District of Columbia
Below is a list of the key highway safety laws in the District of Columbia. For more information, contact the District Highway Safety Office.
| No state law |
Sources: National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and State Highway Safety Office.
| Hand-held Ban | All Cell Phone Ban | Text Messaging Ban | Crash Data |
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| School Bus Drivers | Novice Drivers | All Drivers | School Bus Drivers | Novice Drivers | |||||
| Yes (Primary) |
Yes (Primary) |
Learners Permit (Primary) |
Yes (Primary) |
Covered under all driver ban | Yes | ||||
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Office.
| Child Restraint Required unless indicated, # refers to Yrs.(Lbs.) |
Adult Safety Belt Permissible unless indicated, # refers to Yrs.(Lbs.) |
Maximum Fine 1st Offense |
| <7 | 8 - 15 | $75 + points |
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Office.
| Per Se Laws for Drugs (Forbidding Prohibited Substances in Driver's Body) | DEC/DRE Programs (Providing Law Enforcement Training) |
| Yes | |
Source: State Highway Safety Office.
| Inc. Penalty for High BAC | Admin. License Susp. on 1st Offense | Limited Driving Privileges During Susp. | Ignition Interlocks | Vehicle and License Plate Sanctions | Alcohol Exclusion Laws Limiting Treatment | |||
| *Meeting Federal Requirements | ||||||||
| .20 and .25 | 2-90 days or until disposition | Yes | Discretionary | Yes | ||||
Sources: Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and State Highway Safety Office.
| Learner Stage | Intermediate Stage | Full Privilege Min. Age (Years/ Months) |
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| Min. Age (Years/ Months) |
Min. Duration (Months) |
Required Supervised Driving Hours (Night Hours) |
Min. Age (Years/ Months) |
Nighttime Driving Restriction | Passenger Restriction (except family, unless noted) |
||
| 16 | 6 | 40 (10 in intermediate stage) | 16 / 6 | Sept. to June 11 p.m. - 6 a.m. (Su-Th); midnight - 6 a.m. (Fr-Sa) July-Aug midnight - 6 a.m. |
First 6 mos.–no pass.; thereafter–no more than 2 | 18 | |
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Office.
| Motorcyclists | Bicyclists | ||
| Universal Helmet Law (Year Enacted) | Partial Law | Universal Helmet Law Repealed | |
| 1970 | <16 | ||
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Office.
| Length of Regular Renewal Cycle (Yrs.) | Provisions for Mature Drivers |
| 5 | >70: vision test, possible reaction test, and physician's letter |
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Office.
| Type of Law | Who is Covered (Yrs.) | In What Seat | Maximum Fine 1st Offense |
| Primary | >16 | All | $50 |
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway and State Highway Safety Office.
| Permitted on Sidewalks/Bicycle Paths | Permitted on Roads | Helmets Required | Minimum Age | Pedestrian Laws Apply |
| Sidewalks (except in central business district) | 16 | |||
Sources: Segway LLC and State Highway Safety Office.
| Checkpoints Conducted? | Frequency | Legality |
| Yes | Once or twice a month | Upheld under federal Constitution |
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Office.
| Rural Interstates | Urban Interstates | Other Limited Access Roads | |||
| Cars (mph) |
Trucks (mph) |
Cars (mph) |
Trucks (mph) |
Cars (mph) |
Trucks (mph) |
| N/A | N/A | 55 | 55 | N/A | N/A |
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Office.
| Violation / State Law | Permitted Locations/Criteria | Citation Issued To / Liability | Image Taken | Penalties (Traditional Penalties) |
| Speed: Permitted | Districtwide | Registered owner/ Owner |
Not addressed | $75-$300 fine based on the MPH over posted limit; no points ($75-$300 fine; 3, 4 or 5 points based on the MPH over posted limit) |
| Red light: Permitted | Districtwide | $150; no points ($150; 2 points) |
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Sources: National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Office.
| Violations Affected | Enhanced Penalties | Workers Must Be Present | Signs Must Be Present |
| All moving violations | Double original fine | Yes | Yes |
Sources: National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse and State Highway Safety Office.