Rhode Island Traffic Safety Laws

Know the law before driving in Rhode Island.Stop sign image by Judith Morrison from Fotolia.com

Traffic safety laws vary from state to state, and Rhode Island is no exception. Residents wishing to get driver's licenses, travel with children and purchase insurance should educate themselves on the state's regulations; visitors, too, should familiarize themselves before traveling to the Ocean State.

Receiving a Driver's License

To receive a driver's license in Rhode Island, applicants need a current license from another state, their Social Security card, or valid passport, and some other document that shows proof of residency (a bill or letter of some kind, for example). If a license is current or expired for less than a year, renewal costs $31.50. First licenses are valid for two years; subsequently renewals are valid for five. The minimum driving age is 16, and drivers under 18 must take driver's education courses.

Under a relatively new state law, children under the age of 8, under 57 inches tall, and weighing less than 80 pounds must travel in a child seat, secured by seat belts in the vehicle's rear seating area. Children over 8 must wear a seat belt when sitting in any part of the car. Children this age aren't forbidden by law from sitting in the front passenger seat, but, as airbags can hurt or even kill smaller children in the front seat, drivers are urged to keep them in the back seats.

Insurance is mandatory in the state of Rhode Island, and must be obtained through a company licensed to do business in the state. You must present proof of insurance if pulled over by law-enforcement officers, and at the Department of Motor Vehicles when registering your vehicle.