The driver's license has changed over the past few years. If previously the categories were simply divided into “motorcycle”, “passenger car”, “truck”, “bus” and trailer control, now their range has become wider. Categories have been subdivided into subcategories.
In this article, we will help new and experienced drivers get comfortable with modern driver's licenses.
What is category A
Driver's licenses - documents certifying the right of an individual to drive vehicles - are divided into several groups or categories. Depending on the size, power, load capacity and passenger capacity, the requirements for the driver, his training and qualifications, and in some cases, age and experience increase.
Among all types of transport, motorcycles stand out. They are distinguished by the presence of two wheels
(or three, if there is a side wheelchair trailer)
and specific features of seating and steering.
They sit astride motorcycles, and the steering wheel does not look like a round car steering wheel, but a horizontal bar. It is rigidly connected to the steered (front) wheel, their turning angles are absolutely identical. There is no trace of 2-3-4 car revolutions from lock to lock. The angle at which the steering wheel is turned is the same at which the wheel is turned. However, the maneuver, especially at high speed, is ensured not only by rotating the steering column, but also by tilting the body.
These characteristic features served as the basis for separating motorcycles into a separate transport group that requires special management skills. To confirm them and obtain permission to drive, you need category A license.
Differences between the old ID and the new one
Driving license forms have changed in appearance and content over time. Until 2014, they simply had category A, which gave access to everything that had a motor, the ability to move and at least somehow fit the definition of a motorcycle - from a teenager’s “tyrchik” (a bicycle with a motor) to a powerful racing bike (short for the English bicycle – two-wheeled).
To ensure road safety, differentiation was introduced in 2014. Within category A of rights, subcategory A1 appeared. In addition to it, a completely new one was introduced - M.
Those who had an old-style document at the time the changes were introduced do not need to urgently run to the traffic police and exchange it for a new one. The existing one remains valid until the expiration date indicated on the back side in column 11.
When a new one is issued at the appointed time, permission will be added to it in accordance with the data of the medical report. If it is undesirable to limit yourself, you should make sure (ask, insist) that it contains permission simply to receive category A without additional clarification.
What kind of transport are you allowed to drive with category A license?
In order to get a detailed and comprehensive answer to the question, you must first familiarize yourself in detail with the contents of one of the main primary sources - Russian Law No. 196, which regulates the safety of driving on roads, more specifically, its 25th article. It divides the categories of interest as follows:
- A – motorcycles (in general, that is, without specification by size)
- A1 – also motorcycles, but with limited technical parameters: Engine capacity – up to 125 cc
- Power – up to 11 kilowatts (14.6 hp)
Further, paragraph 7 of Article 25 states that the opening of category A allows driving motor vehicles belonging to categories A1 and B1. At the same time, a reservation is made that tricycles and quadricycles (B1), unlike aircraft, must have a motorcycle seat or (!) steering wheel, i.e., at least one thing.
Note! Anyone with a Russian license with any open category is allowed to drive light quadricycles and mopeds (M).
No special AM mark is required.
Cross
Cross bikes are a special type of two-wheeled equipment designed for motocross. Such motorcycles are not equipped with lighting equipment, and the special rubber does not provide sufficient grip on the road surface.
Cross bikes are the only two-wheeled vehicles that can be driven without a license. But taking into account the specifics of the vehicle, it is prohibited to use it on public roads. You can get a fine for riding such a motorcycle. Motocross bikes must be delivered to the tracks by special transport.
Who can drive a motorcycle
To obtain category A, future drivers must meet established age and medical criteria.
Some of the conditions that must be met in order to be able to obtain category A are set out in Article 26, Article 196 of the law. This takes into account the technical differences between motor vehicles of the included subcategories.
To pass category A, the future driver must be at least 18 years old. To ride a less powerful motorcycle belonging to A1, it is enough to overcome the 16-year mark.
Medical criteria for motorcyclists are established by government decree 1604. Health restrictions are highlighted in Section I of a special “List”. They are listed in 11 points. Among them, the most common and therefore most interesting are the following:
- Vision index according to the table: no less than 0.6 in the best eye and 0.2 in the worst.
- If one eye does not see at all, the other eye should have vision no worse than 0.8
- No 2 phalanges of fingers on the right hand or 3 on the left or 2 on the thumb of either hand
- The leg is shortened by 6 cm, while its length is not less than 75 cm
Other deviations listed in the section are less common, so they are not listed in this article.
The above criteria apply to driving vehicles specifically with a motorcycle seat or steering wheel.
For driving without license plates
Using a vehicle that is not equipped with a license plate is a serious offense, since in this case the vehicle cannot be identified. For riding a motorcycle without license plates, the offender is subject to a fine of 5 thousand rubles or a restriction of rights for a period of 1 to 3 months.
For unreadable (heavily dirty) or incorrectly assigned license plates, the owner of the bike will be fined 500 rubles or receive a warning.
Motorcyclists have the right to ride without license plates only for the first ten days after purchasing the vehicle. During this period, they must register and obtain license plates from the traffic police.
Required documents
In order to pass for category A, you must submit to the traffic police, and before that to the driving school, a set of documents provided for by law. It includes:
- Statement
- Passport or equivalent replacement
- Medical certificate with a note indicating that there is no prohibition to drive motor vehicles of category A
- Certificate of completion of the required training
- Receipts for payment of state fees
- 2 photographs 3*4, if photography is not taken when issuing rights.
When enrolling in preparatory courses, you may not be able to provide the entire required set, but it is better to stock up on everything you need - especially a medical certificate, officially called a medical report - in advance. This will allow you not to waste time and money if there are serious circumstances that prevent you from achieving the desired result. It is better, instead of the traffic police department, to contact a specialized doctor, get yourself in order, and then return to the deferred issue.
Attention! It is strictly not recommended to resolve the issue with a medical report through contractual means. The road is not forgiving of unnoticed details or failure to press the right lever in a timely manner. A purchased certificate can lead to loss of health, freedom and even life. No need to take risks!
How to behave correctly when a violation is detected
Considering that the punishment is imposed not by the court, but by a traffic police official, there will not be a thorough and meticulous investigation. Therefore, you need to be careful when recording a violation. In order to prevent mistakes that will be used against you.
Since the amount of the fine includes a “fork”, your behavior can influence the size of the sanction.
If you are sure that the traffic police officer is mistaken or acts unlawfully, then you need to show tough opposition: do not agree with anything, demand clarification from him, attract independent witnesses, film what is happening on camera, etc.
Often other similar violations can be passed off as a misdemeanor:
- leaving your driver's license at home;
- management in the absence of documents for the car.
You need to be on alert, as other violations are less serious.
When the truth is not on your side, it is better not to allow conflict. But don’t allow permissiveness either. For example, a traffic police officer does not have the right to:
- pick up a driver's license;
- seize documents for the car;
- demand immediate payment of the fine;
- confiscate personal items found in the car, etc.
It is important to resolve the issue of vehicle detention. You need to call the owner of the car or a friend who can be trusted to drive the vehicle as quickly as possible. If the car is not taken to the impound lot, you will be able to avoid unnecessary expenses and bureaucratic fuss.
Driving school training
Based on paragraph 1 of Article 26 of Russian Law 196, in order to be allowed to take exams for category A (as well as for any other), you must first complete a training course at a licensed driving school.
Attention! External testing is not permitted.
The program - volume and content - of the educational process must comply with the “Approximate Curriculum” approved by Order of the Ministry of Education and Science No. 1408 as the basis for training drivers for passing category A.
The recommended program includes studying:
- Legislative framework in the field of road traffic
- Began driving psychophysiology - reaction time, changes in traffic situation, etc.
- Basic techniques for driving vehicles in relation to two-wheeled carriages
- Basic medical care for road users
- The structure of motor vehicles, the basics of maintenance, troubleshooting simple faults
- Practical lessons
The limitations of repair techniques are due to the complexity of modern transport and the impossibility of carrying out a significant part of operations outside of specialized service stations with qualified personnel equipped with the necessary equipment.
Duration and cost of training
The duration of the educational process indicated in the “Approximate Plan” shows only the immediate presence in the lecture hall and on the race track. How long to study for category A in reality depends on the structure and organization of the driving school, the number of simultaneously accepted groups of cadets, the availability of teaching staff, technical equipment and other factors.
Some schools offer particularly attractive conditions at first glance. They prominently display the slogan “Fast and Cheap!” The amounts are almost twice as low as average, and the period reaches 2 weeks.
Important! Full training cannot be done quickly.
In addition to classes with a teacher, you also need to independently study and consolidate the material. This requires a fair amount of time - not just to memorize the answers to exam papers, but to learn to understand the situation on the road and react quickly and adequately to it. Those who do not have sufficient knowledge and skills, when their official confirmation is simply required, should not fall for such “advantageous offers.” This saving is not justified and will subsequently cost much more.
How much does it cost to open category A?
The average cost of a category A license is 10,000 rubles. Small fluctuations up and down are possible. It will cost significantly more to unlearn individually.
Attention! 1. In some driving schools, the price does not include special equipment - a helmet, knee pads and elbow pads, the so-called “turtle” - a shell that protects the body. These points need to be clarified at the place of study. 2. The price, as a rule, does not include the fee for obtaining a category A license. This must be kept in mind when planning your budget.
Duration of the training course
The usual training period is from 2 to 4 months. Specific numbers depend on the intensity of the process. Daily classes go faster. Studying on a weekend basis, when cadets attend classes only on Saturday and/or Sunday, lasts significantly longer.
Regulations for the traffic police exam in category “A”
After completing the training, cadets who have successfully mastered the program and passed internal tests are allowed to take exams at the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate.
The examination process is divided into two parts - theoretical and practical, and only those who have successfully completed the first are admitted to the second stage.
Theory
Theoretical testing of knowledge consists of answering questions on exam papers. Each examinee is given a task of 20 questions with multiple choice answers, of which 1 is correct. The topics cover the entire spectrum of the curriculum - from analysis of traffic situations to first aid techniques.
You are given 20 minutes to think about it. You are allowed to make 2 mistakes. With this result, the theoretical part of the exam is considered successfully passed, and the cadet proceeds to practice.
Practical exam
A motorcycle has a special feature compared to a car - it does not have the ability to install duplicate controls. History has recorded attempts to create a similar structure. Some samples were even made, but they remained exotic motorcycles.
In this regard, the entire examination procedure is carried out at the race track without going onto city roads.
The program includes:
- Maneuvering Exercises: Figure Eight Riding
- Snake
- In a limited corridor
If all elements are successfully completed, the exam is considered passed.
You are invited to receive your license on the same day or after some time.
conclusions
- Category A allows you to drive motorcycles, mopeds, quadricycles with a motorcycle seat (on top) or steering wheel.
- The old certificate had a general mark - A. In the new one, in addition to it, subcategories A1, B1, M were introduced.
- To have the right to drive category A, the driver must be at least 18 years old, A1 - 16 years old.
- To drive a category A motor vehicle, the driver must have vision of at least 0.6 in one eye and 0.2 in the other. If only 1 eye sees, visual acuity should be no worse than 0.8.
- The absence of more than 2 phalanges on the fingers of the right hand and 3 on the left is not allowed; leg shortening is more than 6 cm and length is less than 75 cm.
- The average cost of training is 10,000 rubles, duration is 2-4 months.
- The exams consist of 2 parts – theoretical and practical. The practical part is given at the race track without going into the city.
