Night, winter and deer

Key points

1. Slow down so you can stop within the distance your headlights show.

   Source: Handbook p. 24

   “Slow down. You should be able to stop in the distance covered by your headlights”
   North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 24

2. Watch closely for deer at dawn and dusk.

   Source: Handbook p. 25

   “Pay close attention at dawn and dusk for animals, especially for deer.”
   North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 25

3. Swerving to avoid an animal can cause a worse crash, like hitting a tree or rolling over.

   Source: Handbook p. 25

   “Do not swerve to avoid an animal because this could result in a more serious crash like hitting a tree or another vehicle, or possibly rolling over.”
   North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 25

4. In winter, even with snow tires or chains, double your following distance.

   Source: Handbook p. 28

   “Snow tires or tire chains are helpful, but you should still double your distance for following other vehicles.”
   North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 28

5. Keep firm, steady pressure on anti lock brakes; pumping them or letting up reduces their effect.

   Source: Handbook p. 28

   “Keep firm and continuous pressure on antilock brakes (ABS). Manually pumping antilock brakes, or letting up on them, decreases their effectiveness because it turns the system off and on.”
   North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 28

6. If stuck in a snowstorm, stay with the vehicle and run the engine only in short periods with windows slightly open.

   Source: Handbook p. 28

   “If your vehicle becomes stuck in a snowstorm, stay with the vehicle! Most deaths occur when people leave their vehicles and get lost. Open your windows slightly and run the vehicle and heater for only short periods of time to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.”
   North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 28

7. Stay well back from snowplows, which may stop and back up.

   Source: Handbook p. 28

   “Stay well back from snowplows. Sometimes they have to stop and back up.”
   North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 28

8. After rain starts, water mixes with road dirt and oil to form a slick film on the road.

   Source: Handbook p. 29

   “Water combines with the road dirt and oil to form a slick film between your tires and the roadway surface.”
   North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 29

9. When water on the road gets deeper, you can hydroplane: your tires ride on the water instead of the road surface.

   Source: Handbook p. 29

   “When the water on the roadway becomes deeper, another hazardous situation occurs: hydroplaning. This occurs when your tires ride on the water and not on roadway surface.”
   North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 29

10. Six inches of water reaches the bottom of most cars; two feet of moving water can carry most vehicles away.

    Source: Handbook p. 29

    “Remember, six inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars, causing loss of control or possible stalling. • Two feet of moving water can carry away most vehicles including sport utility vehicles and pick-up trucks.”
    North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 29

Numbers to know

3 questions from the North Dakota practice test

1. 1. At what times does the North Dakota manual tell drivers to pay close attention for deer?

   1. From noon until sunset
   2. Only at midnight
   3. Only during heavy snowfall
   4. At dawn and dusk
   Show answer

   At dawn and dusk. The manual highlights dawn and dusk as times to pay close attention for deer, then advises slower speeds where deer crossing signs are posted. Midnight is not the exclusive danger period, and the guidance is not limited to snowfall or afternoon hours. Low light can make animals harder to detect, so scan the roadside and moderate speed before entering a marked crossing zone. The cue is the paired phrase dawn and dusk.

2. 2. When a vehicle begins to hydroplane, what does the North Dakota manual identify as the underlying danger?

   1. The tires ride on water instead of the roadway surface
   2. The tires lose some contact with the roadway because of reduced tread
   3. The engine cannot maintain speed through standing water
   4. The steering becomes heavier because the road is wet
   Show answer

   The tires ride on water instead of the roadway surface. Hydroplaning means the tires are riding on water rather than on the roadway surface. The manual's advice is to slow down and be alert in rain, since rain also reduces visibility and increases the chance of a dangerous skid. Reduced tread, an engine that cannot hold speed, or heavier steering are not how the manual defines the danger. The defining cue is the tire riding on a layer of water instead of gripping the pavement.

3. 3. Why should a driver slow down after rain begins on a hard-surface road?

   1. Only visibility changes; pavement traction remains the same
   2. Rain makes tires grip harder and shortens stopping distance
   3. The roadway becomes safer once water covers the oil
   4. Water mixes with dirt and oil to form a slick film
   Show answer

   Water mixes with dirt and oil to form a slick film. The manual warns that a hard surface roadway is very slippery just after it starts raining, because water combines with road dirt and oil to form a slick film between your tires and the roadway surface. That condition calls for lower speed and alert driving. Rain does not improve grip, and covering the oil does not remove the hazard. The visibility only choice overlooks the loss of traction. The manual adds that most skids result from driving too fast for the conditions on slippery roadways.

Source: the North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual, Rules of 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.