RULES OF THE ROAD

CHAPTER 5

SHARING THE ROAD

Trucks

Semi-trucks, buses, or other large vehicles

are dangerous for 2 main reasons –

Size/weight

Blind Spots

Large vehicles make wide right turns.

Leave enough space for them to complete

this maneuver.

Slow-Moving Vehicles

What are normal speeds for slow moving

vehicles?

5 to 20 mph

Many accidents happened because

motorists do not allow enough stopping

time when approaching a slow-moving

vehicle.

POLICE/

EMERGENCY VEHICLES

Drivers must yield the right-of-way to any

police/emergency vehicle in action.

Pull over to the right hand edge of the

roadway.

Stop without blocking an intersection.

Remain there until the emergency vehicle

has passed or you are directed otherwise

by a police officer.

Traffic Signals, Walklights, and

Crossings

Pedestrians must yield the right-of-way to

drivers by obeying traffic signals,

observing walklights and using

crosswalks.

Walk – constantly lighted: pedestrians may

cross the roadway in the direction of the

signal.

Don’t Walk – flashing: Pedestrians may

not start entering the roadway.

Don’t Walk – constant: Pedestrians may

not cross.

Roadways

Pedestrians must not walk on a roadway

unless there is no sidewalk or shoulder

next to it.

In two-way traffic, pedestrians should walk

facing oncoming traffic.

Hitchhiking

Standing on the roadway to ask for a ride.

It is illegal to hitchhike.

$2,500 fine and jail time up to 1 year.

Pedestrians must always obey railroad

and bridge gates and other barriers.

Motorcyclists

Motorcycle riders have the same rights and responsibilities as other roadway users.

What % of motorcycle collisions occur at intersections?

50%

Why?

Motorcycles are smaller and can be hard to see.

Lane Sharing

Is it legal to share a lane with a

motorcycle?

No

Is it legal for two motorcycles to share a

lane?

No

Following Distance

How much distance should you allow

between yourself and a motorcycle?

4 seconds depending on your vehicle.

Why?

Motorcycles have a much shorter stopping

distance.

Bicyclists

On most roadways, bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as other roadway users.

Bicyclists are prohibited on limited access highways.

Must travel in the same direction as traffic.

Travel to the right of faster moving traffic.

If a motorist is turning right and a bicyclist is turning right, let the bicyclist proceed through the intersections first.

Mopeds

If a moped cannot achieve 31 mph, has an

engine size of 50cc or less, produces less

than 2-brake horsepower, and does not

require the driver to shift gears, you can

drive it with a class D license.