Minnesota · Handbook chapter 5 · 6 min read

Chapter 5: Sharing the road

Minnesota rules for stopping, school buses, school patrols, right-of-way, emergency vehicles and the Move Over Law, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, neighborhood electric vehicles and commercial vehicles.

Why this chapter matters

Right-of-way mistakes are a leading cause of crashes. Minnesota's school bus law, its Move Over Law and its rules for bicycles and motorcycles all appear regularly on the written test.

When you must stop

• At STOP signs: before the stop line, or before the crosswalk, then yield.
• Before entering a road from an alley, driveway, parking lot or ramp, and before crossing a sidewalk.
• At a red light, a flashing red light (treat it like a STOP sign) and a red ramp meter.
• Wherever a pedestrian or bicyclist is crossing at a marked or unmarked crosswalk, until they have passed your lane.
• At a railroad crossing with a STOP sign, for a flagger, and at a raised bridge.

School buses

• Flashing yellow lights mean the bus is about to stop: at least 100 feet ahead in zones of 35 mph or less, 300 feet in faster zones. Never pass a bus on the right while its yellow or red lights flash.
• Flashing red lights: stop at least 20 feet from the bus, from either direction, and stay stopped until the lights stop.
• The only exception: on a divided roadway, traffic on the other side of the divider need not stop.
• A violation brings a fine of at least $500 and loss of your license. Police can arrest you within four hours, and the vehicle's owner can be penalized too.

Stop for school safety patrols, adult crossing guards with a stop sign or flag, and school bus flaggers. Never drive through a line of children crossing.

Right-of-way

• Uncontrolled intersection, all-way stop or flashing red, arriving together: the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right.
• Left turns: yield to oncoming vehicles close enough to be a danger. With a green arrow, still yield to anyone already in the intersection.
• Uncontrolled T intersection: the driver turning from the ending road yields to cross traffic.
• From a private road or driveway: stop and yield.
• In the right lane, yield to transit buses pulling out from a stop, and to a school bus signaling left to re-enter traffic.
• Yield to a funeral procession shown by headlights or hazard lights, and to pedestrians at all crosswalks.

Emergency vehicles

• An emergency vehicle with flashing red lights and a siren: on a two-way road move right and stop; on a one-way road stop on whichever side is nearest. If you are in an intersection, clear it first.
• You need not stop if a barrier or median separates you.
• Move Over Law: for an emergency vehicle, tow truck, stalled vehicle or road, utility, postal or waste vehicle stopped with lights on, move to the lane farthest away if safe; otherwise slow down and pass with care.
• Only vehicles on official business may follow a fire truck on a run within 500 feet. Do not drive over a fire hose unless told to.

Careless and reckless driving

Careless driving endangers people or property; reckless driving knowingly ignores a substantial risk, including racing. Both are misdemeanors.

Pedestrians

• Watch for pedestrians near parked cars, in poor visibility and near children.
• Do not block the crosswalk when you stop.
• It is illegal to pass a vehicle stopped for a pedestrian.
• For a pedestrian with a white or metallic cane or a guide dog, do not honk or rev your engine.
• Violating pedestrian right-of-way is a misdemeanor; a second within a year is a gross misdemeanor.

Bicyclists

• Bicycles are vehicles with the same rights and duties.
• Do not drive in a bike lane except to park where allowed, enter or leave the road, or prepare to turn. Yield to bicyclists, signal and move into the clear bike lane before turning.
• Pass with at least 3 feet of room. When it is safe, you may go over the center line, even in a no-passing zone, to give a bicyclist that room.
• Bicyclists may ride two abreast in one lane if they do not impede traffic, and may move toward the center to avoid hazards or turn left.
• Mopeds (30 mph or less) may not use sidewalks, freeways or bike trails.

Motorcyclists

• Motorcycles are hard to judge for speed and distance. Leave at least as much following distance as for a car.
• Never drive alongside a motorcycle in the same lane.
• Lane splitting (moving traffic): at no more than 25 mph and no more than 15 mph faster than traffic. Lane filtering (stopped traffic): no more than 15 mph faster. Both are legal; do not block a rider.
• Many crashes happen when drivers turn left in front of an oncoming motorcycle.

Neighborhood electric vehicles reach 20 to 25 mph and may use roads with limits of 35 mph or less.

Commercial vehicles

• Passing a large truck takes three to five seconds longer than a car. Return only when you see its front in your rearview mirror, and keep your speed.
• When a truck passes you, keep to the far side of your lane and slow slightly.
• A car at 55 mph stops in about 130 to 140 feet; a loaded tractor-trailer may need more than 400 feet.
• No-zones: a truck driver may not see you up to 20 feet in front, along either side or up to 200 feet behind.
• Do not pass on the right of a truck that may be turning right; trucks swing wide.
• Dim your lights when following a truck at night, and leave room for it to roll back on a hill.