Top Bad Weather

A Minnesota driver's license entitles the holder the right to drive on Minnesota's many roads and highways. With the right to drive comes the responsibility to do so safely, and to be aware of other motorists, passengers and driving conditions.

For Minnesota, this can mean ice, snow, sleet and other adverse weather conditions. Unlike some other parts of the U.S., Minnesota drivers must prepare for breakdowns, delays, or road closures under the worst of circumstances, meaning they should keep in their vehicles blankets or sleeping bags, water, and food such as energy bars, at the very least.

A more extensive road emergency kit would include road flares, and of course, a charged mobile phone should be included if possible.

Top Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS)

Minnesota driver's licenses are handled by Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) and the state's Office of Traffic Safety.

The DVS is the place to go for most driver's license transactions, including the following:

• Obtaining a Minnesota driver's license or identification card

• License renewal

• License replacement

• License suspension or revocation

• Change of name

• Change of address

Top Office of Traffic and Safety

The Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety has additional information on the following:

• Reports and data on motor vehicle crashes

• Details of the state's traffic enforcement programs under the Safe and Sober Campaign

• Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Program on child seats, safety, and resources in the state

• A resource catalog with free print materials, presentations, and other resources

• A section on traffic laws and new legislation

• Contact information for other resources

Top Safety Belts and Child Safety Seats

Minnesota stresses the need for seat belts, responding to a troubling statistic: of the state's 461 traffic accident deaths in 2004, 239 of them were fatal because the drivers or passengers were not wearing seat belts. The Office of Traffic Safety puts the economic toll of these needless fatalities at nearly $270 million.

The state encourages and enforces child safety with the CPS program, which consists of the following, offered mostly in PDF format:

• A guide to properly securing children in vehicles, including choices and installation

• A six-step checklist for seat belt safety with children

• Child Passenger Safety program outreach materials, including advisories, fact sheets, and other educational information

• A schedule for child care providers to get training on child passenger safety and requirements

• An explanation of Minnesota's child restraint laws

• Public service announcements (PSAs) on child passenger safety, available for stations to download and air

• A child safety seat and seat belt prescription pad for Latino community members

• "Buckle Up With Bucky" curriculum for children ages four to eight

• A search function to find child safety seat specialists in Minnesota

Here's a brief primer on the law, and the state suggestions for traveling with young children:

• Kids under eight years old who are less than four feet, nine inches tall must use a federally approved child safety restraint system

• Infants should ride in a rear-facing safety seat until they reach 1 year old and at least 20 pounds

• Children who weigh more than 20 pounds and are over 1 year old should ride facing forward in a high-back booster seat

It is always important to ensure proper installation of your child restraint system, according to manufacturer's instructions. The back seat is the safest place in most vehicles. If a vehicle has a passenger airbag, it is essential for children 12 years of age and younger to ride in the backseat.

And a few last cautionary words:

• Never use a child restraint safety seat that is more than 6 years old

• Never use a safety seat that has already been in a crash

• Never place a rear-facing infant seat near an airbag

• Never hold a child in your lap while driving or riding in a vehicle

• Never place children in the cargo area of a station wagon or passenger truck

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