Little-Known Minnesota Driving Laws

All around the country, there are laws in the books that you may be unaware of in your daily life. You may even be breaking some. While some of these laws may seem comical or are so old that they’re no longer strictly enforced, others may be obscure but could still get you into a heap of trouble – especially when it comes to driving laws.

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Odd, Contradictory, or Missing Statutes
Having a windshield on your car is not specifically required anywhere in Minnesota statutes. Though we highly recommend them!
If you do have a windshield, then you’re required by law to have working windshield wipers installed on your vehicle
If you’re driving your vehicle in reverse, you’re exempt from the seat belt law. (We don’t recommend foregoing your seat belt though, for obvious safety reasons.)
There is no law against driving barefoot. We highly recommend a shoe, though, as it provides better control than driving barefoot.
There is no state law against riding in the back of a pickup or a towed camper (though some cities have ordinances against it because it is not a safe thing to do).
Little-Known Driving Laws That Could Cost You
The 2002 Move Over Law requires drivers to move their cars a lane over when driving in the lane nearest an officer who is making a traffic stop.
The driver of a vehicle must yield to those drivers who issue an audible warning (honking) while attempting to overtake their vehicle. Once the driver has yielded, they cannot increase their speed again until the passing vehicle has completely overtaken them.
You can be stopped and cited for wearing your seat belt improperly (like moving your shoulder harness around your back or under your arm).
Cigarette filters or cigarette butts are specifically listed in the littering statutes, making them illegal to jettison from your vehicle.
Snowplow headlights cannot be used on a vehicle unless the plow is attached to the vehicle as well. According to the law, once the plow is removed, the auxiliary plow lights must be removed or covered with opaque material.
Whether laws are obscure or not, remember that no knowledge of the law is not an excuse that will hold up with the officer that pulls you over. Make sure you’re well versed in proper driving safety and the rules of Minnesota roads before you head out on it.
All little-known laws courtesy of Ask a Trooper’s Sgt. Curt S. Mowers of the Minnesota State Patrol.
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