Driver’s Licenses – Driver Skills Examination – Motorcycle Safety Awareness (D. Torch Road Safety Act), the official text

WES MOORE, Governor                  Ch. 539

Chapter 539

                   (Senate Bill 68)

AN ACT concerning

Driver’s Licenses – Driver Skills Examination – Motorcycle Safety Awareness
                                       (D. Torch Road Safety Act)

FOR the purpose of requiring the Motor Vehicle Administration to include certain
         questions related to motorcycle safety awareness on the driver skills examination
         required for the issuance of a driver’s license; and generally relating to driver skills
         examinations.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
         Article – Transportation
         Section 16–110
         Annotated Code of Maryland
         (2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)

                               Preamble

         WHEREAS, The Maryland General Assembly honors the life and legacy of Donnell
“Torch” Floyd Jr.; now, therefore,

         SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

                   Article – Transportation

16–110.

(a) The Administration shall:

                  (1) Establish qualifications for the safe operation of the various classes,
types, sizes, or combinations of vehicles; and

                  (2) Examine each applicant to determine the applicant’s qualifications for
the license class applied for.

         (b) Except as otherwise provided in this title, the Administration shall examine
each applicant for an original driver’s license or for a class of driver’s license higher than
that which the applicant currently holds.

(c) (1) The examination shall include:

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Ch. 539       2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND

            [(1)] (I) A test of the applicant’s:

              [(i)] 1. Vision;

                         [(ii)] 2. Ability to read and understand highway signs regulating,
warning, and directing traffic; and

              [(iii)] 3. Knowledge of the traffic laws of this State and safe driving

practices;

                [(2)] (II) A demonstration of the applicant’s ability to exercise reasonable
control in driving a motor vehicle; and

                [(3)] (III) Any other additional physical or mental examination that the
Administration considers necessary to determine an applicant’s fitness to drive a motor
vehicle safely.

                (2) (I) 1. THE POOL OF QUESTIONS FROM WHICH THE

EXAMINATION REQUIRED UNDER THIS SUBSECTION DRAWS SHALL INCLUDE AT

LEAST FIVE QUESTIONS RELATED TO MOTORCYCLE SAFETY AWARENESS.

                                 2. AT LEAST ONE QUESTION RELATED TO MOTORCYCLE
SAFETY AWARENESS SHALL APPEAR ON THE EXAMINATION.

              (II) THE QUESTIONS REQUIRED BY THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL

ADDRESS:

              1. VISIBILITY OF MOTORCYCLES;

              2. PROPER LANE POSITIONING AROUND MOTORCYCLES;

              3. SAFE           FOLLOWING         DISTANCES  AROUND

MOTORCYCLES;

              4. PREVENTING CRASHES WITH MOTORCYCLES; AND

                                 5. ANY OTHER TOPIC RELATED TO MOTORCYCLE
SAFETY THAT THE ADMINISTRATION DEEMS RELEVANT.

         (d) If an applicant is qualified to take the required examinations for the license
applied for, the applicant shall appear in person for examination at any one of the places
in this State that the Administration has designated for this purpose.

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WES MOORE, Governor  Ch. 539

         (e) (1) (i) Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, for a required
driver skills examination or driver road examination, each applicant shall provide a motor
vehicle of a type appropriate to test the applicant’s ability to drive all vehicles that may be
driven under the license class applied for.

                           (ii) An applicant may not use an autocycle to test the applicant’s
ability to drive under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph.

                  (2) Except as provided in paragraphs (3) and (4) of this subsection, when
the holder of a learner’s instructional permit appears for the driving test, the permit holder
shall be accompanied by an individual qualified under § 16–105 of this subtitle to
accompany the holder of a learner’s permit while driving on a highway. That individual
shall have his driver’s license with him.

                  (3) The holder of a Class M (motorcycle) learner’s instructional permit may:

                           (i) Transport a motorcycle to the driving test by truck or other
vehicle unaccompanied by another individual, if the permit holder is licensed to drive the
truck or other vehicle; or

                           (ii) Be accompanied by a person transporting a motorcycle to the test
by truck or other vehicle, if that person is licensed to drive the truck or other vehicle.

                  (4) The holder of a learner’s instructional permit may be driven to the
examination station and to the starting point where the examiner begins the test by any
individual authorized to drive the class of vehicle in which the test is being given. That
individual shall have a valid driver’s license in the individual’s possession.

         (f) If the applicant does not pass the examination for the license class applied for,
the Administration may issue the applicant any license of a lower class for which the
applicant qualifies.

         (g) Except as provided in subsection (h) of this section, the Administration may
waive any driver’s license examination provided for under this title if the applicant:

                  (1) Holds a valid driver’s license issued under this subtitle;

                  (2) Is applying for a Class M license and has successfully completed the
Administration approved basic motorcycle safety course; or

                  (3) Holds a valid license from:

                           (i) Another state;

                           (ii) A territory or possession of the United States, the District of
Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; or

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Ch. 539  2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND

                           (iii) A province or territory of Canada.

         (h) The Administration may not waive a vision examination required under this
section unless the applicant:

                  (1) Is applying for a corrected driver’s license under § 16–114.1 of this
subtitle; and

                  (2) Has passed a vision examination acceptable to the Administration
within the last 12 months.

         SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 2026.

Approved by the Governor, May 12, 2026.

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