Visiting North Carolina will more than likely involve renting a car. There are some rules and regulations you should be aware of before starting your journey, as well as what the speed limits are. Then you can get behind the wheel with certainty.
Driving Rules and Regulations
General
- All vehicle occupants including those in the back seat are required to wear seat belts. Front seat passengers who violate the law will receive a $25 fine. Back seat passengers will receive a $10 fine.
- Children up to age 8 and weighing less than 80 pounds must be secured in a safety seat while riding in a vehicle. Older children must transition to booster seats before graduating to an adult safety belt. Drivers who fail to properly secure their children face $125 in fines and court costs, as well as a two-point penalty on their driving record.
- It is illegal to use a cell phone to send, create or read text messages or emails while driving.
- Under the state law, motorists are required to move over one lane, if possible, or reduce speed for stopped emergency vehicles with flashing lights on the shoulder of the highway, including public service vehicles with amber lights.
- State law requires motorists to move their vehicles to the shoulder of the road following minor, non-injury crashes.
- Motorists are required to use their headlights from sunset to sunrise and when light conditions restrict visibility to 400 feet or less. Motorists are also required to use headlights while operating windshield wipers during inclement weather.
- Yield the right of way to pedestrians at intersections and crosswalks whether they are marked or unmarked.
- Motorists are required to honk the horn if a pedestrian attempts to take the right of way, such as when he or she is trying to cross against a light. If the pedestrian does not stop after the driver honks the horn, the vehicle must stop and allow the pedestrian to cross.
- All traffic on a two-lane road must stop when a school bus stops to load or unload children.
Speed Limits
It’s always important to pay attention to the speed limits when traveling in an unfamiliar state. In North Carolina motorists who are caught going 15 mph over the speed limit in areas with a limit of 55 mph and higher will have their license suspended for a minimum of 30 days.
| Within city limits: | 20-35 mph |
|---|---|
| Undivided rural road: | 55 mph |
| Divided rural road: | 55-60 mph |
| Freeway within city limits: | 50-70 mph |
| Freeway outside city limits: | 65-70 mph |
Overtaking & Turning
- Right turns at a traffic signal with a red light are permitted after a complete stop, unless otherwise posted. Left turns on red are not permitted.
- Taking a right turn at an intersection with a red arrow is not permitted unless there is a sign posted saying otherwise.
Car Rental with Sixt
You are now prepared to get on the road in North Carolina. Luckily, there are some great towns and places to check out. If you’re traveling to Asheville you can use your car rental to travel around the city and go to the Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina Arboretum or the Basilica of Saint Lawrence. Heading to Charlotte? This modern city has several attractions including the Carowinds theme park, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and the Levine Museum of the New South exploring the history of the South after the Civil War.
