1. Module 7- Sharing the Roadway Unit 2

2. Sharing the Road with Others Single-vehicle crashes account for more than 50 percent of all motor vehicle occupant fatalities.

3. 5 Common Traffic-conflict Situations Oncoming vehicles Merging and exiting vehicles Cars ahead of you Vehicles behind you Intersecting vehicles and pedestrians

4. Anticipating Errors Human error  Typical errors drivers make include:  Vision errors  Failure to yield right-of-way  Improper speed adjustment  Poor judgment of distance or space requirements  Inadequate or improper vehicle control  Improper signals

5. Sharing the Roadway  Drivers must be aware of who is sharing the road with them  the amount of traffic  the type of traffic (trucks, motorcyclists, buses, animals, etc.)

6. Sharing the Roadway  As drivers, we must share the roadway with:  Pedestrians  Children  Motorcyclists  Bicyclists  Tractor-trailers  Trains  Animals

7. Pedestrians

8.  Pedestrians often take chances– especially children and elderly people.  Take precaution to avoid hitting pedestrians!  May cross without looking both ways.  May cross at places other than intersections.  Jaywalking  Assume drivers will see them and yield.  Distracted  Listening to iPods, talking on cell phones, texting  May be elderly and have hearing/vision limitations.

9. Children  Smaller, less visible  Lack judgment.  Don’t understand the consequences of their actions.  In urban areas, kids use streets as play areas.  Skateboards, bicycles, rollerblades, etc.

10. Pedestrians  Pedestrians using guide dogs or white canes with or without a red tip are partially or totally blind. Be very careful when you see these pedestrians. Give them the right-of-way at all times.

11. Avoiding Collisions With Pedestrians  When pedestrians are present, drive as far from the curb as possible.  Never rely solely on your mirrors when backing.  Never assume they see your car.  Tap your horn to warn them.  Always yield to pedestrians, whether or not they’re “in the right”.

12. Do Your Part  When you wait for a traffic signal at an intersection, be sure to stop behind the stop line or crosswalk.  High-risk pedestrian areas:  School zones  Parks  Playgrounds  Bus stops  Parking lots  College campuses  Intersections and mid-block crossings

13. Animals

14.  Small: cats, dogs, raccoons, possums, squirrels, turkeys, foxes, etc.  Large: deer, most often  Dogs and cats may dart into the roadway when least expected.  Drivers may swerve or brake too hard in an attempt to avoid hitting these animals– this could be a very dangerous choice!  Worst times: sunset to sunrise  Can damage your car.  Can kill you or passengers.

15. Wild Animals  Each year, collisions with wild animals kill approximately 160 people and injure thousands more.  It is estimated that 1.5 million deer alone are killed annually in the U.S. by motor vehicles.

16. Avoiding Collisions With Animals  Be aware and be careful if driving through a wooded area.  Search for movement along the side of the road.  Some animals have eyes that shine in the light.  Predict what the animal might do.

17. Avoiding Deer  Be especially attentive from sunset to midnight and during the hours shortly before and after sunrise.  These are the highest risk times for deer vehicle collisions.  Drive with caution when  moving through deer crossing zones  in areas known to have a large deer population  in areas where roads divide agricultural fields from forestland.  Deer seldom run alone. If you see one deer, others may be nearby.

18. Avoiding Deer @ Night  When driving at night, use high beam headlights when there is no oncoming traffic.  The high beams will better illuminate the eyes of deer on or near the roadway.  Don't rely solely on high beams to deter collisions.  Slow down and blow your horn with one long blast to frighten the deer away.

19. If Your Vehicle Strikes a Deer…  Do not touch the animal.  A frightened and wounded deer can hurt you or further injure itself.  The best procedure is to get your car off the road, if possible, and call the police.  Report any deer vehicle collisions to a local law enforcement agency or a state wildlife officer within 24 hours.  Contact your insurance agent or company representative to report any damage to your car.  Collision with an animal is covered under the collision insurance.

20. Cyclists Motorcycles, Mopeds, Scooters, Bicycles

21. Sharing the Roadway with Motorcycles  2,000 cyclist fatalities occur each year.  Injuries result primarily from the exposed position of the rider.  Motorcycles have little or no protection when a conflict occurs.  As a driver of a larger vehicle it is your responsibility to protect motorcyclists.

22. Mopeds and Motor Scooters  Moped – a two wheeled vehicle that can be driven with either motor or pedals.  Motor Scooter – also low-powered two wheeled vehicle. Similar to moped, but no pedals and not shifting gears.  Most states require an operator’s license.  Restricted from high-speed roads

23. Motorcyclists/Bicyclists/Scooters  Give motorcycles and scooters as much space as you would a vehicle.  Do not try to squeeze into the same lane.  Smaller, less visible, less stable  Only 2 wheels instead of 4 = harder to handle  Can “hide” in your blind spot or behind other vehicles.  Drivers don’t look for them.  Are not protected if an accident occurs.  Affected by wind.

24. Motorcyclists Can Lack Experience  Predict judgment and control errors due to inexperience and lack of skill.  Riders who have rented or borrowed a motorcycle might not have enough practice to develop sound judgment and control.  Other riders may not have received proper riding instruction.

25. Handling Traits of Motorcyclists  Motorcyclist lean when making turns, watch shoulders to anticipate turns.  Cyclist have difficulty handling the cycle in strong wind, on rough roads, and slippery roads.

26. Shared Lane Markings  Reminds motorists to expect cyclists in the travel lanes but have no legal meaning

27. Sharing with Bicyclists  Many riders are young and may not know or understand the rules of the road  Children will ride their bicycles on sidewalks and in the road

28. Irresponsibility and Cyclists  Many bicyclists fail to obey traffic law:  Blow through stop signs/stop lights.  Ride on the wrong side of the road.  Ride through lanes of stopped traffic (in the city).  Some drivers:  Tailgate or cut off cyclists  Pass too closely

29. Passing a Bicyclist  Slow down as you approach the cyclist  Wait until it is safe and legal to pass  Allow the cyclist plenty of room; preferably, change lanes just as you would do to pass any motor vehicle

30. Passing a Bicyclist – What Not To Do  Do not slow down as you pass; do not stop quickly or turn sharply to the right once you’ve passed the bicyclist  Do not startle a bicyclist with loud noises, which includes blaring the horn

31. Avoiding Collisions With Cyclists  Slow down around bicyclists.  Give all cyclists plenty of room.  Check for them in your blind spots.  Never try to pass them in a tight space.

32. Avoiding Motorist Drive-out Crashes Come to a full stop at stop signs, red lights, and crosswalks (e.g., as you exit your driveway) as required by law. Look both ways before proceeding.

33. Tractor Trailers

34. Tractor-Trailers  Trailers can be 120ft long (8x as long as a car).  Truckers sit high above the road.  Trucks don’t have a rear view mirror and drivers can’t turn to look out their rear window.  Hard to see what’s to the back, sides, and directly in front  Many people tailgate trucks or hang out in their large blind spots, called “no zones”.

35. Tractor-Trailers: Time & Space Trucks  Accelerate slowly.  Lose speed when climbing a hill.  Take much longer to stop.  Take longer to pass.  Due to size, are affected by wind.  Take up a lot of road space  Need more room to turn  Are hard to see around

36. No-Zones Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SrAtMA5570 "No-Zone" - danger areas around trucks and buses where crashes are more likely to occur. Some No-Zones are actual blind spots or areas - where your car "disappears" from the view of the drivers. These blind spots are the Side No-Zone, Rear No-Zone, and Front No-Zone areas. The right-side blind spot is doubly dangerous because trucks and buses make wide right turns!!

37. No-Zone Principle  THE SHADED AREAS ARE “NO-ZONES.”  IF YOU ARE IN ONE OF THESE AREAS,  THE DRIVER OF THE TRUCK CAN’T SEE YOU.

38. Rear-Zone A motorist should increase following distance behind a truck or other large vehicle  driver can spot a motorist’s vehicle in the rearview mirrors.  Never tailgate or remain sandwiched between trucks.  maintain a sizable space cushion between his/her vehicle and larger vehicles. Leave space when stopping at a light or sign behind a truck or bus, especially when facing uphill. The larger vehicle may roll backward slightly when starting. Give more road space to a truck driver who is making a wide turn.  drivers may have to slow, back up or swing wide to negotiate a turn.  cannot see smaller vehicles directly behind or beside them.

39. Side no-zone  Drive away from the long blind spots on the sides of trucks.  If the motorist must quickly change lanes or make an emergency maneuver, a vehicle in this area will be in the way.  Do not linger alongside a truck when passing.

40. Avoiding Collisions With Tractor- Trailers  Stay out of “no zones”.  Give a truck as much space as possible.  Pass with care.  Be patient if you’re stuck behind a truck.

41. Trucks Making Right Turns  Most people assume if you are moving to the left you are making a left turn.  However, trucks may need to “swing out” as the first step to making a right turn.  Always check turn signals before you try to pass a truck.

42. Trains

43.  Deceptively fast  Can’t stop quickly at all  55mph = 1.5mi. to come to a complete stop  Can’t swerve  Can’t yield to pedestrians or other vehicles  On Train Tracks…Always expect a train  The weight ratio of a train to an automobile is about 4,000 to 1 and is proportional to an automobile and a soda can.

44. Avoiding Collisions With Trains  Despite warning signs, crossing gates and signals, many collisions occur at highway-rail crossings each year. At railroad crossings remaining patient, paying attention and exercising sound judgment can help prevent you from colliding with a train.  Never attempt to cross tracks when warning lights are flashing.  Look both ways before you proceed, even if there is no light  It may be malfunctioning  If the gate begins to lower, do not try to beat it.

45. Stopping on Railroad Tracks  Never stop your vehicle on railroad tracks for any reason.  In the rare event that your vehicle stalls on the tracks, do not panic.  Get everyone out and call the emergency number that is posted on the cross buck mast or near the crossing, local law enforcement, or 911.  Check both directions for oncoming trains  If there is a train  Get everyone out of the vehicle immediately  Run in the direction of the train  Possibly alert the conductor, miss flying debris if train hits vehicle  If no train and tracks are clear  Try to restart  If vehicle won’t restart, push it off the tracks.

46. Buses

47.  Same visibility and handling factors as trucks.  Make frequent stops.  Attract many pedestrians.

48. School Buses  Do not pass or closely approach school bus with flashing red lights.  State law required that motorist stop 25 feet away from school bus.  Can pass at 10 mph if road is divided by a median or if in front of a school.  Amber lights on bus warn that bus is stopping.

49. Small Cars  Have less power.  Have more difficulty passing other vehicles.  Strain to climb a hill.  Give them more room when it’s raining or windy.

50. Emergency Vehicles  Always yield to emergency vehicles with sirens and flashing lights.  Pull over to the right as far as possible and come to a stop if it is safe.  If in heavy traffic move with the other drivers and make as much room as possible.