Enrolling in driving school equips you with fundamental road knowledge, such as turning signals and adhering to speed limits.
However, one might not learn about the peculiar and specific regulations that differ from state to state.
In Arizona, there are some uniquely quirky driving laws that are largely unknown but crucial for drivers to understand.
Here are seven important regulations that Arizona drivers should adhere to in order to avoid those pesky fines.
1) An air freshener can land you in trouble
Drivers are prohibited from operating a vehicle with anything that could potentially ‘obstruct or reduce a driver’s clear view.’ This includes seemingly harmless items like dangling air fresheners, if they hinder your line of sight.
This rule extends beyond hanging decorations to encompass any objects that might be displayed or installed within the car, on the windshield, or on the side or rear windows.
The only exception is law or state enforced certificates, such as an inspection sticker.
Close-up of an air freshener hanging from a car mirror against a blurry background, it is illegal to have anything blocking your view while driving in Arizona
2) Driving in the rain can lead to a $2,000 fine
Arizona’s weather can be wild with heavy winter rains and monsoon season in the summer. Both can become a flooding nightmare.
The extreme weather can be deadly for motorists, and a state law targets drivers who willingly ignore the warning signs about the dangerous, slippery roadways.
You will be financially responsible for the rescue if you deliberately drive around the big, hard-to-miss, yellow warning signs.
Arizona’s ‘stupid motorist law’, or formally known as ARS 28-910, could cost drivers up to $2,000 in fines if they blatantly ignore the signs and get stranded by the water.
Stockton Hill Road in Arizona is flooded in this file photo. Ignoring flooding warning signs can see you labeled as a ‘stupid motorist’
Thawing snow turning to floods after a rare winter storm in Tucson, Arizona
3) You CAN nap behind the wheel
Arizona does, in fact, allow drivers to sleep in their vehicles, as long as you’re parked in an area that permits it.
While some neighborhoods allow sleeping in parked cars, a smarter choice could be staying overnight at places like Walmart that welcome it.
If you’re just passing through Arizona during a road trip, and you get sleepy, you’re not permitted to pull off the freeway and nap.
But you can sleep at a rest area for one night, if needed.
A man soundly asleep in his car. This is permitted in Arizona, but only in certain areas and parking lots
4) Golf carts can hit the roads
As long as a golf cart meets all the requirements and follows the laws that a normal car would then it can be driven on Arizona roads.
Golf carts still need to stop at all the red lights and adhere to the road signs, and drivers still need a valid license, vehicle identification number, and registration.
The car should also have many features a normal vehicle would have, such as a working horn, headlights, tail lights, brake lights, rearview mirrors, and seatbelts.
A file photo of a couple driving a golf cart on a street in a retirement community
5) Be careful where you park your boat
Whether you could be hit with a ticket for parking a boat or an RV on a road in Arizona is a complex question.
It is not a straight up yes or no. Each city has its own rules and regulations regarding how long an RV or boat can be parked on the street.
Checking the city’s rules is the best way to determine how long you can park your large vehicle or vessel, and if you could risk getting a ticket for it.
A sleek red and white fiberglass speedboat is tightly strapped to a double-axle trailer, parked in a sunlit lot beside a stucco shelter, ready for transport or storage
A giant RV is parked on the side of the street in this file photo. Each Arizona city has different rules for parking RVs
6) Don’t use a parking lot as a shortcut
In this western state, it’s illegal to cut through parking lots to skip a stop sign or traffic light, as it is in most states.
It might be tempting to cut through a gas station next to a stoplight with a ‘no right on red’ sign, but that’s a major traffic violation.
Under Arizona law (AZ Rev Stat § 28-651), violators can face a $212 fine and receive points on their driving record.
It is worth waiting the 30 seconds for the light to change.
Cutting through a parking lot might save time but it could land you with a $212 fine
7) Motorcyclists must wear eye protection
Safety is the top priority when it comes to motorcyclists on the vast desert highways.
Arizona is a strict state that takes protective gear very seriously, even for adrenaline junkies.
A young man in a helmet and goggles enjoys a motorcycle ride at sunset. Arizona riders must wear protective eyewear
Every motorcycle and ATV rider must wear protective eyewear such as glasses, goggles, or a clear face shield, unless their vehicle has a windshield, according to law.
All motorcycle riders under 18 must wear a DOT-approved (Department of Transportation) helmet at all times while riding a motorcycle or ATV.
