How to know if you have a real id

Q: Cathy Price of Murrieta asked if a California driver’s license would indicate on it that a person has the REAL ID. She said she just renewed her license after getting a REAL ID and she did not see anything on the license that shows she has it.

A: A California REAL ID will be marked in the top right corner with an image of a golden bear with a star on its backside. This is the REAL ID symbol that tells you it’s a REAL ID license. A non-federal compliant license (so, not a REAL ID) would feature the “Federal Limits Apply” wording in that spot instead.

Reminder: The Department of Motor Vehicles urges drivers not to wait until the last minute to get a REAL ID if you want one, because there’s likely to be a crush of applicants closer to the deadline, which has been extended. Beginning May 3, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security will require a valid passport or other federally approved document, like a REAL ID driver’s license or identification card, to board all flights within the United States and to get in all federal facilities and military bases.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to mean that for the DMV – at least for a while – office space and appointments are going to be limited to accommodate physical distancing guidelines. DMV offices are open but you won’t find them packed with customers like they used to be. Now is the time to get a REAL ID upgrade, especially if you need to renew your driver’s license.

See what documents you will need and fill out the REAL ID application at www.REALID.dmv.ca.gov and upload your documents. Then bring the confirmation code and documents with you to a DMV office at your convenience for express service – you don’t need an appointment. It will take less than 10 minutes to complete the REAL ID transaction when you reach a service window. You should complete the online application for a REAL ID before coming to the DMV and have the appropriate documents with you to make things go fast and smooth.

Q: Douglas Shoop said he noticed a sign on the southbound side of the 15 Freeway near the 91 Freeway that appears to be in the wrong place. Traveling south from between 6th Street and the 2nd Street overpasses, Shoop said, is a sign that’s blocked by one of the overpasses and can’t be seen until the driver is right under the sign. Shoop said the sign should be facing the northbound lanes.

A: The Riverside County Transportation Commission sent a project team member out to inspect the area at our request and look into the sign issue. Spokeswoman Cheryl Donahue said the team member inspected the area by vehicle and by foot, and could not find any misplaced FasTrak signs on the southbound 15 between 6th and 2nd streets.

Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

Finally, the month of May was Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, when the California Highway Patrol emphasizes safe riding practices and also reminds drivers in cars to be aware of motorcycles sharing the road.

California has over 1.4 million licensed motorcycle riders, the CHP says. Preliminary data from the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System show that more than 500 people were killed in motorcycle-involved crashes in California last year and over 11,500 people were injured.

The CHP encourages all riders – beginners and experienced – to enroll in the California Motorcyclist Safety Program. This program has 98 training sites throughout the state and trains approximately 55,000 motorcyclists each year. Find a training site by visiting californiamotorcyclist.com or motorcyclesafetyca.com.

Motorcyclists should wear the proper safety gear, a U.S. Department of Transportation-compliant helmet, drive defensively, and not exceed the speed limit. Lane splitting by motorcycles – while a dangerous way to drive, especially on the freeway – is legal in California, so drivers need to be aware of motorcycles possibly driving between traffic lanes. Drivers of cars should look at their mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes.

Do you commute to work in the Inland Empire? Spend a lot of time in your vehicle? Have questions about driving, freeways, toll roads or parking? If so, write or call On the Road and we’ll try to answer your questions. Please include your question or issue, name, city of residence, phone number and email address. Write or call 951-368-9670.

A newspaper, magazine and online journalist in Southern California for three decades, Amy Bentley has written about nearly every topic imaginable, from business and community news to the environment, travel, the justice system, parenting and more. Her writing portfolio can be viewed online at amybentley.contently.com.