Drivers Education Chapter 9 Driving in Urban Traffic

Traffic Complexity Driving in heavy, fast moving, city traffic is very challenging. ® Traffic is more dense ® Move cars, buses, and pedestrians per mile. ® Traffic hazards are closer to you and can quickly block you path. ®

Driver Hazards Avoid drivers using cellular phones. ® Avoid aggressive drivers who needlessly increase the risk in a situation by challenging other drivers. ® Avoid angry drivers who will actually charge at other drivers. ® Give angry, distracted, or absent minded drivers distance. ®

IPDE Process ® Identify – Check your searching ranges to make sure your front zones are open and you have time to spot line of sight restrictions. ® Predict – possible points of conflict quickly and gain valuable time to respond. ® Decide – always be ready to communicate, adjust your vehicle position, or change speed. ® Execute – Be ready to use your vehicle’s controls to make smooth low-risk maneuvers in traffic.

Advantages of Adequate Following Distance You can see further down the road to get the “Big Picture. ” ® Other can see you better. ® You have more time to use IPDE ® You are in a better position is a car suddenly stops. ®

3 – Second Following Distance Rule ® Pick a fixed point on the roadway. This can be a shadow, mark on the road, or a sign. ® When the vehicle in front of you passes the checkpoint count: one- thousand, twoone-thousand, three-one-thousand. ® Now check to see if your vehicle is short of the checkpoint. If not, slow down and add more following distance. ® Under adverse conditions you will need more than 3 -seconds.

Following Others Look beyond the vehicle ahead of you. ® Look over, through, or around vehicles ahead of you. ® Be aware for brake lights. ® Always try to anticipate what the driver ahead is likely to do. ® ® Be alert in areas where sudden stops can occur. ® Intersections ® Lanes next to parked cars. ® Business driveways with high volume traffic.

Being Followed ® Tailgaters – someone who follows to closely. ® This can be a hazard because if you have to stop quickly they can hit you in the rear.

Managing Tailgaters Increase your following distance to 4 seconds. ® Move slightly to the right. (help tailgater see better) ® Signal early for turns, stops, and lane changes. ® In extreme situations, pull over and let the tailgater pass you. ®

Responding to Oncoming Traffic A driver may cross into your path of travel for these reasons ® Driver Impairment – drowsy, distracted, confused, intoxicated, or ill. ® Poor Visibility – direct sunlight, blinding headlights, or bad weather. ® Reduced Space – snowbank, narrow bridge, or object in the road. ® Sudden Move by Others – children, bicycles, pedestrians. ® Mechanical Failure – loss of wheel or brakes.

Avoiding Conflicts ® Slow down until the driver returns to the normal lane. ® Turn on or flash your headlights and blow your horn. ® If your right zone is open, move to the right.

Looking Ahead While Staying Back By looking far ahead, you will be able to spot problems in time to adjust your speed and position. ® By maintaining a safe following distance you will be able to view the road ahead. ®

Approaching Traffic Signal ® If the light is red, slow and be ready to stop. ® If the light is green when you first see it, predict that it will change. ® Never speed up through a light.

Covering the Brake Cover the Brake – taking you foot off the accelerator and hold it over the brake pedal. ® Use this technique whenever you sense a possible conflict. ® This will help your reaction time and help you avoid possible collisions. ® Ride the Brake – This is when you rest your foot on the brake pedal. ® This heats your brake and cause them to wear faster. ® This may confuse the driver behind you, you should only flash your brake lights when you are slowing down. ®

Speed Control ® Drive with the flow of traffic. ® Stay within the speed limit. ® Adjust speed for drivers who may block you way.

Selecting the Best Lane Select the lane with the fewest number of hazards. ® Left lane is usually for faster traffic, but it can be held up by drivers making left turn. ® At intersections, choose lane for which direction you plan to travel. ®

Changing Lanes ® ® ® Signal your lane change early. Use your mirrors to check traffic in your rear zones. Quickly check you blindspots. Change lanes without slowing. Smoothly move lane and cancel turn signal.

Overtaking or Passing Overtaking – or passing is moving ahead of the vehicle in front of you. ® Passing in a city can be dangerous because of cross traffic, pedestrians, and signals. ® Make sure you can pass legally and safely. ® It is illegal to pass over double center line. ®

Carpool Lanes To help move rush hour traffic many cities now have special lanes like buses and carpool lanes. ® People who ride together save time, fuel, reduce parking problems, and reduce air pollution. ®

One-Way Streets One-way streets can move a greater volume of traffic with less conflict. ® One-way signs are posted on most oneway streets. ® All moving traffic and parked cars point in the same direction. ® Broken white lines are used to separate lanes of traffic.

Leaving One-Way Street Left turn – stay to the far left of the street. ® Right turn – stay to the far right. ® Straight – stay to the middle of the street. ® Watch for signs that may warn that a oneway street will turn into a two-way street. ®

Signal Wrong-Way Drivers ® If you encounter a vehicle going the wrong way on a oneway street, slow, steer right, and sound horn and flash lights.