lesson 16 1 CLASSIFICATION OF HIGHWAYS Highway driving

lesson 16. 1 CLASSIFICATION OF HIGHWAYS Highway driving is stressful on drivers because traffic moves very fast. To be a low-risk driver on highways, you need to learn skills that keep you safe as you enter, drive on, and exit highways. 320

Names and design features for highways vary. Sometimes freeways are called expressways, or expressways are called freeways.

There is a uniform standard for signs for interstates. The interstate highway sign is a red, white, and blue shield.

The even numbered routes run east and west, with the lowest numbered routes beginning in the south.

The odd numbered routes go north and south, with the lowest numbers beginning on the west coast.

Without traffic lights or STOP signs, the freeway can accommodate a larger volume of traffic and reduce the potential for high-speed rear-end crashes.

Freeway Interchanges The four most common types of freeway interchanges are cloverleaf, diamond, trumpet, and all-directional interchanges. The names of the interchanges are based on their shapes.

A cloverleaf interchange has entrance and exit ramps that resemble the outline of a four-leaf clover. This type of interchange enables drivers to proceed in either direction on either highway.

A diamond interchange is used when a road that crosses a busy highway has little traffic.

An all-directional interchange is used in complicated intersections with high-volume traffic. This kind of interchange channels traffic in many different directions.

lesson 16. 2 1. ENTERING CONTROLLED-ACCESS HIGHWAYS 2. Any plans for driving on any controlled-access highway should include a travel plan. When planning a short trip, know the name, route, or number for both the entrance and exit you will use. For longdistance trips, plan stops for food, fuel, and rest. 325

1. The entrance ramp provides access to the highway and the opportunity to search for a merge area. 2. If you do an adequate search, you will be able to predict between which vehicles you should merge. You can then accelerate so that you will be at the same speed as the traffic flow when your merge area is next to you.

1. The acceleration lane provides an area where you can speed up in order to match the speed of the traffic flow you’re entering.

1. The merging area is the space in a travel lane of the highway that is parallel to the acceleration lane, where you will be joining the traffic flow.

The Entrance Ramp 1. If you enter the wrong entrance ramp, continue onto the highway and drive to the next exit. Never back up on an entrance ramp or on a freeway.

1. The number of deaths as a result of drivers who mistakenly entered an exit ramp is shown in the graph below. 326

1. Some entrance ramps have a ramp meter, which is a set of traffic signals—red and green only—to control traffic flow onto the highway. 327

1. At a ramp meter, you must wait for the green light before entering the highway. Even with the green light you are still responsible for performing a safe merge.

1. If you run out of room, you are in an emergency situation. Wait for a large, safe gap or hole. 2. Signal and accelerate quickly while staying in lane position 3. 3. Never stop in a travel lane of the highway!

Left-Entrance Ramp 1. Entrance ramps that are on the left of the highway create a high-risk situation. 2. Checking fast-moving traffic over your right shoulder is difficult. Use your right-outside mirror before making a blind-spot check.

Steps for Entering 1. Before you begin entering a highway, make sure the entrance is the one you want and that there are no red and white WRONG WAY or DO NOT ENTER signs.

lesson 16. 3 1. STRATEGIES FOR DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS 2. Once you are on the highway, stay alert as you adjust to the constantly changing traffic scene. Search to your target area to use the IPDE Process and Zone Control System to manage space. 329

The best lane position will 1. provide an escape path for vehicles, if necessary 2. minimize the road spray splashed on your windshield 3. decrease the wind buffet caused by passing trucks 4. Generally, it is safer to drive in the right lane and pass on the left. Reserve the center and left lanes for drivers who are passing and for faster traffic.

1. You are better able to maintain a safe path of travel and avoid sudden last-second decisions if you know your destination, read signs and roadway markings, and think ahead to your target area.

Reversible Lanes 1. Traffic lanes where traffic can travel in either direction depending on certain conditions are called reversible lanes. 2. These lanes are often used during commuter hours where traffic in and out of a city is heaviest. 330

1. High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes are for buses and vehicles that have two or more occupants. 2. High-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes allow drivers to pay a fee in order to drive in an HOV lane with only one person in the vehicle.

1. If you drive at the common speed, the speed used by most drivers, you can better blend with traffic. 2. Sometimes the common speed is above the maximum speed limit. Be careful of drivers who exceed the common speed. They are likely to weave in and out of traffic to pass other vehicles.

Changing Lanes 1. Avoid changing lanes too often. Unnecessary weaving from one lane to another can lead to a collision.

1. Changing lanes on a three-lane highway is complicated. Potential conflicts can occur when two drivers head for the same space at the same time from opposite sides after passing a vehicle. 333

Passing and Being Passed 1. Passing other vehicles on an interstate is usually safe. 2. The traffic you are passing is going in the same direction. 3. The median ensures that a head-on collision is not a threat.

1. Pass on the left. Drivers don’t expect cars to pass on the right. 2. Their peripheral vision is less effective than their central vision. 3. When passing another vehicle, use the procedure for making a lane change to the left.

lesson 16. 4 1. EXITING CONTROLLED-ACCESS HIGHWAYS 335

1. A deceleration lane is a lane where it’s safe to slow your vehicle without blocking the vehicles behind you. Try not to decelerate until you are out of the travel lane and in the deceleration lane.

1. The deceleration lane leads into the exit ramp—the ramp leading off the highway.

1. A low posted exit-ramp speed may indicate that the exit leads into a sharp curve. 2. If you miss the exit you want, go on to the next exit. Never stop or back up if you go past your exit.

1. On some highways, one lane is used as the exit and entrance, which means that drivers’ paths may cross on the lane. 2. Exiting traffic should merge behind entering traffic since entering traffic is accelerating. 336

Steps for Exiting 1. Identify your exit and the exit ramp speed at least one half mile before the exit. 2. Predict a stop at the end of the exit ramp. 3. Expect two-way traffic, pedestrians, intersections, and reduced speeds.

1. Traffic can back up from an exit ramp onto the highway. Ramp overflows are most likely to occur during rush-hour traffic.

lesson 16. 5 1. HIGHWAY PROBLEMS AND FEATURES 2. Some of the problems associated with driving on the Interstate Highway System are caused by drivers or other vehicles. 338

Drivers 1. Staying alert can be a problem when you travel long distances at a steady speed or are tired. You can be lulled into an inattentive drowsy state known as highway hypnosis. When you first notice that your eyelids want to close, stop at the next exit and take a brief nap, or stretch or exercise before continuing. 2. Do not drive any farther if you feel that you’re too tired to continue.

1. Velocitation happens after hours of freeway driving. You may drive too fast unknowingly because you feel as if you’re driving slower than you actually are. 2. Look at the suggested speed limit for the ramp and check your speedometer to be sure you’re traveling at the posted speed.

Disabled Vehicles 1. Whether you see a vehicle stopped on the shoulder or if your vehicle needs to pull over, be alert for potential conflicts. 2. At first sign of trouble with your vehicle, 1. check rear zones 2. signal 3. move as far as possible away from traffic 4. turn on your hazard flashers 3. If the vehicle is not far off the road, get everyone out and stand to the rear side of the vehicle as far away from traffic as possible. Never stand in the highway to direct traffic. When it is safe to do so, raise the hood and tie a white cloth to the antenna or door handle.

1. If you remain in a disabled vehicle, lock all doors. Keep your safety belts on and place your head against the head restraint. This will protect you in the event that a vehicle crashes into you. 2. If you have a cell phone, call for help. Ask anyone who stops to assist you to go to a phone and call for help. Never get into a stranger’s vehicle.

Toll Plaza 1. Toll plazas, where you pay a fee for the use of the highway, are hazardous environments for drivers. While stopping, and until there at least two or three vehicles stopped to your rear, continue to monitor the rearview mirror every few seconds. If you see a vehicle approaching fast in the rear, tap your brake lights repeatedly to get the driver’s attention.