ND Driving Instructor flashcards

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

ND school license requirement

A driver training school must hold a state-issued license from the ND licensing authority before enrolling students or charging tuition; unlicensed operation can trigger cease-and-desist orders and civil penalties.

Instructor license scope

Instructor credentials are issued to an individual, not to a school. An instructor may not teach behind-the-wheel until their personal license is active and tied to a licensed school.

Dual control requirement

Instruction vehicles must have a passenger-side brake (and commonly accelerator and mirror) so the instructor can intervene. Missing dual controls disqualifies the vehicle from behind-the-wheel use.

Student record retention

Schools must keep enrollment agreements, attendance, behind-the-wheel logs, and completion certificates for the state-set retention period, and make them available to inspectors on request.

Insurance proof on file

A certificate of liability insurance meeting the state minimum must be maintained continuously. A coverage lapse can suspend the school's license until proof is restored.

Refund disclosure rule

Tuition, cancellation, and refund terms must be given in writing before enrollment. Failure to disclose is a consumer-protection and licensing violation.

Advertising restriction

Enrollment materials may not promise a license or guaranteed pass. Misrepresenting outcomes is grounds for discipline against the school's license.

Change notification duty

Schools must report changes in ownership, address, or instructor roster to the licensing authority within the rule's deadline; unreported changes can invalidate instruction records.

Uncontrolled intersection rule

At an uncontrolled intersection, yield to the vehicle on your right. A left-turning driver yields to oncoming traffic going straight or turning right.

Three-second following rule

Maintain at least three seconds behind the vehicle ahead; add one second for each adverse factor such as rain, ice, darkness, or a heavy load.

ND default speed limits

Unless posted otherwise: 25 mph in residential and business districts, 55 mph on rural two-lane highways, and up to 80 mph on designated interstate segments.

Move Over law

When approaching stopped emergency or roadside vehicles with flashing lights, move one lane away on multi-lane roads; if that is unsafe, slow below the posted limit.

Child restraint threshold

Children under 8 years old or under 57 inches tall must use an approved child restraint. Seat belts are required for all front-seat occupants and all occupants under 18.

Implied consent

A driver lawfully arrested for DUI is deemed to consent to chemical testing. Refusal results in license suspension and the refusal can be used against the driver in court.

Zero-tolerance BAC

Drivers under 21 are over the limit at 0.02% BAC; drivers 21 and older at 0.08%; commercial vehicle operators at 0.04%.

Railroad crossing stop zone

When a signal, gate, or approaching train is present, stop between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail and remain stopped until the crossing is clear.

Headlight low-beam rule

Use low beams when within 500 feet of oncoming traffic or following within 200 feet. Headlights are required from sunset to sunrise and whenever visibility is reduced.

School bus passing rule

Never pass a stopped school bus that is loading or unloading with red lights flashing; stop and wait until the lights stop and the bus moves.

GDE matrix levels

Goals for Driver Education organizes training into vehicle control, mastery of traffic situations, trip planning/goals, and self-awareness of risk factors, linking each level to instruction.

Four-step instruction model

Teach in sequence: explain the skill, demonstrate it, supervise guided practice, then allow independent practice with feedback. Evaluation follows mastery, not the first attempt.

Distributed practice

Spreading practice across multiple short sessions produces better retention and skill transfer than one long block of the same total hours.

Commentary driving

The student verbalizes hazards, decisions, and planned actions while driving. This builds scanning, hazard detection, and situational awareness before solo driving.

Behavioral feedback

Feedback should describe observable actions and timing, such as mirror checks before braking, rather than labeling the student as careless or a natural driver.

Hazard perception training

Video and static-scene exercises that teach students to spot developing hazards before on-road exposure. Novice crashes often stem from late hazard detection, not poor car control.

Graduated risk ladder

Advance students through parking lot, low-traffic residential, arterial, highway, then night and adverse weather, moving up only after mastery criteria are met.

Skills assessment rubric

Score observation, speed management, lane position, signaling, and gap selection on a fixed scale, logging results each lesson to show objective progress.

Parent coaching role

Give guardians a supervised-practice log and coach them to reinforce the same techniques the instructor teaches, so practice hours outside lessons stay consistent.

ND permit age

North Dakota issues an instruction permit at age 14 with accompanying-driver and other restrictions; the permit must be valid before any behind-the-wheel instruction.

Accompanying driver rule

A permit holder must be accompanied by a licensed driver at least 18 (commonly 21) seated in the front seat during all practice driving.

Supervised practice hours

ND requires a minimum number of supervised practice hours, commonly 50 with 10 at night, before advancing. Confirm the current count with the licensing authority.

Novice risk window

Crash risk is highest in the first 6 to 12 months of solo driving. Night driving and teen passengers are the strongest independent risk multipliers.

Pre-trip vehicle check

Before each lesson, verify tires, lights, brakes, mirrors, and fluids and document the check. Mechanical failure during instruction is both a safety and liability exposure.

Incident response protocol

Stop, render aid, call 911 if needed, exchange information, photograph the scene, notify the school and insurer, and file the state crash report when required.