Sesh 20 Seeing well, + 21 signalling your intention

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QUIZ

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Railroad Crossings

As you approach any railroad crossing slow down and look up and down the tracks to make sure a train is not coming. Do not assume a train is not coming even if you have never seen one at that crossing before. Assuming a train is not coming is one of the leading causes of fatalities at railroad crossings. Make sure there is room for your vehicle on the far side before you cross the tracks. At crossings with more than one track, wait until the passing train is well down the track before starting to cross. Another train may be hidden by the one that just passed. Be especially watchful if you are following a bicyclist or motorcyclist across railroad tracks. They may swerve in order to cross the tracks at a 90° angle so their tires don't get caught in the tracks.

Check quickly

Don't take your eyes off the road for more than an instant. Use your mirror to check traffic when preparing to merge/pull onto a roadway. Just before you change lanes, check over your shoulder for traffic in your blind spot. You must be aware of what traffic is doing in front of you and in the lane you are entering. Check the far lane, if there is one, as someone in that lane might be planning to move into the same lane you're entering. Watch for other road users such as motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Be alert when entering the road way from a curb or driveway. Make sure to signal.

Look Behind

Check your mirrors every 6 to 8 seconds. You will need to check more often than that when traffic is heavy. This is the only way you will know if someone is following too closely or coming up too fast, and it will give you time to do something about it. It is very important to look for vehicles behind you when you change lanes, slow down, back up, or are driving down a long or steep hill. When going down a long or steep hill, check your mirrors frequently. Vehicles often build up speed going down a steep grade. Be alert for large trucks and buses behind you that may be going too fast.

When you slow down

Check your vehicle when you slow down. It's important when you slow down quickly or a driver following you wouldn't expect it (parking spaces, private driveways)

Letting others know you're there

Crashes often happen because one driver does not see another driver, or when one driver does something another driver does not expect. It is important for you to let other road users know you are there and what you plan to do

Emergency signals

If your vehicle breaks down on a highway, make sure other drivers can see it. All too often, crashes occur because a driver did not see a stalled vehicle until it was too late to stop. Try to warn other road users that your vehicle is there. Place emergency flares or triangles behind it. This allows other drivers to change lanes if necessary. If available, use your 2-way radio or cellphone to notify authorities that your vehicle or another has broken down. Many roadways have signs that tell you the CB channel or telephone number to call in an emergency. If you are having vehicle trouble and have to stop: Emergency signals get your vehicle off the road and away from traffic, if at all possible. turn on your (4-way) emergency flashers to show you are having trouble. try to stop where other drivers have a clear view of your vehicle if you cannot get completely off the road. (Do not stop just over a hill or just around a curve.) stand by the side of the road where you are safe from traffic, if you do not have emergency flares or other warning devices. never stand in the roadway. Do not try to change a tire if it means you will be in a traffic lane. raise the hood or tie a white cloth to the antenna, side mirror or door handle to signal an emergency.

Intersections

Intersections are any place where traffic merges or crosses. They include cross streets, side streets, driveways and shopping center or parking lot entrances, and railroad crossings. Before you enter an intersection, look to both the left and right for approaching vehicles and/or crossing pedestrians. If stopped, look to both the left and right just before you start moving. Look across the intersection before you start to move to make sure the path is clear all the way through the intersection, and that you will not block it if you have to stop. Then look left again. Do not rely on traffic signals or signs to tell you that no one will be crossing in front of you. Some drivers do not obey, or may not notice, traffic signals or signs. At an intersection, look left and right, even if other traffic has a red light or a stop sign. This is especially important just after the light has turned green. This is when people on the cross street are most likely to hurry through the intersection before the light changes to red. Individuals who have been drinking and reckless or aggressive drivers may also run red lights. Make sure you can clearly see crossing traffic before entering a controlled intersection (one with a stop sign or light). If you are stopped and your view of a cross street is blocked, slowly move ahead and stop again before entering the intersection. Check for cross traffic and pedestrians before proceeding. uncontrolled intersectionIf you are coming to an uncontrolled intersection, slow down so you can safely see up and down the cross street before crossing it. If your view is blocked at an uncontrolled intersection, be prepared to brake, if needed, as you slowly edge forward until you can see up and down the cross street. By slowly moving forward, crossing drivers can see the front of your vehicle and it gives them a chance to slow down and warn you that they are approaching. Whenever there is a lot of activity along the side of the road, there is a good chance that someone will cross or enter the road. Therefore, it is very important to look to the sides when you are near shopping centers and parking lots, construction areas, busy sidewalks, playgrounds and schoolyards.

Look Ahead

Look ahead. In order to avoid last-minute braking or the need to turn, you should look well down the road. By looking well ahead and being ready to stop or change lanes if needed, you can drive more safely, save on fuel, help keep traffic moving at a steady pace and allow yourself time to see better around your vehicle and alongside the road. Looking well down the road will also help you to steer straighter with less weaving. Safer drivers tend to look 10 to 15 seconds ahead of their vehicle. How far is this It is the distance your vehicle will travel in 10 to 15 seconds. In the city, 10 to 15 seconds is about one block. When you drive in city traffic, you should try to look at least one block ahead. On the highway, 10 to 15 seconds is about 4 city blocks, or a quarter of a mile. 1. Find a non-moving object like a sign or tree near the road about as far ahead as you are looking. 2. Start counting: one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, one-thousand-three, etc., until you reach the object. 3. The number of seconds you have counted is the number of seconds you were looking ahead.

Look to the Sides

Look to the sides. Because other vehicles or pedestrians may cross or enter your path anytime, you should look to the sides to make sure no one is coming. This is especially true at intersections and railroad crossings.

Seeing Well

Most of what you do in driving depends on what you see. To be a good driver, you need to see well. The single biggest contributor to crashes is failing to see what is happening. You must look down the road, to the sides and behind your vehicle, and be alert for unexpected events. At night and at other times when it's hard to see and be seen, you must use your headlights. You must be alert to what is going on around you. Many crashes occur because drivers do not pay enough attention to their driving. Do not take your eyes off the road for more than a few seconds at any one time. If you need to look at a map, pull safely off the road before you try to look at it. Do not try to read the map while you are driving. Remember that cars and trucks are not the only "users" of the road. In many crashes with motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians, drivers say they looked but did not see them. Never underestimate the size or speed of an approaching truck or bus. Because of their large size, they often appear to be traveling at a slower speed than they actually are. Give them extra room. Do not slow down just to look at a crash, someone getting a ticket or other roadside activity. This could cause you to be in a crash. If you take your eyes off the road to look at something, you could run into a vehicle ahead that has slowed or stopped. When you pass these roadside activities, keep your eyes on the road and get past them as soon and as safely as you can.

SIPDE

Scan Identify Predict Decide Execute This makes for smoother, less stressful driving. It allows you to make early course corrections and speed adjustments to avoid disruptions, and it keeps you from having to perform any emergency evasive maneuvers.

Scanning

Scanning To be a good driver, you must know what is happening around your vehicle. You must look ahead, to the sides and behind the vehicle. Scanning helps you see problems ahead, vehicles and people that may be in the road by the time you reach them, signs warning of problems ahead and signs giving you directions.

Signalling before changing direction

Signaling gives other drivers time to react to your moves. You should use your turn signals before you change lanes, turn right or left, merge into traffic or park. Get into the habit of signaling every time you change direction. This includes signaling before beginning to pass another vehicle, and before completing the pass. Signal even when you do not see anyone else around. It is easy to miss someone who needs to know what you are doing. Signal 100 feet before your intended turn. Be careful that you do not signal too early, though. If there are streets, driveways or entrances between you and where you want to turn, wait until you have passed them to signal. If another vehicle is about to enter the street between you and where you plan to turn, wait until you have passed it to signal your turn. If you signal earlier, the other driver may think you plan to turn where they are and they could pull into your path. After you have made a turn or lane change, make sure your turn signal is off. If you don't, others might think you plan to turn again.

Daytime running lights

Some newer vehicles have headlights that are on anytime the vehicle is running. They are called daytime running lights. These lights make it easier for others to see the vehicle, even in daylight. It helps to reduce the chance of a crash. However, daytime running lights are not meant to replace the use of headlights for night driving or when it is foggy, raining or snowing. If your vehicle does not have daytime running lights, you can get the same effect by manually turning your headlights on. Just remember to turn them off when you turn the engine off.

Hand signals

Sometimes, in addition to using your turn signals, hand and arm signals may be used. An example would be when bright sunlight can make it hard for other drivers to see your flashing turn signals, or when driving an antique vehicle (one manufactured before July 1, 1958) that may not be equipped with turn signals. When using hand and arm signals, these are the standard positions: Left turn: hand pointing straight out; Right turn: hand pointing up; Stop or slow down: hand pointing down.

Watch for Deer

The number and severity of collisions between motor vehicles and deer continues to increase. In fact, deer are the third most commonly struck object in Wisconsin, with other vehicles and fixed objects topping the list. However, there are some things you can do to reduce your risk of hitting a deer. Be especially alert for deer in October and November, the months with the highest number of car/deer crashes. Deer are most active in the dusk to dawn hours, so you should be especially alert while driving during those times. Scan the sides of the road to watch for the reflection of your vehicle headlights in the eyes of deer. If you see such a reflection on the side of the road, slow down. Blow the horn and be ready to stop. Always watch for more than one deer. While deer crossings typically occur in rural settings, deer sometimes wander into towns or even cities. Deer may cross anywhere, anytime.

Staying out of the blind spot

Try to avoid driving in the area on either side of and slightly to the rear of another vehicle where you will be in their blind spot. Either speed up or drop back so the other driver can see your vehicle more easily. When passing another vehicle, get through the other driver's blind spot as quickly as you can. The longer you stay there, the longer you are in danger because they may not see you. Never stay alongside or right behind a large vehicle such as a truck or bus. Many drivers think truck drivers can see the road better because they sit twice as high as the driver of a car. While truckers can see ahead better, and trucks have bigger mirrors, they have very serious blind spots. A car can disappear from their view while it is up to 20 feet in front of the cab, on either side of the truck (especially alongside the cab), and up to 200 feet behind! These areas are all part of what is called the "No Zone". Drivers who travel in the "No Zone" restrict a trucker's ability to take action to avoid a dangerous situation—and the possibility of a crash is increased. A good rule of thumb for drivers sharing the road with a truck or bus is, if you can't see the truck or bus driver in their side mirror, they can't see you.

When you back up

Try to do as little backing as possible. -Check behind your vehicle before you get in it. Children or small objects cannot be seen from the drivers seat. -Do not depend on your rearview or side mirrors to see things around you. You should turn and look directly through the rear window. Back slowly: no faster than a slow walk. It's harder to steer when you're backing. -Whenever possible, use a person outside the vehicle to help you back. -When you are done backing up, scan around you, left and right, before moving into traffic.

Use Headlights

Turn on your headlights whenever you have trouble seeing others, because if you cant see them well, they can't see you well. In rainy, snowy, or foggy days, make sure you have your headlights on. If you have to turn on your wipers, turn on your headlights. Turn on your headlights before it begins to get dark. Even if you turn them on a little early, it will help other drivers see you. Whenever it's necessary to drive with your lights on, use headlights. Parking lights are for parked vehicles only. When driving away from a rising/setting sun, turn on headlights. Drivers coming toward you may have trouble seeing your vehicle through the glare and it will help them see you.

Use your lights

Use your high beams whenever there are no oncoming vehicles. High beams see 2x as far as low beams. Make sure to use them on unfamiliar roads, construction areas, or where people are on the side of the road. Dim your high beams whenever you come within 500 ft (about a block) of an oncoming vehicle. Use your low beams whenever you are closer than 500 feet behind another vehicle or in heavy traffic. Use the low beams in fog or when it is snowing or raining hard. Light from high beams will reflect back, causing glare and making it more difficult to see. Do not drive at any time with only your parking lights on. Parking lights are for parking only. If a driver fails to dim their headlights, you can flash your high beams to let them know. If they don't, look toward the right side of the road. It'll help to not be blinded by the doouuchees headlights and still see the edge of the road until they pass.

When changing lanes

When changing lanes, you should look in your rear view and side view mirrors. Make sure there are no vehicles in the lane you want to enter. Make sure nobody is about to pass you. Look over your shoulder in the direction you plan to move. Be sure no one is near the rear corners of your vehicles. They are "blind spots" because you can't see them w/ your mirrors. To see vehicles in the blind spot, you need to turn your head and look.

WI law

You must have your headlights on when driving from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise, and at any other time you cannot see a vehicle or person on the roadway at a distance of 500 feet.

Signal when slowing down

Your brake lights let people know that you are slowing down. Always slow down as early as it is safe to do so. If you are going to stop or slow down at a place where another driver may not expect it, quickly tap your brake pedal 3 or 4 times to let those behind you know you are about to slow down. Signal when you slow down: -to turn off a roadway which does not have separate turn or exit lanes. -to park or turn just before an intersection. Traffic following you may expect you to continue to the intersection. -to avoid something in the road, or for stopped or slowing traffic that a driver behind you cannot see.

Use your horn

Your horn gets the attention of drivers not looking your way. Use it whenever it will help prevent a crash. If there is no immediate danger, a light tap of the horn will do. Give it a light tap when: -a person on foot/bicycle moves into your lane of travel. However, pedestrians and bicyclists crossing at an intersection have the right-of-way. Do not use your horn in these instances, but do yield the right-of-way. -passing a driver who tries to turn into your lane -driver not paying attention/doesn't see you -when coming to a place where you can't see what's ahead: steep hill, sharp curve, narrow alleys. SHARP blast on horn when: -another vehicle is in danger of hitting you. -when you have lost control of your vehicle and are moving toward someone. When NOT to use your horn: There are several occasions when you should not use your horn. They include: -encouraging someone to drive faster or get out of the way. -informing other drivers of an error. -greeting a friend. -around blind pedestrians. -around animal-drawn vehicles or animals being herded on the roadway.