Texas Driver Handbook Vocabulary

Flashcards covering key vocabulary from the Texas Driver Handbook to help you prepare for your driving test.

Who May Drive a Motor Vehicle in Texas? (Resident)

A Texas resident who has a valid Texas driver license.

Who May Drive a Motor Vehicle in Texas? (Nonresident)

A nonresident who is at least 16 years of age and possesses a valid driver license issued in the nonresident’s home state or Canadian province.

Learner License (Instruction Permit)

A driver license that allows a student driver to legally practice driving when accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least 21 years of age with at least one year of driving experience.

Hardship License

A license that may be issued to a minor who establishes the necessity to drive and may have restrictions based on the qualifying hardship.

Graduated Driver License (GDL)

A program that eases teens into the driving experience by phasing in driving privileges and minimizing exposure to high-risk situations.

Phase One (GDL)

The first phase of the GDL program, which requires applicants under 18 years of age to hold a valid learner, hardship, or combination of learner and hardship license for a minimum of six months prior to the issuance of a provisional license.

Phase Two (GDL)

The second phase of the GDL program, which restricts the driving privileges of individuals until their 18th birthday following the issuance of a provisional license.

Veteran Designation on Driver License

A designation is offered on the face of the driver license and identification card (ID) for qualifying veterans. A veteran must be honorably discharged and receive compensation for a service-related disability of at least 60 percent are exempt from paying driver license and ID card fees

Minimum Liability Insurance in Texas

The minimum amount of liability insurance in Texas (as of January 1, 2011) is $30,000 against injury or death of one person, $60,000 against injury or death of two or more individuals, and $25,000 against property damage.

Administrative License Revocation (ALR)

The administrative penalty for driving while intoxicated with a $125 reinstatement fee. DPS is authorized to suspend a license or driving privilege for individuals who are over 21 years of age who fail a breath or blood test, any person who refuses to submit to a breath or blood test, or individuals who are under 21 years of age for any detectable amount of alcohol

Occupational License (Essential Need License)

Issued to individuals whose driver license has been canceled, suspended, revoked, or denied for certain offenses (other than medical or delinquent child support); and who can prove to a court there is an essential need to drive.

Texas Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act

The Texas Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act was enacted to ensure all drivers are financially responsible for the death, injury, or property damage they may cause while operating a motor vehicle.

Yield Right-of-Way to Emergency Vehicles

You must yield the right-of-way to police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, and other emergency vehicles sounding a siren, bell, or flashing red light.

Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons

A pedestrian hybrid beacon is a special type of pedestrian activated warning device used with signs and pavement markings to warn and control traffic at locations where pedestrians enter or cross a street or highway.

Modern Roundabout

A one-way, circular intersection where traffic flows counter clockwise around a center island using yield signs rather than traffic lights to control vehicles entering the intersection

Highway Hypnosis

A condition of drowsiness or unawareness can be brought on by reduced activity and steady sounds of wind, engine, and tire hum.

Signaling

Always signal when you are going to change lanes, make a turn, pull away from a parking space parallel to the curb, slow down or stop, enter or leave a highway, or pull over to the side of the road

Slow-Moving Vehicle Emblem

Those designed to operate at a maximum speed of 25 mph or less, and the term includes all vehicles, farm and other machinery, and any other road machinery drawn by either animals or slow moving motor vehicles with that emblem is required. The use of this emblem is prohibited on anything other than a slow-moving vehicle.

Carbon Monoxide

This comes from a vehicle from operations using an internal combustion engine, which is a deadly gas, causes poisoning effect, needing fresh air to not die