Key points
Motorcycles are entitled to the full width of their lane.
Source: Handbook p. 92
“Motorcycles are entitled to the full width of their lane.”
North Carolina Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 92To pass a moped, stay at least two feet to the left.
Source: Handbook p. 92
“To pass a moped, you must stay at least two feet to the left;”
North Carolina Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 92A moped's top speed legally cannot exceed 30 mph.
Source: Handbook p. 93
“Legally, a moped’s top speed cannot exceed 30 miles per hour.”
North Carolina Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 93Bicycle riders and passengers under 16 must wear an approved helmet.
Source: Handbook p. 90
“All bicycle riders and passengers under age 16 must wear an approved protective bicycle helmet”
North Carolina Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 90A truck's NO-ZONES include up to 200 feet behind it.
Source: Handbook p. 92
“20 feet in front of the cab, on either side of the tractor-trailer, particularly alongside the cab, and up to 200 feet in the rear (see diagram). Motorists lingering in the NO-ZONES hamper the trucker's ability to take evasive action”
North Carolina Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 92Minimum liability insurance is $30,000 per person, $60,000 per crash for injuries and $25,000 for property.
Source: Handbook p. 99
“The minimum amount of liability insurance required is: • $30,000 for injuries to any one person in a crash • $60,000 for all personal injuries in a crash • $25,000 for all property damage in a crash”
North Carolina Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 99You must keep continuous liability insurance as long as the vehicle has a valid plate.
Source: Handbook p. 99
“North Carolina law requires the owner of every registered vehicle to maintain continuous liability insurance as long as the vehicle has a valid license plate.”
North Carolina Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 99Your inspection may be done up to 90 days before the registration expires.
Source: Handbook p. 101
“Inspections may be performed up to 90 days prior to the vehicle’s registration (license tag) expiration date.”
North Carolina Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 101Littering carries a fine of $250 to $1,000.
Source: Handbook p. 95
“When litter is thrown from or blown from a vehicle, the driver of the vehicle is held responsible. If convicted, the minimum fine is $250, and the maximum fine is $1,000.”
North Carolina Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 95
Numbers to know
| Number | What it means | Manual |
|---|---|---|
| 2 feet | minimum clearance when passing a moped | Handbook p. 92 |
| 30 mph | maximum moped speed | Handbook p. 93 |
| 16 | age below which bike helmets are required | Handbook p. 90 |
| 200 feet | length of a truck's rear blind spot | Handbook p. 92 |
| $30,000 | per person injury coverage | Handbook p. 99 |
| $60,000 | per crash injury coverage | Handbook p. 99 |
| $25,000 | property damage coverage | Handbook p. 99 |
| 90 days | earliest inspection before registration expires | Handbook p. 101 |
| $250 | minimum littering fine | Handbook p. 95 |
| $1,000 | maximum first littering fine | Handbook p. 95 |
3 questions from the North Carolina practice test
1. In North Carolina, how much space must a driver allow when passing a moped?
- At least six inches to the moped's right
- No clearance if the moped is near the shoulder
- One full lane to the moped's right without changing position
- At least two feet to the moped's left
Show answer
At least two feet to the moped's left. A driver passing a moped must stay at least two feet to the moped's left. The handbook also says a moped should travel using the right side of the lane, and the same two foot figure appears in the general rule that a passing driver must pass at least two feet to the left of the vehicle being passed. Passing on the moped's right, using six inches, or giving no clearance near the shoulder does not meet the rule. Plan the maneuver with a visible gap and wait when traffic or roadway width prevents the required clearance.
2. What is the legal maximum speed of a moped in North Carolina?
- 40 miles per hour
- 30 miles per hour
- 50 miles per hour
- 55 miles per hour
Show answer
30 miles per hour. North Carolina defines the moped’s legal top speed as no more than 30 miles per hour. A machine capable of more than that is illegal for use in the state, even if its design resembles a moped. The 40, 50, and 55 mile-per-hour choices confuse the vehicle’s legal ceiling with roadway speed limits or a faster machine’s capability. Check the moped’s size and maximum speed before purchase, because those details affect whether it can be operated legally.
3. What mirror check helps a driver avoid lingering in a tractor-trailer’s rear blind spot?
- If you see the truck driver, remain beside the cab
- If the truck has two mirrors, its blind spots do not matter
- If you cannot see the truck driver in the side-view mirror, the driver cannot see you
- If you are within one car length, the truck driver can always see you
Show answer
If you cannot see the truck driver in the side-view mirror, the driver cannot see you. The handbook gives a practical mirror rule for sharing the road with a tractor-trailer: if you cannot see the truck driver in the side-view mirror, the driver cannot see your vehicle. That means the car is lingering in a blind spot and should increase space or pass only when legal and clear. Seeing the driver does not make it safe to remain beside the cab, and extra mirrors do not eliminate every no-zone. Use the mirror check whenever you travel behind or alongside a large truck, especially before changing position or slowing.
Practice this topic
Lock it in with safe driving questions from the free North Carolina practice test. Every answer comes with a plain English explanation.
Source: the North Carolina Driver Handbook, Chapter 6: Sharing the Road. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.