Free · 26 short lessons · Quoted from the manual
Maine Driver Handbook, Chapter by Chapter
Start with lesson 1Every chapter of the Maine Driver's License Manual that matters for the written test, cut down to the rules and exact numbers you need. Each point links to the manual text it comes from, with the page, and ends with questions from our free Maine practice test.
26 lessons in handbook order
Read one lesson, answer its 3 check questions, then drill that topic in the practice test. Most lessons take about 5 minutes.
- Lesson 1Section 1: Your Driver's LicenseLaws and paperwork
Getting a learner's permit and a license
In Maine you can get a learner's permit at 15 and a license at 16 after driver education. Drivers under 21 must hold the permit for 6 months and log 70 hours of practice before the road test.
9 key points · 11 numbers · Handbook pp. 1-2 to 1-6
- Lesson 2Section 1: Your Driver's LicenseLaws and paperwork
Young driver restrictions, points and suspensions
New Maine drivers under 18 face phone, night and passenger limits for 270 days, and first licenses are provisional. Demerit points and certain convictions can suspend any driver's license.
10 key points · 11 numbers · Handbook pp. 1-4 to 1-10
- Lesson 3Section 2: State Laws and RulesLaws and paperwork
Title, registration, insurance and inspection
Every vehicle on Maine roads must be titled, registered, insured and inspected. The manual gives the fees, deadlines and inspection standards the test asks about.
10 key points · 12 numbers · Handbook pp. 2-1 to 2-6
- Lesson 4Section 3: Ready to DriveSafe driving
Vision, fatigue and distractions
Drowsy or distracted driving can be as deadly as impaired driving. Maine gives numbers for sleep, breaks and texting risk that often appear on the test.
9 key points · 7 numbers · Handbook pp. 3-1 to 3-5
- Lesson 5Section 3: Ready to DriveAlcohol and DUI
How alcohol affects driving
Alcohol and other drugs are factors in about 40% of fatal crashes and affect judgment, vision and reaction time. Only time sobers you up, and drivers under 21 may not drive after any alcohol.
9 key points · 8 numbers · Handbook pp. 3-5 to 3-13
- Lesson 6Section 3: Ready to DriveAlcohol and DUI
OUI law, implied consent and penalties
In Maine, driving at 0.08 or more is the crime of operating under the influence, and your license is suspended right after arrest. Refusing a test brings its own suspension of up to 6 years.
10 key points · 10 numbers · Handbook pp. 3-9 to 3-12
- Lesson 7Section 3: Ready to DriveAlcohol and DUI
Under 21, conditional licenses and open containers
Maine treats every license held by someone under 21 as provisional for alcohol offenses. Conditional licensees and anyone with open containers face their own rules.
9 key points · 4 numbers · Handbook pp. 3-6 to 3-14
- Lesson 8Section 4: Before You DriveSafe driving
Seat position, seat belts and child safety
Maine law requires everyone in the vehicle to be buckled up, with children in the right seat or restraint for their age and weight. Proper seating keeps you safe from the air bag.
10 key points · 10 numbers · Handbook pp. 4-1 to 4-5
- Lesson 9Section 6: Rules of the RoadRight of way
Right of way at intersections and highways
Maine right of way rules tell drivers who goes first when there are no signs, signals or police. A good driver uses the right of way sensibly and never insists on it.
9 key points · 1 numbers · Handbook pp. 6-1 to 6-2
- Lesson 10Section 6: Rules of the RoadRight of way
Pedestrians, school children and blind pedestrians
Pedestrians in a crosswalk, school children and blind pedestrians always get the right of way in Maine. Failing to yield to a blind pedestrian carries a fine of up to $1,000.
8 key points · 2 numbers · Handbook pp. 6-2 to 6-12
- Lesson 11Section 6: Rules of the RoadSignals and markings
Traffic signals, arrows and lane lights
Maine traffic lights run red, yellow and green from top to bottom, and arrows mean the same as the colored lights. Lane control lights overhead tell you which lanes you may use.
9 key points · 0 numbers · Handbook pp. 6-3 to 6-4
- Lesson 12Section 6: Rules of the RoadRoad signs
Warning, railroad and work zone signs
Yellow diamond signs warn of danger ahead, round yellow signs warn of railroad crossings, and orange signs mark work zones. Each calls for slowing down and being ready to stop.
9 key points · 3 numbers · Handbook pp. 6-4 to 8-3
- Lesson 13Section 6: Rules of the RoadRoad signs
Stop, yield, regulatory and guide signs
Regulatory signs state traffic laws, and a red circle with a slash prohibits the action shown. Guide signs in green, brown or blue help you find places and services.
8 key points · 1 numbers · Handbook pp. 6-6 to 6-7
- Lesson 14Section 6: Rules of the RoadSignals and markings
Lane markings, lane use and special lanes
Painted lines separate lanes and show where you may change lanes, turn or stop. Shared center lanes and reversible lanes have their own rules.
7 key points · 1 numbers · Handbook pp. 6-7 to 6-12
- Lesson 15Section 7: General DrivingSignals and markings
Passing and no passing zones
Passing on a two lane road means borrowing the oncoming lane, so you need a long clear gap. Center lines, pennant signs and Maine law tell you where you may not pass.
9 key points · 3 numbers · Handbook pp. 7-6 to 7-8
- Lesson 16Section 7: General DrivingRight of way
Turns, traffic circles and roundabouts
Maine drivers must yield to traffic already in a traffic circle or roundabout and to oncoming traffic when turning left. Choosing the right lane early makes turns and circles safer.
7 key points · 1 numbers · Handbook pp. 7-1 to 7-3
- Lesson 17Section 7: General DrivingSafe driving
Intersections, lane changes, expressways and school buses
Most crashes happen where traffic meets, merges or changes lanes, so Maine asks for careful looks before every move. The manual also spells out when you must stop for a school bus.
9 key points · 1 numbers · Handbook pp. 7-2 to 7-9
- Lesson 18Section 8: Managing Time and SpaceSpeed limits
Speed limits and school zones
Posted limits are the fastest you may go in ideal conditions, not a required speed. Maine sets default limits of 45, 25 and 15 mph and doubles fines in school zones.
8 key points · 4 numbers · Handbook pp. 8-7 to 8-10
- Lesson 19Section 8: Managing Time and SpaceSafe driving
Scanning, stopping distance and road conditions
Seeing hazards early and knowing your stopping distance let you choose a safe speed. Wet, snowy and icy roads call for much slower driving.
9 key points · 6 numbers · Handbook pp. 8-2 to 8-8
- Lesson 20Section 8: Managing Time and SpaceSafe driving
Following distance, headlights and signals
Maine asks for a following distance of at least 4 seconds and a 4 second gap to merge. Headlights and signals let other drivers know where you are and what you plan to do.
9 key points · 4 numbers · Handbook pp. 8-11 to 8-18
- Lesson 21Section 9: Avoiding CrashesEmergencies
Collisions, crash reports and first aid
If you are in a crash, stop, help the injured and stay until police arrive. Maine requires a report for any injury or damage of $2,000 or more.
9 key points · 2 numbers · Handbook pp. 9-1 to 9-6
- Lesson 22Section 9: Avoiding CrashesEmergencies
Brake failure, blowouts and other vehicle problems
Each vehicle failure has a set response in the Maine manual. Learn what to do for failed brakes, a blowout, a stuck gas pedal, a stall on railroad tracks and a plunge into water.
9 key points · 2 numbers · Handbook pp. 9-5 to 9-7
- Lesson 23Section 10: Sharing the RoadSafe driving
Pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles and large vehicles
Everyone has a right to the road, and the most vulnerable users need extra care. Maine sets exact rules for passing bicycles and staying clear of large vehicles.
10 key points · 8 numbers · Handbook pp. 10-1 to 10-7
- Lesson 24Section 10: Sharing the RoadEmergencies
Emergency vehicles, move over and traffic stops
Maine requires you to pull over and stop for emergency vehicles with lights and sirens and to move over for ones stopped on the roadside. Failing to yield is a Class E crime.
8 key points · 2 numbers · Handbook pp. 6-2 to 10-10
- Lesson 25Section 11: Special Driving ChallengesSafe driving
Night, rural, winter and wet weather driving
Darkness, gravel roads, snow, ice, rain and floods each bring their own hazards. Maine gives specific numbers for night following distance, winter stopping and hydroplaning.
9 key points · 7 numbers · Handbook pp. 11-1 to 11-7
- Lesson 26Section 11: Special Driving ChallengesEmergencies
Moose and deer
Maine drivers hit moose and deer thousands of times a year. Knowing when and how these animals appear, and what to do if a crash is coming, can save your life.
7 key points · 0 numbers · Handbook pp. 11-7 to 11-8
Read, check, then practice
- Read a lesson. Open any point's source to see the exact manual wording and page.
- Answer the 3 check questions at the end without looking back.
- Drill that topic in the free Maine practice test, then take a full test when every lesson feels easy.
- Keep the Maine cheat sheet for a last look before test day.
Source: the Maine Driver's License Manual (Rev 4/24). Lessons are plain English summaries, not the law itself; where they differ, the manual and the statute govern. Every quote on these pages is checked against our saved copy of the manual. Last checked 2026-09-27.