Do you know when it is legal, or safe, for you to be behind the wheel of a car? If you have your drivers' license, you may think that you can always drive a car. But that is not the case, both from a legal perspective or sometimes from a common-sense perspective. Taking the following quiz may help you answer the question of whether you should be driving.

Q: Steve has a valid drivers' license, but just had his eyes dilated at his doctor's office as part of an eye examination and is having trouble seeing. Can he drive?

A: Steve should not drive if he is having difficulty seeing. He should arrange for someone to pick him up from the doctor's office, or he should wait until his vision returns to normal. If he were to drive in his impaired state and get into an automobile accident, he could face serious penalties.

Q: Julie is out celebrating a new job with her friends, and is drinking a lot of wine. Can she drive her car home?

A: While Julie may feel, in her altered state, that she can operate a vehicle, if she has been drinking she should refrain from getting behind the wheel. She should have a sober friend drive her home, or she should take a taxi. If Julie tries to drive, and is arrested for drunk driving, she could be in significant legal trouble. Even worse, if Julie tries to drive she could be in an accident and seriously injure or kill herself or someone else.

Q: Mike has a drivers' license, but it has been revoked because of too many unpaid parking tickets. Can he drive a car?

A: No. Mike can not drive his own car (the one with all of the parking tickets on it), nor can he drive anyone else's car. Driving with a license that has been revoked for any reason is against the law.

Q: Kirk is fifteen years-old and has his driver's permit. He wants to go over to a friend's house, but his parents aren't home. Can he take the car and drive it there?

A: No, unless he can find a different adult who has permission to ride in the car with him and observe his driving. If Kirk is driving with a permit without an adult present, he could face legal problems, the least of which may be an inability to obtain his license as soon as he becomes old enough to qualify for full driving privileges. Kirk should take his bike to his friend's house, or have his friend come over to his house to hang out.