maneuvers and the driving test

Parallel parking is no longer part of the Maryland driving test, though driver education still teaches it, and the test's reverse two-point turn checks the same skills. The test does include pull-in and back-in parking in a 10 by 20 foot space and a three-point turn in a 16 by 20 foot space.

Rules for bicyclists

• Ride on the right, with traffic, single file and predictably; obey signals and yield to pedestrians.
• Look back and signal before turning or changing lanes. Turn left like a car from the left side of the lane, or walk the bike across in the crosswalk.
• Allow extra stopping distance in rain or snow and watch for slick markings and utility covers.
• At night, a white headlight visible from 500 feet and a red rear reflector visible from 600 feet are required.
• Riders and passengers under 16 must wear a helmet.
• Brakes must stop the bike within 15 feet from 10 mph on dry, level pavement.

Electric bikes and low-speed vehicles

Electric bicycles have working pedals and a motor of 750 watts or less.

Electric low-speed vehicles carry only the rider, weigh under 100 pounds, have handlebars and a standing platform, and go up to 20 mph. Check local rules before riding one.