chapter five signs signals Road markings and communication this chapter is designed to repair drivers to interpret the colors shapes and meanings of traffic control devices recognized regulatory warning and guide signs follow instructions provided by signal lights interpret roadway markings effectively communicate with other Road drivers pre-chapter quiz traffic control devices use blank to communicate their messages a color B shape c wording and images D all of the above correct answer is D all of the above question two how does a driver know if an interstate highway runs east west or north south a by the route number B by the sign shape c by the sign color d by the sign placement correct answer a by the route number question three a flashing yellow signal light means a driver should a stop B yield to another road user facing a flashing red signal light C slow down and proceed with caution D maintain their speed and move away from the area correct answer C slow down and proceed with caution question four double solid yellow lines mean a drivers traveling in both directions may pass with caution B drivers traveling in both directions are prohibited from passing C the driver is approaching an intersection d a shared left turn lane is available correct answer B drivers traveling in both directions are prohibited from passing question five Road users are allowed to use blank to communicate with each other a horn B hand signals C headlights D all of the above correct answer D all of the above information covered in this chapter the colors of traffic control devices have different meanings three basic types of signs are regulatory warning and guide traffic signals also indicate the right away and Road markings also provide guidance to drivers traffic control devices what would driving be like if there were no traffic signs signals or Road markers it would be total chaos remember the Dutch reach method what are traffic control devices and what is their purpose traffic control devices include traffic signs signal lights Road markings the purpose of these devices is to promote Road Safety among both motorized and non-motorized Road users what types of information do traffic control devices provide to drivers they tell drivers amongst other things where they are where they are going and how to get there signs signals and Road markings provide information about laws hazards and the road themselves traffic signs what sign colors have you seen along the road think about the colors that you have seen for there are lots of signs used throughout the HTS they are actually rather amazing in that way they communicate information to drivers in several ways they communicate through the words and Graphics displayed on the sign for example a left pointing Arrow can indicate left turn only situations signs also communicate by their shape for example a diamond shaped sign can warn of potentially hazardous situations just ahead they also communicate by color for example color may tell the driver that a maneuver is prohibited by the way what does prohibited mean it means that the law does not allow a movement for example executing a U-turn might be prohibited for a specific intersection when you are unable to see a sign's words or Graphics you can still get some or all of it this meaning just from its shape or color how how are signs read signs are read from left to right and top to bottom word messages are read from left to right or from top to bottom some only signs are typically red from the bottom upward though there are some exceptions you have probably been riding in vehicles for years so let's see what signs you have picked up over the years here are a few simple signs that you will see along the road for each sign think about what the sign is communicating fortunately there are plenty of signs to help us read the road in addition to what happens on the sign its color and shape give us valuable information about its meaning let's learn about signs in this video if everyone went in the same direction at the same speed we might not need rules but people want to go in different directions at different speeds fortunately there are traffic control devices that guide and inform us along our routes recognizing these signs signals and Road markings can give you advanced notice of changes ahead such as Lane merges reductions in speed and upcoming intersections knowing what traffic control devices mean allows you to anticipate and react to changing traffic conditions so that you can drive safely first let's discuss traffic signs signs are one of the easiest and quickest ways that drivers get useful information along their route the use of different shapes and colors allows the sign's meanings to be easily recognized even from a distance for example both the shape and color of this sign tell you to stop as a rule the color red indicates stop or identifies a significant prohibition that is something you cannot do black and white signs provide regulatory information their placement along the roadway also marks where the regulation actually goes into effect yellow signs provide warnings of potentially risky situations ahead they alert you to Curves speed limit changes railroad crossings slippery roads and other conditions that it helps to know about in advance yellow diamond shaped warning signs might also appear before prohibition or regulatory signs to warn you of an upcoming change there's no doubt that you'll find yourself driving through construction zones at some point yes the construction equipment is usually a giveaway but orange signs also identify construction zones begin to slow down to the reduced speed limit before you enter this zone Green signs provide you with the distance or directions to cities alternate routes and other destination information blue signs provide service related information such as where to find food lodging fuel hospitals and handicap accessible areas Brown signs identify Recreation facilities such as Parks Campground s fishing sites and boat launches fluorescent pink is the newest color to be added to the range of traffic sign colors and it is used to identify Incident Management zones these signs alert drivers to temporary work zones emergencies detours and other unusual situations or traffic conditions clearly the signs along the roadway are there for your benefit they can help you get where you want to go more efficiently and warn you of any potential risks that are ahead so use them for all worth while there are several different signs there are only three General categories of signs regulatory warning and guide all right what type of information the regulatory signs provide to drivers these signs tell drivers what they may or may not do they are used to inform drivers of laws that apply and they given time or place examples include stop signs yield signs and do not enter signs what can happen to those drivers if they are stopped by the police they can receive a traffic citation this cost the money there is is a fine involved could be hundreds of dollars possibility of points on their driving record their auto insurance cost may go up driving privilege could be lost too another very common sign is the yield sign what color are yield signs they are red and white right real signs tell drivers to do what they must yield the right away to Road users approaching on an intersecting Street if the other Road user is close enough to cause a collision or conflict so basically if the way is not clear you must stop and wait you must wait until it is clear clear and safe to go and yield the right away what signs prohibit travel on certain sections of the roadway do not enter signs these signs are white squares with a red circle with a white bar these are very important signs as incidents of people driving the wrong way down a road to be growing that can lead to one of the worst types of crashes possible head on collision in addition to do not enter signs other signs that prohibit certain movements have what unique feature and what do these signs mean signs that prohibit the movement feature a red circle with a red slash which means the action is not allowed these signs may or may not feature word messages but they can include prohibitions such as no bicycles or skateboards Allowed no u-turn Allowed no commercial vehicle allowed and no right turn allowed many regulatory signs are vertical rectangles they are positioned up and down taller than they are wide what can these regulatory signs indicate examples include turning restrictions Lane use speed limits pedestrian or parking controls as we discussed earlier sometimes color is the first thing you can tell about a sign ahead so it pays to understand the general meaning of the different colors in the HTS next we will review images of various signs but instead of being in color they will be first in black and white the goal is to determine the color of the signs based on their shape wording and images what color is the End Road work sign orange is a temporary work Zone sign how about the $250 fine sign it's a regulatory sign it's white it shows the fine for speeding in the work Zone what color is the sign above traffic on the left heading to Bennington that sign will be green it is a guid sign showing destinations how about the sign above the lane exiting signs headed heading to downtown Troy it is also green another guide sign showing the direction to a destination what color is the exit sign that sign would be yellow it is a warning sign telling drivers that they will need to slow down before they begin their exit turn to the right slow exit speeds are coming and this exit also slopes downhill so your exit speed must be even slower what color is the detour sign at the top that's a temporary sign so it will be orange it is part of the work Zone how about the stop sign it will be read with white letters it is a regulatory sign prohibiting moving forward until you have come to a stop what color is the round evacuation route sign at the bottom blue it is an unusual sign very few signs are round it stands out because it needs to if people need to evacuate an area they follow these signs to take the fastest and safest way out for example people may need to evacuate a coastal city if a powerful storm approaches such as a the hurricane what color is the sign at the top green it is a guide sign showing the name of an intersecting Street how about the rectangular right lane must turn right sign that sign is white it is a regulatory sign it tells drivers that what they must do if they are in that lane what color are the two arroe headed shape signs at the bottom those signs are yellow they worn of a short curve ahead typically the more of these signs there are the more hazardous the turn is plus longer curves may have more signs displayed what color is the hand on The Pedestrian control light orange it is holding up a hand telling pedestrians to wait for entering the intersection what colors are used on the sign at the top black and white it is a regulatory sign it tells drivers in which direction they must travel what about the colors on the sign below red and white it is a regulatory sign it prohibits a driver from entering the roadway lastly how about the colors used in the sign stack on the left white background black arrow and a red circle with a slash through it it is also a regulatory sign telling drivers they cannot turn left or perform a u-turn at the intersection what color is the first sign yellow it warns drivers that there is a pedestrian crosswalk immediately ahead what color is the sign directing drivers to access to the Shoreline it is brown it marks a Recreation Area what colors are used at this gate arm barricade that lowers to stop traffic this driver is crossing a drawbridge red and white it is a regulatory sign preventing drivers from moving forward while it is in the down position how about the traffic Barrel what colors are used on this traffic device orange and white it is part of a temporary work Zone lastly what color is the no parking sign it's red letters on a white sign it is a regulatory sign prohibits drivers from parking in area indicated what color is the interstate for direction sign blue this Shield shape is used to present interstate highway numbers and directions what colors use on the left lane must turn left sign white sign a yellow notice at the top it is a regulatory sign telling drivers they must turn left from that lane what color is The Pedestrian crossing sign it is yellow it is a warning sign telling drivers they are just about to cross a pedestrian crosswalk how about the rectangular sign that deals with findes for speeding that sign is white it is also a regulatory sign what color is the long sign above it is green it is a guide sign showing the name of the intersecting Street what color is the round sign directly above the truck on the right yellow it warns drivers that a railroad crossing is just ahead how about the 2hour parking sign below the round sign it is white with green lettering how about the sign that reads Third Street it is green is a guid sign showing the name of the intersecting Street what color is the speed limit sign it is white with black lettering and number it is a regulatory sign showing the maximum speed drivers may go under ideal driving conditions how about the stop on red signal sign it is also white with black lettering a regulatory sign it tells drivers they must stop when the two red lights above are flashing what color are the X shaped signs above and to the side of the railroad crossing they are white also with black lettering they show drivers the exact location of railroad tracks those are called cross book signs what colors are used on this gate arm barricade that lowers the stop that lowers to stop traffic it is also red and white it is a regulatory sign preventing drivers from continuing while it is in the down position how about the rectangular sign that points an arrow towards the nearby police station it is partially blocked by the railroad signal sign it's blue it is a roadside service sign what color is the sign behind it pointing an error toward the Veterans Memorial it is brown it marks a point of historic interest lastly what color is the house shaped sign just past the brown sign it is fluorescent yellow green it is a warning sign telling drivers a schoolone Crossing is immediately ahead the second type of signs are warning signs what are warning signs these signs warn drivers of potentially hazardous conditions a short distance ahead such conditions could be a situation with the road the environment or the traffic conditions they are typically yellow but there are three exceptions to warning signs being yellow what are the three exceptions and what are their colors construction zones warning signs are orange schools pedestrians bicyclist and playground signs are fluorescent yellow green incident measurement signs are fluorescent paint and used to alert drivers of a temporary condition warning signs are shaped like a diamond and are read from bottom up in that way many warning signs are like a map you are at the bottom of the map approaching the situation depicted on the sign warning signs are frequently described as diamond shaped although technically they are square oriented on one corner let's look at some warning signs and different types of examples of warning signs intersections here are three common types of intersection warning signs you might see there are many others you have Crossroad T intersection and Y intersection changes in width or Lane such as has a lane removed or a bridge ahead that is narrower than the rest of the road warnings related to traffic flow or to warn about clearance under overpass or Bridge warning signs can also indicate specific Crossing areas or the possible presence of wildlife such as deer or a strong probability that you are sharing the road with unusual Vehicles such as farm machinery road conditions such as changes in the road surface sections of the road that are particularly Slippery When Wet and steep hills either uphill or downhill sections of the road curves this type of Warning Sign is quite common it warns you a road curvatures ahead this can be very useful as you may not be able to see far enough ahead to see which way the road ahead curves another very common type of Warning Sign is the merge sign this shows drivers where their Lane will combine with another Lane into one lane merge sounds are commonly seen at freeway entrances drivers already on the freeway and the driver's merging own should adjust their speed and or position as necessary the goal is to keep traffic moving smoothly without causing conflict oh this round yellow sign is a railroad Advance warning sign railroad Advance warning signs alert drivers a railroad crossing is immediately ahead this is nearly the only round shaped sign used in the highway transportation system this white cross shaped sign is a railroad crossing sign referred to as a crossb this sign appears adjacent to railroad tracks and is often accompanied by other controls such as flashing lights and or crossing bars or barriers that lure to block the road oh the bright oldfashioned Schoolhouse shaped sign is a pedestrian crossing sign the bright fluorescent yellow green color tails driv that in school zone is just ahead if it were diamond shaped and yellow it will warn of the general pedestrian Crossing Zone ahead this penet shape sign communicates that there that this is a no passing zone on what side of the road do these signs appear these appear on on the left side of the road most other signs on the right side but for better visibility these appear on the left side of the road in some cases there are also black and white do not PA signs on the right side of the road directly opposite of the no passing zone warning sign these rectangular shaped signs with Arrowhead symbols they they communicate to warn of sharp curves ahead and tell drivers to slow down at or below the speed limit these warning signs are especially important if the road is wet or traction is otherwise reduced this black shape is called a Chevron and the signs are known as Chevron alignment signs orange diamond shaped signs communicate to drivers that they are entering a temporary work Zone here drivers should slow down and be prepared to stop drivers should also be extra alert for construction workers red orange triangle signs they warn of a slow moving vehicle instead of being located along the road side they are mounted on the rear of certain Vehicles such as HSE drawn carriages and tractors the slow moving vehicle sign warns drivers of the presence of these vehicles they also warn drivers that these vehicles move slowly typically at 25 miles per hour or slow yellow and black signs with the stripes at an angle these signs provide a warning of a hard object entail drivers on which side of the object to drive note how the stripes are pointed downward to the road this is how the driver knows where to go drivers should position to the side to which the signs strip are stripes are slanted another more modern sign is the variable message sign this sign allows messages to be changed to display information such as time to exess and destinations weather advisories special events safety messaging your speed and upcoming changes in the traffic pattern and also missing persons there are several types of missing person or other alerts including amember alerts which aim to locate and recover missing or abducted children silver alerts which help locate and recover older persons who have gone missing blue alerts which help locate a suspect after law enforcement or officers are hurt or killed and individual states may have additional alerts some are permanently located and others are mobile and can be moved around to support Communications specific to a location not every state uses variable message signs the third type of sign is guide signs which come in a variety of shapes and colors including destination and mileage signs these Prov information about routes exits and distances an example would display the number of miles to a destination such as a City route markers these provide Highway route numbers they also convey information about the size of the routes roadside service signs these provide information about nearby medical facilities and roadway services such as fuel lodging recharging stations and restaurants recreational signs these provide information about points of interest and recreational activities an example would include the entrance to a national park it can also be useful to know about International driving Syms in case you find yourself driving in a foreign country at some point Point these these examples these example symbols are similar to the signs used in the US the first a sign is similar to a hospital sign in the US another type of guide sign is the interstate route numbering system these Aid drivers in navigating where they want to go the guid signs used throughout the federal interstate highway system are a common example they are shield shaped blue on the bottom with a red band across the top the primary route number is either a single or double digit number routes running East West have even numbers routes running north south have odd numbers let's look at a couple of examples here here in Indianapolis there is a loop that runs around the entire city Loop 465 it starts with an even number and it is a full loop in contrast the map of bismar there's a Spur off Interstate 94 spur 194 it splits off from Interstate 94 and it ends without reconnecting with the interstate three-digit Federal interstate highways beginning with odd numbers Mark [Music] Spurs three-digit Federal interstate highways starting with even numbers are used for loops and belt WS with so many signs in the highway transportation system it can be a bit overwhelming you don't necessarily need to know and remember every sing single possible sign that is why we are focusing on shapes colors and common wordings and Graphics you can apply this knowledge to interpret signs that you encounter that are new to you examples of signs where you may not need to act if you have no plan to pass a vehicle ahead and you enter a no passing zone nothing changes for you if you see a variable message sign displaying a safety message that you are already driving safely there is no need to act and if you approach a end of work Zone sign you likely need not to act so what can happen if you fail to respond to a warning sign bad things if you look at the barrier what do you think caus the crash marks drivers not responding to the Chevron sign warning signs are there to help drivers it's also there to provide very V variable information valuable information right when drivers need it let's take a look at another example of when a driver fails to respond to warning signs and see how it works out for them speeding semi get smashed up at the 8 foot1 bridge this video is courtesy of 811.com for [Music] is for for oh this was really bad were there any signs or lights warning the driver of the low clearance yes there were about six signs they were all called warning signs please do not be like this driver not only are there are a lot of signs along the road roadway some signs look very familiar to each sign let's take a look at a few pairs of signs how are their meanings different sign pair this first sign pair how are these different left right lane is ending merge left right means laye at there is a new Lane being added for those drivers entering from the right how are these different sign on the left road is Slippery When Wet sign on the right curvy road ahead how are these different sign on the left traffic is merging from the left onto a single Lane sign on the right lane added there is a new Lane how are these different they provide the same message sign on the left you are at a railroad crossing and must yield the RightWay to any trains sign on the right you must yield the RightWay to other Road users how are these different they provide the same message sign on the left right lane is ending merge left sign on the right the lane is ending you must merge to the left traffic signals in addition to signs the highway transportation system also uses signal lights to help Road users typically there are fewer signal lights than signs along most stretches of rows but signal lights are very useful let's learn more about the value of signal lights in this next video signs aren't the only traffic controls you'll see some of the most most important information you get on the road is in the form of traffic signals traffic signals control the flow of traffic at intersections a green light means that when traffic is cleared you may proceed if it is safe to do so a red light tells you to stop and not enter the intersection a yellow light means that your RightWay is expiring and you should clear the intersection when safe to do so if a traffic signal turns yellow while you're approaching an intersection stop before entering the intersection if you can do so safely if you're already in the intersection when the signal turns yellow continue through the intersection but do not accelerate to get through an intersection before the signal turns from yellow to Red other drivers may not see you in time to avoid a collision throughout the United States you may turn right at a red traffic signal after you have come to a complete stop unless prohibited by a sign or signal as you turn right on red watch out for pedestrians and cross traffic from the left what about flashing signal lights a flashing yellow light means that you need to slow down and proceed through the intersection with caution keep in mind that cross traffic may not stop always treat a flashing red light as a stop sign stop at the intersection and wait until there's an adequate break in traffic before entering the intersection if the light is flashing red in all directions treat it as an Allway stop sign if two or more drivers arrive at the same time at an Allway stop you must yield the right of way to the driver to your right if the intersection has no signs or the traffic control signal is not working treat it as an always stop where all drivers approaching from any direction must stop before entering the intersection a green arrow on the signal tells you that you have a protected turn and that opposing traffic has been signaled to not cross your path if the green left turn arrow goes off and no red light or red arrow appears you may still turn left but but you must first yield to opposing traffic these General guidelines about traffic signals are always subject to local laws so check your local laws for any variations always stay alert for signs and signal light they can make the difference between being involved in a crash and avoiding one what is the purpose of traffic signals traffic signals control traffic by indicating who must yield the right away the green signal light communicates to others that you may enter the intersection if traffic has cleared and it is safe to do so that is you may go but only if the intersection is clear just because the light appears to be green does not mean that it is legal to drive forward into the intersection you must visually confirm that the intersection is clear what does the yellow signal light mean mean it means that the RightWay is expiring and you need to clear the intersection the red light illuminates immediately after the yellow light so with the light colors being red green and yellow the sequence is green yellow red green this sequence is repeated over and over on Signal heads that are mounted horizontally side to side where is each light the green light is always on the right the yellow light is always in the center and the red light is always on the left on Signal heads that are mounted vertically up and down which light is the green light the green light is always at the bottom the yellow light is always in the center and the red light is always at the top what does it mean if you see a solid flashing red light it means that you must stop the driver must come to a complete stop but after stopping you may proceed but only when it is safe to do so if two or more drivers stop at a intersection controlled by flashing red signals at the same time the driver on the left must yield the right away to the driver on the right right how about a yellow solid flashing yellow light the driver must slow down and proceed with caution the driver must also be prepared to stop immediately it is a useful warning to drivers that a hazardous situation could occur in this area and that an abundance of caution caution is needed they are located at intersections and in highrisk areas signal errors mean the same thing as solid circle shaped lights note a solid red arrow means movement is not allowed in that direction at all it varies by jurisdiction check your local laws so this means that you should be reading the the NC DMV Driver's Handbook the link is in the email that I sent at the beginning of Class A solid yellow arrow sometimes appears after a green error signal indicating that the signal is about to turn red at some intersections signals are programmed so that a steady green light which is round follows a left pointing Green Arrow a solid green arrow tells drivers they may proceed in that direction the road user should yield the right away and this is sometimes referred to as a protected left turn or right turn a flashing red arrow is the same as a stop sign and a red flashing light drivers may turn but only after fully stopping flashing yellow arrow tells drivers they may turn but only if there is no oncoming traffic this is treated as a yield sign the turn is unprotected and the driver must yield the right away to all oncoming traffic yellow and green arrows mean the same as regular brown yellow and green signal lights what is the purpose of pedestrian signals these signals alert pedestrians when they may cross roadways when pedestrians are allowed to enter the street the signal displays a white image of a pedestrian walking what's the difference between a steady don't walk like and a flashing don't walk light a steady don't walk indicates alerts um pedestrians not to enter the street and flashing don't walk allows those pedestrians in the street to proceed but informs others that they should not enter the street some signals use a flashing red or orange hand Palm instead of a flashing don't walk message what is a rapid flash beacon in an effort to help prevent injuries to pedestrians some communities are upgrading their pedestrian crossing signs the rapid flash Beacon is a system that is more visible to drivers than traditional pedestrian crossing signs signals and pavement markets its lights Flash in an alternating pattern which tends to catch the eyes of approaching drivers typically The Pedestrian presses the activation button causing lights to flash alerting nearby drivers sometimes a sensor automatically detects the presence of a pedestrian activates the system as a pedestrian or a driver the rapid flash Beacon can save your life please use it two or false roadway markings are used only to identify traffic Lanes answer false roadway markings include traffic lane markings pedestrian crosswalks vehicle stop lines parking spaces and directional arrows the third type of traffic control is roadway markings these are generally painted lines and symbols on the road surface they are designed to guide drivers not only do signs and signals provide guidance on the road roadway markings also assist drivers in navigating safely this short video helps you to identify roadway markings and their meanings whereas signs and signals are generally positioned off the actual roadway surface Lane markings and painted messages appear directly on the roadway to communicate with drivers there are two general rules about pavement markings that govern where you may and may not drive the first rule is that white lines are on the right side of each traffic lane and yellow lines are on the left the exception to this rule is on multiple Lane Road ways where White Lines separate traffic moving in the same direction the second rule is that solid or unbroken lines indicate that you may not pass or change lanes dashed or broken lines show where you may pass or change lanes double solid yellow lines on your left means that it is not legal for either you or oncoming traffic to pass when a dashed and solid line appear together and the dashed line is on your side of the road you may pass traffic ahead of you when it is safe to do so however opposing traffic is not allowed to cross the solid line a single dashed yellow line on the left means that both you and the opposing traffic may pass when it is safe dashed and solid lines are also used to indicate a shared left turn lane these Lanes allow you to make turns from either direction without holding up traffic behind you enter these Lanes as close to your intended turn as possible never use a shared left turn lane as a through lane or an acceleration Lane only use it to make a turn very short dashed White Lines indicate a merge lane you may need to make a lane change to continue straight ahead short white lines like these guide you through large complex intersections driving a vehicle on today's roadways is safer because of roadway communication signs signals and pavement mark are all designed to help you and the other roadway users get where you want to go safely and efficiently be sure to take advantage of the information they provide well in advance of special situations they're designed for you let's take a look at a couple of scenarios dealing with signs signals and Road markings what type of information do signs of this color present to drivers green signs provide drivers with information to navigate by such as directions to cities and to exits ahead what should you do at this signal every flashing red light is the same as a stop sign you must stop completely and make sure the way is clear before proceeding if a blinking red light appears to all drivers approaching the intersection it's to be treated as an Allway stop intersection what are your options here the dashed line on your side of the road means that you can pass but oncoming traffic may not pass however just because you can pass does not mean that you should pass any pass you make must be completed safely without interfering with any other Road user what are four ways yellow lines can appear single double Dash and broken what does a single broken yellow line mean both you and uncoming traffic are allowed to pass if it is safe to do so that is you may pass but this does not mean you should pass what does that double solid yellow line mean drivers traveling in both directions are prohibited from passing no passing by anybody there are also situations where drivers will encounter pairs of Dash yellow lines these lines are reversible traffic can go in either direction depending on the current situation and time of day and reversible lines may be seen on multiple Lane streets and high traffic areas or in a dense downtown area all right what are the four signals used for reversible lanes and what do each mean the Red X mean the lane is closed do not use this Lane the yellow X means the driver needs to safely exit the lane because the signal will soon become a red X the green arrow means this Lane is open and you may drive in this Lane the flashing yellow X the lane is used for left turns only do not move into this Lane until you are near your turn also your turn is not protected and be sure to uh yield the right away to oncoming traffic there are other locations where you might find oncoming drivers sharing a lane from which to turn left these are called Shar left on turn Lanes it is a turn lane used by drivers turning left from either direction there are five keys to successfully using shared left turn Lanes one use the share left turn lane only to turn left if you do not intend to turn left stay out of the lane two do not drive into the lane too soon the further you drive in the center lane the more likely you are to encounter someone coming from the opposite direction three search for vehicles pulling out of the driveways and cross crossing streets drivers may cut in front of you or they may turn into the shared Lane and wait for a gap in traffic four yield the right away to any vehicle signaling to enter or who has already entered the lane five if you must stop in a left turn lane while you are waiting to turn left do so with your front tires pointing Straight Ahead this may reduce the chance of being pushed into oncoming traffic if you are struck from behind in addition to Yellow Road markets there are lots of White Road markets throughout the highway transportation system also when are Das of broken white lines used they are used to separate two lanes of traffic traveling in the same direction these are very common and when are solid lines used solid lines are used to indicate the right edge of the highways to indicate areas between lanes where passing or Lane changes are discouraged and unlocked to guide traffic around obstructions uh Mark curbs and control parking spaces perpendicular White lines identify stopping points and pedestrian crosswalks you will also encounter solid white triangles what does a series of white triangles signal to a driver to yield the right of away one place to see these white triangles is that roundabout entrances yield lines are sometimes referred to as shark teeth White Road markings are not limited to just solid and dash lines painted on the road surface we also see white symbols such as arrows white words such as stop ahead and school crossing what are some examples of white symbols and words on the pavement arrows controlling the direction of traffic these are these often appear along the word only these Road markings are typically installed using reflective paint upcoming stop ahead or signs or signals school zones or Crossings and railroad crossings how about the white diamond shaped symbol on the pavement what does that mean it marks a restricted lane only certain drivers of vehicles are allowed to travel in those Lanes what qualifies a lane to be restricted heavily trafficed uh cities and expressways traffic and restricted lanes typically travel faster than traffic in other lanes and this is an advantage of restricted lanes most Road markings you enter are yellow or white but those are not the only colors used for RO markings there will be other colors as well let's look at a couple of other colors that you might see what does the green color Lane communicate the roadway users this Lane is typically reserved for bicycles and you may not drive in these Lanes what about the red lane what is it used for this Lane is sometimes used in reserve for buses blue blue painted box tells drivers that this spot is reserved for handicap drivers and you may not Park in this space unless you have a handicap license plates or a handicap hang tag green markings along the curb or surrounding areas of this parking spot it marks that this space is reserved for electric vehicles here you can see a vehicle charg along the curve which may be used by owners of electric vehicles what does this yellow zone along the curb tail drivers this marks a loading zone loading or unloading Zone drivers may only Park here in this area for loading and unloading their vehicles what does this red swo along the Cur mean it means do not park here this is a fire lane that is a fire lane it is reserved for FR frighting vehicles and emergency responders communication communication on the road is not limited to signs signals and Road markets Road users must communicate with each other too as we have seen in this chapter so far the road communicates information to us in many ways the question is are we receiving those Communications are we reading the road there is a second and critical form of communication through the highway transportation system and this communication among its Road users include driver to driver pedestrian to bicyclist pedestrian to driver and so on communication among all Road uses is one of the most effective ways to prevent conflict support risk report reduce risk of driving communication provides order helps make the highway transportation system smooth and predictable and can help prevent potential conflicts between um becoming for blown emergencies it basically involves an exchange of information communication involves both sending and receiving information senders must choose the best method and time to send messages receivers must receive and accurately understand messages is sent by others one key is to avoid the Trap of believing that just because you have sent a message to another Ro user that they have received your message do not assume communication is most effective when eye contact happens always remember to manage the space around you and protect your donut communicate effectively and you will go a long way towards reducing the risk of driving for nearly everyone in this section we will be examining how drivers communicate with each other on roadways to reduce driving risk the highway would be a much safer place if we could all communicate effectively with one another then there'd be fewer surprises and less people running into one another sometimes other drivers communicate with their turn signals other times they use their headlights and sometimes they don't communicate at all the first thing you need to communicate to other roadway users is that you're here that means being as visible to others as possible our headlights can play an important role here at night headlights light up the road during the day they light up the cars vehicles with their headlights on are much more visible than cars without their headlights on but even if your headlights are on other drivers may still have trouble seeing you here's another time when it really pays to be seen this is not a great place to be but sometimes there's no choice if you can't get your car all the way off the roadway you'll need more than flashers you need something to warn drivers that there's trouble ahead at night flares or reflective triangles will usually do the trick but they should be placed to give plenty of warning day or night you should put the warning devices at 100 200 and 300 ft behind the car that gives approaching drivers plenty of time to react if help is needed a cell phone can put you in direct contact with an emergency roadside service provider otherwise putting the hood up and attaching a white cloth to the antenna door handle or window is a signal that help is needed at times you'll find the horn useful in communicating to other Road users a couple of light beeps sends a simple I am here message there are a number of situations when communicating your presence this way can prevent trouble like when you come up behind somebody who is on foot or on a bike or somebody who is not paying attention or who may have trouble seeing you but there are other times when even a gentle toot on the horn isn't a good idea for example when traffic is obviously blocked ahead the horn is a means of communication to be used only when there is something important to communicate when you overuse the horn it could be perceived as an act of aggression even if you communicate your presence clearly and consistently that's still only half of the communicating that you need to do you also need to communicate your intentions such as when you plan to make a turn ahead and other drivers should do the same but they don't always do that signaling is one of the most common forms of communication on the road almost everyone knows about turn signal indicators but not all drivers use them properly in fact the law requires you to Signal anytime you change your position this brings us to the first principle of signaling signal every time you intend to change POS position this means anytime you plan to change lanes turn at an intersection enter a highway or leave a highway signal every time whether you see another car near you or not the second principle of signaling is give your signal as early as you can without causing confusion some drivers don't signal until they actually start to turn change lanes or pull onto the highway this kind of driving behavior can cause collisions the purpose of a signal is to give other drivers advanced notice of what you plan to do so they have enough time to react be sure to Signal every time and Signal early the better other drivers understand what you plan to do the lower the chance that they'll interfere with your Maneuvers if every driver communicated appropriately there would be a lot fewer surprises as well as fewer Vehicles colliding with each other four major Cate ories of messages intention warning presence and feedback examples of intention I plan to turn left or right I am turning here I am slowing I want your pass so please move over I want to back up examples of warnings I must suddenly stop there is danger ahead in your lane your headlights are blinding me presence I am over here do you see me I am parked feedback I see you I get the message go ahead I will stay where I am thanks for helping me what are some methods drivers use when communicating with other Road users there are at least five methods drivers can use and for the best result each method is chosen based on specific traffic situations electronic signals these signals are are designed to um into the vehicle they include turn signals turn signals can cause lights to the front and the rear of the vehicle to flash on the side of an intended change or Direction in position brake lights when you press the brake pedal the three lamps on the rear of your car light up very bright reverse lights they are white lights that activate when the gear shift selectors move to reverse reverse lights help a backing driver to see better in darkness however in the daytime backup lights communicate to other Road uses when a vehicle is in reverse gear four-way flashers they are also called Hazard flashers these cause the front and rear turn signals to flash at the same time on both sides Hazard flashes are used to communicate to other Road users that the driver is experiencing trouble horn quick friendly Taps gain another driver's attention sharp blast issue warning prolonged blasts are seldomly used because they can be perceived as an aggressive act headlights using low beam headlights in the daylight helps communicate presence flashing headlights on and off or switching quickly from low beams to high beams and back to low beams can communicate agreement that you are yielding to another driver to notify another driver that their high beams are own body actions hand signals can be used instead of electric signals or when electric signals are not working nodding or waving communicates and you receive another driver's communication looking puzzled or confused indicates that you need another driver to clarify his or her intentions vehical position Lane Choice indicates your path of travel position within the lane can indicate your choice to establish more space on one side of your view unintentional drifting side to side within the lane can mean the driver is distracted under the influence of alcohol or other drugs or in some other way um deep deviated or impaired end of chapter as we arrive at the end of the chapter it is good to think back on all that we have covered on page 13 of your student workbook you will see the 321 done Exercise please take a minute to write down three things you learn in this chapter two things you are still wondering about then wrap up by writing a short message to other drivers this will be a written message that you think every driver should read please write it as if we're going to be posting it on a sign along the road for example a message might be never underestimate your driving risk now it is time for bam cam he drives off the right side of the road and jerks the wheel back to the left this sends him spinning off the road to the [Applause] left let's take a look at that again [Applause] how did the driver contribute to the crash he was looking down at his phone he was looking away from the road and was distracted this could have easily being a rollover crash the most dangerous type of single vehicle crash what should we learn from this driver's experience put the phone away or and do not disturb mode driving off the side of the road is the most frequent way to roll a car completely over if one side of your vehicle moves off the road do not immediately jerk the wheel back towards the road instead Coast down your speed as you gather your wits and allow the vehicle to stabilize then smoothly steer back to the road so that you don't have to saw back and forth with the wheel after you get back on the road driver runs into the back of the car ahead let's take another look at that how did the driver contribute to the crash the driver seemed to be looking ahead or down the road so she may have been mentally distracted or she may be tied and thus driving impaired also she is following too closely only about 1.5 seconds back what should we learn from this driver's experience just looking ahead is not enough you must also pay attention to the road remember eyes up brain on always keep enough space ahead of you D is the big donut of space around you she only needed a few more feet of space to avoid rear ending that car if she had been following further back she probably would have been fine even if she was late detecting that the driver here was slowing down driver hits SUV on the side a T-bone crash let's take another look at that how did the driver contribute to the crash he failed to detect the SUV approaching from the right he it did not seem to be searching around him his view to the right was partially blocked by the boat parked along the road he assumed that there was nothing approaching behind the boat which was wrong though this driver seems to be on the Main throughfare and the SUV probably should have yielded to him this driver had all the info he needed to avoid the crash he just didn't see something he should have seen and inspected what should we learn from this driver's experience we should learn that if an area of your vision is blocked anticipate that there is something approaching that you cannot see always be actively searching the traffic scene not just looking looking ahead never assume another driver will do the right thing always assume you are invisible to other Road users and that they will always take the action that puts you at the most risk driver is hit from the side by a vehicle that enter the intersection illegally [Music] [Music] let's take another look at that video [Music] [Music] how did the driver contribute to the crash he was distracted adjusting his audio system he could have easily avoided this crash he should have anticipated that the other driver will enter the intersection his eyes were not up his brain was not focused on driving what should we learn from this driver's experience always adjust the audio system before you start driving always be watching for drivers who may not stick to the rules of traffic eyes up brain on he should have anticipated that driver's next move and had a plan to respond driver crashes into vehicle ahead and airbags deploy Northwest off Highway 2 on Canyon Road in Beaverton where saler sales people see it your way ow ow let's take another look at that video where salary sales people see it your wayi drive Subaru how did the driver contribute to the crash she was following much too closely her visibility was reduced because she was driving into the Sun what should we learn from this driver's experience not only should she have been following further back she should have adjusted for her reduced visibility and follow even further back glare can definitely make it harder to see and search remember D the big donor of space around your vehicle space is your best friend when driving it's hard to hear anything when you have enough space around your vehicle Target zone for each scenario a through F please write down the Zone number or numbers that you feel you should be mainly searching into we will go over it after we watch all six scenarios then we will discuss your answers Target Zone a what should you mainly Focus your searching Z B what should you mainly Focus your searching Target Zone C what should you mainly Focus your searching Target Zone D where should you mainly Focus your searching Target Zone e where should you mainly Focus your searching Target Zone F where should you mainly Focus your searching let's see how you did Target Zone a where should you mainly Focus your searching Zone a and nine zone eight and nine you've got traffic changing lanes ahead plus a stop light just ahead with vehicle stop for the red light the space to the left seems clear but you never know what the drivers of other vehicles to the right might do when coming to a stop light many drivers change lanes at the last minute and hopes of getting a better position relative to other traffic don't do that be in your lane early and stay in it Target Zone B where should you mainly Focus your searching zones 6 and seven this is a real tight area with almost no room to maneuver side to side you not only need to see your path of travel going up the hill but you also need to keep an eye on on the vehicles on both sides of the road a pedestrian could step out from between any two cars at any second target Zone C where should you mainly Focus your searching zones five and six tunnels can be tricky you generally don't have as much room to maneuver as you would on an open road you can see your intended path ahead but you also need to keep an eye on the traffic ahead on the left you can see the traffic in the Middle Lane ahead starting to slow down several Vehicles brake lights are on so something's going on up there you just don't know what yet Target Zone D where should you mainly Focus your searching Zone seven8 and nine it may seem like a lot of space to monitor your intended path which curves to the right approaching traffic on the left just in case the center line and there's no barrier between you and that truck Target Zone e where should you mainly Focus your searching zones seven and eight though it's just a simple T intersection a lot can go wrong here you need to see your intended path ahead but also be monitoring the oncoming SUV and the green vehicle on the left you cannot be certain that drivers see you so you need to watch in case that driver pulls out in front of you plus the lane markings are pretty faint here making it a little bit harder for everyone in this scene Target Zone F where should you mainly Focus your searching zones seven and eight there are Vehicles stopped directly ahead plus there is a delivery truck parked on the right and the treasure bus stop just ahead half over the white line this situation is right for pedestrians to appear at any second from the delivery truck the bus or elsewhere