Road Signs & Vulnerability Act, Aggressive Driving, Aggressive Driving Review, Traffic Laws Summary, Conditions, Safety, Speeding, Basic Laws, Major Traffic Laws of Florida, Effects of Alcohol Summary, Economic Cost Summary, Psychological Summary, FE...

Crosswalk

A marked part of a road where pedestrians have right of way to cross. A pedestrian crossing or crosswalk is a place designated for pedestrians to cross a road. Crosswalks are designed to keep pedestrians together where they can be seen by motorists, and where they can cross most safely across the flow of vehicular traffic.

DUI Manslaughter and Leaving the Scene of a Crash /Death Proportional

A minimum mandatory sentence of 4 years for leaving the scene of a crash/death (with an allowance for downward departure by the court when mitigating factors exist), increases the existing minimum mandatory sentence from 2 to 4 years for leaving the scene of a crash /death with DUI. It requires a 3-year revocation of the offender's driver's license and prior to reinstatement, a driver's education course on the rights of use and protection of "Vulnerable Road Users". Before you take your final exam, we would like to emphasize the importance of refraining from drinking and driving -- the #1 killer of young drivers. The video you are about to see is extremely graphic. It will show the results of traffic collisions involving drivers under the age of 21 years old who were involved in alcohol related crashes. Don't drink and drive.

Proper response to phase of traffic signal:

A phase is typically made up of three intervals: green, yellow, and all red. A phase will progress through all its intervals before moving to the next phase in the cycle. As you approach a set of traffic lights you should always be ready to stop. Never speed up to try and reach a green light before it chances. Always scan the road ahead. If you notice the light has been green for a while, as you approach the intersection, be ready to stop. Red - stop and wait at the stop line. Red and amber - stop and wait. Green - go if the way ahead is clear. Amber - stop, unless you've already crossed the stop line.

Stop Sign:

A stop sign is eight-sided and has a red background with white letters. It means you must come to a complete stop. Stop at the stop line if it is marked on the pavement. If there is no stop line, stop at the crosswalk.

Yield Sign:

A yield sign calls on the driver to do the following: Slow down, defer to oncoming or intersecting traffic, stop when necessary, proceed when safe, and remain aware of oncoming vehicles.

Pennant:

Advance warning of no passing zones

BLACK and WHITE signs

BLACK and WHITE signs are regulatory signs They include Speed limits, restriction & movement.

BLUE signs

BLUE also is used for guide signs. These signs tell you about services along the roadway- Phone, Hospital, Library, Gas, Food and Lodging.

BROWN signs

BROWN is used for parks and recreation signs. Edison Home 3 miles, National Park Next Left.

Bike Lane:

Bike lanes are used to create on-street, separated travel facilities for bicyclists. They can provide safety benefits to road users though separate operational space for safe motorist overtaking of bicyclists, particularly in narrow, congested areas. Bike lane presence also visually narrows the roadway or motor vehicle travel lanes to encourage lower motor vehicle speeds.

Bike lanes

Bike lanes have a physical barrier between bicyclists and drivers. The protective bike lane island will extend further into the intersection. This gives cyclists a physical separation from traffic while they're making right turns or waiting for a green light.

Children Laws

Children 5 years old or younger must be secured in a federally approved child restraint system. Children 3 years old and younger must use a separate car-seat or the vehicle's built-in child seat. Children 4 to 5 years old must sit in either a separate car seat, a built in child seat or a seat belt, depending on the child's height and weight.

Children:

Children have fewer capabilities than adults because of their developmental immaturity and lack of experience. One-third less peripheral vision Less accuracy in judging distance and speed Difficulty localizing the direction of sounds Overconfidence Inability to read or comprehend traffic signals and warning signs Unpredictable or impulsive actions Lack of familiarity with traffic patterns and expectations Trust that others will protect them Inability to understand complex situations

Disabled:

Difficulty negotiating steep grades Difficulty negotiating steep cross-slopes Decreased stability Slower walking speed Reduced endurance Inability to react quickly to dangerous situations Reduced floor reach People with mobility impairments include those who use wheelchairs, crutches, canes, walkers, orthotics, and prosthetic limbs. There are many people with mobility impairments who do not use assistive devices. Characteristics common to people with mobility limitations include substantially altered space requirements to accommodate assistive device use, difficulty negotiating soft surfaces, and difficulty negotiating surfaces that are not level. Wheelchair and scooter users often travel much faster than walking pedestrians, especially on level surfaces or downgrades. They can be much slower when traveling uphill. In addition, their stability and control can be affected by surfaces with cross-slopes, grades, or rough terrain. Wheelchair and scooter users require a wider path of travel than ambulatory pedestrians. Sufficient passing space should be provided to allow wheelchair users to pass one another and to turn around. Cross-slopes that change very rapidly cause additional problems for wheelchair users.

Octagon:

Exclusively for stop signs

Triangle:

Exclusively for yield signs

Diamond:

Exclusively to warn of existing or possible hazards on roadways or adjacent areas

Forward Stop Bar

Forward Stop Bar is a waiting area, just past the crosswalk where cyclists can stop. Cars will stop behind the crosswalk. Bikes will stop ahead of it. Pedestrians are free to cross the street uninterrupted. This has the added benefit of making cyclists more visible to turning cars, and it's a safe space for cyclists to wait while wanting to turn left. Instead of merging into the flow of traffic, riders can make two-step left turn, and wait for a signal to turn.

GREEN signs

GREEN is used for guide signs. Shows direction and distance to various locations.

Horizontal Rectangle

Generally for guide signs

Vertical Rectangle:

Generally for regulatory signs

Pedestrian: Elderly Children and Disabled

Handicapped sidewalk ramps make crossing easier. Also, level street curbs and traffic lights with numbers aid both children and adults In some cases it increase crossing times. Sidewalks are an integral part of the pedestrian transport network and the provision of well-maintained paved paths is associated with fewer pedestrian injuries and greater comfort. Safety and mobility can be improved with appropriate design such as tactile paving, flexible tiles, ramps, high contrast surface painting and regular maintenance, particularly in rainy season. Median islands offer benefits for older pedestrians. They separate traffic directions, allowing pedestrians to stage the road cross in two phases (only needing to check for traffic in one direction at a time which decreases the cognitive and physiological demand on them), provides a refuge to rest after crossing the first half of the road and before commencing the second half, and reduce vehicle speeds.

What do you do when a traffic signal malfunctions?

Handle it as a 4 way stop sign. Go when safe.

Bicycle Helmet Laws

If you are under 16 years old, you must wear a properly fitted bicycle helmet that meets national standards. This also applies to child passengers riding in a trailer or semitrailer attached to the bicycle. The principle of confidence is excluded by the principle of safe driving in case of crashes with children, disabled and elderly people, due to their unpredictable impulses and ignorance of regulations, which demands increased care and diligence by the drivers.

Where is the only place on a divided highway that a solid yellow line appears by itself?

It appears on the left side of road.

Reflectors on the ground: What does red mean?

It means you're on the wrong side of road.

The Setback Crossing

Most of the bike lanes in the U.S. tend to bend into the intersection, right next to moving cars. This creates the constant anxiety of: Is that car turning right even though its signal isn't on? A setback crossing allows for added space (typically the length of a car, about 20 feet), which means there's more time to react to potential conflicts. The design forces drivers to turn 90-degrees before they even cross the bike lane, giving them a clear vantage point and reducing the possibility of a side sweep. At large intersections, bike lanes should have their own signals to synchronize movement.

Solid or Double Lines

No passing permitted.

Must turn left or right

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Divided Road or SAFETY ZONE

No vehicle shall drive in or through a divided road or safety zone; it is officially set apart within a roadway exclusively for pedestrians.

What do the following signals mean? Red Light:

You must come to a complete full stop. You must stop before entering the intersection or crosswalk. If a right turn is permitted on red, you must yield to pedestrians and all oncoming traffic. The Red light will always appear on top of the signal light.

Lanes are reserved for buses or car-pool vehicles during rush hour traffic

ends is supposed to say ahead

ORANGE signs

ORANGE also is used for warning signs. These signs alert you to possible dangers ahead due to construction and maintenance projects.

How can you tell if the exit is on left or right side?

On the exit sign the rectangle will be on the side that you exit.

Broken Line -

Passing is permitted.

What do the following signals mean? Flashing Yellow Light:

Proceed with caution.

What do the following signals mean? Green Light:

Proceed with caution. Before going, look left, right, and left again. Note red light runners and last minute turns.

RED signs

RED signs are regulatory signs and must be obeyed. They include STOP, YIELD, DO NOT ENTER or WRONG WAY.

Round:

Railroad advance warning signs

Cross buck:

Railroad crossing

Current trends and infrastructural devices used for safety of VRU's (Speed Reducing Measure, bike lanes, "bike box", letting cyclist merge before a junction, and advanced stop lines for bicycles)

Reduce the rate of motor vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries through design techniques and the application of the "4 Es": engineering, education, enforcement, and emergency response strategies. The areas of pedestrian, bicyclist, and motorcyclist safety are major challenges in Florida. A significant factor driving the relatively high fatality rates among these road user groups in Florida is a climate which is conducive to walking, cycling and motorcycling all year. As with other emphasis areas, the SHSP (Strategic Highway Safety Plan) establishes a goal to reduce the combined rate of pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities and serious injuries. Statistics relating to bicycle safety help riders understand the importance of wearing a helmet. Whether riding on the sidewalk, street or while mountain biking, bicycle helmets protect your head and reduce the incidence of traumatic brain injury and death. In 2010, 800 bicyclists were killed and 515,000 bicycle-related injuries required emergency-room care. 26,000 were some type of traumatic brain injury that might have been prevented by wearing a helmet. When purchasing a bicycle, a handbook should be given to either the parent or bike rider explaining the Rules of The Road for Bicyclist.

Pentagon:

School advance and school crossing signs

Yellow Lines

Separate lanes of traffic moving in opposite directions.

Single White Lines

Separate lanes of traffic moving in the same direction.

Center Lane Only -

Shared for left turns in both directions of travel. It is not for passing. You may only drive for 200 feet in the center left turn lane.

Restricted Lane

Special lane marking.

What do the following signals mean? Yellow Light:

Stop if you can. The light is going to turn red.

What do the following signals mean? Flashing Red Light:

Stop, it is the same principle as the stop sign.

Elderly People:

The aging process frequently causes a general deterioration of physical, cognitive, and sensory abilities. Vision problems, such as degraded acuity, poor central vision, and reduced ability to scan the environment Reduced range of joint motion Reduced ability to detect, localize, and differentiate sounds Limited attention span, memory, and cognitive abilities Reduced endurance Reduced tolerance for extreme temperature and environments Decreased agility, balance, and stability Inability to quickly avoid dangerous situations Excessive trust that fellow drivers will obey traffic rules Slower reflexes Impaired judgment, confidence, and decision-making abilities Older people tend to move more slowly than other pedestrians. They require more time to cross streets than other sidewalk users. The ambulation of older adults is also affected by their lack of strength. Traveling over changes in level, such as high curbs, can be difficult or impossible for older adults. Their fears are confirmed by statistics indicating that older pedestrians appear to be at increased risk for crime and crashes at places with no sidewalks, sidewalks on only one side, and places with no street lighting. Older people would benefit from accessible paths that are well lit and policed

What is Aggressive Driving?

The definitions of aggressive driving and road rage are as follows: At least two of the following: speeding, unsafe or improper lane change, following too closely, failure to yield right of way, improper passing, failure to obey traffic control devices. The commission of two or more moving violations that is likely to endanger other persons or property, or any single intentional violation that requires a defensive reaction of another driver. Aggressive driving is defined as "the operation of a motor vehicle in a manner that endangers or is likely to endanger persons or property."

Physical environment of VRU and how it relates to safety.

The physical environment of vulnerable road users is heterogeneous and varies according to the geographical location as well as to the amount of concern generated in the local communities. Most inter-urban roads, priority has remained with the car. Sidewalks are most often not equipped to suit the needs of pedestrians or cyclists. Sidewalks for pedestrians are seldom provided outside the densest part of the built-up area, except in some very new schemes aimed at warning drivers that they need to be more aware of local traffic and of the need to reduce speed immediately. Sidewalks are often too narrow to accommodate wheelchairs. Blind people have great difficulty in finding the right and obstacle-free route to the destination. Uneven surfacing causes problems for all the vulnerable road users, especially for the elderly and disabled persons. During the rainy season, there is a problem with slippery roads and streets which create additional hazards for pedestrians and cyclists, with increased risk of skidding. A cyclist requires a consistent network on which they can move with adequate comfort and protection. Width of bike lanes should be sufficient to accommodate actual bicycle flows and regularly maintained. At the crossing points between cycle and cars adequate facilities should be provided to ensure safe maneuvering for cyclists and without getting into conflicts with motor vehicles. Proper street lighting is as much of a need for cyclists as for pedestrians; at the crossing points between cyclist and motorist, and at road junctions, adequate facilities should be provided to ensure safe maneuvering for cyclists and without getting into conflicts with motorist road users.

Reflectors on the ground: What does blue mean?

There is a fire hydrant.

The Vulnerable Road User Law:

This law is designed for pedestrians, including people engaged in work on highways, and people lawfully on the road riding bicycles, motorcycles, scooters, mopeds or animals, or operating farm equipment, skateboards, in-line skates, horse-drawn carriages, electric personal-assistive mobility devices or wheelchairs. They are considered vulnerable because they are not protected by an enclosed vehicle and its safety features such as seat belts or air bags. They are smaller and less visible to other road users, and this increases their vulnerability. A group of road users can be defined as 'vulnerable' in many ways, such as by the amount of protection in traffic (pedestrians and cyclists) or by the amount of task capability (the young, the elderly and the disabled are all VRU's. A pedestrian, including those persons actually engaged in work upon a highway, or in work upon a highway, or in work upon utility facilities along a highway, or engaged in the provision of emergency services within the right-of-way; or a person riding an animal; or a person lawfully operating any of the following on a public right-of-way, crosswalk, or shoulder of the highway: A bicycle; A farm tractor or similar vehicle designed primarily for farm use; A skateboard; Roller skates; In-line skates; A scooter; A moped; Motorcyclists; Horse-drawn carriage drivers; A a person on an electric personal assistive mobility device; A person in a wheelchair; or Children.

What do the following signals mean? Turning Arrow:

Traffic will move in the direction of the arrow. Watch for turn signs. No turn on red signal.

YELLOW-GREEN signs

YELLOW-GREEN also is used for warning signs. These signs alert you to pedestrian crossings and school zones.

Yellow signs

Yellow is used for warning signs. These signs tell you of road conditions and dangers ahead - school zones, no passing zones, and railroad crossings.

You are late for an appointment. Can you cross a double yellow line to make a U-Turn?

Yes! You can make a U-Turn anywhere in the state of Florida providing there is no sign prohibiting the turn and it is safe to proceed.

Pedestrian and Cyclists

he areas of pedestrian, bicyclist, and motorcyclist safety are major challenges in Florida. A major factor driving the relatively high fatality rates among these road user groups in Florida is a climate which is conducive to walking, cycling and motorcycling in all seasons. Alcohol use has been identified as a known or possible factor in roughly half of fatal pedestrian and bicyclist crashes. Fatal pedestrian crashes commonly involve mid-block crossings, away from the opportunities for controlled crossings afforded by traffic signals (or stop signs). Provision of raised medians where feasible is often a countermeasure for this problem. Over half of both fatal pedestrian and fatal bicyclist crashes occur under dark conditions.

Driver's responsibility of protecting VRU's and safe driving techniques as they relate to VRU's

raditional driver training concentrates largely on the skills required to pass the driving test. But an integral part of the process of learning to drive should be how to react safely to other road users, including the most vulnerable. Drivers must always yield the right-of-way to persons who are blind. If a pedestrian is crossing a street or highway guided by a dog or carrying a white cane (or white cane with a red tip), vehicles must come to a complete stop. Drivers should always be attentive to pedestrians; especially Florida's youngest crossing the street. Small children may dart into traffic or simply assume that a driver sees them if the child sees the car (assuming the child looked at all!). When travelling through a school area, drivers should anticipate pedestrians and be prepared to stop at crossings, taking extra care during periods of reduced visibility such as rain, fog, low light or sun glare. There are more school crossings than crossing guards. Be alert for pedestrians crossing from either intersection corner when turning left or right, and be attentive to pedestrians crossing midblock. Drivers should always avoid in-vehicle distractions and of course, abide by the speed limit, especially in a school speed zone. Drivers stop before entering the crosswalk. If a crossing guard is entering or standing in the roadway, avoid stopping in the crosswalk to keep it accessible and unimpeded for pedestrians. The crosswalk guides children to cross in the most direct manner and provides guidance for people with low vision. Scanning the road: The driver should continuously scan the road for possible dangers. Keep alert in school zones and residential areas. Maintain the proper speed. Drivers must slow down and give way to pedestrians on crossings and watch out for elderly people, disabled and children who may misjudge traffic. Don't speed, slowdown in poor visibility or wet road conditions Drivers of motor vehicles need to share the road with bicyclists. Be courteous. Allow at least three feet of clearance when passing a bicyclist on the road, look for cyclists before opening a car door or pulling out from a parking space, and yield to cyclists at intersections and as directed by signs and signals. Be watchful for cyclists when making turns, either left or right. It is the motorist's responsibility to do everything possible to avoid colliding with any pedestrians. Bicyclists, skaters and skateboarders in a crosswalk or driveway are considered pedestrians. Turning motorists must yield to pedestrians crossing the street or driveway at any marked mid-block crossing, driveway or intersections without traffic signals.