Minnesota Driving Instructor Exam flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Minnesota per se DWI limit

A person is DWI in Minnesota at an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more. Under-21 drivers face sanctions at any detectable amount under the zero-tolerance standard.

Move Over law

Minnesota requires drivers to move one lane away from stopped emergency, maintenance, or road-service vehicles with lights activated, or slow substantially if a lane change is not possible.

Right turn on red

Permitted in Minnesota after a complete stop unless a sign prohibits it. A left turn on red is allowed only from a one-way street onto another one-way street.

Implied consent refusal

Minnesota law treats refusal to submit to a chemical test after a lawful DWI arrest as a license revocation, typically one year for a first refusal, independent of conviction.

Minnesota GDL hours

Students under 18 must complete 30 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction, typically delivered as three 2-hour lessons.

Lesson design sequence

An effective driver education lesson states an objective, models the skill, provides guided practice with feedback, then independent practice, applied consistently in classroom and car.

Bloom's taxonomy use

Question and lesson design should target higher levels - apply, analyze, evaluate - for hazard perception and decision-making, not just recall of traffic rules.

Formative assessment

Brief checks such as exit tickets or scenario quizzes used during instruction to surface misconceptions before the summative unit test or skills test.

Coaching pre-brief

Before each behind-the-wheel session, the instructor states the objective, route, and expectations, then reviews them afterward with the student's self-assessment first.

Commentary driving

The student narrates hazards, speed changes, and lane decisions aloud while driving, building scanning and decision-making habits that the instructor can observe and coach.

Instructor dual controls

Training vehicles require a dual brake and passenger mirror. The instructor keeps hands off the wheel except for necessary intervention and documents any intervention.

Route progression

Behind-the-wheel routes should advance from low-speed residential and parking-lot practice to arterials, freeway entry and exit, then night and inclement weather.

Three-second following rule

Maintain at least a three-second gap behind the vehicle ahead at highway speed, adding time in rain, snow, or darkness and at higher speeds.

IPDE process

A defensive-driving framework: Identify hazards, Predict what may happen, Decide on a response, and Execute it. Used to teach systematic hazard scanning.

Space cushion

The buffer of space around the vehicle. Maintain at least a two-second gap at low speed and three seconds at highway speed, adding time for adverse conditions.

Railroad crossing rule

Stop 15 to 50 feet from the nearest rail, look both ways, and never stop on the tracks. School buses and hazardous-materials vehicles must stop at all crossings.

Minnesota provisional license

Available at age 16 after six months on a permit, 30 supervised driving hours including 10 at night, and completion of driver education.

Provisional restrictions

For the first six months, no cell phone use even hands-free, and no passengers under 20 unless a licensed adult 25 or older or siblings are present.

Novice crash risk window

Crash risk is highest in the first six months and roughly the first 500 miles of independent driving, and increases with two or more teen passengers.

Optimism bias

Teens tend to overestimate their driving skill and underestimate risk. Concrete scenarios and self-assessment work better than warnings alone.

Program approval

Minnesota driver education programs must be approved by the Department of Public Safety, and instructors must hold a valid teaching license or DPS-approved certification.

Required program records

Keep enrollment, classroom attendance, behind-the-wheel hours, instructor certification, vehicle inspection and insurance, and completion certificates, retained per DPS requirements.

Completion certificate

For students under 18, the certificate must reflect 30 classroom hours and 6 behind-the-wheel hours, and is presented to DPS when applying for a provisional license.

Incident reporting

Any crash or injury during instruction must be reported to DPS and the program's insurer, with an incident file kept separate from student records.

Training vehicle equipment

Training vehicles need functioning brakes, tires, lights, horn, mirrors, seat belts, and wipers, plus dual brake controls and a passenger-side exterior mirror for the instructor.

Tire tread minimum

Minnesota requires at least 2/32 inch of tread for passenger vehicles. Replace tires at 4/32 inch for reliable wet-weather traction.

Headlight use

Headlights are required from sunset to sunrise and during inclement weather, including when windshield wipers are in continuous use.

Pre-trip checklist

Before each session, check tires, lights, brakes, mirrors, horn, wipers, fluid levels, and emergency equipment such as a triangle, first aid kit, and fire extinguisher.

Mandated reporting

Minnesota instructors are mandatory reporters and must report suspected child abuse or neglect to the local welfare agency or law enforcement.

Instructor boundaries

No personal social contact outside instruction, no transporting students beyond the lesson, and no sharing personal social media with students.

Vision standard

Minnesota requires at least 20/40 vision in one or both eyes with or without correction and at least 70 degrees of peripheral vision in each eye.

Adaptive equipment

Hand controls, spinner knobs, left-foot accelerators, and pedal extensions must be installed by a certified vendor and documented before instruction begins.