Trying to obtain your drivers license and don't know where to start? Start with the official Pennsylvania drivers manual. The Pennsylvania DMV drivers handbook is completely free and it contains everything you need to know in order to be able to pass your permit test.
If you are applying for your first Pennsylvania drivers license, then you should only concern yourself with the information provided in the regular DMV drivers handbook. The book contains everything you need to know, starting with the licensing procedure and ending with the state driving laws. However, if you decide to apply for the commercial or motorcycle driver's license, you may need to access the corresponding manual. At the moment, the PennDOT offers the following publications:
If you are applying for a motorcycle endorsement, you should still go through the regular drivers handbook before you proceed to the motorcycle manual as the regular book describes the basics you will find useful no matter what type of a vehicle you plan on driving.
Apart from offering you detailed information on the state driving rules and traffic signs, the DMV drivers manual also contains the forms necessary for obtaining the Pennsylvania learners permit. Teenagers who are looking for the parental consent form will also find it at the beginning of the book.
Pennsylvania driver's handbook contains the following sections:
Teenage drivers license applicants should pay extra attention to the first chapter of the book as it describes how you will get the permit, the graduated license law and what restrictions will be posed onto you as an underage driver.
Although you should read the whole manual and learn everything put forth there, there are some parts of the manual you should know by heart. You must learn the road signs, traffic rules and safe driving practices as these are the areas represented by most questions on your DMV permit test. You must also read all other chapters as you will encounter an occasional question based on the materials in those sections.
Looking for some extra study materials? Sign up for one of the online drivers education courses. Pennsylvania state-approved drivers ed classes do a great job of getting you ready for the permit test and can even be used as a sole source of materials when getting ready for the test. Overachievers can take compliment the course with the DMV driver's handbook.
Once you are through with the manual or the drivers ed class, take a few PA practice permit tests to make sure you've learned everything. Although the questions you will see in the real permit test are different from the one featured in practice tests, practice exams still make a great study aid and help you identify any problematic areas you might have left out during your study sessions. The drivers manual test questions are not that complete, so you should probably looks for some extra test sources.
The Pennsylvania driver's handbook is published by the Department of Motor Vehicles and you can pick up a copy of the manual at any PennDOT office. The handbook can also be downloaded online, from the DMV website. The online version of the manual is provided in the form of the PDF files and you will need to have Adobe Reader installed in order to be able to open them.
Drivers handbooks are available in English, Spanish and Korean so you can read the manual in the language you are most comfortable with.