NEGOTIATING INTERSECTIONS CHAPTER 7

NEGOTIATING INTERSECTIONS CHAPTER 7

SECTION 1- SEARCHING INTERSECTIONS THE CHANCES OF A COLLISION ARE GREATER AT INTERSECTIONS THAN AT ANY OTHER POINT OF THE ROADWAY. THEY ARE DANGEROUS BECAUSE MANY DRIVER S PATHS CROSS THERE, AND MANY UNEXPECTED STOP OCCUR THERE. ONE REASON FOR THE LARGE NUMBER OF COLLISIONS AT INTERSECTIONS IS THE DRIVER S FAILURE TO IDENTIFY A SAFE PATH OF TRAVEL THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. YOU NEED TO LOCATE THE INTERSECTION FIRST!

LOOK FOR THESE CLUES TO IDENTIFY AN INTERSECTION AHEAD: STREET SIGNS AND STREET LIGHTS ROADWAY MARKINGS CROSSING TRAFFIC PARKED VEHICLES IN CROSS STREETS TURNING TRAFFIC ROWS OF FENCES AND MAILBOXES TRAFFIC STOPPING POWER LINES

INTERSECTION SIGNS

APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION AFTER IDENTIFYING, DETERMINE IF YOU HAVE AN OPEN ZONE. SCAN LEFT-FRONT, FRONT, RIGHT-FRONT AND BACK TO LEFT-FRONT (L-F-R-L) EACH TIME YOU COME TO AN INTERSECTION. YOUR EYES WILL DECEIVE YOU SOMETIMES. WATCH FOR LINE OF SIGHT RESTRICTIONS ( HILLS, CAMPERS, VEHICLES, TREES AND BUSHES ) IF YOU HAVE A LINE OF SIGHT RESTRICTION.YOUR ZONE IS CLOSED UNTIL YOU DETERMINE IT IS SAFE TO PROCEED.

POINT OF NO RETURN AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS THE POINT OF NO RETURN IS THE POINT BEYOND WHICH YOU CAN NO LONGER STOP SAFELY WITHOUT ENTERING THE INTERSECTION. UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, THAT POINT IS 2 SECONDS FROM THE INTERSECTION.

SECTION 1- REVIEW WHICH ZONES SHOULD YOU SEARCH WHEN APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION? SEARCH LEFT, FRONT, RIGHT & LEFT AGAIN WHERE IS YOUR POINT OF NO RETURN? THE POINT WHERE YOU CANNOT STOP SAFELY WITHOUT BEING IN THE INTERSECTION- UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES 2 SECONDS AWAY. WHAT SHOULD YOU DO WHEN YOU IDENTIFY A CLOSED FRONT ZONE AT THE NEXT INTERSECTION? PREPARE TO REDUCE YOUR SPEED OR STOP. PREPARATION INCLUDES CHECKING YOUR REAR ZONE UPON SLOWING TO STOP.

PAY ATTENTION AT INTERSECTIONS

SECTION 2- CONTROLLED INTERSECTIONS A CONTROLLED INTERSECTION IS EXACTLY THAT.CONTROLLED BY SIGNS OR TRAFFIC SIGNALS. OBEY ALL SIGNS AND SIGNALS WHEN YOU APPROACH AN CONTROLLED INTERSECTION. YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY TO THROUGH TRAFFIC.

CONTROLLED INTERSECTIONS WITH SIGNS TWO KINDS OF SIGNS CONTROL INTERSECTIONS: WHAT ARE THEY?

CROSSING TRAFFIC FOLLOW THIS PROCEDURE WHEN YOU NEED TO CROSS TRAFFIC THROUGH AN INTERSECTION 1. LOOK AROUND AND SEARCH AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE AT THE INTERSECTION. SEARCH L-F-R-L AS YOU CREEP FORWARD. CHECK YOUR PATH OF TRAVEL FOR PEDESTRIANS AND PREPARE TO MAKE A LEGAL STOP BEFORE YOU MOVE ON, LOOK FOR VEHICLES MAKING TURNS INTO YOUR PATH OF TRAVEL MAKE SURE YOU STOP SO THAT PEDESTRIANS CAN USE THE CROSS WALK WHEN YOU HAVE AN OPEN ZONE AND A BLOCK LENGTH OF GAP, PROCEED BY ACCELERATING TO THE PROPER SPEED. ONCE THROUGH, CHECK YOUR REAR ZONE. JOINING TRAFFIC-RIGHT TURN ONCE STOPPED IN THE PROPER POSITON, SEARCH YOUR FRONT ZONE FOR PEDESTRIANS, CHECK YOUR REAR ZONE AS YOU PREPARE TO STOP. ONCE IN LANE POSITION #3, EVALUATE THE TARGET PATH AND YOUR FRONT ZONES. IF YOU HAVE A CLEAR PATH OF TRAVEL BEGIN YOUR TURN, MOVE OUT SO THAT YOUR FRONT END HAS CLEARED THE SIDEWALK AND FIND YOUR TARGET. THEN ACCELERATE TO THE CORRECT SPEED DON T PUTT-PUTT JOINING TRAFFIC-LEFT TURN BEGIN FROM LANE POSITION #2, VISUAL SCAN L-F-R-L. WHEN YOU HAVE ½ A BLOCK OR A BLOCK AND ALL ZONES ARE CLEAR, MOVE YOUR VEHICLE TO THE APEX OF THE INTERSECTION (THE MIDDLE) FIND YOUR TARGET AND STEER TOWARD IT, GET UP TO SPEED AS QUICK AND SAFE AS POSSIBLE.

CROSSING AN INTERSECTION

INTERSECTION-RIGHT TURN

INTERSECTION- LEFT TURN

CONTROLLED INTERSECTIONS WITH SIGNALS TRAFFIC SIGNALS USUALLY HAVE 3 LIGHTS TO EACH CYCLE- RED, YELLOW AND GREEN. SOME SIGNALS CAN HAVE A 4 TH LIGHT, SUCH AS AN ARROW- RED, YELLOW OR GREEN. THESE ARROWS ARE CALLED CONTROLLED ARROWS- MEANING YOU CAN TURN ON GREEN WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS, SLOW TO STOP ON YELLOW AND STOP COMPLETELY ON A RED ARROW- YOU CANNOT TURN NOW.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL RED LIGHT- YOU MUST STOP. CHECK YOUR REAR ZONE AS YOU BEGIN TO SLOW. YELLOW LIGHT- YOU MUST DECIDE WHETHER TO STOP OR PROCEED. IF THE LIGHT TURNS YELLOW BEFORE YOU REACH THE POINT OF NO RETURN, CHECK YOUR MIRROR (REAR ZONE) DO NOT TRY TO HURRY THROUGH A YELLOW LIGHT! GREEN LIGHT- 2 TYPES STALE AND FRESH. STALE GREEN- MEANS IT HAS BEEN GREEN FOR AWHILE AND MIGHT CHANGE, LOOK AT THE PED. CROSSING SIGN FOR CLUES. FRESH= YOU SAW IT TURN GREEN AND YOU HAVE TIME TO GET THROUGH IT.

UNPROTECTED LEFT TURNS IS MADE AT A SIGNAL-CONTROLLED INTERSECTION THAT DOES NOT HAVE A SPECIAL LEFT-TURN LIGHT. WHEN YOU TURN LEFT HERE YOU MUST GIVE THE RIGHT OF WAY TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC! PROTECTED LEFT TURNS YOU CAN MAKE A PROTECTED LEFT TURN WHEN A SPECIAL LEFT-TURN LIGHT, GREEN ARROW OR DELAYED GREEN LIGHT LETS YOU TURN LEFT WHILE ONCOMING TRAFFIC IS STOPPED. IF A RED ARROW COMES UP, TURNING LEFT IS PROHIBITED. LEFT TURN LIGHTS ARE USUALLY ABOVE THE TURNING LANE. A GREEN ARROW CAN APPEAR AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL. DELAYED GREEN LIGHT- WILL TURN GREEN OVER YOUR LANE THEN YELLOW WHEN IT IS GOING TO ALLOW CROSS TRAFFIC ACROSS.

TURNS ON RED ALL STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA NOW PERMIT TURNS ON RED. A FEW LOCAL GOVERNMENTS MAY NOT. WATCH FOR SIGNS POSTED THAT PROHIBIT TURNING ON RED. RIGHT ON RED- BEFORE TURNING RIGHT ON RED YOU MUST COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, MAKE SURE IT IS CLEAR TO MAKE THE TURN, YIELD TO ALL ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND PEDESTRIANS. IF CLEAR YOU CAN GO, MOVE INTO THE NEAREST LANE. LEFT ON RED- MOST STATES ALSO PERMIT A LEFT TURN ON RED IF THE TURN IS FROM A ONE-WAY TO ANOTHER ONE WAY STREET. BE SURE TO ALWAYS TURN INTO THE NEAREST LANE.

CONTROLLED RAILROAD CROSSINGS A CONTROLLED RAILROAD CROSSING USUALLY HAS RED LIGHTS ALONG WITH CROSSING GATES. MAKE A COMPLETE STOP WHEN LIGHTS ARE FLASHING AND/OR THE GATES ARE DOWN. REMAIN STOPPED UNTIL LIGHTS GO OFF AND/OR GATES GO UP. PROCEED CAUTIOUSLY

SECTION 2- REVIEW HOW SHOULD YOU APPROACH A CONTROLLED INTERSECTION? COME TO A FULL STOP AT A STOP SIGN, OR SLOW AND YIELD AT A YIELD SIGN. WHEN YOUR VIEW IS BLOCKED AT A STOP SIGN, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO? SEARCH CONSTANTLY AS YOU CREEP FORWARD. HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A RIGHT TURN OR A LEFT TURN AT A CONTROLLED INTERSECTION? SEARCH ALL ZONES, SEARCH 90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT, AND PROCEED WHEN THERE IS A CLEAR PATH AND NO LINE OF SIGHT RESTRICTIONS.

SECTION 3- UNCONTROLLED INTERSECTIONS AN UNCONTROLLED INTERSECTION HAS NO SIGNS OR SIGNALS TO REGULATE TRAFFIC. THESE INTERSECTIONS ARE FOUND IN AREAS OF LIGHT TRAFFIC, SUCH AS RESIDENTIAL AREAS. ALTHOUGH THEY ARE USUALLY QUIET, THEY CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE DRIVERS MIGHT NOT EXPECT CROSS TRAFFIC. SOMETIMES A DRIVER WILL APPROACH AND ASSUMES THE OTHER DRIVERS WILL STOP.NEVER ASSUME YOU HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY. ONLY TAKE IT WHEN IT IS GIVEN TO YOU.

APPROACHING AN UNCONTROLLED INTERSECTION ONCE AN INTERSECTION HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED, CHECK YOUR REAR ZONE FOR FOLLOWING TRAFFIC. THEN DETERMINE IF YOU HAVE AN OPEN PATH OF TRAVEL INTO AND THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. SCAN L-F-R-L, MAKE SURE ALL ZONES ARE OPEN. IF SOMEONE IS COMING FROM YOUR RIGHT STOP AND YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY TO THEM IF SOMEONE IS COMING FROM YOUR LEFT. STOP AND SEE IF THEY WILL YIELD TO YOU. NEVER ASSUME THEY WILL GIVE IT TO YOU.

UNCONTROLLED RAILROAD CROSSINGS TRAINS WARN OTHERS OF THEIR APPROACH, BUT IT IS PRIMARILY UP TO THE VEHICLE DRIVER TO AVOID A COLLISION. STOPPING DISTANCE OF TRAINS WILL VARY BUT YOU CAN BE ASSURED IT WILL AWAYS BE LONGER THAN THE STOPPING DISTANCE OF A CAR. AN UNCONTROLLED RAILROAD CROSSING DOES NOT HAVE FLASHING LIGHTS OR GATES. HOWEVER, NEARLY ALL ARE MARKED WITH A SIGN AS YOU APPROACH THEM. A CROSSBUCK OR A ROUND SIGN WITH RR WILL BE VISIABLE. TREAT THEM AS AN INTERSECTION WITH A YIELD SIGN. SLOW AND PREPARE TO STOP. ROLL DOWN YOUR WINDOW AND LOWER YOUR RADIO VOLUMN TO BE ABLE TO HEAR THE TRAIN HORN.

SECTION 3- REVIEW HOW CAN YOU IDENTIFY AN UNCONTROLLED INTERSECTION? UNCONTROLLED INTERSECTIONS HAVE NO SIGNS OR SIGNALS TO REGULATE TRAFFIC. WHAT SHOULD YOU DO AT AN UNCONTROLLED INTERSECTION? YOU MUST USE THE IPDE PROCESS AT 3 CRITICAL LOCATIONS: 12-15 SECONDS FROM THE INTERSECTION, 4-6 SECONDS FROM THE INTERSECTION, AND 2 SECONDS FROM THE INTERSECTION. WHAT ARE THE PROCEDURES TO USE WHEN GOING THROUGH AN UNCONTROLLED INTERSECTION? 1. SLOW DOWN-CHECK TRACKS TO BOTH SIDES 2. TURN OF RADIO, OPEN WINDOW, LISTEN FOR HORN 3. REDUCE SPEED TO HANDLE POSSIBLE ROUGH ROAD- NOTE THE NUMBER OF TRACKS 4. IF A TRAIN IS APPROACHING- STOP A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE TRACK 5. WAIT FOR THE TRAIN TO CLEAR- LOOK BOTH WAYS AND LISTEN FOR A HORN. 6. IF IT IS SAFE TO CROSS- INCREASE YOUR SPEED TO AT LEAST 20 MPH. 7. IF YOU ARE DRIVING A MANUAL, DOWN SHIFT TO A LOWER GEAR- NEVER SHIFT WHILE CROSSING THE TRACKS. 8. DRIVE ONTO THE TRACKS ONLY IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH ROOM TO CLEAR THE TRACKS ON THE OTHER SIDE. NEVER STOP ON THE TRACKS. 9. WHEN FOLLOWING A BUS OR TRUCKS CARRYING FLAMMABLE CONTENTS, BE PREPARED TO STOP. THEY ARE REQUIRED TO SO BE READY TO FOLLOW SUIT.

SECTION 4- DETERMINING RIGHT OF WAY & JUDGING GAPS SAFE DRIVERS KNOW THAT CONFLICTS OFTEN OCCUR AT INTERSECTIONS AND THEY ARE PREPARED TO HANDLE THESE CONFLICTS. TO BE A SAFE DRIVER- YOU NEED TO KNOW WHEN TO YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY.

WHAT IS RIGHT OF WAY? THE TERM RIGHT OF WAY DESCRIBES THE PRIVILEGE OF HAVING IMMEDIATE USE OF A CERTAIN PART OF THE ROADWAY. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY ONLY WHEN OTHER DRIVERS GIVE IT TO YOU. IT IS NOT SOMETHING YOU TAKE. YOU WILL OFTEN HAVE TO YIELD, BY LETTING OTHERS GO FIRST, TO BE SAFE. LETTING OTHERS GO FIRST IS CALLED, YIELDING THE RIGHT OF WAY. PATIENCE AND BEING COURTEOUS GO A LONG WAY HERE.

SITUATIONS WHERE YOU MUST YIELD REMEMBER THESE POINTS IN YIELD SITUATIONS: YOUR ACTIONS SHOULD NOT CAUSE THOSE TO WHOM YOU SHOULD YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY TO SLOW, STOP, OR CHANGE THEIR INTENDED PATH OF TRAVEL. TRAFFIC SIGNS AND SIGNALS ONLY SHOW WHO SHOULD YIELD, THEY DO NOT STOP TRAFFIC FOR YOU. OTHERS CAN GIVE YOU THE RIGHT OF WAY. DO NOT ASSUME OTHERS WILL ALWAYS YIELD TO YOU. MANY TIMES IT IS BETTER TO YIELD THE R.O.W. EVEN IF THE LAW REQUIRES THE OTHER DRIVER TO. FAILURE TO YIELD THE R.O.W. IS ONE OF THE MOST FREQUENT VIOLATIONS IN FATAL COLLISONS.

JUDGING THE SIZE OF A GAP YOU MUST BE ABLE TO JUDGE THE GAPS BETWEEN VEHICLES AND HOW LONG IT TAKES TO PASS THROUGH OR ENTER INTERSECTING TRAFFIC LANES. GAP- THE DISTANCE BETWEEN VEHICLES. WHEN ENTERING TRAFFIC, YOU MUST JUDGE THE SIZE OF GAP IN THE TRAFFIC. DIFFERENT SIZE GAPS FOR DIFFERENT MANEUVERS. CROSSING A TWO LANE STREET TAKES 4-5 SECONDS TURNING RIGHT AND GETTING TO 30 MPH TAKES 6 SECONDS TURNING LEFT AND GETTING TO 30 MPH TAKES 7 SECONDS A LEFT TURN IS MORE DANGEROUS BECAUSE YOU CROSS THE PATHS OF TRAFFIC BEFORE YOU ENTER INTO TRAFFIC.

SECTION 4- REVIEW WHAT IS MEANT BY YIELDING THE RIGHT OF WAY? LETTING OTHERS GO FIRST GIVE 6 EXAMPLES OF WHEN YOU SHOULD YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY? 1. AT STOP SIGNS 2. AT FRESH GREEN LIGHTS 3. COMING OUT OF AN ALLEY OR A PARKING LOT 4. AT ALL YIELD SIGNS 5. FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES 6. WHEN TURNING LEFT AT AN INTERSECTION 7. AT UNCONTROLLED INTERSECTIONS 8. AT ALL-WAY STOPS HOW MANY SECONDS DOES IT TAKE TO CROSS TRAFFIC? 4-5 SECONDS HOW MANY SECONDS DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN AND GET TO 30 MPH? 6 SECONDS HOW MANY SECONDS DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND GET TO 30 MPH? 7 SECONDS

CHAPTER 4 REVIEW AS YOU APPROACH A YELLOW OR A RED LIGHT, YOUR FRONT ZONE WIDENS OPENS UP CLOSES NARROWS WHAT IS THE TERM FOR A LIGHT THAT HAS JUST TURNED FROM RED? YELLOW LIGHT FRESH GREEN LIGHT STALE GREEN LIGHT STALE RED LIGHT

WITH WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING DOES ONE SIDE OF AN INTERSECTION HAVE A GREEN LIGHT? FRESH GREEN LIGHT CONTROLLED GREEN LIGHT STALE GREEN LIGHT DELAYED GREEN LIGHT WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING TERMS MEANS TO ALLOW OTHERS TO GO 1 ST? STOP YIELD PROCEED CYCLE WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING SIGNS IDENTIFIES AN UNCONTROLLED RAILROAD CROSSING? STOP SIGN CROSSBUCK SIGN YIELD SIGN RED FLASHING LIGHTS