Sharing the Road: A Driver's Guide

Sharing the Road

• Sharing the road involves responsibility from all users for safety and efficiency.
• Crashes often occur when multiple objects try to occupy the same space.
• As a driver, actively look for potential conflicts and assess the likelihood of objects colliding.
• Consider pedestrians, cyclists, motorcycles, buses, emergency vehicles, law enforcement, funeral processions, large trucks, equestrians, farm machinery, animals, and trains.

Pedestrians

• Pedestrians are vulnerable road users due to lack of protection.
• Always be vigilant and actively search for pedestrians.
• Drivers have a legal and moral responsibility to protect pedestrians.
• Give pedestrians extra time and space.
• Stop before the stop line or crosswalk when facing a red light.
• Yield to pedestrians.
• When pedestrians make eye contact, it does not mean they're giving you permission to proceed.

High-Risk Areas for Pedestrians

• School zones, parks, playgrounds, bus stops, parking lots, college campuses, work zones, intersections, mid-block.
• Be alert for pedestrians using headphones or cell phones.
• Be watchful for children playing in residential areas, who may dart into the street without looking.
• Use ground viewing: look for movement under and around parked cars.
• Be alert for children walking, running, playing, and riding bikes.
• Assume that one child is nearby if you see a pet.
• Children tend to be attracted to construction sites and vacant lots.

Inattentive Pedestrians

• Pedestrians crossing mid-block are at risk, especially when distracted by phones.
• Be aware of meter readers, utility workers, postal workers, and trash collectors who may enter roadways.
• Pedestrians may step into the road while cutting grass or sweeping.
• Pedestrians in parking lots may not pay attention to traffic.
• Visibility can be reduced by rain, snow, or fog.
• Pedestrians may rush and take risks in the rain.

Pedestrians on Wheels

• Roller skaters, skateboarders, and people wearing in-line skates also share the road.
• Give mobile pedestrians plenty of space and yield appropriately.

Impaired Pedestrians

• Alcohol and drug impairment contributes to collisions involving pedestrians.
• Provide extra space where pedestrians are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Bicyclists

• Bicyclists are vulnerable road users and may be at greater risk than pedestrians.
• Bicyclists are not protected by a vehicular structure but move faster than pedestrians.
• Bicyclists must be visible and obey traffic laws.
• Be cautious around children, who may ride erratically.

Bicycle Lanes

• Bicycle lanes are dedicated lanes intended to keep bicyclists safe.
• Motor vehicles should not use these lanes except to cross them when turning.
• Yield the right-of-way when crossing a bicycle lane.
• Bicyclists over a certain age (e.g., 12) may not ride on sidewalks.
• Bicyclists are considered pedestrians when walking bicycles.
• A person riding a bicycle is in control of a vehicle.

Specific Risks to Bicyclists

• Bicycles have limited maneuverability.
• Railroad crossings, potholes, and gravel can be hazardous to bicycles.
• Steel bars and storm drain gratings can also be serious hazards.

Bicyclist Safety

• Bicyclists can be difficult to see, particularly when riding in traffic.
• Integrate an awareness of bicyclists into your visual search habits.
• Allow bicyclists time and space.
• Drivers should allow at least 3 feet between their vehicles and bicyclists.
• Use the Dutch Reach: When exiting your vehicle, reach across for the door latch with your right hand, open the door just a bit, and turn your head and body to look for bicyclists.

Motorcycle, Moped, and Scooter Riders

• Motorized two- and three-wheeled vehicles have the right to use as much space on roads as full-sized vehicles.
• Give motorcyclists the entire lane width.
• Motorcycles are narrower and more difficult to see.
• Riders of these vehicles do not have the same occupant protection and are vulnerable road users.
• Motorcyclists and scooter riders can generally stop quicker and within shorter distances.
• Increase your following distance when driving behind a motorcycle.
• Car-motorcycle crashes often occur when car drivers fail to yield the right-of-way.
• Actively search for all possible road users.

Buses

• School buses are a safe system of transportation for students.
• About 500,000 us school buses transport more than 23 million students to and from school each day.
• Yellow increases visibility.
• White rooftop strobe lights are equipped when there is at least one child aboard.
• There are laws to protect Children, especially elementary school-aged in school zones, bus stops, and when they are pedestrians around school buses.
• Stop when a bus is loading or unloading.
• Some states require drivers to stop only when the red lights are flashing.

Bus Signals and Signs

• Amber (yellow) lights warn drivers that the bus will stop soon.
• A stop sign swings outward and red lights flash when the bus door is open.
• Some buses have a barricade arm that extends outward.
• Bus drivers must stop fully before crossing railroad tracks.
• Actively search for school bus stop signs.
• Reduce your speed and increase your vigilance.
• Be aware when sharing roads with school buses and students during morning pick-up and afternoon drop-off times.
• Transit buses are not necessarily yellow and do not have warning lights.
• Some transit bus drivers activate hazard lights.
• Search for and yield to passengers.

Identifying and Passing Transit Buses

• Drivers stay in the far-right lane on multi-lane roads.
• Anticipate the need for transit bus drivers to stop in their travel lane.
• Change lanes so that you can continue past the bus.
• Identify and obey pavement markings for safety zones.
• Stop behind the nearest door if there's no safety zone.
• When a bus, streetcar, or trolley is stopped at a safety zone, you may generally pass by moving no faster than 10 mph.

Emergency Vehicles

• It is critically important to give space to ambulances, fire trucks, police vehicles, and other such vehicles.
• Trained emergency vehicle operators may violate traffic laws with care and caution.
• Pull as far off the roadway as possible and stop when you hear a siren or see flashing lights.
• Move out of intersections.
• Search carefully for all road users before re-entering traffic.
• Obey commands given by police, fire, emergency medical, and rescue personnel.
• Move-Over laws require changing lanes or repositioning when encountering emergency roadside activity.
• Reduce speed on streets with more than one lane in each direction.

Funeral Processions

• Funeral processions are groups of vehicles traveling together to honor the dead.
• Vehicles use low-beam headlights.
• Some drivers use magnetic flags on windshields.
• Yield the right-of-way to drivers in funeral processions.
• Do not drive between moving vehicles that are part of a funeral procession.

Large Trucks

• Sharing is possible with knowledge and preparation so new and trained drivers should feel at ease when sharing the road with large trucks.
• Cdl must be earned for a person to lawfully drive a large truck.
• Massive equipment uses banners with "Oversize Load" to alert other drivers.
• Oversize-load trucks may be accompanied by pilot vehicles.

Understanding Risks with Large Trucks

• Because trucks are heavy and can block visibility, caution should be excercised.
• Remain aware of your location around large trucks, and never assume a truck driver can see you.
• If you cannot see the truck driver in the truck's mirrors, they cannot see you.
• Trucks require a great distance for braking.
• Ensure you can see the entire cab in your rearview mirror before moving in front of it.

Risks with Large Trucks

• Be cautious when trucks are turning right.
• Give drivers ample room to maneuver.
• If you can't see the truck driver in their mirror, they probably can't see you.
• Stop before stop lines and crosswalks at intersections
• Provide trucks enough room to negotiate turns
• Never pass on the right side of a truck-you can cause a collision.
• Trucks create wind currents.
• Keep both hands on the steering wheel when near trucks.

Reducing Risks with Large Trucks

• Allow ample space between you and a truck ahead when stopped on a hill because trucks can roll back.
• Don't speed up when a truck is passing instead, stay right, and slow down slightly to allow the truck to pass.
• Give space when a truck signals the intent to change lanes.
• Do not linger or pass behind a truck that is backing-up.
• Be prepared to handle splash on wet roads, and avoid traveling alongside or closely behind trucks.

Equestrians and Horse-Drawn Vehicles

• Share roads with people on horseback, particularly in rural environments.
• Be aware that animals can be unpredictable.
• Reduce your speed when near equestrians, giving as much space as possible.
• Sudden noises and unexpected movements can cause animals drawing vehicles to shy or spook.
• Reduce speed and increase space.
• Tap it quickly and gently to avoid frightening the animal if you must use your horn.
• Farmers can move supplies, equipment, and other such commodities.
• Be patient with farm machinery, share the road, and be alert.
• Tractors may be equipped with turn signals, so use caution when they plan to turn, and leave them plenty of space.

Animals

• Because of quick movements and a small size, pets can be a special problem.
• Pets dart into a road causing you to swerve or brake hard to avoid hitting them.
• Concentrate on slowing down and avoid swerving.
• Contact authorities if you strike a domestic animal.
• Search for animals especially those near, around, and under your vehicle.

Wildlife

• Wild animals appear suddenly and unexpectedly, especially in rural, mountainous, and forested regions.
• Actions are erratic and unpredictable.
• When a driver sees one animal, it means more nearby.
• Search for and drive with caution at dusk, dawn, and darkness.

Passenger and Freight Trains

• Light rail: Carries passengers along rail lines within a city
• Commonly referred to as light rail, light rail trains typically run alongside or on the streets.
• They are often powered by electricity rather than diesel engines and are very quiet.
• Long Distance Trains: Can have a major role in moving goods or people.
• Rail trains are powered by fossil fuels and weigh 200 tons or approximately 6,000 or 12 million pounds.

Railroad Crossings

• Chapter 5 goes into detail about signals, signs, barricades, and markings.
• Critical to recognize and respond to signs and signals.
• Appears in advance of a rail road crossing in this photograph is is a warning.
• Markings are protected or umprotected.
• Protected crossings have flashing red lights that warn you of an approaching train.
• The yield sign to railroad crossings is the crossbuck.
• Crashes occur at rail crossings because of driver errors, patience, and inattention.
• Because damage is sever or fatal, never drive over a train crossing.
• Look both ways when crossing.

Guidelines and Safety

• Search both directions will help in safe crossing:
• Slow down and stop by the highway rail, use signals, and warning equipment-never rely only on those.
• Stop no closer than 15 feet from railroad crossing.
• Extra caution should be paid at non-equipped railroad crossing (especially when sight is limited).
• Wait for the vehicle to be clear from the tracks before you start across, otherwise avoid stopping on or near them.
• Search the tracks in both directions to ensure other trains are not approaching after the train has passed.
• Never attempt to beat a train.
• Stay alert, never take the railroad crossings for granted.
• Drivers of bus and trucks that carry hazardous materials are required to stop at railroad crossings.
• Call 911 in you vehicle breaks down or stalls on the tracks.

Law Enforcement

• The activities of law enforcement officers are responsible for efficient and safe operations.

Traffic Stop Qualities

• Act as the responsible driver.
• Behave maturely.
• Police work is thankless and dangerous.
• Steps include: Pulling over, police official approaching the vehicle, a conversation with police, and wrapping up the traffic stop.
• Pulling over - yield or wave to show you see, turn on turn signals, move vehicle to roadside, remove car from travel lane and engine off, while remaining in the vehicle.
• The police official might not approach your vehicle, so stay calm and follow these steps: roll down front windows, turn vehicle lights on, turn down or off sound system, and keep your hands on the steering wheel in plain sight.
• Traffic stops are dangerous!
• Allow official to lead, be polite and patient, only answer what is asked, show documents when requested, and announce the item (drivers license, proof of insurance, registration) before reaching for them.
• Do not just sign the citation without accepting equipment, as singing documents just acknowledges receipt.
• Leave the roadside only when the police official dismissed you and search traffic before departing.