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09.04.2018, 20:48 46984 0 Assembly of Motorists
They say that the most dangerous part of a car is the driver. Indeed, we criticize the quality of roads, which often creates emergency situations, the technical condition of cars, especially those with high mileage, which stall at the most inopportune moments, weather: rain, fog, ice, and at the same time we do not notice ourselves. But it is the human factor that often becomes the cause of accidents. Probably, it was precisely these considerations that guided the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which initiated the tightening of sanctions against newcomers, which caused a mixed reaction in society.
Since last year, for the absence of the “!” on a car, which means that the driver is a novice driver, a fine of 500 rubles is provided. These innovations caused a literally flurry of questions. How long do you need to drive with a novice driver sign and who falls under this term? Is it possible to continue driving after paying a fine? Where to put the “!” sign? Is it possible to replace it with the sign “U”? Experts answer these and other questions.
So, the main question. “Beginner driver” sign – how long to drive?
The legislation defines the term “novice drivers” as persons whose driving experience is less than 2 years, and therefore, when asked how many years to drive with a novice driver sign, the answer is clear – two years. Driving experience is counted from the moment you receive a driver's license.
It must be said that such a system for determining driving skills causes bewilderment for any sane person. After all, for example, one got a license and drives out every day, while the other hasn’t driven at all for more than two years and therefore can drive without a license. However, that is why it is a legislative norm, which requires implementation. Besides, how do you order a traffic police inspector to determine whether the driver in front of him is a novice or not - what, arrange a driving test on the spot?
Why do you need a novice driver sign?
How long to drive is determined, but why is this sign needed at all? Such questions can often be heard from those who have to put a “!” sign on their car, thereby immediately distinguishing themselves from the general mass of cars. The purpose of the sign is obvious - to warn other drivers that the car is being driven by a novice with insufficient skills and thereby reduce the risk of an accident. After all, you can expect anything from a driver without driving experience: sharp braking, incorrect and unexpected lane changes, illogical actions while parking, etc. . And psychologists advise beginners to overcome existing fear, unpleasant feelings of the “teapot” and hang up a sign, because safety is more important. Moreover, an exclamation mark is better than, for example, an image of a teapot or a lady’s shoe, which are sometimes attached to cars.
And again, the reasoning about the purpose of the “novice driver” sign also has back side medals. Unfortunately, on the road, as in life, there are many, to put it mildly, inadequate people. There are often cases when, having seen the “!” sign, such an “inadequate” tries to “teach” a newcomer. He brakes sharply, cuts dangerously, pushes from behind, reducing the distance to a minimum, and thus, as it were, demonstrates his superiority. It is best not to react to such actions and treat such people as patients who are not offended.
What should the “novice driver” sign look like and where should it be attached?
The sign is a square yellow sticker 15x15 cm, which depicts an exclamation mark 11 cm high. The “!” must be glued to the rear window on either side. The main condition is that it does not interfere with the view.
What liability is provided if, after a fine, you still drive without a “!” sign?
If a driving violation is detected without the “!” Along with the fine, the traffic police inspector issues a resolution to eliminate the violation. This means that within ten days you must present your car with the defect eliminated to the traffic police department, i.e. with a “!” sign pasted on it. If this is neglected, the police may suspend the registration of the car and further driving of such a car for the first time will entail a fine of up to 800 rubles, and for a repeated violation - up to the deprivation of a driver’s license for 3 months.
Therefore, the question of how long the “novice driver” sign should hang and whether it is possible to drive without it after the first violation is obvious. It should hang for two years, and premature removal and driving without it is fraught with dire consequences. It should also be noted that novice drivers with less than two years of experience are prohibited from towing, and novice motorcyclists are prohibited from carrying passengers. Penalties are provided in both cases.
Is it possible to replace the "!" sign "U"?
Some beginners believe that they can successfully replace the “!” more familiar sign"U". This is a deep misconception, because the “U” sign is installed only on cars of driving schools, which are driven by their students under the guidance of instructors.
Upon completion of driving school, the graduate becomes a full-fledged driver. Therefore, installing a “U” sign on his car will be a demonstration of illiteracy or complete disregard for traffic rules.
These “pearls” can be seen today on our roads instead of the required “!” sign.
You should not neglect the “!” sign, because driving youth is a disadvantage that goes away over the years, and there can never be too much safety.
The sign, called "Beginner Driver", was introduced into use by government decree on January 27, 2009. Every inexperienced motorist should know where to place the novice driver sign so that it is visible to other cars and so that it does not obscure visibility.
1. This sign is glued to the upper right corner of the rear window. In some cases, it can be pasted in the upper left corner. This will make it easier for other drivers to see.
2. The “Beginner Driver” sign looks like a yellow square with sides equal to fifteen centimeters. This square has a black exclamation point on it. Its height is eleven centimeters.
3. Such a sign may be attached to the rear windows of motor vehicles driven by drivers with a total driving experience of no more than two years. You cannot stick the “Beginner Driver” sign only on tractors, motorcycles and self-propelled vehicles.
4. The presence of such a sign on the car window is necessary so that the car can successfully pass the technical inspection, which must be carried out once a year.
5. You can purchase this indispensable sign for novice drivers in auto supply stores and print kiosks.
In Russia you can often see cars with strange exclamation marks on the back on a yellow background. “Beginner behind the wheel” is how most drivers interpret it, although in fact it is defined as “Beginner driver”. However, this does not change the essence.
Purpose
The essence of the sign is clear to everyone: let other participants know traffic that an inexperienced driver is behind the wheel of a car with a “Newbie Driving” sign, who may have received his license to drive a vehicle just yesterday. Many experienced drivers, when they see this sign, try to stay away from such a car or at least keep a long distance. And in general, they treat newcomers on the roads with caution, because no one wants a driver without understanding the situation on the road to damage the car due to their inexperience.
But it is fair to note that other road users, seeing this sign, behave aggressively towards the newcomer. They honk at him if he is moving slowly, and sometimes even cut him off. And such situations occur on the roads.
In any case, the essence of the sign is clear to everyone, but a number of questions arise regarding its use:
- How long does it take to drive? The “Newbie Driving” sign, as you know, must be present on the car for a limited amount of time.
- Are there any requirements for the design of the sign?
- Which driver is considered a novice?
- Is it possible to be fined for not having a “Newbie Driving” sign?
We will try to sort out these questions.
Newbies driving are dangerous
If you believe the statistics, then in 30% of cases it is newcomers who become the culprits of road accidents. This is not surprising, since they can, due to ignorance of the rules, commit a prohibited maneuver. This happens because a driver who only received a driver’s license yesterday already gets behind the wheel today and feels extremely insecure. And even though he has studied all the rules well and passed the exams well, he will still feel insecure on the road, because driving with and without an instructor are different practices. In addition, due to the high traffic intensity, even experienced drivers do not always understand the situation correctly.
Rules
Few people know that the “Newbie Driving” sign is mandatory - it must be present on a car driven by a driver without 2 years of experience. This requirement is stated in the rules. It states that drivers without 2 years of driving experience are required to drive with a yellow plate with an exclamation point on it. The period of time from the moment the certificate is issued to the current date is taken as length of service. This means that if, after receiving a license, a person does not even approach a car for 2 years, then when he gets behind the wheel for the first time, he may not put this sign on. Unfortunately, it is impossible today to record the driver’s actual experience in any way. Perhaps in the future they will come up with some method of fixing it.
That is, there may be newcomers on the roads even without the appropriate sign - this is worth remembering. And although the law requires that the sign hang on the back of the car for two years after the driver obtains a license, it is recommended to remove it when he gains experience and feels confident. Until then, it is advisable to warn other drivers about your inexperience.
What are the dangers of inexperienced drivers?
The "Rookie Driving" sign didn't just appear. It became necessary because it became necessary to warn other road users that there was an inexperienced driver on the road. He can perform an unpredictable and prohibited maneuver, which poses a certain danger. He can also:
- Get stuck on the road.
- Stall.
- Forgetting to turn on the turn signal or indicating it incorrectly.
- Brake sharply.
- Drive at a very low speed.
- Suddenly change lanes without looking in the rearview mirror.
- Roll back when starting up a hill (at a traffic light, for example).
It would take a long time to list the mistakes that beginners often make on the road, so paying attention to yellow exclamation marks is simply necessary. They are used for a reason.
Requirements for the sign
Exist certain requirements to the replacement and design of this plate. In particular, the dimensions of the “Newbie Driving” sign should be as follows: 150 mm in height and 150 mm in width. The height of the exclamation mark itself is 110 mm. The square should be yellow and the sign itself should be black. It is a violation to use a sign that does not meet these requirements. And although it is unlikely that the inspector will measure the size of the plate, a frankly small icon can be interpreted as a violation. Therefore, if you are going to create and print the “Rookie Driver” sign yourself, then make sure that it fits the specified dimensions.
As for the requirements for its location, everything is simpler here. It needs to be glued in the upper corner of the rear window of the car. Most often it is mounted in the upper left corner, since this is where it is easiest for the driver from behind to see it. But it can be glued to another corner. The rules do not specify its location. But the main thing is that it does not interfere with the view through the rearview mirror.
Fine for not having a “Newbie Driving” sign
Until a certain time (April 4, 2017), the use of this sign was mandatory, but the driver did not bear any responsibility for violating this rule. That is, the traffic police inspector could stop the violator, point out to him the absence of a sign and calmly let him go further. Naturally, there is no motivation for the driver to use such a sign.
However, after this date, a decree was issued, according to which a fine of 500 rubles was imposed for ignoring this rule. However, the inspector, as before, can limit himself to just a verbal warning in exchange for the driver’s promise that he will hang up this sign at the first opportunity.
It is worth considering that not all traffic police inspectors are kind, there are also principled ones. If the driver does not have 2 years of experience and the corresponding sign, they will most likely draw up a violation report. After April 4, 2017, they have the corresponding powers. Unfortunately, few drivers know about this.
Is it good?
It is necessary to emphasize that rules appear for a reason. Taking into account the statistics according to which the participants in road accidents are often novices, the decision to use such signs and assign responsibility for ignoring them is quite logical and justified. After the driver receives a fine at least once for such a violation, he will quickly buy this plate for himself. As a result, other road users around him will be more attentive to him, which will improve road safety.
Conclusion
Now you know how long you need to wear the “Newbie Driving” sign and understand what consequences occur if you ignore this rule. Finally, we can recommend that all novice drivers use these signs, as they will help them cope with driving until they gain experience. Besides, I really wouldn’t want to get a fine for a “Newbie Driving” sign, because there is nothing easier than just sticking a sign on the window. They are sold in any specialized store at a price of 20-30 rubles.
It is always difficult for a novice driver on the road. According to traffic rules today, a driver whose experience is less than 2 years can install a “newbie” sign. But many believe that this attribute is not required. Does a beginner need this sign in practice? Helped us answer this question driving instructors and the experiment performed. To do this we made two trips.
Ride One: Problem
Brief information
By decision of the Russian government from 03/01/2009. Drivers with less than 2 years of experience are required to attach a “Newbie Driving” sign.
- The “new driver” sign is a yellow square with a black exclamation mark on it. This sign must be located on the rear window of the vehicle (except for tractors, motorcycles, self-propelled vehicles).
- There is also a "training transport" sign. This is a triangle with the letter “U” in black on a white background with a red border. The sign must be located in front and behind vehicles that are used for driving lessons.
- As an alternative to the legal "new driver" sign, some drivers use the "Kettle" sign, a triangle with a picture of a teapot.
Ride two: Privilege
Our driver continued driving in the same manner, but with the “teapot” sign. This time everything has changed. Standing at a traffic light, we did not move off the first time, as is typical for a beginner. The surrounding cars began to behave more appropriately and did not honk. In a small traffic jam on the bridge, it was noticeable how drivers were trying not to drive close to our newcomer. It was also easier to change lanes. Drivers let people pass more often and paid more attention to the behavior of the newcomer. Of course, there were exceptions.
But we can say for sure: with the “novice” sign, it was easier and calmer for the participant in our experiment to drive “uncertainly.”
Goals of the "newbie" sign
The law establishes the mandatory use of the “newbie” sign, but does not provide for punishment for its absence. During the technical inspection, it is still needed, since during the technical inspection, compliance with the requirements of the regulations on the approval of the vehicle for operation is checked. But driving with this sign every day or not is everyone’s personal choice. It is worth noting that beginners often underestimate the role of the “novice driver” sign.
There are no statistics on how many accidents occur due to the fault of drivers who have little experience, but some experts claim that in every third accident the participant is a novice. Drivers with less than one year of experience are more at risk of getting into an accident, since they do not yet have sufficient maneuvering skills and behavior on the road.
Every novice driver, first of all, should think about safety, both for themselves and those around them. For those who lack experience, the beginner's sign, as can be seen from the experiment we conducted, will help reduce the number of stressful situations, thereby giving you more confidence on the road.
The main purpose of the sign is to warn drivers that the driver is a novice car owner.
It is interesting that in the Soviet Union, a driver who passed his license did not receive a driver’s license. He was given a temporary document for a period of two years, and he was not allowed to exceed the speed of more than 70 km/h. After 2 years, if he left without committing any offenses, he was given a full license. If there were violations, the driver had to go for a re-examination.
Today, a similar practice exists in some foreign countries. In Italy, for example, a novice driver with less than three years of experience is prohibited from exceeding speeds of more than 90 km/h in the city and 100 km/h on the motorway.
It should be noted that in most countries abroad, “newcomer” signs are mandatory and a decent fine is imposed for their absence. In Italy - a black letter "P" (principiante - newcomer) in a white square. In the USA - a red sticker located in the upper left corner of the license plate; in Lithuania there is a special form: Maple Leaf on a white background, in the Czech Republic they stick on a painted hat, in France the “Apprenti” sign means a student driving.
So, let's summarize
- The “novice” sign must be installed for drivers with less than two years of driving experience. They believe that it takes exactly two years for a driver to begin to behave confidently on the road and stop feeling like a beginner. This, of course, is a conditional point, because everyone accumulates experience in their own way. But you need to remember that the likelihood of a novice driver getting into an accident is 1.6% higher than for those who have been driving for more than three years.
- Novice car enthusiasts should know that when undergoing maintenance, the exclamation mark attached to the back of the car will be checked. You can buy it in almost all auto stores.
- Abroad, such signs are common practice, which only helps both the drivers themselves and law enforcement agencies.
- Psychologists recommend that all beginners overcome the internal barrier and recognize themselves as less experienced for their own safety.
And most importantly: The “Newbie Driving” sign is still a privilege on the road.
It is needed so that a newcomer can be easily recognized. This sticker will not free you from responsibility, but a beginner can count on the leniency of more experienced car drivers.
Good luck on the roads!
You can warn other road users about the driver’s inexperience by installing a “Beginner Driver” sign on the vehicle. Whether this element is mandatory or not in 2017 and the features of its use will be discussed in the article.
Features of using the “Beginner Driver” sign
Description
To understand whether the “Beginner Driver” sign on a car is required or not, you need to refer to the traffic rules. Paragraph eight states: a warning must be posted by a traffic participant whose driving experience does not exceed two years. The sticker itself has following parameters:
- square yellow color;
- edges measuring 15 cm;
- inside there is a black exclamation mark 11 cm high.
Only the driver of a self-propelled car, motorcycle, moped and equivalent vehicles, as well as a tractor, is not required to warn about his novice status.
The rules specify the standard for the Novice Driver sign. Mandatory or not in 2017 - you decide Accommodation
It is recommended to place the symbol so that drivers behind will pay more attention and be prepared for various situations, for example, sudden braking, changing lanes without a turn signal, slow response during maneuvers, etc.
But the specific location of the “Beginner Driver” sign is not specified in the traffic rules. Therefore, you can stick it on the body, trunk and other parts. The main thing is that it is installed in a visible place so as not to interfere with the view. It is recommended to place the sign:
- on the glass behind in any of the four corners;
- near the license plate;
- on the front window in one of the corners on the passenger side.
Term of use
The “Beginner Driver” sign is placed on the car until you reach 2 years of driving experience. But a citizen has the right to leave the designation for more long term if you don't feel confident enough.
Many, especially girls, take advantage of this opportunity to receive more lenient assessment of their actions. However, as reviews indicate, cars with stickers are more often cut off, overtaken with violations, etc. Young guys are the opposite: after receiving their license and having no experience, they are embarrassed and do not use this designation, which is considered a violation.
Thus, after 2 years, whether the “Beginner Driver” sign is needed or not, everyone decides for themselves. Penalties for leaving for more long time there will be no sign.
For the first two years of driving a car, you need a Beginner Driver sign. Is there a fine?
For most drivers, the question of whether the “Beginner Driver” sign is required or not in 2017 is decided by the presence of a penalty. In the absence of this designation, monetary liability is not imposed on the driver. When checking documents, the inspector can only remind you of its necessity.
Authorized employees, taking advantage of the ignorance of the citizen behind the wheel, issue a fine, referring to Article 12.5, Part 1. It describes the conditions under which it is prohibited to drive a car. However, there is no mention of whether the “Beginner Driver” sign is needed.
Incorrect sign options
We found out whether the “Beginner Driver” sign is required. But many today use other stickers:
- Exclamation mark in a triangle, framed by a red stripe. This road sign and has nothing to do with the driver’s inexperience.
- The letter “U” has the right to be located only on the machine in which the student is trained together with the instructor. Some people use this designation too.
- They also put up signs like “shoe”, “child in the car”, “teapot” and others. They are informative for others, but are not provided for by the rules.
It is worth remembering that no sign will have a weakening effect when investigating the causes of an accident. A novice driver is a participant in the movement like the rest.
Thus, whether a “Beginner Driver” sign is needed, everyone has the right to decide for themselves. There is no penalty for its absence. But, in order to undergo MOT, drivers with less than 2 years of experience will need to hang a sign, otherwise they will not be able to complete the procedure.
“Beginner Driver” sign: mandatory or not in 2017 (Video)
A traffic police officer explains the rules for using the sign, and also explains whether or not the “Beginner Driver” sign is necessary for newcomers on the road.