About 38 percent of all traffic fatalities involve alcohol.

If you drive past these signs, you are going the wrong way and are at risk of a head-on collision. You should cautiously turn around.

If you are convicted of certain motor vehicle violations in North Carolina, points will be placed against your driving record. Accumulating eight points against a previously-suspended license will again result in suspension. A second suspension will last for six months and a third will last for 12 months.

Alcohol reduces your reaction time, reduces your ability to see clearly, changes your judgment of speed and distances, reduces your ability to recover from the glare of headlights, and often reduces your inhibitions and makes you more likely to take risks.

This one-way sign indicates that traffic flows only in the direction of the arrow.

After stopping for a school bus that has its stop arm extended and its lights flashing, watch for children walking along the side of the road. You should always drive with caution when driving near children.

You should never pass if there is an oncoming vehicle in the passing lane, if your view is blocked by a curve or hill, at an intersection, before or on a railroad crossing or bridge, or in any other no passing zone. Unless you are on the opposite side of a multilane roadway with a median or shared center turn lane, you may not pass a stopped school bus that has its flashing red lights activated.

Signal, check your mirrors, and check your blind spot before changing lanes or passing on an interstate. Only stop on the shoulder of the interstate in the case of an emergency and change lanes as infrequently as possible. Cruise control should not be used in heavy traffic or under poor weather conditions.

Even the most experienced drivers can be distracted while driving. A defensive driver looks out for the actions of other drivers and anticipates potential problems.

A double solid yellow line down the center of a two-way road means that it is prohibited for traffic from either direction to cross the center to pass.

On a traffic signal arranged vertically, red is always on top and green on the bottom. When arranged horizontally, red is always on the left and green on the right.

Warning signs prepare drivers for upcoming road conditions and hazards and are usually yellow with black markings. This sign alerts drivers to an upcoming intersection.

Driving more slowly than the flow of traffic can be hazardous. If you are on a two-lane, two-way road and driving so slowly that traffic is backing up behind you, you are required to pull off the road and let the other vehicles pass. Only drive significantly under the speed limit when conditions require it.

This sign indicates the presence of a pedestrian crossing. Drivers should be cautious when driving where pedestrians may be present.

Stopping suddenly can make it difficult for drivers behind you to avoid a rear-end collision. When stopping, release the accelerator to allow your vehicle to slow. Press the brake pedal by applying steady pressure, activating your brake lights and causing the vehicle to stop smoothly.

Any time you want to change lanes, you should properly signal your intentions well in advance, check your mirrors, and check your blind spot. You can check your blind spot by glancing over your shoulder in the direction that you plan to move.

If you experience a tire blowout, do not immediately apply the brakes. Grip the steering wheel firmly and steer to remain in your traffic lane. Reduce your speed gradually by releasing the accelerator and staying off the brakes. Once you are moving very slowly, apply the brakes lightly and pull off the road into a safe area.

A steady downward green arrow over a traffic lane means you may use the lane indicated.

When the road is wet or slippery, when you cannot see well, or when anything else makes conditions less than perfect, drive below the posted speed limit. Even if you are driving within the posted speed limit, you can still be ticketed for driving too fast for conditions.

Unless otherwise posted, the speed limit in cities and towns is 35 mph. If a different speed limit is posted, you should follow that speed limit.

This sign indicates a merge ahead. It warns that two lanes of traffic moving in the same direction are about to become one.

This sign indicates that the road ahead winds with a series of turns or curves.

In cities, about two out of every five persons killed in traffic killed by motor vehicle crashes are pedestrians. In rural areas, about one in 10 fatalities are pedestrians.

This sign indicates that hospital emergency services are located to the right.

When roads are wet, cars take a longer distance to stop and may skid on quick turns. Do not use cruise control when driving under wet or icy conditions. Reduce your speed and drive with caution.

If you are driving 55 mph or faster and have exceeded the speed limit by 15 mph or more, and it is your first conviction for doing so, you will lose your license for at least 30 days. Penalties increase with subsequent violations.

You are required to use your headlights during the day when visibility is reduced to 500 feet or less. When you first turn on your headlights, be sure they are adjusted to the low beam setting. Using high beams in fog or rain will cause the light to reflect back into your eyes, lowering visibility even more.

A regulatory sign displaying a red circle with a red slash through the middle indicates that a specific action is prohibited. U-turns are not permitted where this sign is posted.

Double solid yellow lines in the center of the road mean that passing is not allowed from either direction. You may not cross the lines unless you are making a left turn or passing pedestrians, bicyclists, and riders of scooters or skateboards when the opposite lane is clear and you can pass safely.

If you hear a siren or an air horn close by but do not know exactly where the emergency vehicle is, safely pull over to the right side of the road and stop until you are sure it is not headed toward you.

About every 10 seconds, check your mirrors to see if any vehicle is following too closely. When checking your mirrors, do not take your eyes off the road for more than an instant. The vehicle in front of you could stop suddenly.

The exhaust system carries exhaust gas out of the vehicle and prevents fumes from entering into the passenger compartment. To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, keep your exhaust system free of leaks. Replace all defective parts immediately.

Your ability to stop is greatly affected by the condition of the road. You need to reduce your speed when road conditions are poor in order to maintain control of your vehicle. You will be at risk if you are driving too quickly on roads that are slippery and you need to stop.

This is a speed limit sign. It indicates the maximum legal speed that you may drive on the road where it is posted. At times of rain, snow, ice, or other less-than-ideal conditions, you may have to drive more slowly than the posted limit.

In general, vehicles at a four-way stop should proceed in the order that they arrive. However, if two vehicles arrive to the intersection at the same time, the vehicle on the left must yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on the right.

This sign indicates the presence of a pedestrian crossing. You should watch for people entering a crosswalk or crossing your path. Slow down and be prepared to stop.

You must always stop before crossing railroad tracks if flashing red lights are activated, a crossing gate is lowered, a stop sign is posted, a flagger signals you to stop, or a train is visible or so close to the crossing that it would be hazardous to continue driving. If you are unsure if a train is too close for you to safely cross the tracks, stop. Never race a train.