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Every state has the right to pass its own laws. But, sometimes, those laws are just plain weird. Let’s take a look at a few laws in each state that can leave you confused, shocked, and with a hefty fine.
Here Are Some Interesting Driving Laws from Around the United States
One brief note before we begin: vehicle and traffic laws are set at the state and local levels. That means what might be legal or illegal in one county might be different in the county right next door. The same goes from state to state.
Alabama
In Alabama, it is illegal to wear blindfolds while driving. Maybe Evel Kneival drove through the state one too many times, leading to this law being passed. It’s also legal to drive the wrong way down a one-way street if you have a lantern affixed to your vehicle.
Alaska
Strange things happen in the icy wilderness. One thing led to another and now it is officially illegal to tie a dog to the roof of your car in Alaska.
Arizona
Arizona state lawmakers have made it illegal to drive a vehicle in reverse on a public road. That doesn’t mean backing up, but literally driving the length of your trip in reverse.
Arkansas
Many states have laws against honking, but only Arkansaw has a law that makes it illegal to honk at sandwich shops or beverage stands after 9:00 p.m.
California
California is one of the most socially progressive states in the country. Even so, for some reason, there is a law on the books that makes it illegal for women to drive vehicles when wearing bathrobes.
What makes a little more sense is the law against jumping from a vehicle at 65 miles per hour. Talk about adding insult to injury!
Colorado
Colorado has two strange laws: It’s illegal to drive past the same traffic-control point within a three-hour period and it’s also illegal to drive a black car on a Sunday.
Connecticut
People in Connecticut like to take their time getting where they need to go. Maybe that’s why it’s illegal for fire trucks to travel faster than 25 miles per hour—even when on the way to a fire.
Delaware
In Delaware, you can get a ticket for changing clothes inside your vehicle.
Florida
In Florida, the land of strange livestock, you are required to pay a parking meter if you “park” an alligator, goat, or elephant to it.
Georgia
Somehow, somebody did something that caused lawmakers to make it illegal to drive vehicles through playgrounds or to spit from any vehicle other than a truck.
Hawaii
This one is going to make a few you happy: It is illegal to use your vehicle’s hazard lights while the vehicle is in motion.
Idaho
In Idaho Falls, Idaho, it is illegal for anybody over the age of 88 to ride a motorcycle.
Illinois
We’re not sure what could have possibly led to this law being passed, but, in Decatur, Illinois, it is illegal to drive a vehicle without a steering wheel.
Indiana
Sundays are days of rest in Indiana. Therefore, it’s illegal to sell cars on a Sunday.
Iowa
Most states have laws against throwing objects onto highways. Iowa takes it one step further by explicitly banning people from throwing Red Ryder guns onto highways.
Kansas
If a chicken dies in Kansas, leave it where it falls. It is illegal to transport dead poultry in any vehicle in the state.
Kentucky
Kentuckians love to hunt—but not from moving vehicles. Committing drive-by shootings against deer is very much illegal in the state.
Louisiana
In New Orleans, it is illegal for a woman to drive a vehicle unless her husband waves a flag in front of it.
Maine
The small town of South Berwick, Maine, has made it illegal to park within 25 feet of the town’s one and only Dunkin’ Donuts. It’s also illegal to buy a car on a Sunday anywhere in the state.
Maryland
You can curse in your cars, but not if a passerby can hear it. Using profanity in the earshot of others can result in you facing jail time.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts lawmakers consider it illegal to transport any animals in vehicles unless they are safely secured in cages or tethered to the side of the vehicle.
Michigan
Obstructing traffic is one thing, but (in Michigan) it’s particularly illegal to sit in the middle of a street while reading a newspaper.
Minnesota
One of the weirdest laws we’ve ever seen is Minnesota’s law against crossing state lines with a duck on your head. Imagine explaining that traffic ticket to your insurance company.
Mississippi
In Oxford, Mississippi, it is illegal to honk your horn, since that might scare nearby horses.
Missouri
You can get a ticket with a steep fine for reaching into somebody else’s car and honking their horn.
Montana
It is illegal to haul sheep in your vehicle without a chaperone—or “sheeperone”—in the back with the sheep.
Nebraska
Nebraska state law requires drivers to drive near the right edge of the roadway when driving on mountains. There are no mountains in Nebraska.
Nevada
It is illegal for you to drive your camel on a public highway.
New Hampshire
Huffing the exhaust of public buses to get high is illegal in New Hampshire.
New Jersey
If you’ve ever been convicted of a DUI, you can kiss that vanity plate goodbye. Without a record of being 10 years clean, you cannot obtain a personalized license plate in the Garden State.
New Mexico
Some states call it kidnapping. Other states call it just another traffic offense. In New Mexico, it is illegal for cab drivers to reach out and pull potential customers into their cabs.
New York
In Sag Harbor, New York, it is illegal to strip nude while inside of your vehicle.
North Carolina
North Carolina lawmakers seem to have taken issue with the schoolyard insult of “go play in traffic,” as they’ve made it entirely illegal to play in traffic.
North Dakota
If you’ve ever heard of people paying parking tickets with pennies, that most likely wasn’t in North Dakota. North Dakota lawmakers have passed legislation making it illegal to put pennies into automatic parking ticket machines.
Ohio
In Youngstown, Ohio, it is illegal to run out of gas or to drive around the town square more than 100 times consecutively.
Oklahoma
Distracted driving is illegal in Oklahoma, especially when you’re distracted by a comic book. Maybe a state lawmaker had a personal grudge against Stan Lee.
Oregon
It is legal to drive on the sidewalk in Oregon as long as you yield the right of way to pedestrians. Just be sure not to leave your door open for too long, as that could get you another ticket.
Pennsylvania
When driving on a country road late at night, you must stop every mile and fire off flares or other warning signals, then wait 10 minutes for livestock to clear the road.
Rhode Island
Street racing is illegal in Rhode Island, even if you’re racing horses rather than vehicles. It’s also illegal to not honk your horn when you’re passing a slowpoke on the road.
South Carolina
South Carolina lawmakers really hate slobs. If you have too much garbage in your vehicle, you could wind up facing hefty fines.
South Dakota
Unlike every single other state in the country, South Dakota allows 14-year-olds to get official driver licenses.
Tennessee
In Tennessee, it is illegal to shoot animals from a moving vehicle. However, it is perfectly legal to shoot whales from the back of your truck.
Texas
In Texas, you can register a car without a windshield. However, whether you have a windshield or not, you still need to have windshield wipers.
Utah
By law, birds have the right of way on all public highways.
Vermont
Rutland, Vermont, has severe penalties for drivers who allow their vehicles to backfire.
Virginia
Virginia doesn’t seem ready to give up the stereotype of women being bad drivers. It is illegal for a woman to drive down main streets without her husband walking in front of the vehicle and waving a red flag.
Washington
In Washington state, if you plan to break the law, you are required by law to stop at the city limits and inform the chief of police before entering the town.
West Virginia
West Virginia lawmakers have passed legislation making it illegal to eat roadkill. No more running over possums and having a “nice” meal out of them.
Wisconsin
It is illegal to ride a bicycle “like a cool kid” with your hands off of the handlebars in Wisconsin.
Wyoming
If you cross over a road, river, stream, or ditch, you have to close the gate (if any) behind you or else face a $750 fine.
