1. Ch. 16
Driving on Highways

2. For Your Quiz
Be able to explain the safe driving strategies for expressway driving.
Know the situations that require you to increase your following distance.
Be able to explain why there are fewer collisions on expressways.
Explain what you should do if you encounter a “wolf pack.”
List and explain the common exiting problems.
Define highway hypnosis.
Define velocitation.

3. Key Idea
This chapter discusses ways to manage risk when entering, driving on, and exiting multilane highways. Students also learn about problems and features specific to highways.

4. Why are expressways safer?
Cross Traffic is Eliminated
Expressways have medians/barriers between opposite lanes of traffic
Access is restricted to not allow slow moving vehicles/pedestrians
Wide shoulders provide good escape paths
Signs are designed to help drivers anticipate changes ahead of time

5. Classification of Highways
Review
What type of signs are these?
What information do you get from these signs?
There are three classifications of highways:
Interstate
US Highway
State Highway

6. Interstate Highway System
Controlled Access
Vehicles can only enter or leave at designated interchanges.
Interchange
Places where drivers can cross over or under traffic as well as enter or leave the expressway.
Non-controlled Access
This roadway could have traffic lights, intersections, and driveways where traffic is able to enter or leave the expressway
Examples of Controlled access – toll roads and interstates
Examples of non-controlled access – any state highway

7. Freeway Interchanges Four Types of Interchanges: Cloverleaf Diamond
Trumpet
All-Directional
Cloverleaf – Allows access in all four directions at the interchange.
Diamond – Allows access usually in three of the four directions.
Trumpet – Used where a highway forms a T-intersection with an expressway.
All Directional – three or more expressways coming together.

8. Safe Driving Strategies
Prepare yourself and your vehicle
Build experience gradually
Concentrate on the driving task
Cooperate with other drivers
Prepare yourself and your vehicle – know route, exits, where you plan to stop. Have full tank of gas for long trips, map, emergency kit, cell phone, etc.
Build experience gradually – choose a time with light traffic first, then gradually increase difficulty level.
Concentrate on driving task – Do not take expressway driving for granted, may appear easy, but one mistake at high speeds can quickly become deadly.
Cooperate w/others – Be a courteous driver, don’t challenge drivers demonstrating aggressive behaviors.

9. Entering Controlled-Access Highways
Gap Size applies to this maneuver
When entering a controlled-access highway:
Make sure you are on an entrance ramp.
There are 3 parts to an entrance ramp:
Entrance ramp
Acceleration Lane
Merging Area
Short video on merging

10. Entrance Problems Wrong Ramp
Don’t back up! Go to next exit and fix it then.
Ramp Meter
Red and Green light used to help control the flow of traffic onto the expressway.
Acceleration Lane
Avoid coming to a stop if at all possible.
Left-Entrance Ramp
Dangerous because you are merging with the faster traffic.

11. Steps for Entering an Expressway
Check your front and rear zones.
Accelerate in acceleration lane.
Decide on gap.
MIB and match speed.
Merge, cancel signal, adjust speed.
Following Distance
Check front and rear zones. Don’t accelerate until you reach the acceleration lane and have selected a gap.
Accelerate when you reach the acceleration lane.
Decide where you will fit and accelerate so you can smoothly fit into that space.
MIB and match speed to flow of traffic when you reach the merging area.
Once on the highway, cancel signal and adjust your speed to the flow of traffic.
Increase your following distance accordingly to at least 3 secs.
Video shows how not to merge on the expressway.

12. Applying the IPDE Process
Identify
Open and closed zone
Line of sight restrictions
Other users
Traffic signs and signals
Roadway Features and Conditions
Predict
Actions of Others
Speed
Direction
Control
Decide
Change/Maintain Speed
Change/Maintain Steering
Communicate with Others
Combine Actions
Execute
Use smooth, deliberate actions to carry out your plan.
Identify – Prevent yourself from getting trapped in and be aware of distracted drivers (increase following distance)
Predict – search for slower moving traffic, drivers changing lanes, anticipate closed zones, conflicts near entrances and exits
Decide – remember last second decisions are more dangerous
Execute – change lane position if necessary to increase space cushion and give escape route

13. Lane Choice Safer to drive on right and pass on left. Safest lane?
Depends on situation but usually still the right lane
Approaching entrances – move to center to avoid conflicts
Avoid passing on the right whenever possible
Reversible lanes
HOT/HOV Lanes
Speed limit and Common Speed
Reserve center and left lanes for faster/passing traffic.
Reversible Lanes – Traffic lanes where traffic can travel in either direction depending on certain conditions (usually rush hour traffic). Pay attention to signs and signals when thinking about using these lanes.
HOT/HOV Lanes – Lanes designed for vehicles that have two or more occupants, some states have a toll/fee for using these lanes. HOT Lanes Are much like an IPASS lane (car has transponder in it), but they are separated by regular traffic with a barrier or median.
Speed limit and Common Speed – Common speed allows you to blend better with traffic, but if it is above the speed limit resist speeding because you are breaking the law. Drivers who exceed the common speed generally weave in and out of traffic which increases the danger to other drivers.

14. Changing Lanes Avoid making lane changes too often.
Avoid changing multiple lanes at one time.
Avoid changing lanes when others are changing too.
Avoid Multiple Lane Changes – Each lane should be a separate move and requires a separate signal.
Watch for others changing lanes too!!!

15. Passing and Being Passed
Pass on the left…it’s safer!!
If being passed:
Change lane position if necessary to increase space
To let them pass quickly reduce your speed slightly

16. Exiting Controlled-Access Highways
Locate the proper exit:
Deceleration Lane
Exit Ramp
Advisory Speed Limit
Identify type of ramp
Do Not Slow Down on the Expressway Itself!!!!
Deceleration Lane – An added lane where it is safe to slow down without blocking the vehicles behind you.
Exit Ramp – Ramp leading off the highway. Be aware of advisory speeds for ramps. Identify the type of ramp so you can slow down appropriately.

17. 3 Common Exiting Problems
Ramp Overflow
Crossing Paths
Short Deceleration Lane
Ramp Overflow – Exiting traffic backs up onto the expressway. Dangerous situation that can cause a collision if drivers are scanning ahead and identifying the problem.
Crossing Paths – Exit ramp is just after and entrance ramp. Dangerous situation because traffic merging onto the expressway is accelerating while traffic exiting the expressway is decelerating. If exiting try to time so you fit in behind entering/accelerating traffic. Common on cloverleaf type interchanges.
Short Deceleration Lane – Need to identify this so you can slow down more quickly.
Judge the length of the lane
Identify the exit ramp speed
Check your speed
Check for following traffic

18. Highway Problems and Features
Drivers
Highway Hypnosis
Velocitation
Disabled Vehicles
Use hazard lights
Raise hood
Tie white cloth to antenna
Stand near the back of the car away from the road
Highway Hypnosis – Being lulled into an inattentive, drowsy state because of the length of the drive and the lack of change in the scenery.
Velocitation – Unconsciously driving too fast as a result of an extended drive on an expressway. Especially dangerous as you are exiting; check your speedometer and the ramp speed.

19. Expressway Wolf-packs
Vehicles bunching together on an expressway.
Avoid to keep space cushion and reduce risk
Change speed to avoid packs
Become a “loner” and drive in between packs is possible

20. Roadways and Toll Plazas
Beltway
Spur
Manual Lane
Automatic Lane
IPASS Lane
Beltway – loop around a city (3 digit number starting with an even number)
Spur – Branch going into a city (3 digit number starting with an odd number)
Manual Lane – where you need to make change
Automatic Lane – have exact change
IPASS Lane – Transponder in car that automatically deducts the toll charge. Why does the state charge you more to pay cash?

21. For Your Quiz
Be able to explain the safe driving strategies for expressway driving.
Know the situations that require you to increase your following distance.
Be able to explain why there are fewer collisions on expressways.
Explain what you should do if you encounter a “wolf pack.”
List and explain the common exiting problems.
Define highway hypnosis.
Define velocitation.