Washington State Driver Guide PDF

SAFE DRIVING TIPS No driver manual can teach you how to operate a vehicle or be a safe driver. Driving requires skills you can only gain through instruction and practice. The following offers some basic driving information. Starting Check the vehicle owner’s manual to determine the best way to start...

SAFE DRIVING TIPS No driver manual can teach you how to operate a vehicle or be a safe driver. Driving requires skills you can only gain through instruction and practice. The following offers some basic driving information. Starting Check the vehicle owner’s manual to determine the best way to start the vehicle. Make sure the parking brake is on before you start the vehicle. If the vehicle has a manual transmission, it must not be in gear. In most vehicles, the clutch must be depressed. For a vehicle that has an automatic transmission, you must have the shift selector in “park.” Accelerating Accelerate gradually and smoothly. Starting too fast can cause your wheels to spin, particularly on slippery surfaces, and cause the vehicle to slide. With a manual-shift vehicle, practice using the clutch and accelerator so the engine does not over-rev or stall when accelerating or shifting gears. Steering Place your hands on opposite sides of the steering wheel (left hand between 8 and 9 o’clock and right hand between 3 and 4 o’clock). This position is comfortable and on high-speed roads, allows you to make turns without taking your hands off the wheel. It also positions your hands out of the way of the air bag. Leaning against the door, putting your elbow out the window, or driving with one hand can keep you from reacting quickly in an emergency. 4-1 Look well down the road, at least 15 seconds, and look to both sides of the road and the rear, not just at the road in front of your vehicle. Look for traffic situations where you will need to steer before you get to them. Being aware of line-of-sight blockages that may conceal a pedestrian, bicyclist, or another vehicle. A driver can look in, under and around parked cars for feet, wheels, shadows, and movement. When looking far enough ahead, it allows you to see all potential situations before they create a surprise. This way, you have time to steer smoothly and safely. When turning sharp corners, turn the steering wheel using the “hand-over-hand” technique. When you complete a turn, straighten out the steering wheel by hand. Letting it slip through your fingers could be dangerous. Speeding and Speed Limits Speeding is defined as traveling above the posted speed limit or too fast for conditions. Heavy rain, snow or ice on the roadway, or limited visibility due to fog are a few examples of conditions when you may need to adjust your speed below the posted speed limit to drive safely. If you speed, you are substantially increasing injury and fatality risk for yourself and for others on the road. Speeding is a factor in nearly of all traffic fatalities in Washington. 4-2 The best way to avoid speeding is to know your speed and the speed limit. Check the speedometer often. People are not very good at judging how fast they are going. It is easy to be traveling much faster than you think. This is especially true when you leave high-speed roads and are driving on much slower local roads. Be prepared to accelerate, decelerate, slow down, or stop based on traffic, traffic control devices, or other road conditions. Obey speed limit signs. They are there for your safety. Speed limits, unless otherwise posted, are: 20 mph in school zones. 25 mph on streets of cities and towns. 50 mph on county roads. 60 mph on state highways. Parts of interstate highways may be posted with higher maximum speeds. Stopping Be alert and aware of the traffic conditions around your vehicle and along your intended path of travel. Stopping suddenly is dangerous and usually points to a driver who was not paying attention. Developing an awareness of how to stop safely in traffic is a valuable skill to have. When you brake quickly, you could skid and lose control of your vehicle. You also make it harder for drivers behind you to stop without hitting you. Try to avoid sudden stops by scanning ahead well in advance, most collisions happen when someone wasn’t aware of the changes in traffic around them. The sooner you begin the braking process the more time you have to control the situation. By slowing down or changing lanes, you may not have to stop at all, and if you do, you can make a more gradual and safer stop. 4-3 Seeing Well Most of what you do while driving depends on what you see. To be a good driver, you need to see well. You must not drive with more than three people in the front seat if it blocks your view or interferes with your control of the vehicle. The single biggest contributor to collisions 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, or when weather conditions diminish your vision, use your headlights. You must be alert to what is going on around you. Many collisions occur because drivers do not pay enough attention to their driving. In many collisions with motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians, drivers reported that they were looking but did not see them. Distracted Driving Distracted Driving is any activity that takes a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving, sometimes referred to as “inattentional blindness.” All distractions endanger the driver, passengers, and others who share the road, including pedestrians. Some distractions could include: using a personal electronic device eating or drinking talking to passengers grooming reading, including maps and navigation systems watching a video while driving adjusting vehicle controls While some of these aren’t against the law on their own, you should still recognize how these behaviors may impact your driving and could cause you to violate a traffic law. A law enforcement officer may stop and ticket you for violating the distracted driving law. The minimum fine for violating one or more of these restrictions is $124 and can be more if you cause a crash. Second and all subsequent violations are subject to have the fine doubled. 4-4 Dangerously Distracted Driving is when a driver is engaged in any activity not related to the actual operation of a motor vehicle in a manner that interferes with the safe a vehicle on any highway. A law enforcement officer may also include a violation for Dangerously Distracted Driving as secondary action when a driver of a motor vehicle has been stopped for a suspected violation for a separate traffic infraction. Personal Electronic Devices Any use of a personal electronic device while driving is especially dangerous. This is why Washington state law restricts the use of personal electronic devices when driving. Personal electronic devices includes, but is not limited to, a cell phone, tablet, laptop, two-way messaging device, or electronic game. Using a personal electronic device in your hand, both hands, or held to your ear to compose, send, read, view, access, browse, transmit, save, or retrieve email, text messages, instant messages, photographs, or other electronic data while operating a motor vehicle is against the law. However, these activities may be permissible: reporting illegal activity. summoning medical or other emergency help. preventing injury to a person or property. operating an authorized emergency vehicle. relaying information between a transit or for-hire operator and that operator’s dispatcher using a device permanently affixed to the vehicle. using a voice-operated global-positioning or navigation system permanently affixed to the vehicle and that allows the user to send or receive messages without diverting visual attention from the road or engaging the use of either hand. 4-5 Other activities that may be permissible are: operating a tow truck responding to a disabled vehicle. operating a citizen’s band or two-way radio, or an amateur radio under a Federal Communications Commission license. The minimal use of a finger to activate, deactivate, or initiate function of the device is permissible. A “Hands-free” device can also be an acceptable alternative. Drivers with an Instruction Permit or Intermediate License cannot use any wireless communication device (regardless if hand-held or hands-free) while driving unless in an emergency situation. Other Distracted Driving Laws No person is allowed to operate a motor vehicle with equipment capable of receiving a television broadcast when the moving images are visible to the driver while the motor vehicle is on a public road. An exemption is provided for live video of the motor vehicle backing up. Do not drive with head or earphones that cover or go in your ears. These are illegal in Washington and many other states and make it hard to hear emergency horns or sirens. This law does not apply to motorcyclists wearing a helmet with built-in headsets or earphones or to hands-free cellular phone systems. Collisions and Roadside Activity Do not slow down to look at a collision or other roadside activity, as it could result in your own. If you take your eyes off the road to look at something, you could run into a vehicle ahead that has slowed or stopped. This also can increase congestion. When you pass these roadside activities, keep your eyes on the road and get past them as soon and as safely, as you can. You can avoid distracted driving by remembering the “5 Ds.” Driving while distracted is: Dangerous Deceptive 4-6 Destructive Disabling Deadly 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 to 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. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 80% of all crashes can be avoided if drivers have one additional second of time to react. The average driver looks only 3-5 seconds ahead of the car. If you scan at least 15 seconds ahead, you are able to gather critical information earlier and respond sooner to problems and hazards. Look ahead – In order to avoid last minute braking or the need to turn suddenly, 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 along the side of the road. This will also help you to steer straight with less weaving. To give you a clearer picture of what lies ahead of your vehicle, scan for stopped or moving traffic, red or green lights, if the road is curving to the left, right, or cresting a hill. Safer drivers tend to look at least 15 seconds ahead of their vehicle. Judging space or distances in seconds is important for drivers. The ability to measure distances in seconds will help drivers solve problems from farther away, control their approach to intersections, curves, stopped traffic, traffic controls, judge for gaps, time turns, and help create open space when following others. How far is 15 seconds ahead? It is the distance that your vehicle will travel in 15 seconds. 4-7 In the city look 15 seconds ahead; 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 look 15 seconds ahead; 15 seconds is about four city blocks or a quarter of a mile. How do you know how many seconds you are looking ahead? Practice judging the space your vehicle will travel in seconds by following these steps: 1. Guess where you think 15 seconds ahead is. 2. Pick out a marker such as a road sign, mailbox, or telephone pole and then spacing counting: one-one-thousand, two-one thousand, three-one-thousand, four-one-thousand etc. until you reach the marker. 3. Taking a guess, before you count, helps you develop the ability to make accurate assessments of the space your vehicle will travel in seconds. 4. Accuracy will improve the more you practice this method. 4-8 You can be a safer driver by looking well ahead. You can avoid the need to stop or turn quickly. The less you have to stop or turn quickly, the less likely you are to run into someone or have someone run into you. By looking well ahead, you can save on fuel. Every time you have to stop quickly, it takes time and fuel to get your vehicle back up to speed. A gradual approach into a stop situation puts you in a win-win situation. You will use the least amount of fuel, you will put the least amount of wear on your tires and braking system, and you have the best opportunity to control the traffic to your rear. Most of all, you will be developing a good habit that will eventually occur even when you don’t think about it. Traffic would flow more smoothly if everyone looked well ahead. Making driving changes before the last moment gives drivers behind you more time to react. The earlier you act, the less often someone behind you has to react quickly to your vehicle. By scanning ahead, you can assess the problems and hazards your intended path of travel may create and choose the best actions, such as changing lanes or adjusting your speed, to achieve the lowest degree of risk. Look to the sides – As other vehicles, pedestrians, or bicyclists may cross or enter your path anytime, most often within a four second range, look to the sides to make sure no one is coming. This is especially true at intersections and railroad crossings. When a driver gets within four seconds of potential crossing or intersection it is time to evaluate the decision that was made at the 15 second range. There is time for the driver to evaluate whether it is still the best decision for speed control, lane positioning, and communications. Intersections – Any place where two or more roads come together. They can be any shape, controlled with lights and/or signs or uncontrolled. Every Intersection has a higher potential for collision. Conflicts can occur to the right, left, front, or rear of you. You should actively scan every intersection and be ready to adjust speed, lane position or both before entering that space. Intersections include: cross streets, roundabouts, calming circles, side streets, driveways, and shopping center, or parking lot entrances. 4-9 Over 30% of all the crashes that take place in the United States each year occur at intersections Before you enter an intersection, always look to the left and right for vehicles, pedestrians, or bicyclists. Just because you have the right of way, does not mean that you will be given the right of way. If stopped, look to the left and right before you start moving. If stopped, before crossing an intersection, ensure there is space to cross completely, so that you do not block the intersection if you have to stop. Before you turn left or right across oncoming traffic, turn on your signal at least 100 feet ahead and look for a safe gap in the traffic. Check the street you are turning into to make sure that no vehicles, pedestrians, or bicyclists are in or approaching your path. If you are on a street with a bicycle lane, check behind you for oncoming bicyclists and yield to them be-fore making your turn. They may be moving toward you faster than you realize. Be sure you have time to execute the turn safely. After stopping, you may turn right on red unless prohibited. You may also turn left from a one-way or two-way street into a one-way street unless prohibited. 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 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. Make sure you can clearly see crossing traffic before entering an intersection. If you were stopped and your view of a cross street is blocked, edge forward slowly until you can see. By moving forward slowly, crossing drivers can see the front of your vehicle before you can see them. This gives them a chance to slow down and warn you if needed. 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, looking within that 4 second range, when you are near shopping 4-10 centers, parking lots, construction areas, busy sidewalks, playgrounds, parks, and schoolyards. Railroad crossings – As you approach a railroad crossing, slow down and look up and down the tracks to make sure a train is not coming. If you are not sure it is safe to cross the tracks, turn your radio down or off, stop talking, put the window down, and look and listen for a train. Never start to cross until the traffic clears ahead. Wait until there is room on the far side so you will not have to stop on the tracks. At crossings with more than one track, wait until the passing train is well down the track before starting to cross. A train that just passed may hide another train behind it. Look behind Besides watching traffic ahead of you, check traffic behind you. You need to check more often when traffic is heavy. This is the only way you will know if someone is following too closely or coming up too fast and will give you time to do something about it, like change lanes, tap on the brakes, speed up, or slow down. It is very important to look for vehicles behind you when you change lanes, turn across a bicycle lane, slow down, back up, or are driving down a long or steep hill. Changing lanes – Before changing lanes, you must check to ensure there are no vehicles in the lane you want to enter. This means you must check for traffic to the side, behind your vehicle, and in your “blind spots” before you change lanes. Changing lanes includes changing from one lane to another, merging onto a roadway from an entrance ramp, and entering the roadway from the curb or shoulder. When changing lanes, you should: turn on your turn signal in the direction you are moving. look in your rearview and side mirrors. Make sure there are no vehicles in the lane you want to enter. Make sure that 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 vehicle. These areas are “blind spots” because you cannot see them through 4-11 your mirrors. You must turn your head and look to see vehicles, bicyclists, or pedestrians in your blind spot. check quickly. Do not take your eyes off the road ahead for more than an instant. Traffic ahead of you could stop suddenly while you are checking traffic to the sides, rear, or over your shoulder. Also, use your mirrors to check traffic while you are preparing to change lanes, merge, or pull onto the roadway. This method will allow you to keep an eye on vehicles ahead of you at the same time. Check your blind spot for traffic before you change lanes. Look several times, if you need to, but not for too long a period at any one time. You must keep track of what traffic is doing in front of you and in the lane you are entering. check the far lane. Be sure to check the far lane, if there is one. Someone in that lane may be planning to move into the same lane you want to enter. check for other road users. Remember, there are other road users such as motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians that are harder to see than cars and trucks. Be especially alert when you are entering the roadway from a curb or driveway. BLIND SPOT BLIND SPOT large trucks, or commercial vehicles, have a longer stopping distance than that of a standard vehicle. It is important that you leave extra space between the commercial vehicle and the merge position of your vehicle in case the commercial 4-12 vehicle needs to stop suddenly. Before attempting to merge in front of a commercial vehicle, it is recommended that one car length of space for every 10 miles of speed be used. OK LEAVE MORE SPACE Slowing down – You must check behind your vehicle whenever you slow down. This is very important when you slow down quickly or at points where a following driver would not expect you to slow down, such as driveways or parking spaces. Backing up – Backing is performed on a daily basis and often times in crowded areas such as parking lots or busy streets. Here are some tips that will help you. Check behind your vehicle before you get in. Children or small objects are difficult to see from the driver’s seat. Place your right arm on the back of the seat and turn around so you can look directly through the rear window. Do not depend solely on your rearview or side mirrors to help you see directly behind your vehicle. Back slowly, your vehicle is much harder to steer while you are backing. You must stop before backing across a sidewalk or into a street. Look left, right, and yield to any pedestrians, bicyclists, or vehicles. Whenever possible, use a person outside the vehicle to help you back. Driving downhill – Check your mirrors when you are going down hills or mountain roads. Vehicles often build up speed going downhill. Be prepared to adjust or slow your speed and be alert for large trucks and buses that may be going too fast. 4-13 Use Your Lights By law, your vehicle’s headlights must be turned on from a half hour after sunset until a half hour before sunrise. Lights must also be on any time conditions make it difficult to see people or other vehicles. Here are some things you can do that will help you see better: use your high beams whenever there are no oncoming vehicles. High beams let you see twice as far as low beams. It is important to use high beams on unfamiliar roads, in construction areas, or where there may be people along the side of the road. dim your high beams whenever you come within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle. use your low beams when following 300 feet or less behind another vehicle. 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 difficult to see ahead. Some vehicles have fog lights that you should also use under these conditions. If a vehicle comes toward you with high beams on, look away from the headlights and toward the right side of the road until the car has passed. This will keep you from being blinded by the other vehicle’s headlights and allow you to see enough of the edge of the road to stay on course. Do not try to “get back” at the other driver by keeping your bright lights on. If you do, both of you may be blinded. Letting Others Know You Are There Collisions often happen because one driver does not see another driver or when one driver does something the other driver does not expect. It is important that drivers let other road users know they are there and what they plan to do. Communicate your intentions by using your headlights, brake lights, horn, emergency signals, lane position, and vehicle speed. Some drivers do not always pay attention to what is going on around them. It is important that other road users know you are there. 4-14 Use headlights – Besides helping you to see at night, headlights help other people see you. Turn on your headlights whenever you have trouble seeing others. On rainy, snowy, or foggy days, it can be difficult for other drivers to see your vehicle. In these conditions, headlights make your vehicle easier to see. Remember, if you turn on your wipers, turn on your headlights. Turn on your headlights when it begins to get dark. Even if you turn them on a little early, you will help other drivers see you. Whenever driving and lights are necessary, use your headlights. Parking lights are for parked vehicles only. When driving away from a rising or setting sun, turn on your headlights. Drivers coming toward you may have trouble seeing your vehicle. If you stop along the road at night, turn on your emergency flashers and leave your low beams on. Use your horn – People cannot see you unless they are looking your way. Your horn can get their attention. Use it whenever it will help prevent a collision. If there is no immediate danger, a light tap on the horn should be all you need. Give your horn a light tap: when a person on foot or on a bike appears to be moving into your lane of travel. when you are passing a driver who starts to turn into your lane. when a driver is not paying attention or may have trouble seeing you. when coming to a place where you cannot see what is ahead, like a steep hill, a sharp curve, or exiting a narrow alley. If there is danger, do not be afraid to sound a sharp blast on your horn. Do this: when a child or older person is about to walk, run, or ride into the street. 4-15 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. letting other drivers know of an error. greeting a friend. around blind pedestrians. passing bicyclists. when approaching horses. Use emergency signals – If your vehicle breaks down on a highway, make sure that other drivers can see it. All too often collisions occur because a driver did not see a stalled vehicle until it was too late to stop. If available, use your two-way radio or cellular phone to notify authorities that your vehicle or someone else’s vehicle 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: get your vehicle off the road and away from traffic, if possible. turn on your emergency flashers to show you are having trouble. At night, leave your headlights on. try to stop where other drivers have a clear view of your vehicle, if you cannot get your vehicle off the roadway (do not stop just over a hill or just around a curve). try to warn other road users that your vehicle is there. Place emergency flares 2 to feet behind the vehicle. This allows other drivers to change lanes if necessary. 4-16 if you do not have emergency flares or other warning devices, stand by the side of the road where you are safe from traffic and wave traffic around your vehicle. never stand in the roadway. Do not try to change a tire if it means you have to be in a traffic lane. lift the hood or tie a white cloth to the antenna, side mirror, or door handle to signal an emergency. Stay out of the blind spot – Drive your vehicle where others can see you. Do not drive in another vehicle’s blind spot. Avoid driving on either side of another vehicle and do not tailgate. You will be in the driver’s blind spot. 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 of that vehicle turning into you. Never stay beside a large vehicle such as a truck or bus. These vehicles have large blind spots. Don’t Hang Out In The NO-ZONE NO-ZONE NO-ZONE NO-ZONE NO-ZONE Share the Road Safely with Trucks 4-17 Letting Others Know What You Are Doing Generally, other drivers expect you to keep doing what you are doing. You must warn them when you are going to change direction or slow down. This will alert other drivers of your intentions and give them time to react, if needed. Signal when you change direction – Signaling gives other drivers time to react to your moves. 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. 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 at least 100 feet before you make your move. 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 might pull into your path. After you have made a turn or lane change, make sure your turn signal is off. After small turns, the signal may not turn off. If the signal did not turn off automatically after you completed your turn, turn it off manually. If you do not, others might think you plan to turn again. Use hand signals when other drivers cannot see signal lights. Right Turn Left Turn 4-18 Stop or decrease speed