Ch. 7 Intersections

Intersection Dangers The chances of a collision are greater here than at anywhere else 1/3 of all accidents occur here 1/4 of all fatal accidents occur here

Intersection Dangers You are not allowed to change lanes during an intersections

Intersection dangers The point of no return This is the point where you can no longer stop safely without entering the intersection. This is normally 2 seconds The faster you are going, the longer it will take to stop

Intersection Safety When at a stoplight that turns green, make sure you check cross-traffic and for pedestrians before entering the intersection You must allow vehicles already in the intersection to pass through before moving. When turning, your last check should be in the direction of your intended path of travel Always look Left, Right, then Left again Top 20 Worse Intersections

Controlled intersections This is an intersection that has signals or signs to determine right of way. Stop – means stop Yield – Slow and yield the right of way, don’t have to stop

Uncontrolled intersections An intersection with no signs or signals Usually found in areas of low traffic like residential areas Never assume that someone else is going to stop or yield to you – Defensive Driving

Judging gaps at 30 MPH When entering traffic, you must be able to judge the gaps between vehicles. To go straight across 2 lanes of traffic at 30 MPH, there must be a 4-5 seconds of gap between cars. To turn right and join traffic you need 5 seconds or about one city block. To turn left and join traffic you need 7 seconds and just more than one block of gap. Know these for the test on page 144.

Turning at an intersection You must turn into the closest lane when making a turn. Make turn then switch lanes if that is what is needed If there are lines turning through the intersection, stay in those lines.

Stoplights Stale green light – One that has been green for a long time. Be ready for it to change to yellow Fresh Green light – It just turned green. Light are operated by computers and sensors and can change at anytime Watch for the flashing white light above stop lights. Emergency Vehicles nearing.

Left turns Unprotected left turn – no signal to assist you Protected left turn- Has an arrow or signal to help assist you. Most of the time this is an arrow pointing to the left

Right turn on red All states allow Right turns on a red light. It is allowed unless a sign says otherwise Must come to a complete stop Check for traffic Turn into the right lane

Earlier Review When can you make a left-turn on red? From a one way street onto another one way street

Railroad crossings Controlled Railroad crossing sign warns of crossing Crossbuck at crossing Flashing red lights and gates Do not drive around gates

Railroad Crossings Uncontrolled Railroad crossing – Does not have flashing red lights or crossing gates. Most are marked with a round, yellow, circular sign. Usually about 250 feet before the crossing

Railroad crossings What is the fine for going around or going through the gates? $500 dollar fine or 50 hours of community service.

Railroad Crossings/Buses When following buses or trucks hauling flammable contents be prepared to stop as they are required to stop by law.

Passing Buses While we are talking about buses lets talk about passing school buses. You must stop before passing or overtaking a school bus. On a two-lane road, all vehicles must stop. On a four-lane road, only the vehicles going the same direction as the bus must stop. What is the penalty for passing a school bus? $150 dollar fine and 3 month suspension

Crash Montage 3 Red lights Seatbelt Mistaken Identity