drivers permit section 9
large vehicles turning
- Pay attention to large vehicles turn signals and give them plenty of room to move. When a truck/bus needs to make right turn, they sometimes swing wide to left in order to safely turn right and clear the corner of a curb or other obstruction. Sometimes space from other lanes is used to clear corners. If u try to get in between the truck or bus and the curb, u will be squeezed in b/w them and could suffer serious crash. To avoid a crash, don't turn until the truck or bus has completed its turn keep in mind - When u meet truck coming from opposite direction, keep as far as possible to right side of road to avoid side swept crash and to reduce wind turbulence between the two cars, which pushes them apart - Many collisions w/ large vehicles occur at intersections because motorists unable to judge accurately the speed of a truck approaching before making a left turn. When in doubt abt speed of an oncoming truck/bus, don't turn left in its path. The truck/bus may be going faster than u think and takes longer for them to stop than a car. - Many intersections marked w/ stop lines to show where u must come to complete stop. These lines help set u farther back at intersection to give larger vehicles more turning space. Always stop behind them - Do not cut off a large vehicle in traffic or on the highway to reach an exit or turn or to beat a truck into a single-lane construction zone. The few seconds that might be saved are not worth a life
bicyclist
- are "vehicles" on road and supposed to follow same rules as motorized vehicles. they have same rights as motorist, so respect each other - hard to seem them, so be alert and careful as bicyclist... - need to ride on right side of road - obey all traffic signs and signals and use hand signs letting others know what ur doing - wear bright clothes, use required lights and reflectors and keep bike in good repair as driver... - need to yield to bicyclist @ intersections, like pedestrians/other cars - must yield right-of-way to bicyclist when a bicycle path or bike lane intersects a road. Don't stop, park or drive on designated bicycle path unless ur entering/leaving alley or driveway, performing official duties, directed by a police officer, or an emergency situation exists - When approaching /passing a bicyclist slow down and allow as much space as possible and consider bicyclist's speed when you pass. If ur abt to make right turn, u must not pass a bicyclist immediately before turn. To avoid a collision, u should slow down and let cyclist clear intersection b4 making ur turn - Be careful after have passed a bicyclist. Don't slow down or stop quickly. A motor vehicle's brakes are more powerful than a bicycle's and u could cause a crash - don't sound horn close to bicyclist unless chance of collision. the sound might startle them causing them to steer in ur path - when making turns, watch carefully for bicyclist entering ur lane and b careful of children riding tht may come on road - never turn sharply on bicyclist and never force them off road - although bicyclist need to ride in direction of traffic, u should look for them anywhere on road - be really careful around bicyclist when road wet/covered w sand or gravel. like cars, bikes can't brake quickly/turn sharply. these conditions affect bikes more than cars - Cooperate with bicyclists. they're required to use hand signals when turning and stopping. However, keep in mind that a bicyclist may be unable to signal if road or traffic conditions require them to keep both hands on the handlebars. Look for other clues of a bicyclist's intent, like turning their head or looking over their shoulder before changing lane position (PG 73 hand signals) -
pedestrians
- are children, blind ppl, joggers, and recreational (skaters, skateboarders, etc.) - know that pedestrians are defenseless and don't have same protection as u. courtesy and cooperation helps the safety of pedestrians as a pedestrian... - subject to pedestrians laws and have to obey traffic laws as do motorist - must walk where sidewalk is. if no sidewalk, walk on left side of street facing oncoming traffic - at night, bring flashlight, wear light colored clothes and reflective material so can be seen by motorist - given right of way if facing "WALK" signal or green light. make sure u can be seen by drivers and make sure they stop for u b4 crossing - don't cross street if facing "DON'T WALK" signal or red or yellow light, but if flashing "DON'T WALK" appears while crossing, u can finish crossing - establish eye contact with drivers who slow down or stop to ensure the driver is yielding the right-of-way to you. Do not assume the driver will stop for you pedestrians r hard to see and hard to determine their intentions. as a driver; - must yield to pedestrians at all times even if they are not in a crosswalk and crossing the street where they shouldn't - Mid-block crosswalks require you to yield as you would at a corner. Mid-block crossings have warning signs and pavement markings - must always yield the right-of-way to persons who are visually impaired - Even when ur facing green light, u must yield right-of-way to all pedestrians in the intersection. u can only assume right-of-way when ur intended path is clear. - When preparing to make a left turn or u-turn, check for pedestrians in your path, even if you have a green arrow - a u prepare for right turn, especially on red traffic signal, be cautious of pedestrians approaching on ur right - When approaching a stopped vehicle from behind, slow down and do not pass until ur sure that there's no pedestrians crossing in front of it. This is true even on multi-lane roads. - always check for pedestrians when backing - drive slower than posted speed around schools, playgrounds, and residential areas where children run around. be ready to stop quickly - In a school zone when lights are flashing or children are present, you must obey a slower speed limit. At a school crossing where there is traffic patrol, stop and yield if you are signaled to do so
motorcycles, scooters and mopeds
- have same responsibilities as other drivers - they're harder to see and harder to tell what they'll do there's special conditions u need to know so u can safely share road with them - they have right in using complete traffic lane and two motorcycles/scooters/mopeds may share a lane. don't pass them in same lane. they need space to react to other traffic - always check mirrors and blind spots by turning head and looking b4 entering/leaving lane or intersection for them since they're small, meaning they're hard to see - bicycle/moped has 2 or 3 wheels and has motor w/ 3.5 brake horsepower, a cylinder capacity of no more than 130 cubic cm., an automatic transmission, and maximum design speed no more than 30 mph - abt one half of their crashed involve another motor vehicle. 40% cause by vehicle turning left in front of them. since they have smaller profile than motor vehicles, they're harder to judge their speed and distance they approach. b4 turning left, be alert for them by looking to front/sides of ur vehicle - don't assume one of them is turning when u see it's turn signal bc may forget to turn them off or haven't self canceled. don't pull out in front of them until u see them turning. they might not have turn signals so give them enough space to move - some minor conditions for motorist may be deadly for them, so be ready for them to make sudden changes to whatever obstacles and allow for them to move - have 3 to 4 sec following distance from them or more under wet conditions to avoid crash. they can stop quickly so don't follow too close - dim ur headlight when u approach one of them bc the blinding effect of high beams can b dangerous to them than to drivers - allow them to pass you and stay in ur lane and position. don't speed up or interfere w/ them - remember, scooters and mopeds travel slower than motorcycles
police/traffic stops
- if pulled over, move to right side of road and go far out of way of traffic - turn on hazard flashers and if @ night, interior lights so officer can see. roll windows down - keep safety belt on and limit movement so officer won't think ur hiding something - show license, proof of insurance and car registration. tell officer where they're located and reach for them slowly with 1 hand on wheel
emergency vehicles
- they can watch for other drivers but can be exempted from other traffic control laws - include fire department equipment; police cars, ambulances and specialty equipped vehicles as a driver - pull over to curb when hear siren or see flashing lights. be parallel and as near curb. on one way, go to nearest edge and keep intersection clear - after it passes, look behind shoulder for any other passing cars and when safe return to ur lane. stay at least 500 ft from emergency car - if it's leaving/returning to its garage w/ emergency light still flashing, must stop until its safely out of ur path - during emergency situation, must obey direction of law enforcement or emergency services personnel on the scene
runaway ramps
- used only by large vehicles that are out of control/can't stop bc of brake failure. never stop/park in this area of the ramps
slow moving vehicles
Be alert for slow moving vehicles, especially in rural areas. A fluorescent or reflective orange and red triangle displayed on the rear of vehicles drawn by animals, farm equipment or construction equipment means the vehicle is traveling less than 25 mph. Use caution when approaching a slow moving vehicle and be sure it's safe b4 you pass farm machinery - Watch for tractors, combines and other farm equipment moving across the road and traveling on state highways in rural areas. Farm machinery can be very large and wide enough to take up more than one traffic lane. Farm machinery usually does not have turn signals and to make a right turn, operators of farm machinery may pull wide to the left and then turn to the right. In most cases, these vehicles will be traveling at less than 25 mph. Pass with caution and remember the operator of the farm machinery cannot hear approaching vehicles animal drawn vehicles - In some rural areas, u may be sharing road w/ animal drawn vehicles. They have same rights to use road as a motor vehicle and must follow same rules of road. They're subject to heavy damage and injury to the occupants if hit by vehicle. Normal speeds for animal drawn vehicles range b/w 5 and 8 mph. They may be even slower when pulling large farm equipment or when crossing intersections. Another hazard to consider is restricted vision from the driver of the animal drawn vehicle. When pulling large loads of hay or other equipment, drivers may not be able to see vehicles behind them; therefore, u need to be extra cautious when passing animal drawn vehicles. Pass w/ caution and don't use ur horn or "rev" the engine bc this may scare horse and cause crash. To avoid other possible collisions, u should anticipate left turns made by animal drawn vehicles into fields and driveways. Warning signs will be posted in areas where ur likely to find animal drawn vehicles so be alert horseback riders - Horseback riders are subject to and protected by the rules of the road. They must ride single file near the right curb or road edge, or on a usable right shoulder, lane or path. Use caution when approaching a horse being ridden or led along a road. Areas where horseback riding is common will usually be marked with an advisory sign. You must drive at a reasonable speed and at a reasonable distance away from the horse. Do not sound your horn or "rev" your engine loudly when approaching or passing a horse. It could scare the horse and cause a crash.
driving slow moving vehicle
If ur driving slow moving vehicle and u have to drive so slowly that other vehicles have to reduce speed to the rear, pull to the side of roadway when safe to do so and let other vehicles pass. Many states have "turnout" areas on some two-way, single lane roadways that must be used when ur causing vehicles to the rear to slow down significantly. Other two-way, single lane roadways sometimes have selective "passing lanes" to reduce congestion to the rear of slower vehicles.
move-over laws
State law requires drivers approaching a stationary emergency vehicle displaying flashing lights, including towing and recovery vehicles, traveling in the same direction, to vacate the lane closest if safe and possible to do so, or slow to a speed safe for road, weather, and traffic conditions
the no zone
is area around large trucks or buses where cars disappear from commercial driver's view into blind spots. These blind spots are on the sides, rear and front of the large vehicle. side no zones - trucks and buses have big no zones on both sides and much larger than ur car's blind spots. Trucks have a larger blind spot on their right side starting behind the cab and extending up to the length of the truck. If you can't see driver's face in side view mirror, they can't see u. Avoid driving alongside large vehicle for any longer than required under any circumstances. If driver needs to swerve/change lanes, chances of collision increased front no zones - bc of their big size and weight, takes longer for them to stop. loaded truck with good tires and properly adjusted brakes, under ideal conditions, traveling at 55 mph requires a minimum of 335 feet before coming to a complete stop, or greater than 1 1⁄2 times the stopping distance of a car. Therefore, it is essential not to enter a roadway in front of a large vehicle or change lanes in front of a large vehicle. When passing a large vehicle look for the whole front of the vehicle in your rear-view mirror before pulling in front and maintaining speed. rear no zones - Unlike cars, large vehicles have huge blind spots directly behind them that extend up to 200 feet. If ur too close, large vehicle can't see ur car and u can't see what is ahead of you. If large vehicle brakes/stops suddenly, u have no place to go and could run into them. To prevent this u need to pay close attention when following large vehicle. Avoid following vehicle too closely and position ur vehicle so the driver can see it in their side mirrors. When traveling up or down steep hills, large vehicles must drive slowly, approximately 35 mph, and therefore use the right lane. Avoid driving in right lane, if possible, when traveling up or down hills, as well as near truck weigh stations, where large vehicles will be attempting to re- enter faster-moving traffic. By avoiding right lane in these areas, you will reduce the possibility of a crash with a large vehicle.
interacting w/ commercial vehicles
over 250,000 crashed b/w cars and commercial cars each year. 70% of them have car driver contributing to it. these crashes can be avoided by these points in mind; - Large vehicles are less maneuverable than a car. - Large vehicles have much larger blind spots than cars even though their drivers sit much higher than vehicle drivers sit. - Because of their weight, they have longer stopping and accelerating distances and need more room to turn.
public transportation
transit buses - Watch for buses that stopped. may block ur view of pedestrians abt to cross street or they may be about to pull into traffic - Unlike school bus, u don't have to stop for a transit bus when they drop off or pick up people, unless ur behind them - look for passengers boarding/exiting bus that might cross in ur path - vehicle gate - safety zone is space set aside for pedestrians boarding, entering and waiting for trolleys/light rail vehicles. Don't drive through/park on tracks or in a safety zone for any reason. u may pass zone as soon as it's safe to do so and at no faster than 10 mph - When ppl boarding/leaving a trolley/light rail vehicle where there's no safety zone, stop behind nearest door or vehicle platform of the trolley or rail vehicle and wait until the ppl have reached a safe place - Don't overtake and pass on left of a trolley or light rail vehicle, whether it's moving or standing, except when ur on a one-way street. When the tracks are so close to the right side of the road that you cannot pass on the right, or when a traffic officer directs you, pass on the left - never turn in front of approaching light rail vehicle or trolley. let them pass b4 making ur turn - know that buildings, trees and other object can cause blind spots for rail vehicle or trolley operator - keep safe following distance from rail vehicle or trolley if it shares road w/ other drivers. in many cases, u may drive in same lane as trolley or light rail vehicle trains - see section 6
