message from the commissioner welcome to driving in Louisiana I am pleased to present the Louisiana drivers guide to our new and current drivers this guide is designed to provide you with the rules of the road knowledge to assist you in making better driving decisions and valuable information on safety and sharing the road with others it is incumbent upon you the driver to respect all traffic laws and other drivers as well dri ding is a vital part of life it provides you with a means of attaining the necessities of daily living as well as providing you with the added convenience to move about at leisure the Driving Experience however is a privilege and comes with great responsibilities please strive to become a safe and dependable driver to ensure that this privilege is not lost driving the same as life is a constant learning experience the information contained in this guide along with your experience and responsive actions while driving will assist in protecting you your family and other drivers this guide is not intended to be an official legal reference to the Louisiana traffic laws it only highlights those laws driving practices and procedures that you will use most often it should be noted that the material in this guide is subject to change to comply with amended state and federal legislations remember to buckle up safety belts save lives let's work together to make Louisiana a safer place for all karen G Street Germain Karen G Street Germain commissioner chapter 11 one getting a driver's license one who must have a driver's license one classes of license one identification requirements two graduated licensing program six driver's license tests 8 revocation of your license 12 chapter 217 Highway transportation system 17 makeup of a complex system 17 three main components 17 number and types of Highways 20 chapter 322 signs traffic lights and pavement markings 22 traffic signs 22 traffic signals 33 Lane markings 34 chapter 438 basic driving and safety 38 use of safety belts 39 preparing to drive 44 driving habits 47 steering methods 49 seasonal changes and how they affect driving 51 chapter 554 safety driving habits 54 Defensive Driving techniques 55 illness and driving 58 aggressive driving SL road rage 59 looking and scanning ahead 61 following distan is 65 safety tips on passing 71 night driving 73 sharing the road with bicycle 78 sharing the road with motorcycle 80 sharing the road with big trucks 81 chapter 685 traffic laws and regulations 85 railroad grade crossing 94 other laws you should know 97 automobile insurance fraud 100 tips to prevent vehicle repair fraud 100 tips to avoid becoming a victim of a staged automobile accident 100 tips to to prevent automobile theft Park smart 101 chapter 7 102 interstate driving and Rural roads 102 General Interstate driving 102 rural roads 105 slow moving Vehicles 107 trip planning 110 chapter 8 112 driving hazards and emergency 112 distracted driving 112 avoiding collisions 114 protecting yourself in a crash 116 other vehicle emergencies 117 driving in adverse weather 121 chapter 9 124 driving offenses 124 alcohol 124 losing your driving privileges 129 chapter 10 130 general information for class D chauffer's license 130 using the air brakes 134 chapter 10 a 135 trailer safety 135 chapter 11 137 motor vehicle registration and title 137 new vehicles 137 used vehicles 137 new residents 138 proof of insurance 138 renewals 138 motor vehicle inspection sticker 139 fees 139 dpsmv 2052 R 0826 chapter 1 getting a driver License Driving is a privilege not a right you must earn that privilege and work to keep it your driver's license carries with it a great responsibility to be courteous to other drivers on the roadways and to follow state and federal motoring laws when you slide behind the wheel of a motor vehicle you take responsibility for the lives of people around you there are many laws that govern a Driver's Responsibility you must become familiar with these laws and Obey and respect them to keep your license for many driving may seem almost automatic this assumption is incorrect driving is a complex activity mastered over time that should not be taken for granted who must have a driver's license you must have a Louisiana driver's license if you are a resident of Louisiana and want to drive a motor vehicle on public streets and highways always carry your license with you when driving you are required to show your license to any law enforcement officer or any officer who may ask to see it new residents have 30 days from the time residency is established to obtain a Louisiana License exceptions the following people are not required to obtain a Louisiana driver's license non-residents who possess a valid license issued by another state you are permitted to drive in this state for a period of 90 days non-resident students who possess both a valid driver's license issued by their home state and a current student ID card anyone operating a farm tractor farm implements or Road Machinery temporarily on the highway members of the Armed Forces driving a US government vehicle while on official Duty resident members of the Armed Forces or resident military dependents possessing a valid driver's license from their home state classes of license the class of driver's license you will need depends on the type of vehicle you plan to drive and if you are employed for the principal purpose of driving this manual applies only to class D and E driver's licenses classes a b and c commercial drivers licenses CDL are generally required for drivers of large cargo trucks commercial passenger vehicles or for the commercial transportation of hazardous materials to determine if you need a class a b or c license please refer to the commercial driver's license manual for more information class D permits the operation of any single vehicle used in Commerce having a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,1 lb or more but less than 26,1 lb or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 gross vehicle weight rating and not utilized for the transportation of hazardous materials note as long as the combined gross vehicle weight rating truck and trailer is less than 26,1 you can operate with class D a Class D license may be used for transportation of passengers For Hire or fee provided the usage thereof does not fall within the definition of vehicles in classes a b or c a Class D allows for operation of those vehicles in the class E category Class E permits the operation of any single motor vehicle under 0,01 recreational vehicles and certain Farm use Vehicles not defined as commercial vehicle note if you are driving interstate commerce you must also meet Department of Transportation do physical standards this matter should be discussed with your employer fees for driver's license and identification card RS 32412 412 to1 type fee handling fee service fee total term Class E $20 25 $12 $0 6 $32.25 6 years Class E 70 plus $6.75 12 $ 06 $18.75 6 years class D $42.75 $12 0 six $ 54.7 6 years class D Orleans $54 $12 0 six $666 years class D 70 plus $22.13 $12 $0 six $343 6 years class D 70 plus Orleans $27.75 $112 06 $39.75 6 years learner permit $20 25 $12 06 $32.25 six years motorcycle endorsement $12 $12 06 $20 maintain current expiration duplicate license $5 $12 $0 six $17 maintain current expiration delinquent fee $15 $15 delinquent fee 70 plus 0 0 ID card $10 $12 06 $22 4 years ID card 60 plus 0 0 060 lifetime ID card less than or equal to 15 do 3.5.0 $8 06 $113.00 two years slash4 years duplicate ID card $5 $8 06 $16 some offices charge an additional service fee ranging from 50 cents to $6 there is a $12 handling fee except for identification cards and duplicate identification cards for applicants 60 and fer you may view our website www.expresslane.org or call 225 925 6146 to verify fees identification requirements all Louisiana driver's license and identification cards must be issued in the applicant's full legal name all documents must be original or certified copies from the Department of record photocopies are not acceptable whether notorized or not firsttime applicants applicants will be required to provide one of the following combinations one primary and two secondary documents or two primary documents or if an applicant has a Louisiana identification card with a photo which clearly identifies the applicant and the social security number is part of the file additional identification is not required additional requirements for applicants 17 and under the signature of the custodial parent or legal guardian is required for the issuance of any license including firsttime applications duplicates and changing restrictions identification must be presented by the minor and the parent or Guardian only the domiciliary parent May sign if joint custody has been awarded custodial documents must also be presented outo F State transfers all applicants for a Louisiana driver's license are required to pass a vision exam administered by the office of motor vehicles's Personnel at the time of application new residents have 30 days from the time residency is established to obtain a Louisiana license in order to make application you must have a valid Louisiana address if you have a valid SL expired outof State picture license you must surrender under the outof state picture license it is unlawful in Louisiana to have more than one driver's license provide one primary and one secondary document provide your social security number provide proof of insurance on any personal vehicle you may have registered in Louisiana if you are not in possession of your outof state picture license you must submit either a letter of clearance or an official driving record from your last state of license this letter must include your personal information name date of birth social security number if applicable as well as your driver's license number for that state you must also meet all identification and Social Security requirements Social Security requirement all applicants eligible for a social security number must provide the assigned number when applying for a driver's license although the social security number will not be displayed on the face of the license that number must be entered in the Department's internal records if you do not have an assigned social security number you must provide an official letter from the Social Security Administration specifying that no number has been assigned or that you are not eligible for issuance of a social security number in order to comply with the military Selective Service Act rs32 40 colon 1321 d one the social security number is required from all male US citizens or immigrants age 15 to 26 who apply for a driver's license or ID card failure to provide the number will result in the denial of issuance driver education all applicants applying for their first driver's license issuance must furnish proof of driver education training as required by law this driver education course may be taken at a public or private institution depending upon the age of the applicant the requirements of the driver education course differ the driver education course must be completed before making application for the driver's license School enrollment form all applicants applying for a driver's license or learner's permit ages 15 to 17 must furnish proof of school enrollment the enrollment form is obtained from the school the applicant is currently enrolled in and cannot be more than 90 days old immigrant aliens in certain instances the following documents May may be substituted as primary and or secondary documents depending on your immigration status for more information please contact your nearest Office of Motor Vehicles I 551 if issued after July 97 considered a primary document Social Security verification C social security requirement and one secondary document or I 551 if issued prior to July 97 considered a secondary document one primary document and Social Security verification C social security requirement or the foreign passport stamp showing the I94 has been surrendered for processing of an i 551 Social Security verification C social security requirement and I 688b work authorization card if the stamp date in the passport is less than 9 months old you are eligible for issuance of a driver's license if the stamp date is older than 9 months you are not eligible for issuance or i485 application for adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident Social Security verification C social security requirement and one secondary document refugees non-immigrant aliens you will be required to provide the following foreign passport with i 94 stamped showing status with USCIS Social Security verification see Social Security requirement secondary document student non-immigrants F1 J1 and M1 must present the I20 lists the School length of the program a contact person and phone number of the student representative at the school some non-immigrant aliens or refugees may be denied issuance of a driver's license or identification card based on USCIS status and duration of status in order to be issued a driver's license or identification card there must be at least 180 days remaining on your visa sl94 to be considered for issuance if there are fewer than 180 days remaining you will will be denied if you are not a Louisiana resident you are not eligible for a driver's license or identification card age requirement rs32 colon 408 class D minimum 17 17 years of age Class E minimum 15 15 years of age for a learner's permit must complete all stages of the graduated licensing program Class A B or C minimum age 18 18 travel Interstate only no hauling of hazardous materials minimum age 21 21 to travel Interstate or obtain a hazardous material endorsement acceptable primary documents only original documents are accepted birth certificate original certificate of birth certified copy of birth certificate long form and birth card short form does not require a seal birth registration card or certificate issued by a state or County Bureau of Vital Statistics certificate of birth abroad issued by the US Department of State certificate of naturalization Native American tribal document passport US passport book or passport card applicant 17 and under must also present a certified birth certificate or documentation proving custody SL legal guardianship foreign passport must be appropriately stamped and accompanied by proper immigration documents immigrants SL non-immigrants permanent resident card I 551 Department of Homeland Security Refugee travel Document i571 Department of Homeland Security permit to re-enter the United States I 327 military current US ID card dependent ID card draft record DD214 Selective Service notification US Coast Guard Merchant Mariner card secondary documents note name on secondary documents should coincide with name on primary documents outof state driver's license SL identification card DL or ID card issued by a State motor vehicle department with a photo that clearly identifies the individual ual an official driving record from the last state of issuance is required if the applicant has lost his outof state license a foreign driver's license must be accompanied by proper immigration documents social security number verification social security card official verification of the social security number from the Social Security Administration or verbal verification identification card with with photo Louisiana college or university Louisiana middle or High School Law Enforcement Officers ID employment ID card major corporations hospitals governmental agencies ID cards issued by federal state local governmental agencies La Department of Public Safety and Corrections prison or Parish ID card TWIC Transportation worker identific a credential employment authorization document i766 issued by DHS original Refugee resettlement program letter this document will include the agency director's signature with a raised seal and is valid for 15 days from issuance educational diploma SL certificate SL license high school college or university High School yearbook photo school records or at at least two report cards from separate years original or certified professional degree or license driver education certificate medical medicare/medicaid card medical eligibility card CDL medical formcard miscellaneous documents original adoption papers baptismal certificate official deed or title to property in Louisiana including burial plots vehicle registration or certificate of title of vehicle in applicant's name motor vehicle lean instrument local utility statements showing name and address of the applicant or a receipt indicating utilities have been turned on insurance policy Health home life Auto One payroll stub printed W2 forms for 2 years prison release documents or letter from probation officer letter of verification SL introduction from another state agency responsible for placement of deprived SL impaired individuals I.E blind Services CDL driver log book graduated licensing program in 1996 Florida became the first state to implement the graduated licensing program on January 1st 1998 Louisiana followed by implementing a graduated licensing program as well it is known as the Rya act reduce youth accidents now and was named for a 15-year-old Ryan Lee who lost his life in a traffic accident a few months after being licensed all states in the US now have a version of the graduated licensing program statistics indicate this program for teenage drivers has served to decrease the number of traffic deaths and injuries in the teenage driving group while teen driver crashed uses and casualties have decreased in the past decade and in spite of attention to the issue teens are still considered high-risk drivers unfortunately motor vehicle crashes Remain the number one cause of death among teens in the United States per mild driven teenage drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely to crash than older drivers these high crash rates for teens particularly 16-year-olds are related to driver inexperience and Driver immaturity Driving Experience must be built up sooner or later regardless of when a person starts to drive but initial Driving Experience can be limited to lower risk situations EG daylight and limiting the number of teen passengers under a graduated licensing program which has three stages of lure a learner's permit that allows the holder to drive only while supervised by a fully licensed driver an intermed immediate license that allows unsupervised driving under certain restrictions a full license stage one Learners permit must be a minimum of 15 15 years of age must complete 30 30 hours classroom instruction and 8 8 hours behind the wheel driving instruction must pass Vision examine knowledge exam with at least 80% accuracy is authorized to drive only with a license adult at least 21 21 years of age or sibling at least 18 18 years of age must maintain learner license for a minimum of 180 180 days and cannot advance to intermediate stage until attainment of 16th 16th birthday note upgrading from permit to intermediate age 16 effective January 1st 2011 no applicant shall be issued a Class E intermediate license unless a signed statement by the parent or legal guardian is provided to the department attesting that the applicant has a minimum of 50 50 hours of behind thewheel driving experience with a licensed parent guardian or adult at least 21 21 years of age at least 15 15 of these hours must be nighttime driving stage two intermediate license must have completed stage one must be a minimum of 16 16 years of age must pass the road skills driving test with at least 80% accuracy is prohibited from driving between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless accompanied by a licensed adult at least 21 21 years of age or sibling at least 18 18 years of age additionally between the hours of 600 p.m. and 5 a.m. an intermediate license may not transport more than one passenger under the age of 21 21 years of age that is not a member of the immediate family must be maintained until 17th 17th birthday stage three full license must successfully complete stages one and two or must be at least 17 177 years of age prior to application for first license note effective August 1st 2012 applicants 18 18 years of age or above who have not entered the graduated licensing program May apply for full classy license or a learner's permit upon completion of a 38 38 hour driver education course or a 66 hour pre-licensing course and an 8 hour behind the wheel course an outof State applicant 16 16 years of age who has had a license or permit for a minimum of 180 180 days may be eligible to bypass the learner's permit stage and be issued an intermediate license proof of insurance any vehicle used upon the highways of Louisiana must be insured by liability insurance or other allowable substitute you must submit such proof for vehicles you own at the time of license issuance in order for your insurance proof to be acceptable by law enforcement and the Office of Motor Vehicles it must contain the name of the company the policy number the effective dates the vehicle description the name of the insured party and the n number the NAIC number indicates to law enforcement the company is authorized to conduct business in Louisiana by law your insurance card must be in the vehicle at all times as evidence of insurance driver's license tests the following tests may be given when you apply for a driver's license Vision I exam knowledge of traffic laws signs and signals Road skills outside driving test vision test your eyes will be screened when you apply for or renew your driver's license or learner permit the vision screening is not a medical exam because seeing well is so critical to safe driving you should have your eyes checked regularly the screening will determine if your vision meets minimum standards 24ths for safe driving if you fail the eye exam you you will be given a vision report which is to be completed by a vision specialist of your choice if you need corrective lenses in order to pass the vision exam your license will indicate that you are required to wear them while driving your license will display an 01 for this restriction this restriction removed after having laser surgery to correct your vision you must visit an OMB office and pass the vision screening without wearing glasses or contact lenses Knowledge Test test all firsttime applicants must successfully pass the Knowledge Test confirming your understanding of traffic signs and signals as well as safe driving practices and Louisiana laws relative to driving the test contains multiple choice questions that are taken from the information contained in this manual the exam is given on a computer in most offices and you must correctly answer 80% of these questions to receive a passing score proper identification is required each time the test is taken Road skills driving test the road skills test is available through the Office of Motor Vehicles or certified thirdparty tester providers all thirdparty testers are certified through the Office of Motor Vehicles a fee will be assessed when using the thirdparty testers for the skills test view our website www.expresslane.org for a list of certified providers in your area for Road skills driving tests administered at the Office of Motor Vehicles you will be required to provide the vehicle used in testing the vehicle must be in safe driving condition pass a safety inspection and have a valid inspection sticker current license plate and registration document The Examiner cannot give a driving test unless your vehicle is safety inspected and is legally equipped note speedometer must be operational all vehicles manufactured after 1964 must be equipped with functional seat belts for a fee thirdparty testers May provide a vehicle for the road skills test contact the third-party tester for information regarding the vehicle utilized for the test if you will be using your own vehicle you will be asked to perform a safety equipment check of your vehicle before you can begin the road test it must have all the necessary equipment and be in safe working condition in addition you must present proof of liability insurance on the vehicle being used for the test only the applicant the omv staffer and The Interpreter if applicable are permitted in the vehicle during the road skills test loose objects that could break or cause injury must be removed from the vehicle prior to the road test the road skills test consists of your ability to control the vehicle and a driving performance test you will be tested on the rules of the road and your ability to drive a motor vehicle safely under normal traffic conditions The Examiner will evaluate your awareness of risks and your reaction to them you will be evaluated on your observation skills at intersections when changing lanes and in other situations you will not be asked to do anything illegal during the test the the following driving skills are most important as they will demonstrate your ability to safely operate your vehicle in ordinary traffic conditions you will be graded on backing yielding right of way approach to Corner keeping in Lane parking between cars use of signals following others attention turning response to signs and signals The Examiner will direct you to make certain stops starts turns and other Maneuvers during the test you will not be asked to do anything contrary to motor vehicle laws or safe driving practices The Examiner will not try to trick you into making an error points will be deducted for driving errors made during the test you will fail the skills test for any of the following a violation of any traffic law any dangerous action SL incident lack of cooperation or refusal to follow instructions Collision cumulative minor mistakes upon completion of the road skills driving test you will be advised of your errors and what maneuvers you need to improve if any if you fail the test and you don't currently have a permit you may be issued one so you can practice you can return at a later date to retest note if you are a minor making application for a license a custodial or domiciliary parent tutor or legal guardian must accompany you and present his identification sign your application and provide proof that the vehicle to be used for the road skills driving test is insured remember Road skills driving tests administered at the Office of Motor Vehicles are suspended during inclement weather license renewals your driver's license will expire 6 years from your nearest birthday licenses may be renewed anytime within 180 days before the expiration date you must pass the vision exam before your license is renewed once your license is issued please verify your information is correct before leaving if you do not receive a mail and renewal invitation you must visit the local office for Renewal issuance the expiration date for immigrants non-immigrants refugees may vary in accordance with ins status the Louisiana driers License of members of the Armed Forces Peace Corps and their dependants who serve outside the state of Louisiana shall remain valid for 60 60 days after discharge provided the license was valid not expired suspended or revoked upon entrance to service the license will be considered expired SL delinquent on the 61st day after discharge the last license issued and proof of discharge will be accepted to renew the license renewal by mail or internet if you are a Louisiana resident under the age of 70 70 with a Class D or E license you may be selected to renew your license by mail or internet if you are selected you will receive a renewal invitation and application with instructions if you choose to renew by mail or Internet a Recon instructed driver's license will be mailed to your address you will not receive an invitation to renew by mail or Internet two consecutive renewal Cycles you still have the option to visit your local office of motor vehicles and renew your license in person change of address Louisiana law requires you to correct the address on your license within 10 days after a move please visit at your local motor vehicle office to have the corrected license issued at no charge failure to change your address may result in a violation if you are stopped by law enforcement change of name you may change your name on your license by presenting to the Office of Motor Vehicles a certified copy of a state approved marriage license certified birth certificate if you wish to go back to your birth name or a certified copy of a court order authorizing a name change additional documentation may be required in a given situation if you change your name between license renewals a duplicate license fee will be charged duplicate license if your license is lost stolen or destroyed you may apply for a duplicate at any motor vehicle office you must apply in person proof of identification may be required a minor applying for a duplicate must have a custodial or domiciliary parent tutor or legal guardian physically appear with proper identification and custodial documents to sign the application in the case of joint custody only the domiciliary parent May sign for the minor child proof of current liability insurance is required on any registered vehicle license restrictions the office of motor vehicles and or the court is authorized to impose restrictions on licenses any restrictions placed on you to operate a motor vehicle will appear on your driver's license a violation of a restriction is a violation of the law and may result in the suspension of your driving privileges medical reports required every physically impaired person and persons over the age of 60 applying for a license for the first time must submit a detailed report from a physician and or vision specialist the required form must be obtained from The Office of Motor Vehicles the report will state the severity of any visual or physical condition which might impair your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle the Office of Motor Vehicles may require anyone to submit a medical and/or visual report you may also be subject to written and or Road skills testing your driving record the Office of Motor Vehicles keeps a public record of all your traffic convictions and collisions for 5 years convictions for DWI are maintained for 10 years this includes traffic convictions received in other states personal identification cards any Louisiana resident May apply for an identification card it is widely accepted as proof of identity but does not give you the privilege to drive to get a personal ID card you must meet the identification requirements see Pages 5 to six and have a valid Louisiana residence address person's not eligible for a license license is revoked have not passed driver's education course or pre-licensing course have not successfully passed the written enter skills test under the age of 15 revocation of your license in order to keep your driver license and not have it revoked you must remain a safe and responsible driver you must drive safely at all times you can lose your driving privilege for the following using a wireless cellular communication device while operating a motor vehicle if the driver holds a classy learner or intermediate operator's license or is under the age of 18 or has been issued a firsttime operator's license that is within one year from the original issue date excluding out of state transfers using a text messaging communication device while operating a motor vehicle altering information on the license unlawful use of a driver's license making a false statement or concealing a material fact on an application for a driver's license failure to stop and render assistance at a collision in which you were involved that results in the injury or death of a person conviction of driving while intoxicated DWI refusal to take an alcohol analysis test when arrested for DWI or after submitting to the test in which the results show a BAC level of 0.08% or more for those 21 years of age or older or 0.02% or more for those younger than 21 years of age failure to stop for school bus loading or unloading children manslaughter or negligent homicide resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle any felony committed while operating a motor vehicle three convictions of reckless driving committed within a 12-month period failure to answer a traffic law charge driving in violation of a driver's license restriction failure to comply with the financial responsibility law when required committing an offense in another state which if committed in this state would be grounds for suspension or revocation driving with a suspended driver's license failure to pay child support failure to pay state income taxes withdrawing from school prior to graduation if you are 15 but less than 18 years of age or have been determined to be habitually absent or tardy litter law and stats Louisiana spends more than $40 million a year to clean up our highways in 2004 alone State and Sheriff cleanup Crews picked up an estimated 450,000 bags 20,000 mil of trash in our state littering whether accidental or deliberate littering is against the law depending on the nature and severity of the littering you can face either civil or criminal prosecution according to Louisiana R s30 colon 231- 25313 penalties for conviction range from a $50 fine plus 8 hours community service picking up litter to a $5,000 fine one-year driver's license suspension 30 days in jail and 100 hours of community service the driver is responsible for all litter coming from the vehicle's interior or truck bed and the driver can be cited for littering committed by the passenger in his her vehicle along roadways motorists and pedestrians are the biggest contributors to litter tobacco products mostly cigarette butts are the most littered item along Louisiana roadways many individuals believe that cigarette butts are biodegradable this is incorrect while some parts of the cigarette usually decompose in one year other parts never do because the filter is made of a type of acetate that never fully breaks down worst yet the cigarette but that is thrown on the ground will eventually find its way into the ocean or some other body of water a recent cleanup of coastal shorelines by volunteers found that 80% of the collected litter was washed from Land into the water cigarettes and cigarette butts accounted for a whopping 25% of the total collected cigarettes and cigarette butts also contain many homeful chemicals which leak into the environment to many people a cigarette but may seem like a small thing but with several trillion butts discarded every year toxic chemicals add up and the damage to the environment is Multiplied many times over another problem often seen is the litter from packaging and beverage containers this includes fast food snacks tobacco or other product packaging and soft drink and beer containers storm drains are a trap for litter that collects from streets and sidewalks these are located in gutters and are designed to drain excess rainfall from ped streets and parking lots because storm drains eventually lead to waterways litter near storm drains can potentially contaminate our water this causes litter to First be a problem on land and then later in our water the presence of litter in a community takes its toll on the quality of life property values and housing prices besides the environmental impact that litter imposes there are also Economic Consequences businesses pay about 80% of the cost to clean up Litter with the government funding the remainder many communities depend on volunteers to clean up litter research Studies have shown that heavily littered areas are more likely to be targeted for crime and vandalism individuals are more likely to litter in a littered area once there litter attracts more litter this cycle continues unless and until we change our minds about the way we think about litter individual attitudes can change the way we think about litter on average one in every five individuals is a litterer with most of the behavior being a conscious act this includes dropping the item flicking or flinging it away or just leaving it in on the ground table bench or ledge studies also show that age and not gender is a significant factor in littering those under 30 are more likely to litter than those who are older a clean Community discourages litter and improves overall Community quality of life it is the responsibility of every individual to care about his neighborhood park roadway or other public space don't just believe that someone will pick up after you when you litter start with these actions choose not to litter make the commitment now to join with others not to spread litter remind others not to litter and explain why get a litter bag for your car or portable Ash receptacles to share volunteer in your community help prevent and clean up litter from cigarette butts to Illegal dumps if you see litter pick it up become part of keep Louisiana beautiful with all of us working together we can make a difference citizens May report litters by calling 18 888 l t RB U 24 hours a day 7 days a week this hotline is maintained by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Singular Wireless customers in south Louisiana area may call asterisk glitter the offender will receive a letter from DQ reminding him her that littering is illegal and asking for help in keeping Louisiana clean you can also post information regarding acts of litter at litter dbg.org for more information concerning Louisiana's litter abatement programs visit the websites www. louis.org and www.de q. la. us assistant litter /index HTM organ donation thousands of people are waiting for a life-saving or life-enhancing organ tissue or cornea transplant when you apply for a driver's permit driver's license or state ID card you will be asked whether or not you wish to register as an organ I and tissue donor your designation will be marked on the front of your license or ID card with a red heart if you register through the OM in person your wishes will be indicated in the registry you may also register online at donate.org either method is legal documentation of your desire to save lives Louisiana's registry allows citizens to make legally binding decisions to be donors family consent is required only for minors this makes it especially important for you to have a discussion with your family about your wishes regarding donation organs and tissues that can be donated include heart lungs liver kidney pancreas intestines skin heart valves bone and connective tissue for I donation the whole I or the cornea can be donated organs are distributed for transplantation on a patient-based fair Equitable system donors are treated with the greatest care and dignity throughout the donation process here is some information to help you make an informed decision Louisiana's registry allows citizens to make legally binding decisions to become donors drivers under the age of 17 can participate in this program and register their intent anyone can be a potential donor regardless of age race or medical history you have the ability to save nine lives and heal the lives of up to 50 additional people through tissue donation the level of medical care you receive in any hospital is not affected by your choice to register as an organ ey and tissue donor the recovery team is only called in after after all attempts have been made to save your life all major religions approve of organ eye and tissue donation and see it as an unselfish Act of Charity there is no change in the appearance of the body after donation and no interference in funeral plans including an open casket there is no cost or payment to your family or your estate when you become a donor it is illegal to buy or sell organs in the United States all patients on the waiting list throughout the country are registered with the United Network for organ sharing Unos computer network organs are placed based on blood type size weight severity of illness time on the waiting list and geography it is illegal to allocate organs based on Fame wealth citizenship or political power transplantation is a medically accepted treatment and is not experimental organ donation is not a search for the Cure it is the cure today there are nearly 117,000 patients waiting for this life-saving gift over 1,800 here in Louisiana every day 18 people die waiting for an organ and every 13 minutes another name is added to the National waiting list choose to be an organ and tissue donor and tell your family about your decision for more information visit donate lef.org voter registration program the national voter registration Act of 1993 ndra also known as the Motor Voter Act was signed into effect by President Bill Clinton in 1993 this legislation requires state governments to allow for registration by qualifying voters whenever they apply for or renew their driver's license thereby consolidating the driver's application and voter registration processes simply make it known to Personnel at the office of motor vehicles that you wish to register to voter when you apply for a license or a renewal of your driver's license you may also pick up a mail and voter registration form from your local om please verify the form for accuracy and sign it in the space provided before it is turned in or mailed if you choose to register to vote while at the omv your application will be Sue admitted electronically to the Louisiana Secretary of State if you do not receive confirmation within two 2 weeks please contact your local voter register's office for more information concerning your right to vote and the procedures for becoming a registered voter contact your nearest voter register's office or visit the website of the Louisiana Secretary of State at www.sos.la.gov chapter 2 Highway transportation system makeup of a complex system today's society has become very mobile the highway trans transportation system HTS a vast network of Highways streets and Roads has been built to accommodate the public and private vehicles that provide this Mobility the HTS is only about 100 years old in 1902 only about 2,300 cars were on the road and there was only about 150 Mi of paved Road however there were more than 17 million horses using the roadways now there are about 230 million registered vehicles with 4 million miles of paved roads and horse travel has become a Leisure activity the goal of the HTS is to provide safe rapid and efficient transportation of persons and goods to a desired destination in an environmentally safe and sound fashion from pedestrians to the largest transport Vehicles this system is shared by all a multitude of safety professionals at the local Regional and National levels are involved in legislating and providing a safe and efficient Transportation environment each individual Road user is the core of the safe and efficient operation of the HTS the responsibility of each individual is to respect the rules of the system and cooperate with others as a nation we rely on our vehicles for our daily needs we spend at least half as much time stuck in traffic each year as we do going on an annual vacations no matter where you live commutes to school or work are getting longer and more sow with traffic roadways have become the number one choice of moving people and goods trucks deliver food and other items to stores for us to buy and use 60% of freight is transported on the roads emergency vehicles such as fire trucks and police cars respond to emergencies by way of Roads yet for all the advantages of motorized Transportation there is a big price to pay motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among people aging 1 to 34 and a leading cause of injury for all age groups in the US and through it all Americans love their cars and the freedom they offer America's system is one of the largest systems in the world with 4 million miles of public roads and roughly 594 th000 Bridges transit systems operate approximately 226,000 directional route miles of which 26,6 120 are non-rail and 9, 800 are rail route miles local governments own 75% of the nearly 4 million mile roadway Network about half of the nation's Bridges and manage 90% of the transit systems 75% of highway miles are in rural areas the highway transportation system exists to provide a safe and efficient mechanism to move people and goods from one location to another it is a complex system with many diverse elements three main components the highway transportation system consists of three major components people this consists of several different groups including the drivers and passengers in the vehicles pedestrians construction workers police officers emergency personnel and children at play Vehicles many types of vehicles utilize the HTS including cars trucks vans SUVs large commercial trucks buses recreational vehicles motorcycles mopeds Farm Vehicles emergency vehicles construction vehicles bicycles military vehicles and pedestrians roads many types of Roads make up the HTS including interstates US Highways State highways County Roads toll roads and Parkways the highway transportation system is an important system to our way of life and to our economy in allowing personal and and individual Transportation freedom to come and go as we wish going to work to shop to school social and recreation activities choice and length of vacations the HTS is important to the economy of our nation due relative to manufacturer of motor vehicles building and maintenance of Highways motor carriers as Transporters of goods gasoline and tire industry indes travel and Recreation industry automobile maintenance and repair industry management of the highway transportation system there are six means of management of the highway transportation system the Department of Motor Vehicles regulates driver licenses truck weights and operators license plates fees registration taxes entitles to name a few of the items this branch of government controls law enforcement agencies such as local city police the highway patrol and Sheriff's departments as well as other enforcement agencies work together to help maintain safe travel the Traffic courts located in various locals in the country help to assure proper enforcement of the law engineering Works in two ways Highway engineering Works to make our HTS the safest system in the world and vehicle engineering Works to make Vehicles safer and easier to operate the emergency response system and Trauma Centers in the US work to reduce the losses causes by collisions both at the time of the crash and afterwards by educating the public with the use of public service announcements High School driver education programs truck driving schools substance abuse instruction and private driver education schools individuals can be better prepared and informed regarding the HTS the goal of educating the public is to impart knowledge of the rules of the road the basic skills involved in vehicle operation and instill and reinforce attitudes consistent with safe driving an educated and informed public will produce safer drivers and measurably lower crash rates traffic collision costs vehicular collisions lead to tremendous social and economic costs when someone is killed in a car crash a whole range of people from family members to friends and acquaintances feel a terrible loss economically in addition to lost wages crash into iies contribute to expenses for Medical Care Emergency Services Nursing Home Care Rehabilitation home modifications Insurance Administration and property damage that amount to billions of dollars each year however the biggest price Society pays for transportation collisions is personal lives can change in an instant just imagine how parents feel when they get a phone call telling them that they're child has been injured or killed in a vehicle collision traffic collisions have become the number one cause of teenage deaths in traffic we judge ourselves by how safe the system is by the number of collisions and deaths per 100 million miles traveled we are currently near 1.6 deaths per 100 million miles traveled this is down from 4.7 deaths 40 years ago most of this decrease is due to seat belts airbags and improved safety features in vehicles Loosely translated this means that about 44,000 people die on our highway system each year Millions more are injured and we spend hundreds of billions on this issue the current statistics indicate that traffic collisions have become an epidemic if automobile crashes were an illness the CDC would be trying to figure out a cure in 2011 there were more than 32367 Highway fatalities nationally on a positive note this number of traffic fatalities was down to the lowest since 1949 despite the fact that the number of miles driven by Americans has gone up more than 2.3 million drivers and passengers were treated in emergency rooms as the result of being injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2009 the total economic cost of Motor Vehicle crashes in 2000 was $231 billion this is equal to $820 for every person living in the US lost Market productivity accounted for $61 billion while property damage accounted for 59 billion medical expenses total $33 billion and travel delay account Ed for $26 billion the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections has identified the five leading causes of Motor Vehicles crashes in Louisiana 2010 as careless and or Reckless operation failure to yield following too closely speeding unknown SL unspecified in 2010 fatalities injuries and property damage in Louisiana as a result of Motor Vehicle crashes cost on average each licensed driver in Louisiana $1,855 each year the current statistics can be obtained from HTTP colonar reports. lsu.edu the HTS is often crowded in the US 88% of the population has a driver's license which translates to approximately 202 million drivers at times 194 million drivers are on the roads in addition to 55 million pedestrians and bicyclists using the HTS add to this no two users will be the same and the amount of variables is staggering each driver pedestrian and bicyclist will all have different perspectives needs and emotions as they operate on the roadways and use this system with all of this traffic it is inevitable for drivers and pedestrians to make mistakes and drive recklessly that is why it is important to be able to anticipate and learn to cope with unsafe practices of others as you utilize the highway transportation system you will notice a wide variety of vehicles upon the roadways each of these vehicles has different handling braking speed control and performance capabilities another factor in how the vehicle performs is the condition of the vehicle the equipment it has the age of the vehicle and whether or not regular maintenance has been performed on the vehicle all affect its handling ways and use this system with all of this traffic it is inevitable for drivers and pedestrians to make mistakes and drive recklessly that is why it is important to be able to anticipate and learn to cope with unsafe practices of others the drivers of each of these vehicles want safe rapid and efficient use of the system the size and speed of these vehicles sharing the same system can create real problems all of these factors can affect the way you drive understanding the difference in the types of vehicles and how each performs is important to you as a driver while you may never drive a large commercial truck or a motorcycle understanding other vehicles capabilities is as important to you as knowing the traffic laws people who drive at unsafe speeds are a major Hazard particularly on freeways and expressways this does not necessarily mean that these people are driving too fast they may be driving under the posted speed limit yet still too fast for existing weather traffic conditions or even their own physical health number and types of Highways there are many different types of Highways throughout the highway transportation system the design of the highway is based on the anticipated volume and composition of the traffic utilizing the highway this includes the lane width shoulder width and type and width of the median areais a is a is regulated on State Highway a highway that is regulated by the state example la1 US Highway a nationally regulated Highway that is a predecessor to the interstate highway program that was adopted in 1926 highways like US1 and us6 are examples interstate highways these highways were created by Dwight D Eisenhower in the 50s these are expressways that crisscross the country that carry large volumes of traffic even numbered highways go east and west OD numbered highways go north and south expressways a national term that high volume roads are called they are divided highways with at least four lanes most in the country are commissioned as interstates freeways same as expressways this term is used out west especially in California tollways a highway that collects tolls usually from toll booths a couple miles apart on a highway turnpikes another type of a Tollway the main difference is that these roads collect tolls using a ticket system you get a ticket when you get on the highway and you pay the ticket when you get off the Pennsylvania term Turnpike is the first modern Turnpike in the country other examples are the Massachusetts Turnpike and the now defunct Connecticut turnpike Parkway a divided highway that has lots of trees and plants around usually very beautiful and scenic highways divided highways highways with Lanes going in the opposite directions divided by a median or some sort of barrier between them other names for divided highways skyways beines and toll roads limited access Highway a highway where access is limited to signed exits partial access highways a highway that allows access at other streets probably at a stop light though driveways and other forms of access are not allowed full access highways any road that is divided has driveways and any other type of access allowed early American roads were built along Trails most were designed with little or no thought for the future now Engineers are carefully designing and thinking of routes that best fit everyone the need for better and safer roads is a challenge for Highway Engineers the engineers must design roads using scientific principles and standards they have a large responsibility to ensure the safety of vehicles on the highways newer highways are designed with wider shoulders gentle curves and grades in an effort to reduce the number of crashes reduction of roadside obstacles is necessary to reduce the severity of the injury if a vehicle leaves the highway impact of road conditions on driving road conditions play a major role in the safe operation of vehicles good pavement conditions are important for traction and stopping quickly when roadways are well-maintained drivers have a better chance of staying on the roadway swerving to avoid potholes staying out of ruts and watching for shoulder drop offs are all hazards drivers face on poorly maintained contained roadways weather can also impact the road conditions rain even a drizzle can cause a vehicle's tires to lose traction too much water on the road can cause a vehicle's tires to start skimming on the surface of the water instead of gripping the road this condition is called hydroplaning to help eliminate this Hazard Engineers design roadways to carry the water away quickly and construct the face of the pavement with grooves and rough texture to help tires maintain better traction and avoid skids another recent Innovation is electronic signs that post warnings about hazardous conditions such as fog high winds or ice storms in areas of the country where snow is common Engineers are designing roads that have areas beside them for snow storage the snow plow comes through and pushes the snow to the curb or edge of the road the Federal Highway Administration fhwa is a federal agency that has the chief responsibility of improving roadway safety the fhwa makes efforts to educate the public about roadway safety and find ways to reduce the number of fatalities on the highway to drive safely on the HTS you must follow many rules and laws As You observe these rules you must know what traffic lights and signs mean traffic lights signs and RightWay devices and rules tell you what to do or when to stop at an intersection these devices can be defined by color shape and information contained in them you should always pay attention to traffic regulation devices used in the HTS as they are an important aspect of driving safety features have been added to the highways in an effort to reduce collisions retro reflective signs and pavement markings help nighttime drivers for giving roadside Hardware such as Breakaway poles and guard rails skid resistant pavement and all weather pavement markings also help minimize the severity of collisions rumble strips alert the driver that he is Beering off the road or heading into a different Lane intersections are a hazard to drivers about 40% of all crashes occur at intersections efforts to improve intersections include exclusive turn Lanes roundabouts and synchronized traffic signals remember that as a driver you are part of the HTS as part of the system you have driving responsibilities to protect yourself and your passengers you also have a responsibility towards other drivers pedestrians and personal property safely sharing the roadway is essential for avoiding crashes the most important factor in the regulation of the highway transportation system is the driver who abays traffic laws and follows the golden rule of driving to treat others the way you would want to be treated chapter 3 signs traffic lights and pavement markings traffic control control devices include traffic signals signs and pavement markings these devices are necessary to regulate and control traffic you must be able to recognize them immediately and in the case of regulatory signs obey them traffic control also can be provided by law enforcement Highway Personnel or school crossing guards you must obey directions from these persons traffic signs a signed Shape can tell you something about what it means before you are close enough to read it you must know the following shapes and what they mean if you are familiar with the shape and color of the signs and their use you will know that you should adjust your speed and driving manner before you can read the wording as you approach the signs the octagon shape sign is used exclusively for stop signs slow down and come to a complete stop the rectangle shape is used for regulatory signs which include speed limit school zones parking and loading zones the diamond shaped sign is used for warning and approaching hazard signs a diamond shaped sign that is orange in color is used in construction zones slow down and proceed with caution yellow diamond shaped signs advise you of approaching conditions such as curves approaching side roads and traffic flow the triangle-shaped sign with the point down is used exclusively for yield signs slow down and watch for oncoming traffic be prepared to stop if the traffic flow requires it the triangle shaped sign with the point sideways is used to indicate no passing zones these two sign shapes are used exclusively for railroad Advan warning signs the rectangle shaped sign with the longer Dimension going horizontal is used for guide signs some warning signs and temporary traffic control signs other shaped signs are typically used for root marker signs understanding what the colors represent is important red used for stop and yield signs do not enter and wrong way signs means stop or do not anytime you see this color orange used as background color for temporary traffic control signs means construction zone ahead yellow used as background color for warning signs and school signs means caution be alert prepare to slow down black used as background color for oneway Night speed limit and truck regulatory signs and as the color of the wording on signs with white yellow orange fluorescent pink and fluorescent yellow green backgrounds white used as background color for most regulatory signs and some root markers and as Legend color on signs with red green blue brown and black backgrounds blue used as background color for traveler Services information sign signs emergency evacuation route signs and as part of Interstate and some State Route markers green used as background color for guide and information signs and for legend on permissive regulation and parking signs fluorescent yellow green used as background color for pedestrian bicycle and school warning signs Brown used as background color for guide and information signs related to points of recreational or cultural interest fluorescent pink used as background color for Incident Management signs such as hurricane or a road closure due to a crash traffic signs tell you about traffic rules hazards roadway location roadway directions and the location of roadway Services the shape color symbols and words of these signs give Clues to the type of information they provide warning signs these signs tell a driver of possible danger that might be ahead such as warning you to slow down and be prepared to stop if necessary or a hazard or special situation on the roadway that is ahead these signs are usually yellow with black lettering or symbols and are diamond shaped some warning signs may be fluorescent yellow such as school zones school crossing and pedestrian Crossing some common warning signs are shown below Crossroad ahead Side Road Ahead T intersection ahead y intersection ahead curvy road ahead right curve sharp right turn series of turns Winding Road divided highway begins divided highway ends lane ends merging traffic Road entering curve angled Side Road added Lane School crossing school pedestrians Crossing ahead pedestrian Crossing Slippery When Wet narrow bridge or underpass sharp curve ahead share the road with bicycles bicycle Crossing deer crossing emergency vehicle Crossing uneven grade crossing traffic signal ahead yield sign ahead stop sign ahead no passing zone advisory speed around curve advisory speed for ramp advisory speed for exit low clearance regulatory signs these signs tell you about specific laws that you must obey such as rules for traffic direction Lane use turning speed parking and other special situations these signs are square rectangular or have a special shape and are white with black red or green letters or symbols some regulatory signs have a red circle with a red slash over a symbol these signs prohibit certain actions no left turn no right turn no u-turn common types of regulat signs are speed limit signs these black and white signs indicate the maximum legal speed allowed or the minimum legal speed required the maximum limit should be driven only in ideal driving conditions and you must reduce your speed when weather or traffic conditions require it for example you should reduce your speed when the roadway is slippery during rain snow icy conditions foggy conditions and anytime it is difficult to see the roadway clearly some high highspeed roads have minimum speed limits and you are legally required to travel at least this fast so as not to be a hazard to other drivers school speed limit when flashing sign this sign is posted before a school to indicate a reduced speed limit in a school zone the speed limit is required only when flashing otherwise obey the roadway speed limit Lane use control signs these black and white signs tell you where you can go where you can turn and often use an arrow symbol these signs can be located on the side of the road or hanging over the lane of travel sometimes arrows may be painted on the road as a supplement to the signs straight left turn only right turn only straight or turn right stop sign a stop sign has eight sides and is red with white letters you must stop behind the stop line or or crosswalk if one is present look for crossing vehicles and pedestrians in all directions and yield the right upway when it is safe to do so you may enter the intersection a four-way sign may be added to the stop sign at intersections where all approaching traffic has a stop sign you may also see three-way five-way or Allway signs the intersection a four-way sign may be added to the stop sign at intersections where all approaching traffic has a stop sign yield sign a yield sign is a red and white downward pointing triangle with red letters it means you must slow down and allow traffic that has the right of way to cross before entering shared center lane left turn only this sign tells you where a lane is reserved for the use of left turning vehicles from either direction and is not to be used for through traffic or passing other vehicles no turn on red when you you see the sign posted it means that you may not turn right or left during the red light you must wait for the traffic signal to turn green before turning stop here on red this sign tells you where you must stop if the traffic light is red if there is not an an turn on red sign at the traffic light after stopping at the stop line and checking for traffic and pedestrians you may turn right on red do not block intersection this sign tells you not to stop stand or park at any time in the intersection you must not enter an intersection if traffic conditions do not permit you to clear the intersection completely you must not block traffic entering into the intersection from any other direction left turn yield on green this sign tells you that a left turn is permitted but you must yield to oncoming traffic oneway Street these signs tell you that traffic flows only in the direction of the arrow do not turn in the opposite direction of the arrow never drop Drive the wrong way on a one-way Street do not pass this sign tells you where you cannot pass another vehicle passing areas are based on how far you can see ahead they consider unseen hazards such as Hills and curves intersections driveways and other places a vehicle or pedestrian may enter the roadway pass with care this sign tells you that you are at the end of a no passing zone you may pass only when it is safe to do so keep right these signs indicate when traffic must stay to the right of a roadway feature or obstruction such as an upcoming median island or Lane divider slower traffic keep right this sign is posted on a multi-lane highway for those driving slower than the normal speed of traffic it tells the slow driver to stay in the right lane do not enter a square sign with a white horizontal line inside a red circle means you cannot enter this sign is visible at roadway openings that you may not enter such as exit ramps where you would be going in the wrong direction in crossovers on divided roadways and at numerous locations on oneway streets wrong way this sign tells you that your vehicle is moving in the wrong direction you will see this sign on expressway ramps a short distance past the do not enter sign you also will see this sign if you turn the wrong way onto a one-way Street alley or driveway Highway evacuation route this highway is an emergency evacuation route guide signs these signs are square and rectangular and are green brown or blue they give information on intersecting roads help direct you to cities and towns and show points of interest along the highway guide signs can also help you find hospitals service stations restaurants and hotels common types of guide signs are destination signs these green or brown signs are square or rectangular shaped with white lettering or symbols they show direction and distance to various locations such as cities airports and state and Parish slcounty lines if the word exit is written on the left side of an exit sign the exit lane or ramp is to the left and if the word exit is written on the right side of an exit sign the exit lane or ramp is to the right signs may also designate special areas such as national parks historical areas or museums service signs these blue signs are square or rectangular shaped with white lettering or symbols they show the location of various services such as rest areas gas stations hotels or hospitals hospital food lodging telephone fuel route number signs the shape and color of route number signs indicate the type of roadway Interstate US state city county or local Road when planning a trip use a road map or GPS to determine the route during the trip follow the route signs to prevent you from getting lost in an unfamiliar area interstate route US Route State Route incident signs these signs are temporary and let you know when you should be prepared to stop or when roadways are closed or detoured due to a road user incident natural disaster hazardous material spill or other unplanned incident these signs are fluorescent pink with black lettering be prepared to stop lane ends center lane closed ahead exit closed detour detour and Detour signs and construction areas orange warning signs tell you that workers machinery and barricades are just ahead you may need to slow down stop or change lanes construction and maintenance devices various traffic control devices are used in construction and maintenance work areas to direct drivers or pedestrians safely through the work Zone and to provide for the safety of the highway work ERS the most commonly used traffic control devices are signs barricades drums and Cones tubes flashing Arrow panels and flag persons orange is the basic color for these devices construction and maintenance signs construction and maintenance signs are used to notify drivers of unusual or potentially dangerous conditions in or near work areas most signs in work areas are diamond shaped a few signs are rectangular Flagger ahead workers ahead Low Shoulder indicates a flag person is ahead to control traffic slow down and be prepared to stop indicates workers are performing maintenance on the roadway reduce speed and adjust Lane position away from workers indicates sharp drop from the pavement Edge to the shoulder if you must leave the pav slow down and steer firmly Highway work zones design Engineers must ensure work zones are safe for both workers and motorists every road construction job includes plans for the protection of Traffic Engineers must decide how best to keep the traffic flowing while protecting the safety of the workers different traffic channeling devices such as barrels barricades and Cones are used to guide the traffic reduced speed limits are set to protect the drivers and workers in Louisiana traffic fines are double for construction zones sometimes drivers can become confused in a construction area even when it is well-designed slower speeds allow drivers more time to make good decisions do not become oblivious to work zone signs when the work is longterm or widespread and be aware that traffic patterns in work zones can change daily including Lane shifts or alternating lane closures channelizing devices barricades vertical panels drums cones and tubes are the most commonly used devices to alert drivers of unusual or potentially dangerous conditions in Highway and Street work areas and to guide drivers safely through the work Zone at night they are often equipped equipped with flashing or steady Burning Lights the diagonal stripes on the barricade or vertical panel guide the driver toward the direction in which traffic should pass Stripes sloping downward to the right mean the driver should bear to the right conversely Stripes sloping downward to the left mean bear to the left flashing Arrow panels large flashing or sequential Arrow panels may be used in work zones both day and night to guide drivers into certain traffic Lanes and to inform them that part of the Road or Street ahead is closed flag persons flag persons are often provided in Highway and Street work zones to stop slow down or guide traffic safely through the area flag persons wear orange vests shirts or jackets and use red flags or stop/ slow paddles to direct the traffic through work Zone traffic signals traffic signals are lights that tell you when or where you should stop and go traffic lights are usually at intersections and are red yellow and green from top to bottom when on the same signal there are some intersections and other locations where there are single green yellow or red lights in some metropolitan areas traffic lights are horizontal instead of vertical where the red light is on the left the yellow light is in the middle and the green light is on the right steady green Traffic Light this means you can go through the intersection if it is clear to do so you must yield to emergency vehicles and other roadway users as required by law if you are stopped at the intersection and the light turns green you must allow Crossing traffic to clear the intersection before you go ahead turning left at a steady green traffic light means you may turn but only when the intersection is clear to do so you should always yield to the oncoming traffic flow and pedestrian Green Arrow this means you can safely turn in the direction of the arrow if the intersection is clear of other roadway users when the arrow is green oncoming or crossing traffic should yield to your turning action but be careful of others making a right turn on red from the other side of the intersection be alert for signs that prohibit turns at intersections when turning at intersections always watch for pedestrians Crossing in front or from the side of your vehicle steady yellow traffic light this means the traffic light is about to change to red you should slow down and come to a complete stop if traffic flow to the rear allows if you are already in the intersection when the yellow light comes on you may continue safely through the intersection flashing yellow traffic light this means slow down look for any traffic entering the intersection and proceed with caution if traffic is in the intersection stop and let the traffic pass before proceeding yellow arrow this means that the Green Arrow is ending you should prepare to stop and yield the right of way to oncoming traffic or pedestrians steady red traffic light this means stop behind the stop line crosswalk or intersection until the traffic light turns green when turning right at an intersection if there is no sign prohibiting a right turn on a red light you may turn after stopping and yielding to traffic and pedestrians some left turns may be permitted on red when moving from a one-way Street onto another oneway Street you must yield to all traffic and pedestrians Crossing in front or to the side of your vehicle when turning left on red where permitted flashing red traffic light this means you must stop behind a stop line crosswalk or intersection before entering and use the same procedure as you would at a stop sign by coming to a complete stop looking both ways before entering the intersection and yielding right up Way Red Arrow this means you must stop and you may not go in the direction of the arrow until the Green Arrow or light Returns on the signal Lane markings center lines yellow center lines are used to separate traffic in opposite directions a single broken yellow line is used to Mark the center line where there are only two lanes of traffic you must drive to the right of the center line when it is safe you may cross this line to turn or pass another vehicle double solid yellow lines are used to Mark the center of the roadway when there are four or more Lanes of traffic you may not cross these lines to pass you may cross these lines to make a turn a no passing line is a single solid yellow line used on two lane roads to indicate zones where passing is prohibited U may cross this line to make a turn Whit line separate Lanes of traffic moving in the same direction you are required to drive between these Lane lines Louisiana law states that all vehicles should travel in the right hand lane unless preparing for a left turn passing another vehicle or when right hand lanes are congested no vehicle driven in the leftand lane shall be driven at speeds slower than Vehicles traveling to its right any vehicle traveling at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic shall travel in the right lane only single solid white lines indicate movement from Lane to Lane is hazardous The Wider the line the greater the hazard you may cross a solid white line only with great care single dashed White Lane lines may be crossed only when you can do so safely white Edge lines are used along the right edge of the roadway yellow Edge lines may be along the left edge of the roadway on divided streets and highways double solid white lines separate two lanes of traffic going in the same direction crossing a double solid line is prohibited most commonly seen on interstates red pavement marking or reflectors indicate a roadway that must not be entered railroad crossing markings are White markings painted in the traffic lane before railroad crossings the pavement is marked with a large x and two RS a solid yellow Center Line extends the entire distance to prevent passing and a white stop line is painted across the traffic lane two-way left turn channelization markings are a combination of solid yellow and dashed yellow lines in the center of a roadway the designated center lane may be used used by Vehicles traveling in either direction for left turn Maneuvers only the lane must never be used for passing stop lines are solid white lines painted across the traffic Lanes at intersections and pedestrian crosswalks indicating the exact place at which to stop crosswalk lines are normally two solid white lines painted across the traffic Lanes however diagonal or longitudinal lines are sometimes added for increased visibility when pedestrians are in these crosswalks they have the right of way over Motor Vehicles you must stop for pedestrians in crosswalks crosswalks are sometimes located in the middle of the Block in this case a pedestrian crossing sign may also be used directional markings are white arrows or words painted in the traffic lane to indicate the direction in which you must go you must move only in the direction indicated by the arrow where arrows indicate more than one direction you may choose any direction if you discover that you are in a lane that requires you to turn and you wish to go straight ahead keep in mind other drivers will not expect you to suddenly change lanes drivers behind you will not expect a sudden stop if you stop and wait for a chance to change lanes you are blocking traffic you must go ahead and make the turn drive around the block and return to the street you want then continue your trip safely without creating a hazardous situation roundabouts roundabouts are circular intersections roundabouts reduce traffic congestion and conflicts that are often the cause of crashes at traditional intersections in a roundabout traffic yields to the circulation traffic chapter 4 B basic driving and safety there are an increasing number of new drivers and vehicles on the road add to that statistic the baby boomer population is aging causing larger number of older drivers to be on the road the combination of these two factors creates a continuing need for defensive driving training across all age groups vehicle accidents cause damage injuries and deaths because of the force imposed on people and property beyond their breaking points more than 2.3 million adult drivers and passengers were treated in emergency departments as a result of being injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2009 by managing the force the sudden transfer of energy in a crash and by controlling the time and areas it affects damage and injuries can be reduced vehicle occupants can withstand a great deal of force when they are properly restrained the national highway traffic safety administration Nitsa establishes and enforces safety performance standards for vehicle manufacturers Nitsa conducts tests on new vehicle lines using Crash Test Dummies the dummies are used to evaluate the damage that can occur to the human body during impact the use of these dummies has resulted in safer Vehicles being manufactured today anatomy of a crash hopefully you'll never be involved in a crash because here's what happens your car hits some something it might be another car or truck a tree or a telephone pole even at 30 mph your car is badly damaged it will absorb some of the force of the crash but not all you hit the car after your car stops the force of the crash has to go somewhere next it hits you and anybody else in the car if you are not wearing a safety belt your body will be thrown forward until you're stopped by something like the windshield the dashboard or the steering wheel you get the idea the human body will absorb more of the force of the crash but it is still not over your internal organs crash too once your body has come to a stop against some part of the car the force of the crash goes on inside you you brain slams against your skull your lungs hit your rib cage your kidneys and other organs may also smash into your bones it is this part of the crash that causes many internal injuries crashes can be life-altering or life-ending experiences that's why your best protection is to properly buckle up every time and to always drive safely every day individuals break laws while driving the most common traffic violation is speeding other traffic laws commonly broken are careless driving failure to yield and following too closely there are some laws associated with driving however that simply can't be broken and those are the laws of physics Newton's first law of motion states that a body at rest remains at rest unless acted upon by an external force and a body in motion continues to move at a constant speed in a straight line unless it is acted upon by an external Force Newton's second law of motion states that if you wish to stop or start a body in motion you must apply Force to it too momentum is equal to mass time velocity a moving object has a large momentum if it has a large mass a large velocity or both a marble can be stopped more easily than a bowling ball both balls have momentum the bowling ball has more momentum because of its mass changing the velocity of the bowling ball requires much more force that changing the velocity of the marble Newton's Third law of motion tells us that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction so the forces between two crushing cars are equal in opposite directions each car experiences the same force during the Collision but the change in velocity will be much greater on the lighter of two vehicles this will result in Greater damage to the lighter car and possibly greater injury to its occupants use of safety belts buckle up it's Louisiana law Louisiana has a mandatory safety belt use law which requires all passengers in cars Vans and pickup trucks to be properly buckled the three-point safety belt saves more lives than any other Automotive Safety device use of safety belts is the most effective method of preventing serious injuries and reducing fatalities and crashes people who wear safety belts reduce their risk of serious injur injy by 50% and also reduce the risk of fatalities by 50% the chance of an occupant being killed is five times greater if he is thrown from the vehicle according the national highway traffic safety administration if all occupants and vehicles ages five and older would have worn safety belts in 2009 16,41 lives could have been saved while safety belt use has been increasing and polls indicate that the national average of those using safety belt belts is 88% there are still those less likely to wear safety belts teens commercial drivers males in rural areas pickup truck drivers individuals driving at night and people who have been drinking a safety belt can protect you only if it is worn and worn correctly your safety belt should fit snugly across your hips your hip bones are strong and can absorb more of the impact than your abdominal region the shoulder strap should slide over the shoulder and securely across the chest keep in mind these reasons for wearing safety belts they keep you from being thrown from your car your chances of surviving a crash are three to four times greater if you remain in the car when the Collision occurs there is much less chance of being knocked unconscious or seriously injured if there is danger from fire or water you can get out quickly safety belts keep you in a position so you can control the car the first impact in a crash frequently throws the driver from behind the wheel and the vehicle is out of control crash impact if you are pregnant you and your unborn child are much safer if you wear a lap and shoulder belt by protecting yourself from injury you protect your unborn child properly buckled safety belts prevent you and your passengers from being thrown about inside the car this reduces the chance of serious injury and death by 60% to 80% % a seat belt is your best defense against a drunk driver safety belts save lives it's as simple as that wearing your seat belt is the smartest move you can make to prevent injury or death just look at the facts 80% of deaths occur in cars traveling less than 40 m an hour 75% of crashes occur within 25 mies of home your chances of being killed are 20 5 times greater if you're thrown from the car non-bed fatalities have been recorded at speeds as low as 12 mph once every 10 years each of us can expect to be in a car crash there's less than one half of 1% chance of being trapped in a burning or submerged car the force of impact at 10 mph is equal to the force of a 200 lb bag of cement dropped from a first story window if everyone that was in a crash was wearing their seat belt at the time of the crash 60% more lives could have been saved while the percentage of adult safety belt use has increased and statistics indicate using safety belts reduces serious injuries and deaths in crashes by about 50% one in seven adults still choose not to buckle up there is no good reason not to use your safety belt from infants to adults everyone in your vehicle needs to be secured lap belts should be buckled snugly across your hips and lower part of your abdomen the shoulder belt should not be quite so tight young children Louisiana child passenger restraint law requires that all children must be properly restrained and secured in an age or size appropriate passenger restraint system which meets the applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards in effect the law requiring safety seat belts for children is determined by weight and age as follows a child 6 years or younger or under 60 lbs may not be transported in the front seat of a vehicle with an active airbag birth or less than 20 lb at any age rear facing federally approved car seat 1 to 4 years at least 20 lb but less than 40 lb forward- facing federally approved car seat 4 to 6 years at least 40 lb but less than 60 lb booster seat with restraints 6 years more than 60 lbs booster seat with restraints or seat belts booster seats are an appropriate option for a child of any age a child that falls into more than one category for age or weight must choose the more protective category motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of death among children in the United States many of these deaths can be prevented by placing children in appropriate age and size car seats never hold a child on your lap or Buckle yourself and a child into a a single safety belt you are not strong enough to hold on to even a small child in crashes or sudden stops never allow a child to ride standing on a seat as a parent or a caregiver use a seat belt on every trip no matter how short this sets a good example have all children under the age of 13 sit in the back seat the middle of the back seat and a passenger car is safer than the front seat for more information on safety approved child restraint devices contact your local Safety Council Hospital doctor's office State Police Troop or Louisiana Highway Safety coun l www. dps.sd.gov with air or another gas during a headon or nearly head-on collision side and front airbags have been proven to Be an Effective safety device airbags do not replace safety belts they supplement the safety provided by reducing the chance of the vehicle occupant sustaining a head or upper body injury from encounters with the vehicle's interior equipment the recommendation for the 10 and two hand positions went out when airbags came in the reason is that the airbag when it deploys comes out at speeds of 150 to 200 mph if your hands are on the upper part of the wheel the traditional 10 and two position your hands can be thrown into your head causing a serious head injury or your wrist or forearm can be broken thumbs have been severed because of the speed at which the seams of the airbag cuts across the hand the recommended positions are 9 and three or 8 and four most Vehicles without rear seats or with small rear seat seats such as pickup trucks or sports cars have a passenger airbag onoff switch as standard equipment the purpose of the switch and the off position is to disable the front passenger airbag to transport a child age 12 or under in the right front passenger seat vehicles now equipped with airbags require drivers to do the following sit at least 10 in away from the steering wheel equipped with an airbag otherwise the bag can explode into you causing serious harm use the 9 and three position or eight and four hand position if you have a tilt function on the steering wheel make sure the wheel is tilted away from the head preferably toward the chest older frail persons and children 12 and under should sit in the back seat front seat airbags have killed children and older people airbags do not deploy when you are rear ended by another car remember airbags are a supplementary restraint system your safety belt is your primary restraint and for you to get the best protection with your airbags you need to use your safety belt properly other vehicle safety features headrests protect vehicle occupants from Whiplash adjusting your headrest is an important step before driving steering wheels are being designed to absorb the impact of the driver being thrown against it rather than remaining rigid newer model vehicles are designed with nonpr knobs for interior equipment padding on the dash and front ends that crumple during an accident further protecting the vehicle occupants improvements in vehicle safety are added yearly to new vehicle models side impact airbags and rollover curtains are now available on many vehicle models some models now offer cross path detection to let you know when someone is crossing your path when you are backing out lane departure detection accident avoidance applying the brakes when you don't stop in time before hitting an object in front of you the terms active safety and passive safety are simple but important terms in the world of Automotive Safety active safety refers to technology assisting in the prevention of a crash and passive safety refers to components of the vehicle primarily airbags seat belts and the physical structure of the vehicle that helped to protect occupants during a crash crash avoidance crash avoidance systems and devices help the driver to avoid a collision this category includes the vehicle's headlamps reflectors and other lights and signals the vehicle's mirrors the vehicle's brakes steering and suspension systems driver assistance a subset of Crash avoidance is driver assistance systems which help the driver driver to detect ordinarily hidden obstacles and to control the vehicle driver assistance systems include automatic braking systems to prevent or reduce the severity of collision infrared night vision systems to increase seeing distance Beyond headlamp range adaptive headlamps control the direction and range of the headlight beams to light the driver's way through curves and maximize seeing distance without glaring other drivers reverse backup sensors which alert drivers to difficult to see objects in their path when reversing backup camera adaptive cruise control which maintains a safe distance from the vehicle in front Lane departure Warning Systems to alert the driver of an unintended departure from the intended lane of travel tire pressure monitoring systems traction control systems which restore traction if driven Wheels begin to spin Electronics ility control which intervenes to avert an impending loss of control antiock braking systems electronic brake Force Distribution Systems emergency brake assist systems cornering brake control systems pre- crash system automated parking system crashworthy systems and devices prevent or reduce the severity of injuries when a crash is imminent or actually happening crashworthiness is measured by a structure's ability to protect its occupants or users during an impact much of this research is carried out using Crash Test Dummies seat belts limit the forward motion of an occupant stretched to slow down the occupant's deceleration in a crash and prevent occupants being ejected from the vehicle airbags inflate to cushion the impact of a vehicle occupant with various parts of the vehicle's interior laminated windshields remain in one piece when impacted preventing passage of unbelted occupants heads and maintaining a minimal but adequate transparency for control of the car immediately following a collision tempered glass side and rear windows break into granules with minimally sharp edges rather than splintering into Jagged fragments as ordinary glass does crumple zones absorb and dissipate the force of a collision displacing and diverting it away from the passenger compartment and reducing the impact force on the vehicle occupants Vehicles will include a front rear and sometimes side crumple zones too side impact protection beams collapsible universally jointed steering columns with the steering system mounted behind the front axle not in the front crumple Zone reduce the risk and severity of driver impalement on the column in a frontal crash padding of the instrument panel and other interior parts of the vehicle likely to be struck by the occupants during a crash cargo barriers are sometimes fitted to provide a physical barrier between passenger and cargo compartments in vehicles such as SUVs station wagons and vans these help prevent injuries caused by occupants being struck by unsecured cargo they can also help prevent collapse of the roof in the event of a vehicle rollover other factors vehicles are equipped with a variety of lights and reflectors to mark their presence position width length and direction of travel as well as to convey the driver's intent and actions to other drivers these include the vehicle's headlamps front and rear position lamps side marker lights and reflectors turn signals brake lamps and reversing lamps school buses and semi-trailer trucks in North America are required to Bear retro reflective strips outlining their side and rear perimeters for greater visibility at night some studies indicate that color may be a factor in determining safety lighter color cars seem to be involved in fewer accidents than darker colors vehicle condition any defect which may affect the safe operation of the vehicle should be corrected as soon as possible if the engine coolant engine oil battery water tire pressure and condition and vehicle lamps have not been checked in the previous week you should check them or have them checked at an automotive repair center you may check your vehicle on a pre-trip inspection and find that it needs some minor repair if you change the oil or battery check with your local regulations regarding disposals of these items it is not environmentally safe to just discard these items there are many facilities located throughout the state that will take used batteries or motor whale there are also several agencies that will take your old car for donation and you may receive a tax credit do not simply abandon your vehicle if it stops running your old car could still benefit someone else preparing to drive you should always conduct a pre-trip inspection of your vehicle before driving this will ensure that not only is your vehicle wellmaintained but also that it is safer to drive suggested weekly checks during fill up at gas station or make it a weekend project check tire pressure to ensure it is within the pressure range listed on the tire ensure tires have adequate tread at least 1/6th of an inch depth between all Treads ensure tire wear is even on all tires and check for dry rot cracking bumps bulges and separation of the tread from the tire make sure oil level is within the vehicle's operating range listed on the dipstick check battery for corrosion on terminals or leakage check engine compartment for fluid leaks make sure the radiator level is within operating level on the overflow tank make sure there are no cracks and lenses for headlights tail lights and turn signals and make sure they are operating properly make sure the horn operates properly make sure fuel cap is present and fits properly inspect seat belts for unusual wear or malfunctioning Parts suggested monthly checks start or end of the month Project Check mirrors and windows for cracks and check windshield for cracks in the wi for operating area check condition of license plate for readability and reflective properties and damage or scratches which would affect the appearance of the plate ensure brake lights and emergency flashers are working ensure wiper blades are not streaking and are cleaning the windshield properly check the spare tire jack and Emergency Equipment for serviceability ensure power steering brake transmission engine oil and battery if applicable fluid levels are within operating ranges check the vehicle owners manual for their location and proper levels note as with all projects think Safety First make sure your vehicle's engine has cooled down before checking under the hood and ensure the parking brake is applied while making all suggested checks you've checked your vehicle to be certain it is roadworthy and safe you are now ready to get into the vehicle and start the engine entering and starting your vehicle before entering your vehicle check your tires make sure they are not low or flat and that tread is not worn away make certain there are no leaks under the car make certain the mirrors directional signals head tail and brake lights are clean and not broken check around for any obstacle that might interfere with safe driving look in the front under and behind scanning for any objects in your travel path walk around your vehicle you may need to move a child's tricycle or some other object notice if there are children standing or playing near your vehicle never drive impaired getting ready to drive you are now in the car before starting your engine make sure all windows are clean remove anything blocking your view adjust the seat so you can reach the pedals and control safely adjust the seat and head restraint for Comfort adjust the inside and outside rear view mirrors make sure all doors are fully closed and locked make sure your car is in park or neutral gear make sure you and passengers are correctly belted check gauges to assure they work and accurately reflect engine conditions make sure the windshield wipers work and that there is sufficient cleaning fluid in the reservoir make sure you are mentally and physically ready to drive once you are in the car you may want to reposition the driver's seat proper seating position maximizes your visibility and your ability to react quickly to emergency situations in addition to avoiding distractions and driving defensively being seated comfortably is a key to driving well and driving safely follow these three easy steps to adjust your driver's seat but remember always adjust it before you drive check your headrest the headrest should be positioned so that it will fully support your head when you lean back pay attention to your arms and elbows in your normal driving position you elbows should always be slightly bent when you're holding the steering wheel this will prevent your arms from becoming overe extended during turns so that they don't Tire as quickly slightly bent elbows also give your airbag enough room to expand in the event of a crash remember to sit at least 10 in away from steering wheels equipped with airbags bend your knees and plant your heels as you press on the gas or brake pedal your knees should always be slightly bent to prevent an injury in case of an accident your right heel should also be firmly planted on the floor so that you can shift your foot between the gas and brake pedal without lifting your whole foot starting and stopping as you put your key into the ignition switch turn the key smoothly and slowly some cars today are equipped with push button or remote start once you hear the engine engage release the key move your right foot over the accelerator pedal and gently but firmly press on the accelerator pedal causing gas to be supplied to the engine do not stomp on the gas pedal or race the engine but aim for a smooth acceleration of the vehicle use the ball of your foot and Toes not the whole foot when accelerating as you are driving you want to maintain a safe steady speed periodically check your speedometer while driving as you are slowing down or decelerating do so smoothly do not break suddenly so that you jar yourself or your passengers ease up on the accelerator and slowly apply pressure to the brake pedal always stop far enough away from the vehicle in front of you so that you can see the bottom of the tires never move your car until you have looked around for pedestrians and oncoming traffic then signal and move into traffic when safe when you back up turn your head and look back don't just look into the rear view mirror check to make sure your mirror is in the correct position the proper angle can change from morning to evening especially if you are tired note never turn your vehicle's ignition to the lock position while it is still in motion this will cause the the steering to lock if you try to turn the steering wheel and you will lose control of your vehicle skills and driving while advancements in vehicle safety technology are being made it is still the driver's skills that control the vehicle there are three basic skills of the driving task physical skill the person's coordination with the vehicle social skill the social interaction with others on the highways unfortunately we are not always very social people drivers are often inconsiderate road rage is on the rise and much of that has to do with our unsociable Behavior while driving mental skill driving is a mental skill that involves decision- making every second we are behind the wheel most everyone can physically drive a vehicle however being a defensive driver involves mental awareness of not only our actions but the actions of all other drivers on the road driving habits driving habits are formed because the same physical actions are required over and over again your tendency to reduce these repetitive actions results in the formation of bad driving habits the following topics may not be in the highway regulatory law but they can help improve your driving skills remember being a safe and defensive driver is not just a good habit it is a skill this skill could save your life or the life of someone you know driving habits of poor efficiency can be divided into three categories strategic decisions which include Engine Tuning tire pressure and motor oil use tactical decisions which include route selection traffic congestion and load weight and operational decisions which include idling speed aggressive driving and cruise control and air conditioner use of these factors route selection speed and engine tuning are indicators they have the highest potential to sap fuel economy items such as tire inflation to Road selection can add up to transform even the most fuele efficient automobiles into gas guzzlers for instance the owner of an EPA rated 30 MP gallon vehicle with poor eco- driving practices could see his average fuel economy drop as low as 17 m per G G the government mandated corporate average fuel economy for cars was 27.5 m per gallon in 2011 but those numbers are determined by EPA testing and not by the actual Driving Experience of automobile owners the greatest factor in determining automobile Transportation efficiency is vehicle occupancy since 1960 vehicle occupancy in the United States has fallen 30% causing the average energy intensity of driving to rise by about 30% in turn hence there are more cars on the road with only one occupant the driver while which car you drive can make all the difference in the world it certainly isn't the only factor in determining fuel economy the simplest most cost-effective ways to increase fuel economy is not in the hands of Manufacturers but drivers themselves in theory a combination of good car maintenance smart driving and whenever possible car pool in can be just as powerful a fuel saver as buying a green car tips for more efficient driving and improving fuel economy sensible driving keep your engine properly tuned keep your tires properly inflated use the recommended grade of motor oil keep a log of miles driven and fill ups observe the speed limit remove excess weight if possible d Drive during Peak traffic use cruise control on highway driving avoid stop and go driving avoid excessive idling combine errands Park in the shade being practical when it comes to driving makes sense it saves time and money being more economical while driving reduces gas emissions and air pollution it also reduces the need to spend more money at the gas pumps tires as a driver you cannot neglect the fact that you need to learn about car tires keeping your tires properly inflated can improve your gas mileage by as much as 3.3% properly inflated tires are also safer and last longer the correct tire pressure for your vehicle is usually found on a sticker located on the driver's side door jam you can also check your owner's manual the first type of tire is the allseason or standard tire this type of tire is suitable for all types of usage and it works regardless of wet or dry condition the tread on the tire is designed to minimize the noise and provide more grip in a wet condition however this is not always the best tire to use for Icy road conditions the second type of tire is the Performance Tire which is used for faster cars this type of tire is durable in dry weather but not suitable for wet weather use this type only if you live in a dry area with little rain throughout the year the third type of tire is the winter tire which is extremely durable against extreme weather such as snow and ice this tire is not to be used in dry conditions as it will get damaged on the road steering steering is unbelievably important important in so many regards both for Speed and safety a well-designed car does not suddenly break into a skid as the tire approached the traction limits it tends to slip sideways across the road the angle between the tire's actual path and its natural path is called its slip angle this gives the driver Advance warning that the front/rear of the car is in danger of losing traction and starting to Skid if the rear tires approach their traction limit more rapidly than the front the rear of the car will steer a wider path than the front wheels this rotates the car more than the driver intended and if nothing is done leads to the car turning a smaller radius Corner when this occurs the car is said to overseer over steer is when the car turns more than expected it is a phenomenon whereby the rear tires lose its traction before the front wheeel during cornering this causes the rear of the vehicle to slide towards the outside of the corner thereby creating a feeling that the car is trying to spin rear wheeel drive vehicles are more prone to over steer this is because the rear tires must handle both the lateral cornering force and engine torque resulting in the rear tires approaching there traction limit more rapidly over steer can be quite dangerous as it can land the car in a spin many drivers instinctively slam on the brakes when the vehicle begins to over steer slamming the brakes will only aggravate the situation causing the rear tires to lose more traction the correct reaction is to reduce the steering angle gently and ease off the accelerator if the front tire approaches the traction limit more rapidly the effect is that the front of the car takes a wider radius curve than the driver intended the car is said to under steer under steer is safer than over steer if the car under steers and no correction is made the result is a wider Corner than intended the car remains stable if the car over steers the turn made has smaller radius than intended the smaller radius produces higher cornering forces bringing the required traction even closer to the limit of the rear wheels thus causing even more over steer the situation will worsen until the rear wheels lose total grip the car spins and all directional control is lost under Ste is when the car turns lesser than expected it is a phenomenon whereby the front tires lose its traction before the rear tires during cornering front-wheel drive vehicles are more prone to under steer this is because the front tires must handle both the lateral cornering force and engine torque this results in the front tires approaching their traction limit more rapidly many drivers instinctively increase the steering angle when their vehicles under steer increasing the steering angle in increases the cornering Force making the front tires lose traction completely the correct reaction is to lift off the accelerator and apply the brakes by doing that more weight is transferred to the front tires to give them grip steering methods there are four methods of steering which can be used when turning it intersections moving through curves changing lanes evasive actions off-road recovery operating vehicle controls parking turnabout and backing when performed properly each can provide smooth continuous steering control for specific vehicle control activities hand-to-hand steering use hand-to-hand steering commonly called push/pull steering when turning the wheel during normal driving activity going forward above 10 to 15 mph when using hand to-hand steering your left hand grasps the wheel between 7 and 8:00 and your right hand grasps the wheel between 4 and 5:00 depending on the direction of the turn your right or left hand pushes the wheel up and the opposite hand slides up grasps the wheel and pulls down to continue the turn while the pulling hand moves down the hand that initially pushed up slides back toward its original position to make adjustments as needed you should use the area on the wheel between 11 and 8:00 with the left hand and the area on the wheel between 1 and 8:00 with the right hand regardless of the direction of the turn simply reverse the hand-to-hand process to bring the vehicle into your intended path since your hands and arms never cross over the steering wheel there is less chance of injury to the face hands and arms in the event of a frontal crash when a vehicle is equipped with a driver side airbag this is the preferred method of steering the two antenna clock position is not recommended because it can be dangerous in vehicles equipped with airbags hand overhand steering use hand overhand steering when turning the wheel at low speeds such as at an intersection or when parking the vehicle when using Handover hand steering your left hand grasps the steering wheel between 8 and 9:00 and your right hand grasps the wheel between 3 and 4:00 depending on the direction of the turn use the right top third of the steering wheel to move the wheel to the right and use the left top third of the wheel to move the wheel to the left this process is repeated as necessary simply reverse the hand overhand process to bring the vehicle into your intended path evasive action steering when anti-ock brakes are engaged if equipped and steering inputs are required to avoid a hazard or the vehicle is forced off the roadway it may be necessary to limit the steering input to avoid moving out of the intended lane of travel and across other lanes of travel as speeds increase much less steering input is needed to move the vehicle one lane space space to the left or right modern vehicles only take 45 to 90° of steering to move a vehicle back on the road after an off-road encounter it is critical to limit the steering to not more than 180° of steering when trying to evade a problem on the roadway when more than 180° of input is used traction loss occurs and the vehicle often moves across the roadway in the path of oncoming Vehicles one hand steering use one hand steering only when backing or operating vehicle controls wipers flashers lights Etc that require a temporary reach from the steering wheel when the driver is required to reach for an operating control it is important to keep the other hand in a normal vehicle operating position of 8 to 9:00 or 3 to 4:00 depending on the steering wheel design the only time that 12:00 is recommended is when backing a vehicle to the left or right and the driver has to turn in the seat in order to see the path of travel cornering every corner is made of three parts the entry the Apex and the exit the entry is where turning Begins the Apex is the point where the car reaches the furthest point on the inside of the turn the exit is when the car is driving straight again this 10-point plan explains how to get cornering right both hands on the wheel at 9 and 3:00 you can neither safely nor correctly steer a car one-handed or with your hands in the wrong positions it's that simple and there is very little if any need to reposition your hands during 99.9% of open road driving in a reasonably modern car look as far around the bend as possible eyes are the main thing that steers a car not hands look where you want to go as far far ahead as possible you'll get more time to react if there's an obstacle ahead and the process will be much smoother look through the side mirror if necessary don't stop at the border of the windshield if the bend is tight if there is vegetation try to see as far ahead as possible judgment the open road is not your widescreen television there are real risks such as oncoming traffic and roadside obstacles be conservative and employ safety margins no matter how good you think you are always be prepared for the unexpected speed matters the right speed is very hard to judge in cornering why this is because cornering load or Force depends on speed squared that means doubling the speed generates four times the cornering Force 50% more speed in a corner generates well over double the cornering load it's easy to exceed the the available grip under the tires because small changes in speed make relatively big changes to cornering load and that makes the right speed hard to judge unfortunately advisory speed signs are notoriously inconsistent slow in the most efficient smoothest way around a Bend is to enter it a little on the slow side entering too fast may cause a loss of control slower and means smoother on the way through and faster out a safer more efficient way to travel smooth is safe rough driving is a great way to lose control if you find yourself pushing the wheel aggressively giving the car too much gas or braking on the way around a Bend you're in dangerous territory and you're showing how little you really know about driving slow down a notch Drive smoothly be gentle on the controls all three of them Wheels brakes and steering entry ease off the gas as you turn in this causes a little weight to transfer forwards adding weight to the front wheels and helping the steering grip the road don't go over the center line when making a right turn keep out wide to maintain a safety margin against Wayward oncoming drivers steering and acceleration work together lifting off the accelerator and turning in with the steering is a natural combination that helps the car do what you want mid Corner add a little acceleration not very much just enough to balance the car up and keep looking around the bend on your intended travel path if you start to run a little wide ease off the accelerator and add some steering you shouldn't have to move your hands very much in the middle phase of most Corners exit the opposite strategy to entry as you see the corner open up and some straight road ahead add some acceleration gently and start unwinding the steering the car should transition smoothly from cornering to straight ahead if you get it right remember cornering is about subtle control inputs not gross ones planning most people get into trouble in Corners because they get into them before they sort them out mentally then the cornering process drives them not the other way around so don't get distracted keep ahead of the game mentally and pay particular attention to balancing the car's entry speed to the corners severity seasonal changes and how they affect driving the change of seasons brings new and different driving conditions each season of the year presents its own driving challenges from wet and icy road conditions to vehicle maintenance to awareness of pedestrians and others using the roadways understanding how to drive safely in all conditions can protect you your passengers and your vehicle no matter what the weather many drivers can't wait to get out on the roads after the winter thaw but with spring there is rain warmer weather and more activity on the roadways in Spring the after effects of winter weather potholes and uneven pavement make road conditions rough keep these driving tips in mind before you travel spring showers bring May flowers and wet driving conditions slow down on slick roads and increase your following distance even when Mist begins to fall just a small amount of water can mix with oil and grease on the road to create slippery conditions share the road warm weather brings motorcyclists bicyclists and pedestrians out on the roads understand the impact of medications on driving ding keep in mind that new spring growth often causes seasonal allergies and over-the-counter allergy drugs can have side effects or interact with other medications to diminish your driving ability if possible go around potholes they can throw your car's front end out of alignment avoid driving through large puddles which can impair your brakes dirty your windshield or cause you to hydr plane keep your tires properly inflated doing so can reduce damage from potholes and other road hazards summer usually means vacation time and hot weather conditions to keep yourself safe and cool on the roads follow these summer driving safety tips the Summer sun can create dangerously hot temperatures in your vehicle be sure to check that your air conditioning system is functioning properly before traveling do not leave pets or children waiting in a car summer temperatures can wreak havoc on your vehicle before you head out on the road be sure to have your car serviced and inspected for safety check your fluid levels this includes oil transmission coolant brake power steering and windshield if planning a road trip get up-to-date maps from a reliable source share your itinerary with family when packing up for a trip make sure not to exceed your car's payload capacity this is the maximum weight of all cargo and passengers that the vehicle can safely carry make sure your tires are properly inflated in hot summer months for every 10° Fahrenheit increase in air temperature tire pressure increases approximately one pound warmer weather signals the start of many road construction projects to safely navigate through construction zones obey all signs and watch for construction workers and their vehicles when when parked use a sun shield underneath the windshield in summer months it is important to keep heat to a minimum and to protect your vehicle's interior the end of summer signals the start of school be familiar with school zones and get into the habit of noticing where school zones and crosswalks are on roads you generally travel when people think of the arrival of fall they think of colorful Fall Foliage and crisp clear days but along with the changing leaves come changing driving conditions fall driving can be unpredictable because of weather changes and the end of daylight saving time to be safe and aware on the roads this fall follow these guidelines watch out for falling leaves once leaves become wet they can present slippery and dangerous driving conditions be sure to watch for patches of wet leaves on the road or on road lines dry leaves can also present a problem to your vehicle avoid parking your vehicle near leaf piles to prevent fires that could start from your vehicle's catalytic converter stay alert on the road the end of daylight saving time means reduced visibility on the roads which can create unfamiliar driving conditions even unfamiliar roads it is important that motorists use additional caution and adjust their driving habits to watch for pedestrians cyclists and other roadway users who will be less visible check your tire pressure with frequent weather and temperature changes tires can expand and contract causing them to lose air pressure make sure tires are properly inflated and have plenty of tread avoid sun glare with the change in time you may need to adjust to the different morning or late afternoon glare from the Sun it can cause Reflections off car windows and hoods and decrease your visibility have a good pair of sunglasses readily available to counter daytime glare and consider lenses with anti-reflective coating to reduce glare when night driving cannot be avoided plan ahead for wet conditions fall often brings rainfall which can decrease visibility and cause hydroplaning make sure your windshield wipers are in good working condition if driving on a road with excess water slow down and avoid sudden movements with the steering wheel or brake pedal if you feel like you are floating steer straight and gently release the gas pedal until you feel the tires make contact with the road surface in an especially heavy downpour you may want to pull off the road until it's safe to continue severe winter weather causes dangerous driving conditions whether dealing with snow ice or heavy rain and fog drivers should be extra cautious in adverse winter weather on rainy snowy or foggy days it is sometimes hard for other drivers to see your vehicle in these conditions headlights make your vehicle easier to see avoid driving in bad winter weather whenever you can do so if you must though remember that a reliable vehicle is essential to keep yourself safe on the road in wintertime follow these driving tips winterize your vehicle when cooler temperature become a factor make sure your brakes wipers defroster headlights and heater are all working properly stop gently to avoid skidding if your Wheels start to lock up ease off the brake turn on your headlights to increase your visibility keep your lights Clean and Free of ice or debris in unfavorable driving conditions reduce your speed allow the distance to increase between your car and the one in front of you remember that it takes more time to stop on icy roads stay alert look ahead to give yourself enough time to react safely to situations without suddenly breaking or skitting before driving clear ice and snow from your vehicle's Hood windows and roof use snow or allseason tires or chains for better traction and smoother stopping no snow tires allow you to drive on snow or ice at normal speeds take extra precautions on Bridges overpasses and shaded areas which can freeze first and remain icy longer than roadways a road on which ice and snow are completely Frozen is pretty slow y even though it provides more traction than a road with melting ice in wet driving conditions do not drive faster than the windshield wipers can clear water from the windshield make sure your wiper blades are in good shape and replace them yearly equip your car with emergency supplies should you become stranded due to weather conditions do not leave your vehicle items such as blankets food water spare fuses and a flashlight with batteries an ice scraper flares and a first aid kit could become vital Necessities as always remember that each and every time you drive your vehicle upon the road you must pay attention to your surroundings whatever the time of year challenges are presented to you every time you drive the most important safety feature of the automobile is the driver chapter five safe driving habits driving behavior there are many factors which determine an individual's attitude towards driving demographic age sex employment background education where they live personality tolerance aggressiveness risk-taking susceptibility to peer pressure developmental physical emotional social behavioral environment Community involvement risk perception entertainment parents influence peers Behavior spells SLP partner Behavior driving environment daylight or dark weather and road conditions vehicle type passengers driving ability knowledge skill experience all of these factors combine and help to determine if a driver will be courteous safe and law-abiding or a tailgating speeding and discourteous individual that fails to use his safety belt defensive driving most of us would like to believe we not only know what it takes to be a good driver and that we put that knowledge into practice every time we are behind the wheel unfortunately most of us never get past the basics Defensive Driving involves a proactive attitude behind the wheel and anticipating potential hazards instead of Simply reacting to them you should know the limitations of both yourself and your vehicle and how to to handle both in a hazard situation driving defensively means not only taking responsibility for yourself and your actions but also keeping an eye on the other guy the national Safety Council suggests the following guidelines to help reduce your risks on the road don't start the engine without securing each passenger in the car including children and pets safety belts save thousands of lives each year lock all doors remember that driving too fast or too slow can increase the likelihood of collisions if you plan to drink designate a driver who won't drink alcohol is a factor in almost half of all fatal motor vehicle crashes be alert if you notice that a car Is straddling the center line weaving making wide turns stopping abruptly or responding slowly to traffic signals the driver may be impaired avoid an impaired driver by turning right at the nearest corner or exiting at the nearest exit if it appears that an oncoming car is Crossing into your lane pull over to the roadside Sound the Horn and flash your lights notify the police immediately after seeing a motorist who is driving suspiciously or recklessly follow the rules of the road don't contest the right of way or try to race another car during a merge be respectful of other motorists Defensive Driving techniques the syta effectively teaches how to drive defensively syta s sweep search and scan keep your eyes moving at all times to effectively see imminent danger I identify hazards identify what's happening roadway features take notice of things that could cause trouble P predict which hazards could potentially come into conflict with you predict two things one worst case scenario and two actions D decide on a safe action decide on something to do should the dog run across the road he execute a move to avoid conflict breaking accelerating turning Etc defensive driving not only ensures Road Safety it also saves fuel lowers the cost of insurance premiums and increase the overall life of the vehicle Defensive Driving characteristics while there are many characteristics of a defense of these four and essential to the driving task alertness a defensive driver will try to predict possible danger and be prepared to act accordingly good defensive drivers are alert to what is going on around them they are well rested and would never take any drugs or alcohol that could affect their concentration before driving you must always pay attention to details happening around you as you drive and if you are impaired in any way you will not be able to do that properly anticipation defensive drivers maintain a safe following distance defensive drivers anticipate what may or may not happen and they take action to avoid many problems tailgating and following too closely does not allow for the needed seconds to avoid a possible crash you must anticipate potential hazards from other drivers motorists pedestrians weather and equipment and take steps to minimize the risk judgment make sure you do not exceed the posted speed limit in poor weather conditions slow down so you are able to control your vehicle good defensive drivers do not make risky Maneuvers like trying to beat red lights or trains they don't try to pass unless it's safe and they look for alternatives to any traffic situation skill good defensive drivers have the skills to operate a vehicle safely through traffic without endangering anyone else on the road a defensive driver is aware of the blind spot of the vehicle in front of him a good defensive driver will scan the road ahead avoid being distracted and maintain Road discipline driving under stress any stress situation can affect your driving even mild emotional feelings can affect your driving ability emotions are hard to control and they can make you temporarily accident prone driving in traffic routinely involves events and incidents events are normal sequential Maneuvers such as stopping for the light changing lanes or putting on the brakes incidents are frequent but unpredictable events some of these are dangerous and frightening like near misses While others are merely annoying or depressing like missing your turn or being insulted by another motorist driving events and incidents are sources of psychological forces capable of producing powerful feelings and irrational thought sequences driving is a highly dramatic activity that millions of people perform routinely on a daily basis the drama stems from high risk and unpredictability driving has two structural components that conflict with each other predictability and unpredictability both are present all of the time predictability like maintaining steady speed in one's Lane creates safety security and escape from disaster unpredictability like impulsive Lane changes without signaling creates danger stress and crashes for many people driving is linked to the value of freedom of being able to go wherever they want whenever they want on the one hand an individual is able to get into an automobile and drive wherever they please the symbol of freedom and Independence but on the other hand as they begin to drive on the open road they encounter restrictions and constrictions preventing them from driving as they wish due to regulations and congestion if you are worried nervous angry frustrated or depressed let someone else drive you may become impulsive and aggressive and take risks you normally wouldn't you should avoid driving when you are not emotionally prepared to handle the additional stress that driving can cause driver fatigue driving is work it is tiring it takes a person in good physical mental and emotional condition to actively prevent crashes when you are tired you don't drive as well as you do when you are rested driver fatigue can kill just like alcohol and drugs it impairs your vision and judgment drivers should not put push themselves to the point of not being physically and mentally alert at all times a driver should rest every 2 hours and not drive longer than 6 or 8 hours a day fatigue can affect you in several ways it slows your reaction time there is a loss in your concentration and attention extreme fatigue may lead to moments of dozing behind the wheel driving under these conditions may lead to collisions you have many ways of fighting fatigue take a break at a rest area if on the interstate have a cup of coffee chew gum listen to the radio let some fresh air into your car boredom is common to motorists on long trips especially when driving on an interstate highway it can lead to what is called highway hypnosis that is your senses become dulled your eyes become fixed on the road and you are not alert to traffic situations around you to to keep from getting tired on a long trip be well rested before you start don't take any drugs that can make you drowsy try not to drive late at night when you are used to sleeping take regular rest stops even if you are not tired keep moving your eyes look at objects near and far left and right open the window and get some fresh air keep your car's interior cool if nothing seems to help you stay awake get off the highway and take a short nap this could save your life drowsy driving according to recent statistics drowsy driving causes more than 56,000 crashes every year the national highway and traffic safety administration suggests there may be some common factors involving these crashes the crash occurs late at night or early in the morning the crash is likely to be serious the crash involves a single vehicle which leavs the roadway the crash occurs on a high-speed Road the driver does not attempt to avoid the crash the driver is alone in the vehicle how to prevent drowsy driving begin your journey well rested avoid driving late night and early morning hours which are the body's natural sleep times set realistic travel goals about the time it will take to reach your destination eat healthy meals avoid foods high in fat and sugar which can contribute to fatigue avoid using alcohol or drugs share the driving switch drivers every 2 hours even if you don't feel tired take regular breaks stop every 2 hours to stretch drink water juice or a soft drink low in sugar and caffeine sugar and caffeine promote short-term alertness but may increase drowsiness over longer periods of time keep the inside of your vehicle at a cool temperature listen to radio talk shows rather than music the discussion format will help keep you alert try to limit driving between midnight and 6:00 a.m. warning signs of drowsy driving inability to recall the last few miles traveled feeling as though your head is very heavy having difficulty focusing or keeping your eyes open missing traffic signs drifting from the lane in which you were driving yawning repeatedly having disconnected or wandering thoughts tailgating other vehicles illness and driving certain health conditions can affect your ability to be a safe driver some of these conditions may be shortterm such as the anesthesia given during a surgical procedure the doctor May advise you not to drive for a certain length of time some conditions may be permanent there are many other drugs that can affect your ability to drive safely these drugs can have effects like those of alcohol or even worse this is true of many prescription drugs and even many of the drugs you can buy over the counter without a prescription over the counter drugs overthe counter drugs taken for headaches colds hay fever or other allergies or those to calm nerves can make you drowsy and affect your driving pet pills uppers and diet pills can can make you feel nervous dizzy unable to concentrate and they can affect your vision check the label on the product before you take an over-the-counter drug for warnings about its effect if you are not sure if it is safe to take the drug and drive ask your doctor or pharmacist about any side effects prescription drugs some prescription drugs can impact driving and can affect your reflexes judgment and alertness in ways similar to alcohol prescription drugs such as anti-depressants pain reducers sleep aids and sedatives will have an impact on driving safely check the label on the prescription and packaging before you take a drug for warnings about its effect if you are not sure if it is safe to take the drug and drive ask your doctor or pharmacist about any side effects various health conditions which may affect your ability to drive safely could be blackouts or fainting vision problems heart disease epilepsy Sleep Disorders diabetes psychiatric disorders neurological disorders age related decline if you become aware of a health issue in a family member or yourself you should not hesitate to talk with someone having any of these conditions does not necessarily mean that you will be unable to continue driving but you may need to visit your doctor more often you may also need to restrict driving to Daylight driving only wearing corrective lenses when driving or only driving on familiar streets and Roads everyone has a responsibility to be certain they are fit to drive at the time of any driver's license issuance you are asked three questions pertaining to your mental and physical health you should honestly disclose any information that may affect your driving if you drive a commercial vehicle or need your license to earn a livelihood you will be subject to higher medical standards that an individual that only drives a passenger vehicle please consult the Louisiana commercial driver's license manual for reference if for some reason you must give up your driving privileges a Louisiana identification card is available at your local motor vehicle office aggressive driving SL road rage aggressive driving is a traffic offense or combination of offenses such as following too closely speeding unsafe Lane changes failure to Signal intent to change lanes and other forms of negligent or inconsiderate driving aggressive drivers can be dangerous drivers drivers who do not follow the rules of the road are a hazard to all motorists bicyclists and pedestrians on the roadway they they put themselves and others at risk with their unsafe driving speeding running red lights and stop signs pulling in front of trucks too quickly when passing and making frequent Lane changes especially in the blind spots of trucks can create dangerous and potentially fatal situations on the road these situations can lead to road rage not only for the aggressive driver but also for others sharing the road to keep control of your driving you should allow plenty of time for for trips understand that you cannot control traffic only react to it be polite and courteous alter schedule to avoid driving during Peak roadway congestion periods if running late call ahead so you can relax avoid driving when angry upset or overly tired give others the benefit of the doubt relax and remain aware of your posture sit back in your seat and don't clench your teeth driving is not a contest it is not about winning when confronted by an aggressive driver you should avoid eye contact and steer clear giving drivers plenty of room stay calm and relaxed be a cautious and courteous driver make every attempt to get out of the way safely don't escalate the situation put your pride in the back seat do not challenge an aggressive driver by speeding up or attempting to Hold Your Position in the traffic lane ignore gestures and refuse to return them keep Anger from building by not letting other drivers or situations upset you emotionally and mentally disconnect from the situation whenever possible put as much distance between you and the aggressive driver don't tailgate and don't use the horn to punish the other driver if the aggressive driver persists do not stop and try to solve it on the side of the road drive to a police station or a public place where Witnesses are readily available most people don't want to cause trouble when others can see them above all don't drive home if someone is following you road rage is a criminal offense this occurs when a traffic incident escalates into a far more serious situation for example a person becomes so angry about an aggressive driving incident that he overreacts and responds with some type of violence the violent acts May range from a physical confrontation to an assault with a motor vehicle or possibly a weapon feelings of anger experienced by people driving in difficult conditions may lead to Violent Behavior driving is the most dangerous thing we do on a routine basis it is emotionally challenging because unexpected things happen constantly emot emotional intelligence is a critical factor in safe driving actions associated with road rage blowing the horn pursuing another vehicle flashing headlights forcing a car off the road forcing a car to pull over verbal abuse and or sign language bumping into another car tailgating threatening another driver breaking or slowing suddenly damaging another vehicle intentionally deliberate obstruction physically assaulting another driver cutting off or swerving in front of another vehicle how to avoid road rage be calm keep a good distance stay alert behave cooperatively in traffic situations create a relaxing and comfortable environment in your car if someone cuts you off by mistake be calm always stay alert keep your eyes open for other drivers and stay away from aggressive motorists instead of irritating them even more keep a good distance between your car and the one in front of you don't speed allow adequate time for your trip avoid tailgate tailgating is a very common cause of crashes and can be avoided by simply moving to the right lane and letting the faster driver pass try to avoid following other cars closely because you never know when the driver in front of you will slam on the brakes and stop don't speed respect the speed limits driving fast will only get you to your destination a mere few minutes earlier driving at more controlled speeds will provide you with longer reaction time to change lanes exit or stop your vehicle looking and scanning ahead in order to avoid last-second moves a driver needs to look far enough ahead to see things early your line of sight is the visible path of travel from your vehicle to the area you are looking at further down the road a common mistake drivers make is looking right in front of the car instead of down the road looking 10 to 15 seconds ahead will allow time to prepare for traffic conditions it also makes it easier to keep your car on a steady path if your view is blocked due to a curve a hill or another vehicle you must slow down and be ready to make adjustments to your path of travel look ahead in order to avoid emergency braking or steering you should look well down the roadway to the end of the travel path by looking well ahead you can operate a vehicle more safely save on fuel help keep traffic moving at a steady pace and allow yourself time to see better around your vehicle and along the side of the road looking well down the travel path will also help you to steer with less weaving in the city you should look at least two blocks or two traffic signals ahead in an urban area you should look at least three blocks or three traffic signals ahead on the highway you should look at least a quar of a mile ahead when looking well ahead look for vehicles coming onto the roadway into your lane or turning watch for brake lights from slowing Vehicles by seeing these things far enough ahead you can change your speed or change lanes if necessary to avoid a problem if you see a traffic light that has been green for a long time it may change to red before you get there therefore you should start slowing down and be ready to stop by seeing problems ahead early you can drive more safely which also helps drivers behind you drive more safely too making driving changes well ahead of time gives drivers behind you more time to react the earlier you act the less often someone behind you has to react quickly to your vehicle scanning well ahead in the travel path you can calculate how far ahead to search by finding a stationary object like a sign or telephone pole near the road as far ahead as you can see start counting 1,001 1,002 1,003 Etc until you reach the object the number of seconds you have counted is the number of seconds ahead that you were looking to identify potential problems in the travel path you need a visual lead a visual lead is an area 20 to 30 seconds ahead from the front of the vehicle having a good visual lead and using good searching skills helps you see changes in your travel path and identify alternative Paths of travel if something is in your vehicle's travel path that requires a speed reduction it is critical to see the problem with time to stop or steer around it it takes much longer and further to stop than many drivers realize even if your vehicle has good tires brakes and the pavement is dry at 60 MPH it can take about 4 to 5 seconds or 359 ft to react to a problem and bring the vehicle to a stop at 30 mph it can take about 2 to 3 seconds or 123 ft to react to a problem and bring the vehicle to a stop at 60 MPH if you cannot see at least 400 ft ahead you are driving too fast for your visibility at 30 mph if you cannot see at least 150 ft ahead you may not be driving safely without an adequate visual lead by the time you see an object in your travel path it may be too late to stop without hitting the object look to the sides at any time other vehicles or pedestrians may cross or enter your travel path you should search to make sure other roadway users will not cross your travel path this is especially true at intersections and Highway railroad grade Crossings intersections intersections are any place where traffic flow merges or crosses intersections may include cross streets side streets driveways shopping center lanes or parking lot entrances When approaching an intersection check for oncoming and cross traffic other roadway users traffic control devices areas of limited visibility and the condition of the roadway before entering an intersection look to the front left and right for approaching vehicles and or crossing pedestrians if stopped look left right and left again before entering the intersection Crossing an intersection do not rely on traffic signals or signs to tell you that no one will be Crossing in front of you some drivers may not obey traffic signals or signs or may not see them at intersections look to the front left and right even if other traffic has a red light or a stop sign this searching technique is especially important just after the light has turned green people on the cross street are most likely to hurry through the intersection before the light changes to Red make sure the travel path is clear all the way through the intersection and you can clearly see Crossing traffic before entering an intersection so you will not block the intersection if you have to stop if you are stopped and your view of traffic or AC cross street is blocked Edge forward slowly until you can see by moving forward slowly Crossing drivers can see the front of your vehicle before you can see them this gives them a chance to slow down and warn you if needed Whenever there is a lot of activity along the side of the road there is a good chance that someone will cross or enter the road therefore it is very important to look to the sides when you are near shopping centers and parking lots construction areas busy sidewalks playgrounds and schoolyards turning left when turning left at an intersection pull into the intersection to be ready to turn left before turning left across oncoming traffic look for a safe Gap in the traffic you must yield to oncoming Vehicles going straight ahead or turning right prior to Turning search to be sure that there are no vehicles or pedestrians in the travel path that could leave your vehicle stranded in the path of oncoming traffic be sure you turn into the appropriate Lane turning right before turning right make sure that there is no traffic approaching from your left and no oncoming traffic turning left into your path do not begin turning without searching for pedestrians crossing highway railroad grade Crossings approach any Highway railroad grade crossing by slowing down at the round warning sign and looking in each Direction prior to the tracks to make sure a train or railroad maintenance equipment is not coming look to the rear besides watching traffic ahead of you you must check traffic flow to the rear you need to check to the rear more often when traffic is head this is the only way you will know if someone is following too closely or coming up too fast the searching process will give you time to change speed or change lanes avoiding any potential problems it is very important to look for vehicles to the rear prior to changing lanes slowing down entering traffic from the side of a street or driving down a long or Steep Hill when changing lanes prior to changing lanes you must check for traffic in the lane you want to enter and behind your vehicle changing lanes may include changing from one travel Lane to another merging onto a roadway from an entrance ramp moving on to a roadway from a yield intersection or entering the roadway from the curb or shoulder when changing lanes you should maintain a safe following distance and look in your rear view and side mirrors to make sure there are no vehicles in the lane or entering the lane you want to enter and no driver is about to pass shopping centers and parking lots construction areas busy sidewalks playgrounds and schoolyards check your blind spots by turning your head and looking over your shoulder in the direction you plan to move blind spots are areas around your vehicle that you cannot see with your mirrors be sure no one is near the rear corners of your vehicle traffic ahead of you could stop suddenly while you are checking traffic to the sides rear or over your shoulder do not have to look too long at any one time identify a 4 to 5c Gap in traffic signal and look again in the direction of the lane change adjust speed and steer into Lane cancel turn signal when you slow down use your mirrors to check behind your vehicle whenever you slow down this is very important to check when you slow down quickly or at points where a following driver would not expect you to slow down such as private driveways or parking spaces when going down a long or Steep Hill check your mirrors for vehicles approaching quickly when you are going down Hills or mountains Vehicles often build up speed going down a steep grade be alert for large tracks and buses that may be going too fast when driving we must practice active attention we must remain Guided by alertness concentration and interest this involves effort on the part of the driver rear view mirrors and blind spots in 1995 the Society of automo of Engineers SAE published a research paper that recommended how we should adjust our side and windshield rear viiew mirrors to eliminate blind spots that research showed that you should adjust the side mirrors as far outward as you can so that the viewing angle of the side mirrors just overlaps the view of the center rear view mirror in this manner you use the center rear view mirror to see what is coming up from behind while the outside mirrors reflect the area outside the view of the center rear view mirror to adjust your mirrors properly first adjust your rear view mirror so that it FES the rear window you should be able to see traffic flow to the rear of the vehicle with the rear view mirror place your head against the driver's side window and adjust the driver's side mirror so you can barely see the driver side of your car enhanced mirror settings traditional mirror settings move your head as close to the the center of the car as possible and adjust the passenger side mirror so you can barely see the passenger side of your car to test your adjustments watch a car pass you in the next Lane the passing car should be seen in your side mirror before it fully leaves the center rear view mirror you should also detect the passing car in your peripheral vision before it leaves the outside rear view mirror always remember that the center inside rear viw mirror is the primary mirror although it may take time to get used used to not seeing the sides of your car in the side mirrors it is very important for your rear view mirrors to be in the correct position so that you can see as much as possible of the traffic behind you as well as those that might be in your blind spot stopping distances perception distance is how far your vehicle travels in ideal conditions from the time your eyes see a hazard until your brain recognizes it keep in mind certain mental and physical conditions can affect your perception distance it can be affected greatly depending on visibility and the hazard itself the average perception time for an alert driver is 3/4 second to 1 second reaction distance is how far you will continue to travel in ideal conditions before you physically hit the brakes in response to a hazard scene ahead the average driver has a reaction time of 3/4 second to 1 second at 50 mph this accounts for 55 ft traveled braking distance is how far your vehicle will travel in ideal conditions while you are braking at 50 mph on dry pavement with good brakes it can take about 158 ft total stopping distance is the total minimum distance your vehicle has traveled in ideal conditions with everything considered including perception distance reaction distance and breaking distance until you can bring your vehicle to a complete complete stop at 50 mph your vehicle will travel a minimum of 268 ft the faster you drive the greater the impact or striking power of your vehicle when you double your speed from 20 to 40 mph the impact is four times greater the braking distance is also four times longer triple the speed from 20 to 60 m per hour and the impact and braking distance is nine times greater at 60 MPH your stopping distance is greater than that of a football field increase the speed to 80 mph and the impact and breaking distance are 16 times greater than at 20 mph high speeds greatly increase the severity of crashes and stopping distances by slowing down you can reduce braking distance there is no simple way to tell exactly how long it will take you to stop at a certain speed your stopping distance depends on your only Reaction Time weather and road conditions the weight of the vehicle the condition of the brakes the type and condition of the tires the chart below and a familiar comparison given estimated number of feet your car will travel on dry pavement from the time you see danger until you come to a stop following distances since most people have trouble judging distances the 3se second rule makes it easier for you you can use it at any speed how to use the 3se second rule choose some object ahead of the vehicle in front of you such as a sign Pole or a tree as the vehicle in front passes the object begin counting 3 3 seconds 1 1,000 2 1,000 3 1,000 if it takes less than 3 three seconds for your car to pass the checkpoint you are following too closely if so drop back and then count again at another spot to check the new following distance repeat until you are following no Closer Than 3 seconds there are situations where you need more space in front of your vehicle in the following situations you may need a 4-second following distance to be safe increase the following rule above to 4 4 seconds during bad weather or when driving on wet pavement if another vehicle moves into the space between your car and the one ahead drop back to a safe following distance when to use the 4C rule slippery roads you need more distance to stop your vehicle on slippery roads and should leave more space in front of your vehicle if the vehicle ahead suddenly stops you will need the extra distance to stop safely the driver behind you wants to pass slow down to allow room in front of your vehicle slowing down will also allow the pass to be completed sooner following motorcycles if the motorcycle and its Rider should fall you need extra distance to avoid the obstacle the chances of a fall by a motorcycle rider is greatest on wet and icy roads gravel roads and metal surfaces such as Bridges grading and street car or railroad tracks following drivers who cannot see you the drivers of trucks buses Vans or Vehicles pulling Campers or trailers may not be able to see you when you are directly behind them they could stop suddenly without knowing you are there large Vehicles also block your view of the road ahead falling back allows you more room to see ahead you are being followed closely if you are being followed closely pull to the right and allow the vehicle behind you to pass pulling a trailer the combined weight of a vehicle and trailer increases the stopping distance low visibility when it is hard for you to see ahead because Darkness or bad weather you need to increase you following distance following emergency vehicles police vehicles ambulances and fire trucks need more room to operate railroad crossings leave extra room for vehicles required to stop at railroad crossings including transit buses school buses and vehicles carrying hazardous materials stooped on a hill or incline leave Extra Space when stopped on a hill or incline the vehicle May roll back when it starts up turning around on Narrow Street try to avoid turning around on a busy street it is better to Circle an entire city block however if you are on a narrow Street when traffic conditions are light and you find it necessary to turn around here are the steps you should follow Stop close to the right edge of the pavement look over your left shoulder and check traffic behind you do not depend on your rear view mirror alone be sure that the street is clear both ahead and behind signal for a left turn then follow the steps in the drawing three-point turnabout this is the most difficult and dangerous way to perform a turnabout use it only when the road or street is too narrow to make a U-turn and you cannot go around the block this type of turn should only be used on a two-lane roadway to perform a three Point turnabout check the mirrors and activate your right turn signal to communicate your intention to pull off to the right side of the road stop on the right side of the road activate your left turn signal check traffic and check blind spot by looking over your left shoulder when traffic is clear turn hard left to the other side of the road and stop once you have reached the other side place the vehicle in Reverse check traffic and check blind spots to both sides by looking over your shoulder when traffic is clear turn hard right to the other side of the road and stop place the vehicle in Drive activate the left turn signal and check traffic and blind spots when traffic is clear turn hard left and drive forward into the right lane of traffic heading in the New Direction check traffic and make sure your turn signal has cancelled continue driving streight in the new direction of travel parking brake the parking brake is called the parking brake for a reason you should use it when you park your car many people think you only need to use your parking brake also called the emergency brake when parking on a hill or if your car has a manual transmission this is incorrect whether your car is a manual or automatic the terrain is hilly or flat you should use your parking brake every time you park a car is held in park by a device inside the transmission called a parking Pole the parking pole can break or become dislodged and the car will roll away granted there is a small probability that this will occur but there is a chance nonetheless the parking brake will hold the car in place while it is parked and will help protect the transaxle constant velocity CV joints and transmission a parking brake is capable of a stronger hold than only putting the car in park of course you still need to put the car in park additionally if your car was hit while parked the parking brake would provide further stability lessening the risk of your car rolling away you should set the parking brake while your foot is still on the brake pedal and before shifting into park this action reduces The Strain on the parking pole most parking brakes are hand operated levers located in the center console to set the parking brake pull up on the lever to release the parking brake press the button on the end of the brake handle and lower the lever in some Vehicles the parking brake will be a foot pedal located on the far left side of the driver's pedal area to set the brake push firmly on the pedal depending on your vehicle there are two ways to release the parking brake in some Vehicles the pedal is pushed down until you hear a click in other vehicles you must pull on a brake release lever located near the parking brake pedal lastly don't forget to disengage the parking brake before driving again trying to drive with the parking brake on does not sound good and it is not good for your car either setting the parking brake when you park and disengaging the parking brake before you drive should become habit so you should never forget to do either part parking on Hills when parking on a hill you must make sure your car does not roll into traffic if the brakes do not hold always set the emergency brake shift to park reverse or low gear if you park where there is a curb facing downhill turn your wheels toward the curb and shift into reverse or Park facing uphill turn your wheels away from the curb and shift into low gear or park if there are no curbs turn your wheels toward the edge of the road whether facing uphill or downhill the above diagram indicates three parking situations you should turn your wheels in a different way for each one for safety sake study the position of the wheels and notice where your car will roll if the brake should give away angle parking keep safe clearance drive forward into space with equal space on each side between lines angle parking is often used in parking lots shopping centers and sometimes at curbs when you enter an angle parking space watch for traffic both ahead and behind signal and begin slowing down make sure the rear of your car will clear any parked car steer sharply into the parking space then straighten the wheels centering your car in the parking space shift to park or reverse and apply the parking brake before backing out of an angle parking space walk around to make sure nothing is blocking the space move your car back slowly because it is hard to see oncoming traffic be sure traffic is clear in the lane where you are backing when you can see past the tops of the cars parked next to you stop and look again look back into each side for other drivers remember that the front of your car will swing opposite to the direction of your turn back slowly while turning until your left front wheel passes the rear bumper of the car parked on your left straighten the wheels as your car comes back into the lane of traffic exiting a perpendicular or angle parking space when exiting the parking space start the engine check for traffic in all directions place your foot on the brake shift to reverse and signal in the direction you are turning continue to check traffic and move straight back until your front bumper clears the vehicle parked beside you opposite of the way you are turning turn the steering wheel sharply in the direction that the rear of your vehicle should move move when the vehicle clears the parking area and centers in Lane stop and shift to drive accelerate smoothly steering is needed to straighten Wheels parallel parking signal stop parallel to the front car about 18 in from it with rear bumpers even back slowly turning steering wheel sharply to the right until your car is about a 45° angle with the street straighten front wheels and back slowly when front bumper is even with other cars back bumper turn wheel sharply and rapidly to left you should back slowly to the car behind you without touching or making contact turn steering wheel sharply to the right and slowly pull forward Center the car in the parking space front and rear bumpers should not be closer than 2 ft from the other vehicles when in parked position unless the street is otherwise marked always Park in a designated area as required when parking along the roadway Park your vehicle as far away from traffic as possible if there is a curb Park as close to it as possible passing parked cars when driving past parked cars watch for cars turning out in front of you look for Clues such as smoke coming from tailpipe red brake lights on turning signal flashing or white backing lights on a parallel parking area areas front wheels turning out always watch for a car door being opened in front of you if anyone is sitting in a car expect them to open the door watch for pedestrians or bicycles trying to cross the road between parked cars be especially watchful for children parking when parallel parked the vehicle's right Wheels must be within 18 in of the right hand curb of the street when parking and leaving a vehicle unattended stop the motor remove the key lock the ignition and set the brake getting out of your car on the street side can be dangerous always look carefully for other vehicles especially bicycles that might be passing the driver may not see the door opening in time to prevent an accident it is against the law to park on a sidewalk in front of a driveway in an intersection within 15 ft of a fire hydrant or within 50 ft of a railroad crossing within 20 ft of a crosswalk at an intersection within 20 ft of a fire station driveway on the same side of the street or within 75 ft of the driveway on the other side of the street beside a parallel parked vehicle double parking on a bridge overpass or in any tunnel at any place where official signs prohibit parking in the construction area if you will block traffic more than 2 ft from the curb in a space marked for handicapped unless you have a handicap license plate sticker or tag within 20 ft of a fire station driveway on the same side of the street or within 75 ft of the driveway on the other side of the street within 30 ft of a traffic signal stop sign or yield sign painted curbs indicate other parking restrictions white indicates that only Short Stops are permitted yellow indicates a loading zone or some other restriction blue indicates a handicap restriction red indicates fire zone restrictions passing on the left pass only when you won't interfere with oncoming traffic or the vehicle being passed you must not cause another driver to slow down or pull over in order for you to complete your pass you might complete a passing maneuver before coming within 100 ft of any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction it is against the law to pass another vehicle when your view is blocked by a hill or a curve there is a solid yellow line in your lane you are within 100 ft of an intersection or a railroad crossing you are within 100 ft of a bridge or tunnel passing on the right you may pass to the right of another vehicle if there are two or more Lanes of traffic moving in the same direction you may never pass to the right of another vehicle by driving off the roadway onto the shoulder of the road remember passing on the right can be dangerous if the other driver does not see you and decides to change lanes do not pass in these situations safety tips on passing on multi-lane roads the leftmost lane is intended to be used for passing slower vehicle when passing on the right the other driver may have difficulty seeing you and might suddenly change lanes never pass on the shoulder whether it is paved or not it is dangerous other drivers may pull off the road without looking for your vehicle do not pull up closely behind the vehicle you intend to pass especially a large truck or bus your vision may be obstructed follow at a safe distance until you can see far enough ahead to ensure safe passing if you can see an oncoming vehicle do not attempt to pass it is difficult to determine the speed of oncoming Vehicles even for experienced drivers oncoming Vehicles do not seem to be coming as fast as they really are in relation to your vehicle an oncoming vehicle that is more than 25 seconds from your vehicle generally appears to be standing still in fact if you can actually see the oncoming vehicle coming closer it is probably closer than 25 seconds make certain no car is passing you check your left or right rear blind spot signal your intention to pass to the vehicle following you it is safe practice to tap the horn lightly to avoid surprising the overtaken driver after passing and before returning to the proper lane be sure there is ample clearance an accepted rule is to wait until you see the other car in your rear view mirror when you are about to be overtaken and passed make it as safe and easy as possible for the other driver slow your speed a little and if on a two-lane Highway move her over to the right as far as you can safely when passing another vehicle pass the vehicle as quickly and safely as possible the longer your vehicle stays alongside the other vehicle the longer you are in danger of the other vehicle moving toward your lane to pass check for oncoming vehicles vehicles or other roadway users about to enter the roadway from side streets or driveways or Vehicles slowing in the travel path ahead check your mirrors and over your shoulder for following or passing Vehicles signal your intentions when it is safe to pass pass from at least two seconds behind the vehicle to be passed to avoid striking the rear side of the vehicle steer smoothly into the passing Lane maintain or adjust speed as necessary search the roadway ahead and check mirrors do not allow your vehicle to drift toward the vehicle being passed continue to pass until the complete front of the passed vehicle is visible in your rearview mirror signal your intention to return back to the Lane steer smoothly into the lane maintain or adjust speed as appropriate backing check behind your vehicle before backing do not depend on your mirrors turn your head and body so you can see where you are backing place your hand at the top of the steering wheel and back slowly always be prepared to stop backing straight or to the right to start have your hand on top of the wheel turn your body as indicated by diagram turn steering wheel in the direction of the turn backing to the left to start have your hand on top of the wheel turn your body as indicated by diagram turn steering wheel in the direction of the turn the best way to increase visibility when backing up is to turn your head and look out the rear window way to increase visibility when backing up is too do not depend on your mirrors before backing it is a good idea to walk around the car to make sure a child pet object Etc is not in the way driving on wet pavement Road surfaces are most slippery immediately after the rain begins to fall this is because the oil and grease on the pavement have not yet been washed away driving on a road covered with oil and water can be like driving on Ice you should reduce your speed use extra caution and allow twice the normal following distance losing control of your car on wet pavement is a frightening experience unfortunately it can happen unless you take preventive measures you can prevent skids by driving slowly and carefully especially on curves if you find yourself in a skid remain calm ease your foot off the gas and carefully steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go for cars without anti-ock brakes avoid using your brakes this procedure known as steering into the skid will bring the back end of your car in line with the front if your car has an anti-ock brake system abs break firmly as you steer into the skid be ready to look and steer in the direction you want to go be prepared to counter steer after the initial correction is made hydroplaning prolonged or heavy rain will cause a layer of water on the road surface at speeds up to 35 mph tires with good tread will wipe the water from the road surface much like a windshield wiper cleans the windshield as speed increases the water cannot be removed fast enough and the tires start to ride up on the layer of water much like water skis this is called hydroplaning partial hydroplaning starts at about 35 mph and increases with speed until at 55 mph the tires may lose all contact with the pavement when this happens you lose traction and you cannot break accelerate or turn to recover keep your wheels straight and reduce your speed this will allow the tires and the road to regain cont contct how to prevent hydroplaning reduce speed and Drive slowly on wet roadways have tires inflated to recommended air pressure be sure you have good tire tread which helps water Escape quickly through the grooves of the tire all weather tires are good steer around water when possible if you hear a slashing sound from the tires especially when changing directions slow down steering wheel locking devide deves be cautious with vehicles with steering lock devices never turn your ignition key to the lock position while the vehicle is in motion that will cause the steering to lock and quite possibly loss of control of the vehicle steering lock operation the transmission Park system shift the transmission into the park position TurnKey to lock and remove the two-hand button system this system requires two hands depress button below the steering column turn key to lock and remove the lever system depress lever located near the ignition turn key to lock and remove the oneand button system depress button located near the ignition turn the key to lock and remove the pushin system turn key to off push in turn key to lock and remove the turn and remove system Park turn key key to lock and remove night driving no one can see as well at night as they can in the daylight the glare of oncoming headlights can reduce your vision to near zero a dirty windshield increases glare and obscures the road signs and other motorists when driving at night you must be able to stop within the distance you can see ahead with your headlights your lower beam headlights will let you see clearly about 150 to 200 ft ahead driving at a speed that allows you to stop within this distance is about 45 mph your highbeam headlights will let you see clearly about 350 to 400 ft ahead driving at a speed that allows you to stop within this distance is about 65 mph you need to increase your following Distance by adding at least one additional second for night driving conditions and at least two additional seconds for driving on unfamiliar roadways at night keep in mind that headlights limit your visual skills reducing speed based on headlight distance is critical to avoiding night driving collisions Louisiana Law requires that your headlights not just parking lights be on between sunset and sunrise you are required by law to use lower headlight beams not your Bright Lights When approaching in within 500 ft of or following within 200 ft of another vehicle in addition headlights are required when moisture in the air or precipitation necessitates the use of windshield wipers and when weather conditions are unfavorable the law further requires that your headlights be on when driving in weather conditions that make it difficult for other people to see your vehicle clearly from a distance of 500 fet some vehicles have front fog lights and these may be used under hazardous weather conditions front fog lights have a distinct flat low reach yet wide beam pattern designed to show up the edges of a roadway more efficiently than low beam is able to achieve Al loan other vehicles have rear fog lights a rear fog light is red due to the higher luminance level of this light your vehicle can be recognized sooner a rear fog light must only be used in a dense fog or similar hazardous condition that results in seriously reduced visibility you should switch off the fog lights when the visibility improves driving at night can be made safest if you follow these rules keep your windshield and windows clean inside and out be certain that all lights on the vehicles are operating properly reduce your speed so that you can stop within the distance you can see ahead use lower beam When approaching other cars so you won't blind the other driver if a stubborn driver refuses to dim the lights look to the right edge of the road as a guide and slow down pedestrian safety as soon as you step out of your vehicle you become a pedestrian as a pedestrian you should know your rights and responsibilities as a driver you should know the law when pedestrians are around pedestrian signals types of traffic signals used only to control pedestrian movements don't walk a steady signal means the pedestrians must not enter the roadway towards the signal flashing don't walk signals means that pedestrians may not start to cross the roadway but those already Crossing may continue to the nearest sidewalk traffic island or safety zone walk a steady signal means that pedestrians may cross the roadway towards the signal a flashing walk signal is sometimes used to indicate that there is a possible conflict between pedestrians and vehicles pedestrians occasionally use highways to walk belong or cross pedestrians have the right of way when they are in a marked crosswalk when Crossing an intersection with a green traffic signal or walk signal and over a vehicle making a right turn on red you should always be careful of pedestrians crossing the roadway and give them space you must yield to pedestrians at all times even if they are not in a crosswalk and crossing the street where they should not be also known as jaywalking which is illegal you must stop for them if you come too close to a pedestrian you may block the vision of the next driver from seeing the pedestrian as he is crossing the roadway you should not pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk use caution When approaching a stopped vehicle and be prepared to stop for pedestrians who are walking in the marked or unmarked crosswalks pedestrians should always walk facing traffic when possible and should never enter a roadway without checking for oncoming traffic you should cross the street at an intersection or across crosswalk always look left right and left again before crossing the street and continue to check traffic while crossing many pedestrians especially young children do not follow the law or use safe Crossing practices when you see people walking or standing along a road or children playing near a roadway you should slow down always allow pedestrians as much room as safely possible and be alert for sudden Movement by pedestrians into the path of your vehicle the faster a vehicle is traveling the less likely it is that a driver can stop in time to avoid hitting a pedestrian the majority of pedestrian crashes occur at locations other than intersections where vehicle speeds are not enforced visually impaired pedestrians pedestrians using guide dogs or white canes with or without a red tip must be given the right of way at all times these pedestrians are partially or totally blind so be especially careful when turning corners or backing up here are some suggestions for helping visually impaired pedestrians don't stop your car more than 5 ft from the crosswalk The Pedestrian uses the sound of your engine as a guide so drive up to the crosswalk to allow the person to hear you don't get The Pedestrian verbal directions he listens to all traffic sounds before deciding to cross the street don't wait too long for The Pedestrian to cross the street if the person takes a step back and pulls in his Cane that's a definite sign that you should go don't turn right on red without looking first look for any pedestrian or other traffic first before starting your turn stop at all crosswalks where pedestrians are waiting don't stop in the middle of a crosswalk this forces The Pedestrian to go around your car and into traffic outside of the crosswalk don't block any sidewalk don't honk at The Pedestrian he has no idea who you are honking at and may be startled by the noise cellular phones The increased use of cell phones while driving is becoming a hazard on our highways drivers who use their cell phones while operating a motor vehicle pose a serious threat to themselves and other drivers Cur Curr there are 39 states that have a ban on texting while driving and 10 states that prohibit handheld types of cell phone use while driving using a cell phone while driving involves all three types of distraction visual taking your eyes off the road manual taking your hands off the wheel and cognitive by taking your mind and focus off your driving use your cell phone only in emergencies if possible have a passenger make the call if you must make a call pull safely off the road and stop before making the call do not take notes or look up telephone numbers while driving let your voicemail answer incoming calls if you must use your cell telephone keep your conversation short get a model with voice activated controls and hands-free operation texting while driving is extremely dangerous texting causes a driver to look away from the road for 4.6 seconds at a speed of 55 mph the vehicle travels the length of a football field in that time frame a lot can happen on a football field according to distraction.gov if you text while driving you are 8 to 23 times more likely to be involved in a car crash Louisiana law prohibits anyone 17 years of age and under from using any type of wireless communication device while operating a motor vehicle and prohibits anyone of any age from texting while driving peer pressure teens are not the only ones who are faced with peer pressure If asked adults will tell of the pressure to have a bigger house a better car or a job that pays more money parents are sometimes pressured by other parents to let their teen Drive even when they know their teen is not ready every teen confronts peer pressure peers can pressure you into doing something you are not comfortable with taking a risk when driving can have a serious outcome most people would be shocked to discover that the biggest single cause of a teen death as a result of an auto accident is another teen usually a friend many teens will admit they have been influenced to take a higher driving risk as a result of another teen suggestion at the root of this problem is the teens need to impress his peers the statistics are not very comforting 44% of teens said they drive more safely without friends in the car 67% of teens said they have felt unsafe when someone else was driving only 45% said they would speak up if someone was driving in a way that scared them 37% said they would ride with one or more friends who speed in the coming year a young inexperienced driver may push the physical limits especially with speed and curves perform illegal Maneuvers such as running lights steer carelessly including swerving to the music or taking both hands off the wheel treat the car as a toy and public roads as a playground race other vehicles use the car aggressively and Shout abuse at other drivers fill the car with other teens often in a party mood play around in the car with low attention to their driving turn around to talk to passengers stare at their phone due to the rising ing addiction to social networking text email Twitter Facebook Etc drive when affected by alcohol or drugs or without a safety belt engaging in any of these risky behaviors is more likely due to the young driver's lack of experience behind the wheel but peer pressure can have a positive influence peers can offer encouragement to each other they can offer advice on a problem or tell you when you are about to make a mistake finding the courage to not follow the crowd can be difficult but it is not impossible trust your instincts choose your friends wisely having a friend who will have your back always helps when situations get tough you have more power than you might think doing the right thing will not only improve your selfworth but may also be a positive influence on others and may save lives older drivers in 2009 there there were 33 million licensed drivers ages 65 and older in the US on the positive side driving is beneficial for older adults on the negative the risk for a fatal crash starts increasing at age 75 this is due largely to increased susceptibility to injury older adults suffer from some types of impairments due to age loss of vision a lessening of cognitive ability and decreased motor function but an older adult can protect prot himself by using safety belts and driving when the environmental conditions are the safest older drivers are also less likely to drink and drive older adults can take steps to stay safe on the road exercise regularly ask your doctor or pharmacist to review medications both prescribed and OTC to reduce side effects that may possibly interfere with driving ability have eyes checked at least once a year always wear your glasses or or contacts if they are required as much as possible Dy during daylight hours and good weather have your hearing checked look for the safest route with lighted streets intersections with left turn signals and easy parking plan your route before your drive and know where you are going leave a large folling distance behind the car in front of you avoid distractions in your car such as changing stations on the radio talking on your cell phone phone eating and drinking know and understand your limitations take a refresher course and update your driving skills if needed consider an alternative to driving ride with a friend or use public transportation to get you where you need to go while these steps may be suggestions for older drivers they are also good recommendations for drivers of any age group to follow sharing the road with bicycles Louisiana Revis statute 32 colon 199 states that all children under the age of 12 when operating a bicycle or as a passenger on a bicycle must wear an approved helmet with head straps when on a public Highway bicycle path or other public rof way bicycling is a healthy form of recreation for many people while for others it is a form of transportation as a result of rising Auto gas and insurance costs many individuals are turning to bicycles as an alternative method of Transportation there are currently 90 million cyclists in the US bicycles have the same rights to use public roads as Automobiles and must follow the same traffic laws as other vehicles many drivers find it hard to know how to react to bicyclists riding in the street in any given year there are 800 1 000000 bicyclists that die on the roadways and some 500,000 will be treated for injuries for the safety of both drivers and bicyclists the following precautions should be taken while driving and bicycling driving safely near bicyclists approaching and passing bicyclists you must yield to bicyclists in intersections as you would for pedestrians and other vehicles increase following distances behind bicyclists because bicycle stopping distances are shorter than automobiles be aware that bicyclists not traveling in the extreme right of the lane may be trying to avoid gravel debris bad pavement sewer grates and other obstacles be cautious of bicyclists moving legally into the center of the lane because of road hazards or into the left lane because of a left turn avoid passing between a bicyclist and an oncoming vehicle on a two-way Road slow down and allow the oncoming vehicle to pass then move to the left to allow plenty of room to safely pass the bicyclist a 3-ft distance must be present between the passing automobile and slower traveling bicyclists give bicyclists the entire Lane when they are passing parked cars they need the space to avoid opening doors use caution when passing bicyclists because the air current created by a passing vehicle may cause bicyclists to have an accident if you are pulling a trailer allow for extra passing room when passing bicyclist extra caution should be used when motorists are near bicyclists in wet windy or icy weather reduce speed when encountering bicyclists and never tailgate do not Blow Your Horn when near bicyclists turning near bicyclists drivers who are turning left must wait until oncoming bicyclists pass accidents occur when turning drivers do not notice the bicyclists in the flow of traffic or misjudge their speed do not swing in front of a bicyclist to make a right turn making a right turn after overtaking a bicyclist is also a cause of accidents drivers should slow down and stay behind the bicyclist or look once then again make sure you see the bicycle and know its speed before you turn speeds of bicycles are hard to judge they can vary from under 10 mph to over 35 mph good communication and I contact between drivers and bicyclists are needed to prevent accidents watch for bicyclists and use caution in hazardous conditions when opening your car door into traffic look first for bicyclists this Collision is the driver's fault railroad crossings can cause bicyclists to slow down and possible zigzag in order to cross the tracks metal or grated surfaces may cause a bicycle to be less stable than a car bicyclists should slow down and move to the center of the lane to allow room for handling the uneven surface drivers should be prepared for the reaction of a bicyclist who may be less experienced and may swerve to correct for the new Surface trucks creating wind blasts can move a bicyclist out of his path of travel on Long open highways and bridges children on bicycles may not be aware of their surroundings drivers should be aware that the children may make sudden movements or change direction don't expect children to know traffic laws inclement weather conditions create high winds and slippery surfaces that can cause extreme problems for bicyclists because these conditions create stability problems for all vehicles drivers should allow more following distance for bicyclists bicycling safety always wear a helmet use hand signals and I contact to communicate your actions with other drivers obey the instructions of official traffic control signals and signs just like a motor vehicle ride on the right hand side of the road with traffic if you are making a left-and turn ride on the left side of the turn lane you may ride in the center of the lane to avoid hazards be predictable by riding in a straight line and following traffic laws yield to pedestrians on crosswalks and on sidewalks when riding at night bicycles must have a white front light and a red rear light or reflector visible from the rear carry no more persons than the number for which the bicycle is designed and equipped two cyclists May ride side by side but it is safer to ride single file attach a rear view mirror so you can check traffic over your shoulder sharing the road with motorcycles as the price of gasoline increases more of your friends relatives and neighbors are are becoming motorcycle riders however many drivers still have not adjusted to motorcycles appearing in traffic traveling by motorcycle is appealing to some people they are fuel and space efficient and can be just plain fun to ride but there is a flip side motorcyclists are more vulnerable to injury than a driver of a larger vehicle if involved in a crash research shows that over 2third of the carmotorcycle collisions are the result of the other driver turning in front of a motorcyclist motorcyclists and cars SL trucks need to mix and traffic without causing harm to each other motorcycles present a narrow silhouette and are usually much shorter in length than an automobile the small profile of the motorcycle may make it appear farther away and traveling slower than it actually is remember that motorcyclists are often hidden in a vehicle's blind spot or missed in a quick look due to their smaller size because it is difficult to judge the motorcycle's distance and speed car drivers need to take a second look and then a third its small size also makes it more difficult to spot in traffic than another car some motorcyclists take advantage of their small size and maneuverability they make cut between cars and put themselves in places where drivers cannot see them be alert for a motorcycle to appear unexpectedly due to a motorcycle size its position within a lane of traffic will change as traffic conditions change the motorcyclist should position himself in the lane to see and be seen this often means riding in the left portion of the traffic lane to allow a better view of traffic and road situations it also makes the motorcycle more visible to other traffic however as traffic and road conditions change the rider may move this move could be to the center of the lane or even to the right side to avoid traffic or to be seen by others on the road most drivers take for granted the ability of their vehicles to handle minor road hazards such as potholes strong winds or railroad tracks minor problems for the four-wheeled vehicle can be major problems for motorcycles the cyclist will change position within the lane to increase the distance from potential hazards these lateral movements sometimes occur suddenly motorists need to be alert for these sudden changes in position and Direction and drive accordingly respect the vehicle space of a motorcycle and its position in traffic motorcycles are allowed the full width of a lane in which to maneuver refrain from sharing a lane with a motorcycle it restricts the rider's ability to avoid hazardous situations because a motorcycle has the right to a full traffic lane pass it just as you would another vehicle don't pass too fast or Too Close the wind blast of large fast-moving Vehicles can blow a motorcycle out of control intersections are the most likely place for car / motorcycle collisions to occur this usually is the result of a car driver not seeing the motorcycle and turning into the motorcycle's path misinterpreting a cyclist's intentions can also lead to problems a cyclist will change lane position to prepare for upcoming traffic conditions the cyclist will move to one side of the lane and preparation for a turn or possibly to move away from a hazard unseen by other motorists do not assume the cyclist's intention until the maneuver is unmistakably started such as a turn into an intersection or driveway also turn signals may not automatically shut off on a motorcycle and cyclists occasionally forget to cancel them after a turn is completed make sure you know what the cyclist is going to do before you move into the motorcycle's path when driving behind a motorcycle a allow at least a 4 4 second following distance this provides the cyclist enough room to maneuver or stop in an emergency due to its vulnerable nature and the difficulty motorists have in judging a motorcycle speed and distance space between the two vehicles should be increased to avoid sudden braking both cyclists and drivers are more likely to make incorrect decisions if there is not enough stopping distance or ability to see and react to conditions this leads to collisions a cyclist's chances of injury are greater if forced to avoid obstacles ahead as well as a driver following too closely remember that tailgating a motorcycle in your car is comparable to an 18-wheeler tailgating you the single headlight and single tail light of a motorcycle can blend into the lights of other vehicles this can cause you to misjudge distance always dim your headlights for a motorcycle just as required for other vehicles sharing the road with big trucks it takes special driving skills and knowledge to drive safely around big trucks you cannot drive around a big truck the way you drive around other vehicles the most important tip is to give a wide clearance birth to the big truck collisions between large trucks and lighter Vehicles frequently result in death in the driver or occupants of the other vehicles big trucks are different because they have a much longer stopping distance than other vehicles and longer still on wet roads the ability of the truck driver to control the truck during emergency braking is very limited a tractor trailer loaded with Freight safe Rated Tire and properly adjusted brakes traveling at 55 mph on a clear dry roadway requires a minimum of 290 ft to come to a complete stop also truck drivers cannot see you nearly as well as as you can see the truck and if there is a crash you lose in crashes involving large trucks and Automobiles the occupants of the cars sustain 78% of the fatalities in More than 70% of these fatal crashes involving cars and commercial vehicles police report that the car driver contributed to the cause of the crash drivers of smaller Vehicles need to practice the following safety tips as a general rule keep as much space as possible between your vehicle and big trucks do not cut in front of a truck just because you see open space there that space is the truck's cushion of safety because of its longer stopping distance if you have to stop suddenly it will be very difficult for the truck to avoid hitting you also if the truck has a long Hood the driver may not be able to see you at all do not linger alongside a truck you may be in the trucker's blind spot the size and configuration of many trucks especially those with trailers create large blind spots for the truck driver if you cannot see a truck driver's face in one of his mirrors the driver cannot see you and probably does not know you are there if you are following a truck and cannot see the truck side mirrors you are driving too close the driver cannot see you so back off always give trucks plenty of room when they are turning the relationship between the cab mirrors and trailer change constantly during a turn creating varying blind spots also trucks need extra space to turn because of their size if a truck is stopped on a hill it will roll backwards when it begins to accelerate if you find yourself traveling behind a truck on a hill leave extra space as a precaution avoid driving in the right lane if possible when traveling up or down Hills as well as near truckway stations where large Vehicles will be attempting to re-enter faster moving traffic by avoiding the right lane in these areas you will reduce the possibility of a crash with a large vehicle on Windy days never drive alongside a truck for longer than you need to pass it turbulence from a truck on a windy day can cause a vehicle to Swerve on the road or even spin out of control if the weather conditions are bad enough to minimize this stay to the outer edge of the lane away from the truck and hold the wheel tightly with both hands remember trucks don't drive like cars generally speaking the bigger the truck is the bigger its blind spots the more room it needs to maneuver the longer it takes to stop the longer it takes to pass it the longer it takes to accelerate the more room it takes to turn the more likely you're going to be the loser in a collision following trucks in good road and weather conditions you should leave a gap of at least 4 to 5 4 to 5 Seconds between your vehicle and the truck in front of you and an even longer gap when conditions are poor this will prevent Road spray picked up by the trucks wheels from affecting your visibility the truck may also block your view of the road ahead so hanging back will increase your field of vision and give you more stopping distance if the truck breaks suddenly to avoid a hazard you can't see because of the size of trucks another driver's view of you may be restricted at intersections and in slow traffic ensure you stay far enough away for other drivers to see you when following at night keep your headlights on low beam the trucks many side mirrors will reflect High Beam lights right into the driver's eyes if you are traveling behind or beside a truck during rainy weather you will need to watch out for Splash and spray created by the truck Splash and spray from the road Wind and Rain can make it difficult for you to see clearly while trucks are equipped with mud flaps or mud guards to reduce the amount of debris thrown out from under their wheels this does not completely prevent spray being thrown out from the sides and rear of the truck to maximize your safety when traveling alongside a truck in wet conditions keep your windshield clean and windshield wipers in good condition a clear view this will help ensure you have the necessary field of vision if you are approaching an oncoming truck turn on your wiper before it passes you this will ensure your windshield is cleaned as soon as any spray is thrown onto it this will reduce the time your visibility will be obscured and reduced don't pull out to pass a truck unless you can clearly see your way forward slow down so the distance between you and the truck increases this will get you further away from the spray avoid the in oone just like automobiles the first rule of safety with trucks is see and be seen large trucks have blind spots or no zones around the front back and sides of the truck watch out a truck could even turn into you because these no zones make it difficult for the driver to see so don't hang out in the no zones remember if you can't see the truck driver in the truck's mirror the truck driver can't see you passing if you are passing a truck always pass on the left side and make sure to allow plenty of room before cutting back in front of the truck keep a firm control on the steering wheel to counter the effect of air turbulence look for the whole front of the vehicle in your rear view mirror before pulling in front and maintaining speed merging courtesy when traveling in the right lane courtesy dictates that you move over to allow a truck to merge be careful when pulling behind a truck which has just entered the highway it takes a lot longer for a large truck to get up to speed avoid Squeeze Play pay close attention to large Vehicles turn signals and give them plenty of room to maneuver when a truck or bus needs to make a right turn it will sometimes swing wide too the left in order to safely turn right and clear the corner of a curb or other obstruction sometimes space from other lanes is used to clear Corners if you try to get in between the truck or bus and the curb you will be squeezed in between them and could suffer a serious crash to avoid a crash do not turn until the truck or bus has completed its turn chapter six traffic laws and regulations General you are required to obey all traffic laws when driving a vehicle Upon A Street or highway police officers you must obey all lawful orders and directions of a police officer here are some ways to improve your traffic stop experience invoke the Golden Rule and treat the officer the way you would like to be treated remember that you are required to cooperate with all reasonable requests that law enforcement Personnel make if an officer signals for you to stop remain calm and safely pull over be prepared to produce your driver's license vehicle registration certificate and current proof of insurance remain in the vehicle unless the officer tells you otherwise keep your hands visible if you are stopped by a non-uniformed officer in an unmarked vehicle you can ask the officer for identification if you believe the reason for the Stop is vague or unclear you can ask the officer for details if you are uncomfortable stopping in an area that is deserted or not well lit explain this to the officer and ask if you can proceed to a more populated or better illuminated area procedural questions and complt complaints about an officer's treatment of you can be forwarded to the officer's supervisor traffic control you must operate your vehicle as indicated by traffic signs and signals and pavement markings when a traffic control signal is not functioning at an intersection the intersection shall revert to an Allway or four-way stop control of vehicles it is unlawful to negligently fail to maintain reasonable and proper control of your vehicle speed excessive speed is often the factor that turns a minor incident into a fatal crash the laws of physics tell us that crash severity increases disproportionately with vehicle speed a frontal impact at 35 mph for example is 1/3 more violent than one at 30 mph when driving at 75 mph you have little chance of living through a crash driving at such a speed during bad weather or at night means you are overdriving your headlights since your stopping distance is greater than your visibility you're gambling that you can stop quickly in an emergency you can't speed limit signs are based on traffic congestion intersections and roadway conditions are designed for the safety of all drivers and roadway users and should be followed carefully you may be cited for traveling too fast for conditions when above the legal limitations driving 55 mes per hour in a snowstorm is not recognized as an acceptable speed for a snowy roadway even if the posted speed limit allows for 55 mph remember that speed limits are posted for ideal conditions so if the roadway is wet or icy if you cannot see well or if traffic is heavy then you must reduce speed to enable your vehicle to stop and steer as needed use good judgment to determine the safest speed for the driving conditions the best way to avoid speeding is to check your speedometer frequently you may not be very good at judging how fast you are going without checking the speedometer so it is easy to be traveling much faster than perceived this is especially true when switching from high-speed multiple Lane roadways to lower speed single Lane roadways the general speed law is that you must not drive at a speed greater than is reasonable you must drive at a safe appropriate speed depending on the area in which you are driving the road and traffic conditions light and weather conditions speed limits you must not drive faster than the posted maximum limit you must not drive slower than the posted minimum limit while driving within the posted speed limit you must not drive so slowly that you impede other traffic reduced speed limits are required in the following areas on streets near schools and playgrounds and at locations marked with a school crossing sign when children are present on streets in residential or business areas while excessive speed is a main factor in crashes driving too slowly is also dangerous drivers tend to get impatient with another driver who is driving too slowly and take unnecessary chances to get around him minimum speeds are posted for our interstates drag racing it is unlawful to participate in any race speed contest or speed exhibition of any public Street or Road in the state drag racing is defined as the operation of two or more vehicles from a point side by side at accelerating speeds in a competitive attempt to outdo each other driving on divided highways when a highway is divided into two roadways by a median or barrier you must not drive across the median or barrier except when an approved crossover is provided you cannot cross the painted continuous Center under line of any multiple Lane highways except for the purpose of making a turn lane changing never move from one lane to another until you are certain that you can do so safely proper lane changing rules are check your rear view and side mirrors look over your shoulder to make sure no one is in your blind spot check for other drivers who may also be moving into the same Lane signal your intention to other drivers before changing lanes look carefully behind you someone may be passing you also if you can't see at least A4 mile ahead don't attempt to pass so if there's fog or any other kind of obstruction blocking your view stay put the best scenario for attempting this pass is a clear sunny day on a long flat and clear stretch of road delaying or adjusting a lane change there may be an instance when you need to delay or adjust your lane change even if you are about to miss your exit or turn you should never make a hurried or unsafe Lane change you can always take the next exit and turn around if there is a car in your blind spot in the lane that you want to move into speed up or slow down until there is enough space for you to change lanes this is when you need to use your mirrors multiple times before make the lane change during heavier traffic or when cars are following each other too closely there might not be enough space for you to make a lane change speed up or slow down if there is enough space either in front of the cars or behind them if you have to speed up or slow down so must that it puts you or others in danger wait to change lanes never force your way into a lane this maneuver is dangerous for both you and other drivers hopefully another driver will notice your signal and will make space for you if there is a car in the a lane you want to move into that is approaching at a faster speed than you are traveling simply wait for the car to pass and then make the lane change do not get in front of the car not only will it make the driver angry but more severely the driver might not have enough time to slow down behind you do not change lanes while you are driving through an intersection or approaching an intersection as this is dangerous and illegal wait until you pass through the intersection to change lanes there is already enough danger at intersections without the added thread of cars changing lanes these locations often include controlled intersections uncontrolled intersections and multiple shopping center entrances stopped school buses you must stop at least 30 ft from a stop school bus that is loading or unloading children all 50 states have a law that makes it illegal to pass a school bus that is loading or unloading children always be prepared to stop when lights are flashing bus drivers will activate the flashing yellow lights of the bus at least 100 ft but no more than 500 ft before the school bus stop as the bus comes to a complete stop the flashing red lights and stop signs will activate wait for the vehicle to move and scam before starting to drive again this is required by law whether you are meeting the bus or traveling behind it you do not have to stop when the bus is stopped in a loading zone completely off the roadway and where the pedestrians are not allowed to cross the roadway if you are following a bus increase your following distance in order to get a better view anticipate the bus stopping at its pickup and drop off points never pass a bus with its red lights flashing on the right or on the left buses typically travel at lower rates of speed and make frequent stops during the school year school buses are most likely to be on the road during a 3-hour period in the morning and a 3-hour period in the afternoon when a school bus is stopped in opposite Lanes on a roadway separated by a ditch grassy median elevated concrete barrier or any obstacle that prevents traffic from driving thereon you are not required to stop drivers are also not required to stop for a stop school bus when traveling on four-lane or five Lane roadways which are separated by a dedicated two-way left turn lane drivers must stop on a four-lane roadway when it is not separated by a barrier intersections one of the most dangerous areas on any road is the intersection cross traffic turning Vehicles bicyclists and pedestrians can make getting across an intersection a challenge and in heavy traffic even dangerous many intersection collisions occur when drivers fail to use their turn signals or don't know the right of way laws you should know who has the right of way and always use your signal indicator slow down and be prepared to stop if necessary having the right of way does not guarantee your safety aggressive drivers will try to beat the red light and speed dangerously through an intersection rules for turning the steps for making safe courteous and legal turns are as follows prepare for the turnwell in advance scan ahead and around you to see where other vehicles or pedestrians are and be sure it is safe to turn signal first and then move into the proper lane the law requires that you signal and get into the proper lane at least 100 ft before making a turn slow down before making turns and always finish your turn in the proper lane right turn steps one through four give the proper method for making a right turn avoid swinging left before making the turn always turn right from the rightmost lane or when Lane Lan markings indicate multiple Lanes can be used for a right turn at the same time signal first and then move into the proper lane the law requires that you signal and get into the proper lane at least 100 ft before making a turn slow down before making turns and always finish your turn in the proper lane left turn steps one through 4 give the proper method for making a left turn prepare for the turn in advance signal first and then move into the proper lane Louisiana Law requires that you signal at least 100 ft before making a turn keep your wheel straight while waiting to turn this will prevent you from being pushed into traffic if you are hit from behind break prior to beginning the turn and use the appropriate lanes for turning avoid cutting the corner so sharply that your vehicle is in front of someone approaching from the left left turn two vehicles if you meet another driver at an intersection and both of you signal left turns be extra careful when safe each driver should turn to the left of the center of the intersection if you must stop before making a left turn keep your wheel straight so that if you are struck from the rear you won't be shoved into the oncoming traffic lane at four-way intersections some lanes are marked as left turn Lanes when such a lane is marked you may only turn left from this Lane more than one lane may be designated as left turn only Lanes you may not turn around do not attempt to turn around while on a hill or in a curve where your vehicle cannot be seen by other drivers approaching from either direction within 500 ft shared Center left turn lane on many streets where it is difficult to safely make a left turn there is a shared left turn lane located in the middle of the roadway the solid yellow Center Line means you cannot use the center lane for passing the broken yellow center lines show that Vehicles traveling in either direction may use the center lane only to make left turns Louisiana law prohibits traveling in this Lane for more than 200 ft do not move into the lane too soon the longer you stay in the lane the more likely you will meet someone coming in the opposite direction watch for vehicles pulling out of entrances and side streets and do not use a shared left turn lane for anything but turning left when using a shared Center left turn lane you must check for vehicles ahead check mirrors signal left and check your left blind spot by looking over your shoulder steer smoothly into the shared Center left turn lane and choose an appropriate Gap in oncoming traffic to make the left turn roundabouts and traffic circles these are found in some areas to help ensure safe passage of traffic through an intersection without necessarily stopping the flow of traffic a roundabout or traffic circle is a circular intersection with design features that promote safe and efficient traffic flow Vehicles travel counterclockwise around a raised Center island with entering traffic yielding the right upway to circulating traffic when entering the roundabout or traffic circle you must negotiate a sharp curve slow your speed to about 15 to 20 mph once in the roundabout proceed to the appropriate exit following the guidance provided by traffic signs and pavement markings if there is more than one lane going in the same direction make sure you know where you want to go and are in the proper lane before entering and do not change lanes or pass any Vehicles when using roundabouts or traffic circles slow down as you approach the circle a sign like the one shown warns of a roundabout or traffic circle yield to any traffic in the circle if another vehicle arrives at the traffic circle at the same time as you do yield to the vehicle if it is on your right also yield to pedestrians and bicyclists in the traffic circle or roundabout enter a traffic circle to the right but steer to the left in a counterclockwise Direction be courteous and Signal your intentions as you approach and drive through a traffic circle or roundabout if you intend to turn right signal right while approaching and until you have exited the traffic circle or roundabout if you are going straight through no signal is needed while approaching if you intend to turn left signal left on the approach to the traffic circle or roundabout once you have traveled 3/4 of the way around the traffic circle or roundabout signal right right to take the exit do not drive alongside large Vehicles such as trucks and buses in a traffic circle or roundabout this sign shown below warrants to keep away from large vehicles in a traffic circle or roundabout cornering every corner is made of three parts the entry the Apex and the exit the entry is where turning Begins the Apex is the point where the car reaches the furthest point on the inside of the turn the exit is when the car is driving straight again this 10-point plan explains how to get cornering right both hands on the wheel at 9 and 3:00 you can neither safely nor correctly steer a car one-handed or with your hands in the wrong positions it's that simple and there is very little if any need to reposition your hands during 99.9% of open road driving in a reasonably modern car look as far around the bend as as possible eyes are the main thing that steers a car not hands look where you want to go as far ahead as possible you'll get more time to react if there's an obstacle ahead and the process will be much smoother look through the side mirror if necessary don't stop at the border of the windshield if the bend is tight if there is vegetation try to see as far ahead as possible judgment the open road is not your widescreen tele ision there are real risks such as oncoming traffic and roadside obstacles be conservative and employ safety margins no matter how good you think you are always be prepared for the unexpected speed matters the right speed is very hard to judge in cornering why this is because cornering load or Force depends on speed squared that means doubling the speed generates four times the cornering Force 50% more speed in a corner generates well over double the cornering load it's easy to exceed the available grip under the tires because small changes in speed make relatively big changes to cornering load and that makes the right speed hard to judge unfortunately advisory speed signs are notoriously inconsistent slow in the most efficient smoothest way around a Bend is to enter a little on the slow side entering too fast may cause a loss of control slower and means smoother on the way through and faster out a safer more efficient way to travel smooth is safe rough driving is a great way to lose control if you find yourself pushing the wheel aggressively giving the car too much gas or breaking on the way around a Bend you're in dangerous territory and you're showing how little you really know about driving slow down a notch Drive smoothly be gentle on the controls all three of them Wheels brakes and steering entry ease off the gas as you turn in this causes a little weight to transfer forwards adding weight to the front wheels and helping the steering grip the road don't go over the center line on right hand turns keep out wide to maintain a safety margin against Wayward oncoming drivers steering and control work together lifting off the accelerator and turn in with the steering is a natural combination that helps the car do what you want mid Corner add a little acceleration not very much just enough to balance the car up and keep looking around the bend on your intended travel path if you start to run a little wide ease off the accelerator and add some steering you shouldn't have to move your hands very much in the middle phase of most Corners exit the opposite strategy to entry as you you see the corner open up and some straight road ahead add some acceleration gently and start unwinding the steering the car should transition smoothly from cornering to straight ahead if you get it right remember cornering is about subtle control inputs not gross ones planning most people get into trouble in Corners because they get into them before they sort them out mentally then the cornering process drives them not the other way around so don't get distracted Ed keep ahead of the game mentally and pay particular attention to balancing the car's entry speed to the corner severity signaling crashes often happen because one driver does not see another driver or when one driver does something the other driver does not expect it is important that you let other roadway users know where you are and what you plan to do if you do not signal your intention other drivers will not be prepared for your move some drivers do not always pay attention to what is going on around them you must always give a signal to other drivers when you plan to turn change lanes slow down or stop you can use either mechanical signal lights or the left arm a right or left turn signal must be given continuously for not less than 100 ft before making the turn a greater distance is suggested when driving at faster speeds or in heavy traffic the left turns signal should always be used when driving from a curbside parallel parking space into the flow of traffic or moving to the left lane to pass it is illegal to flash your turn signals on just one side of a parked or disabled vehicle or as a signal to another vehicle to pass you arm straight is for a left turn arm bent up is for a right turn arm bent downward is for slowing or stopping right of way the following right of way rules are an aid to safe and smooth traffic flow the law says who must yield the right of way to another roadway user it does not give anyone the right of way the rules apply to all users of the road including bicyclists but you should never insist on taking the right of way if other drivers or pedestrians are not following the rules let them have the right of way even if it belongs to you at yield sign intersections slow down to a reasonable speed and stop if required proceed ahead only when you can do so with without interfering with approaching traffic left turns the driver making a left turn must yield the right upway to oncoming traffic including bicyclists you must yield the right upway to emergency vehicles that are sounding a siren and flashing warning lights pull over to the right edge of the roadway clear of intersections and stop until the emergency vehicle has passed watch for other emergency vehicles this applies to traffic in both directions to pedestrians legally crossing the roadway on which you are driving marked or unmarked crosswalks to persons using a guide dog for the visually impaired to persons using a white cane with or without a red tip at uncontrolled intersections where vehicles are already in the intersection at T intersections where you must yield to vehicles on the through Road when driving on an unpaved road that intersects with a paved Road when returning to the roadway after the car is parked when entering a road from a driveway alley or roadside you must yield to Vehicles already on the main road at controlled intersections and four-way stop intersections remember if a traffic light has malfunctioned the intersection becomes a four-way stop intersection when two vehicles approach an intersection at the same time the driver on the left must yield the right of way to the vehicle on the right railroad grade crossing Louisiana Law requires that the driver of any motor vehicle must stop within 50 ft but no less than 15 ft from the nearest rail of a railroad crossing when a signal device is flashing and a train is approaching a crossing gate is lowered a train gives a warning signal and is an immediate Hazard due to its speed or proximity to the crossing a train is approaching so close as to create an immediate hazard after stopping the driver shall not proceed to cross the tracks until he can do so safely railroad grade Crossings are marked with warning devices for your protection watch for and respect these devices Louisiana law prohibits any driver from stopping a vehicle on railroad tracks never get trapped on a Crossing if your vehicle is in a line of vehicles approaching a railroad grade crossing you should not attempt to cross the tracks unless you are certain that your vehicle can safely cross to the other side of the tracks if your vehicle becomes pinned between two vehicles or stalls in the path of an oncoming train get out and move in the direction toward the approaching train away from the tracks advanced warning signs tell you to look listen and slow down you may have to stop watch for vehicles that must stop at railroad crossings drivers of vehicles carrying passengers for hire school buses or trucks or any vehicle carrying explosives or flammable liquids must stop at railroad crossings do not pass them unless it is legal to do so and there are no unsafe conditions you should have a clear view of the tracks railroad cross markings are White markings painted in the traffic lane before railroad crossings the pavement is marked with a large x and two RS this is a no passing zone red railroad crossbuck signs will be found at most Crossings the driver should slow down and be prepared to stop upon seeing a train if there is more than one track a sign below the crossbuck indicates the number of tracks flashing light signals are used with crossbuck signs at many railroad crossings always stop when the lights are flashing because a train is coming from the other direction always look both ways as you approach a railroad crossing even if the warning lights are not flashing they may not be working never shift gears on the crossing if your vehicle has a manual transmission shift before reaching the tracks and do not change gears while crossing the tracks gates are used with flashing signals at certain Crossings stop when the light begins flashing and before the gates are lowered remain stopped until the gates are raised never drive around the gates it's against the law to drive through or around any any crossing gate at a railroad crossing expect a train on any track at any time be cautious at a railroad crossing any time of day or night freight trains do not travel at fixed times and schedules be especially careful when visibility is low or when the tracks may be hidden from view by trees Hills buildings Etc do not cross tracks until you are sure no train is coming stay alert around railroad tracks do do not use cell phones headphones or other distractions that would prevent you from hearing an approaching train do not mix rails and Recreation track facts fact number one you cannot judge the distance and speed of an oncoming train fact number two railroad tracks trestles Bridges and railroad yards are private property fact number three a train can appear on any track at any time fact number four train TRS have the right of weigh 100% of the time over emergency vehicles cars the police and pedestrians the weight ratio of a train to a car is like that of a car to a soda can try driving over a soda can with a car and observe what happens when a 3,000lb car and a train weighing several tons meat tragedy always occurs according to the US Department of Transportation there are about 5,800 vehicle train crashes each year these accidents kill 600 people and injure about 2,300 others don't try to beat a train a 100 car freight train traveling at 55 mph requires more than a mile to stop that's the length of 18 football fields other laws you should know backing up is not permitted on the shoulder or roadway of any controlled access Highway it is also prohibited at any other place place unless it can be done safely without interfering with traffic it is against the law for more than three persons to occupy the front seat of a moving vehicle you must not drive a vehicle that is overloaded with passengers or any other thing that will obstruct your view in any direction or interfere with your control of the vehicle no persons under the age of 12 Years shall be permitted to be a passenger in the open bed of a truck no persons of any age is permitted to be a passenger in the open bed of a truck when the truck is moving upon an interstate highway of the state having non-transparent material affixed to the front windshield or front side windows is illegal unless prescribed by a physician riding in a house trailer is not allowed while it is being moved Upon A Highway in the state funeral processions require all operators of Motor Vehicles to yield the right of way to the vehicles participating in a funeral procession while participating in a funeral procession each driver shall have the head Lights of the vehicle lighted and the emergency lights flashing following emergency vehicles responding to call closer than 500 ft is unlawful you must not follow into and park within the block where the emergency vehicle has stopped do not cross any unprotected fire department hoses unless consent is given by an official of the fire department wearing headphones headset headphone or listening device other than a hearing aid in both ears is prohibited wearing headphones headset headphone or listening device in one ear alone is allowed it is illegal to lend your driver's license to another person to alter your driver's license in any manner to provide false information in obtaining your driver's license to have more than one driver's license in your possession to fail or refuse to surrender your driver's license to the department if demanded and to permit any unlawful use of driver's license issued theft of motor vehicle fuel is a a crime punishable by fine loss of license and possible jail time Louisiana's move it move it move it steer it clear campaign is an attempt to make the public aware of your responsibility to remove vehicles from the roadway to the nearest soft shoulder in accordance with Louisiana law no person driving or in charge of any motor vehicle shall permit it to stand unattended without first stopping the motor locking the ignition removing the key and effectively setting the brake removal of vehicles from the roadway will play a great role in reducing traffic congestion and reduce the chances of secondary crashes Louisiana law requires you have your headlights on low beam when your windshield wipers are required operators below H17 are prohibited from driving between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless accompanied by a licensed parent guardian or adult at least 21 years of age or c Ling 18 years of age traffic laws apply to persons riding bicycles every person riding a bicycle is given the same rights and must follow the same rules and regulations that are given to those driving an automobile riding on bicycles when riding a bicycle the rider must ride upon a seat that is attached to the bicycle the number of people on the bicycle shall not be greater than the intended number of people the bicycle is designed to carry the person controlling the bicycle must have at least one hand on the handlebars at all times clinging to Vehicles no person riding a bicycle shall attach himself or the bicycle to any vehicle while on public roadways riding on roadways and bicycle paths all bicyclists must ride as near to the right side of the roadway as safely possible while exercising caution when passing stationary vehicles or Vehicles traveling in the same direction bicyclists must not ride more than two ab breast except on roadways set aside for exclusive bicycle use bicycle seats and restraining seats children under the age of 12 must wear approved helmets when operating a bicycle or riding as a passenger a child's helmet must fit properly and be fastened securely on the child's head with the straps of the helmet children who weigh less than 40 lbs or are less than 40 in in height must be properly seated and secured in an approved restraining seat to be a passenger upon a bicycle please note the international symbols for the disabled these symbols mean that a parking space is especially reserved for a persons who is disabled practice driving courtesy give disabled citizens a break never use one of these spaces unless you are lawfully entitled to it automobile insurance fraud the five most common types of automobile insurance fraud are fictional theft repair shop ripoff offs uncompleted repairs deceptive claims and staged accidents a fictional theft occurs when a policy holder files a phony Insurance claim for a stolen vehicle that he knows is simply in storage a repair shop ripoff occurs when the owner of an auto repair shop or glass shop offers to inflate a policy holders damage estimate as a favor to cover the deductible you will see An Occurrence of an uncompleted repair when the owner of an auto repair shop routinely does not replace parts that are required to complete the repair a deceptive claim is when an accident victim files a claim for repairs that had been previously claimed tips to prevent vehicle repair fraud there are many types of collision repair fraud scams ranging from airbag fraud to chop shops that dismantle and resell stolen vehicle parts to shops that inflate vehicle damage estimates use reputable collision repair shops that employ ASC Certified mechanics obtain a shop recommendation from your insurance company a family member or a friend select a facility that is clean and orderly with updated equipment choose a shop that uses a written damage report instead of written estimate of cost SL price of repair a damage report is a blueprint for your repairs damage reports also contain more details about the repairs than written estimates ask for a written warranty on installed collision repair parts and paint work tips to avoid becoming a victim of a staged automobile accident avoid tailgating always give yourself plenty of space between you and the vehicle in front of you if you find yourself in an accident call the police immediately and obtain an item number for the official accident report exchange contact information with the drivers of other vehicles make sure you use a current driver's license to obtain valid information if the other driver refuse ask the police officer to provide you with the contact information of all parties involved carry a camera or cell phone with a camera feature to document the damages to Vehicles involved in the accident and to document the number of passengers in each vehicle at the time of the accident avoid people at the scene of the accident who are not involved especially if they are attempting to obtain information regarding whether you have a lawyer or a doctor if your vehicle requires Towing assistance and you have rode assistance make your own arrangement avoid tow trucks that happen to show up at the scene offering assistance if you choose to use a towing service that arrives at the scene of the accident make sure you have a designated repair shop available to receive your vehicle do not allow the tow truck operator to recommend a repair shop that you have not heard of and did not make prior arrangements with contact your insurance company or producer as soon as possible to report the accident and to open a claim having a copy of the police report or police item number will help expedite the process once you have contacted your producer refer any calls regarding the accident to the person handling your claim report insurance fraud to the Louisiana Department of Insurance fraud division online at www.la.gov click on report insurance fraud or by phone at 225 342 4956 tips to prevent automob theft Park smart professional thieves can steal any car park smart to avoid becoming a victim to prevent vehicle theft the ldi Louisiana automobile theft and insurance fraud prevention Authority latia recommends the following tips to Consumers to prevent automobile theft lock your doors close windows Park in well-lighted areas put valuables in the trunk use vehicle immobilizers use theft deterrence don't do these things don't leave your keys in the ignition while warming up or cooling off your car while pumping gas while running into a convenience store or while dropping the kids off at daycare don't leave personal possessions purse laptop packages from the store cell phone GPS Etc in your car where they can be seen don't hide a key in or on your car don't hide a firearm in your vehicle the Louisiana automobile theft and insurance fraud prevention Authority Latifa a public agency within the Louisiana Department of Insurance conducts an auto theft awareness education program designed to educate middle and high school students in Louisiana about the consequences of auto theft and how not to become a victim of automobile theft latia also offers an online training course for parking smart for more information on the prevention of auto theft and insurance fraud contact Latifa at 22521 9452 or www.la.gov Latifa chapter 7 Interstate driving and Rural Roads Traffic on an interstate normally moves safely and smoothly because there are fewer places for the type of problems that could cause crashes however the crashes that do happen are usually serious Vehicles traveling the interstate are usually traveling at a higher R of speed when crashes do occur they are usually more severe as a driver you need to know and follow some basic rules and practices to make Interstate driving as safe as possible planning ahead since Interstate entrances and exits may be far apart you should plan your route in advance use a map and know exactly where you will enter and exit the interstate also make sure your vehicle is in good working condition since there are few service stations along some remote stretches along interstate highways you may find yourself in serious trouble if you run out of gas or have a breakdown before you leave check your gas water oil and tires don't forget to check your spare tire General Interstate driving be ready for change and traffic conditions watch for signals from other drivers expect merging vehicles at on ramps and interchanges be prepared for rapid changes in road conditions and traffic flow as you look ahead think about what will or might happen on the road be alert for vehicles on either side to the front and to the rear use your mirrors leave enough space between you and a vehicle ahead for safe stops always leave yourself and out mistakes cause crashes to protect yourself know which lanes are clear so you can use them if you need to entering whenever you enter traffic signal and be sure you have enough space to enter safely you have to share space with traffic already on the road and must know how much space you need to merge with traffic and pass other cars enter the interstate at or near the speed of traffic remember that the maximum speed allowed is 70 m per hour unless otherwise posted you should not drive slower than the posted minimum speed on the interstate unless the weather or road conditions demand slower speed always try to drive at a steady speed begin checking traffic while on the entrance ramp do not move slowly to the end of the entrance ramp and stop start your turn signal to warn other drivers look for a gap in the approaching traffic then adjust your speed to meet that Gap as you merge make sure you are traveling the same speed as other traffic do not stop before merging with interstate traffic unless it is absolutely necessary interstate traffic has the right of way you can't always count on other drivers either seeing you or moving over to give you space to enter space to merge when you merge into traffic you need a gap of 4 seconds that will give both you and the car you merge in front of a 2C following distance don't try to squeeze into a gap that is too small leave yourself a big enough space cushion watch for vehicles around you use your mirrors and turn signals turn your head to look quickly to the side before changing lanes it is a good idea to leave 3 seconds of space between you and the vehicle ahead make sure you can stop safely if you must at some Interstate entrances there is a short acceleration Lane with heavy traffic you are more likely to see cars stopped and waiting for large enough gaps in traffic this situation is dangerous because of the risk of rear-end collisions and the need for fast acceleration to enter traffic to enter traffic from a full stop you will need about a full block to get up to the speed of the other vehicles on the interstate highway right hand lane avoid unnecessary Lane changing stay in the right- hand lane unless overtaking and passing making an exit to the left or letting another vehicle enter however you may drive in any Lane of an interstate having three or more Lanes in One Direction with each lane having a specific function the right hand lane is used for x exiting and entering the middle is often used as the travel Lane and the far left lane is for passing when you approach most entrance points you will see a merge sign this sign warns you to be ready to adjust your speed or to move into the left lane if possible this will let other drivers enter traffic smoothly and safely the rightand lane is also a place where some driver slow down for an exit this is dangerous when you see an exit sign be alert for drivers who suddenly slow or who swerve into an exit Lane at the last second don't follow the vehicle in front of you too closely always keep at least a 4-second space cushion between you and the vehicle ahead when the weather is bad or the pavement is slick you should double that time rear-end collisions are the most frequent type of crashes on the interstates keeping a space cushion a cushion of space ahead behind and to the sides gives you some distance to avoid the mistakes of other drivers rear-end crashes usually occur because of drivers following too closely if your rear view mirror shows another vehicle is too close to you realize you are dealing with an unsafe driver you should still keep a safe following distance behind the vehicle ahead of you in case of a rear-end crash this may prevent you from being pushed into the vehicle ahead if you are being followed too closely tailgate slow down and encourage the driver behind you to pass if this fails pull over stop and let the tailgator pass keep your doors locked keep a space cushion to the side to have room to react to sudden moves toward you by other vehicles avoid driving alongside other cars on multi-lane streets drive in the center of your lane to keep space between you and oncoming cars make room for vehicles entering interstate highways if there is no one next to you move move over a lane Space Management always leave for your destination on time so that you do not need to rush while driving to be a safe and defensive driver you must be aware of and manage the road space around your car there are three basic elements to Space Management speed control Lane position communication using these three tools you can manage your space and be positioned to see and process information to make decisions your most important goal in managing your road space is to achieve a balance of these three tools at all times exiting one of the main reasons for planning ahead is to know exactly where you want to leave the interstate look ahead for signs telling you about the exit you want and the lane you must use approximately a mile before your exit check to make sure you are in the correct Lane to make the exit change lanes one at a time until you are in the proper lane to safely make the exit signal your intention for approximately 5 seconds and make sure you are at the proper speed for leaving the traffic lane not too fast so you won't lose control and not too slow so the flow of traffic can still move freely if you miss your exit do not stop do not back up it is against the law and is one of the most dangerous things you can do on an interstate highway go on to the next exit get back on the interstate and return to the exit exit you want most Interstate exits have a special Lane for you to use to slow down before you reach the exit never slow down on the interstate itself wait until you are fully in the deceleration lane and then reduce your speed to the posted ramp speed be aware of two-way Traffic Ahead after your exit from the interstate rural roads sometimes you may leave the urban areas of the city for Less trafficked roads whether you're visiting or you normally Drive in rural areas these roads have unique challenges driving on empty rural highways can be just as dangerous as driving in heavy City traffic it is easy to relax your attention and suddenly come upon something dangerous stay alert watch for warning signs and slow down some road conditions and driving hazards are unique to rural roads when compared to a paved Interstate or city street rural roads consist of paved gravel and dirt roads it is important to understand the different types of Hazard that are common on Rural roads gravel or dirt Vehicles do not have as much traction on gravel or dirt roads as they do on concrete or asphalt roads when driving on gravel or dirt you must reduce your speed and increase your following distance since it will take much longer to stop due to loss of traction skidding can occur when traction is lost gravel or dirt roads can become rough and rippled from where a series of potholes have has formed and can affect steering and vehicle control dust during dry periods of the Year gravel roads can become extremely Dusty Vision can be reduced it is recommended that you use low beam headlights to make your vehicle more visible to others slow down and increase your following distance narrow Bridges and Roads gravel or dirt roads can be narrow and have little to no shoulder which can be hazardous ditches can be close to the road very steep and dangerous you should look for narrow bridge signs and be prepared to stop for oncoming traffic these roadways may have sharp dips or unexpected turns therefore you should slow down and increase your following distance open Bridge gradings or steel Bridges reduce speed as traction for braking and steering is reduced due to the reduced traction keep a firm grip on the steering wheel and increase your following distance Vision limitations blinded Corners created by wooded areas corn fields or other tall crops can create Vision limitations steep hills and curves Hills and curves on Rural roads are often steeper and sharper than on highways before reaching the crest of a hill or before entering a curve slow down move to the right side of the road and watch for oncoming Vehicles Highway railroad grade Crossings many Highway railroad grade Crossings on Rural roads are marked only with a warning sign and a white x-shaped railroad crossing sign and typically do not have lights or crossing gates therefore you should always slow down look both ways and be prepared to stop for a train before crossing the tracks uncontrolled intersections some intersections on Rural roads are not controlled by yield or stop signs these intersections can be very dangerous if you do not approach them with caution When approaching an uncontrolled rural intersection slow down and be prepared to stop for crossing or oncoming traffic expect other Road users and animals coming out of hidden Junctions and driveways people working walking or cycling on the road farm machinery and slow moving Vehicles school buses picking up SL dropping off students animals sometimes animals also pose a risk for drivers there is an estimated 1.5 5 million deer vehicle collisions annually in the United States causing more than 150 fatalities and $1.1 billion in property damage use caution When approaching deer crossing warning signs the signs are there for a reason keep your speed down at night if you see one animal expect there is another nearby know which seasons and times are worse than others Wildlife is more active at Dusk and Dawn this is also Al it is hardest for our eyes to adjust as it is neither completely dark nor completely light when traveling in a wildlife area actively scan both sides of the roads as your drive sometimes a domesticated animal such as a horse or cow May wander into the roadway sound your horn and break in a controlled manner don't scare the animal so that it runs into the path of another vehicle or swerve around the animal causing it to panic usually sounding the horn is enough for the Natural Instincts of an animal to take over remain calm Wen it is safe notify the local authorities of the problem so that the animal does not cause an accident or injury if wild animals are on the road slow down or stop do not use the horn or rev the engine pass as far away from the animals as possible there may be times when an animal suddenly runs in front of your vehicle do not swerve into oncoming traffic or off the roadway to avoid hitting the animal big game animals mostly deer are large enough to cause damage to a motor vehicle the size of the animal may cause you to take drastic action to prevent a collision this may result in a more serious crash than if the vehicle collided with an animal regretfully the safest alternative may be hitting the animal concentrate on regaining control of the vehicle before during and after the collision with the animal you can use these precautions to reduce your chances of colliding with an animal use caution when driving at dawn and Dusk and between the months of October through December when animals are most active use caution and be alert when driving on roadways marked with deer crossing signs these signs are placed in areas that have had a large number of deer SL vehicle collisions look well down the road and far off to each side scan the sides of the road to watch for the reflection of your vehicle headlights in the eyes of animals especially at night and near Woods and Water slow down and use caution When approaching animals that are standing near the roadway they may bolt or change direction at the last minute and there may be other deer following since they travel in groups use flashers or a headlight signal to warn other drivers when animals are spotted on or near the road if you think you have time to avoid hitting an animal reduce your speed tap your brakes to warn other drivers and sound your horn deer tend to fixate on headlights so flashing them may cause the animal to freeze in the road if there are no vehicles close behind you break hard but do not lock wheels causing a skid pets such as dogs may also run out on the roadway dogs that chase vehicles tend to approach in a straight line slow down until the dog is near your vehicle then accelerate away from the dog as it approaches dogs are likely to be seen in residential rural or Farm areas if an accident with an animal is inevitable here are some suggestions for lessening the impact do not swerve to avoid the animal your risk of personal injury may be greater if you do keep your vehicle under control and on the roadway when you hit the animal steer your vehicle towards the area the animal came from this may take you away from the animal and it is more likely to keep moving forward rather than backtracking this will only work if there is one animal and not a group such as a herd of deer shift your line of eyesight to that spot as well don't look at the animal or you'll steer that way try to skim rather than fully impact the animal break firmly angle the vehicle and take your foot off the brake as you impact the release of the brake will cause slight lift of the vehicle and this may be enough to stop the animal from rising into your windshield if your vehicle is tall enough report the crash to the police if it involves a large animal such as a deer or farm animal if the animal is a domestic pet and homes are nearby try to notify the Pet's owner if possible do not go inside someone's home slow moving Vehicles be alert for slow moving Vehicles especially in rural areas a fluorescent or reflective orange and red triangle displayed on the rear of vehicles drawn by animals farm equipment or construction equipment means the vehicle is tra traveling less than 25 mph use caution When approaching a slow moving vehicle and be sure it is safe before you pass farm machinery watch for tractors combines and other farm equipment moving across the road and traveling on state highways in rural areas farm machinery can be very large and wide enough to take up more than one traffic lane farm machinery usually does not have turned signals and to make a right turn operators of farm machinery may pull wide to the left and then turn to the right in most cases these vehicles will be traveling at less than 25 mph pass with caution and remember the operator of the farm machinery cannot hear approaching Vehicles animal drawn vehicles in some rural areas you may be sharing the road with animal drawn vehicles they have the same rights to use the road as a motor vehicle and must follow the same rules of the road they are subject to heavy damage and injury to the occupants if hit by a vehicle normal speeds for animal drawn vehicles range between 5 and 8 mph they may be even slower when pulling large farm equipment or when Crossing intersections another Hazard to consider is restricted vision from the driver of the animal drawn vehicle when pulling large loads of hay or other equipment drivers may not be able to see Vehicles behind them therefore you need to be extra cautious when passing animal drawn vehicles pass with caution and do not use your horn or rev the engine because this may scare the horse and cause a crash to avoid other possible collisions you should anticipate left turns made by animal drawn vehicles into fields and driveways warning signs will be posted in areas where you are likely to find animal drawn vehicles so be alert horseback Riders horseback Riders are subject to and protected by the rules of the road they must ride single file near the right curb or Road Edge or on a usable right shoulder lane or path use caution When approaching a horse being ridden or LED along a road areas where horseback riding is common will usually be marked with an advisory sign you must drive at a reasonable speed and at a reasonable distance away from the horse do not sound your horn or rev your engine loudly When approaching or passing a horse it could scare the horse and cause a crash driving slow moving Vehicles if you were driving a slow moving vehicle and you have to drive so slowly that other vehicles have to reduce speed to the rear pull to the side of the roadway when safe to do so and let the other vehicles pass many states have turnout areas on some two-way single Lane roadways that must be used when you are causing vehicles to the rear to slow down significantly other two-way single Lane roadways sometimes have selective passing Lanes to reduce congestion to the rear of slower Vehicles safe and responsible handling of a vehicle under various conditions it's important to know as much as you can about your vehicle's weight especially if you plan to haul a lot of cargo or pull a trailer or moving van for example if you attach a small moving trailer and don't know the weight of your vehicle you can overload it which affects safety if the vehicle is overloaded it can can cause harm to your brakes making it hard for you to stop or slow down and can damage your suspension error on the side of caution when ever hauling large amounts of cargo if you're pulling a trailer you should know how much the gross combined weight rating will be if renting a moving trailer ask how much the trailer weighs when empty and how much weight it can hold to help you determine total weight you can find your gross vehicle weight gvr and your gross vehicle weight rating GVWR in your owner's manual as well as other ratings to ensure your safety on the road it should also appear on your title and registration documents weather changes a sudden change in the weather calls for a change in driving for your safety it is important that you adjust your speed to the weather conditions when driving in a heavy downpour or in fog slow down and turn on your low beam headlights if the fog is so dense that it impairs your vision you should not drive at all if you must drive slow down and drive to the nearest place where it is possible for you to get off the highway and stop you are risking your life by creeping along at 10 to 20 mph on the highway be prepared for an emergency stop red tail lights may be a vehicle that is stopped on the roadway or just barely moving be aware that vehicles coming up behind you may be driving too fast tap your brakes to make these drivers aware of your vehicle at night night driving creates a different set of problems for drivers driving at night is more hazardous and more difficult than daytime driving you cannot see nearly as much with your headlights as you see in the daytime headlights limit your range of visibility here are some things you can do that will help you to see better at night use your high beams Whenever there are no oncoming Vehicles high beams let you see twice as far as low beams dim your high beams whenever you come within about a one block distance of an oncoming vehicle if a vehicle comes toward you with their high beams on flash your headlights once quickly if the driver fails to dim their lights look toward the right side of the road to keep from being blinded by their headlights do not try to get back at the other driver by keeping your bright lights on if you do both of you may be blinded possibly causing a crash use your low beams when following another vehicle in heavy traffic in fog or when it is snowing or raining hard light from high beams will reflect back causing glare and making it more difficult to see ahead some vehicles have fog lights that you can use in fog snow or rain avoid looking directly into oncoming headlights as this can cause momentary blindness from the glare develop the ability to glance well ahead of your headlight beams looking for dark shapes on the roadway glance occasionally to the right and left to determine the location of the edge of the pavement and hazards that may come from the sides do not wear sunglasses or colored glasses when driving at night or on Dark Days colored lenses cause your eyes to adjust even more slowly and can reduce your vision in the country or in more rural areas it's easy to outdrive your headlights you should be able to stop within the distance lit by your headlights increase your following distance to at least 4 seconds a clean windshield can make a big difference to visibility whether you drive an urban rural or Interstate there are three types of conditions you encounter on the road open conditions this means that you have a space or a larger area in which to drive that is without restrictions you see only Wide Open Spaces on the road ahead with no restrictions around your car you are free to move forward or to change lanes without conflict closed conditions a closed Zone means that it is not available for your car's path of travel that there is a restriction to the driver's view or that space is unavailable in a particular Zone you will encounter this type of conditions driving in moderate to heavy traffic changing conditions this often occurs when the driving situation changes from an open to a closed Zone Changing conditions can include speed limits roadway or weather conditions Lane width environment mental conditions visibility traffic flow time of day traffic controls Etc each of these conditions should have an influence on what speed is appropriate the path of travel and what type of communication is used the urban driving environment is typically more challenging to the novice driver because there are more stimuli to be sorted and react to reducing speed allows more time to see details of the urban driving environment such as pedestrians road hazards and traffic flow it also allows time to analyze what you see and predict what might happen react to any hazards that might require quick reflexes and execute decisions to safely change directions and avoid hazardous situations trip planning there are ways you can help reduce your driving costs first determine your overall Transportation needs for each trip determine if it is necessary if so there may be times you do not need to drive yourself you might ride with someone else or you could take public transportation if it is available the best way to extend the life of your vehicle and save on fuel is to use it as little as possible to help cut down on your driving and make trip planning easier take public transportation when it is available avoid driving during heavy traffic it causes extra wear and tear on you and the vehicle use car pools or share rides whenever possible plan and then combine your trips make a list of the things you need and the places you need to go go to as many places as possible on any one trip call ahead to make sure that they have what you need or that what you are picking up is ready by doing these things you can help cut down on the amount of traffic on the road cut your travel costs and save yourself time and effort to prepare PR a vehicle for any trip be sure to check the important mechanical components such as windshields and windows lights tires all fluid levels belts hoses and brakes get a good night's sleep the night before the start of the trip before going on a trip consider the time of day to avoid congestion in City areas have a plan for the route including the route number entrance and exit numbers of the Final Destination consider rest stops fuel stops food stops and potential construction areas take a map with roots highlighted or a description of a roote written on paper as a reference determine the number of miles to be traveled daily the average number of miles driven on major highways is 100 to0 miles every 2 hours with 10 to 15 minute breaks every 2 to 3 hours and 1 hour stops for meals when traveling on secondary roads which go through towns and cities or traveling through mountains it will take longer to get to your destination if one person will be doing all of the driving 6 to 8 hours of driving in any one day should be considered the limit when two or more persons can share the driving total driving time should not exceed 10 to 11 hours avoid driving after dark when visibility is limited and particularly after 11: p.m. when you are more apt to fall asleep while driving be prepared when going on any trip remember number to take an extra set of keys in case you lock your keys in the vehicle or lose them insurance information in case you are in a crash money for expected and unexpected travel expenses vehicle owner manual in case your vehicle breaks down maps of local areas in case you get lost chapter 8 driving hazards and emergencies when you are driving a vehicle think things can happen very fast you may have very little time to react so you must know how to handle emergencies when they happen the worst hazards to safe driving are cell phone usage weather alcohol drowsiness aggressive behavior unintended acceleration eating and or drinking while driving there is no way to eliminate all potential hazards when driving but you can better prepare yourself to handle the emergency should it present itself before you start your engine always remember never drive impaired When approaching your parked vehicle look in front under and behind scanning for any objects in your travel path adjust your seat cushions and mirrors verify that all occupants are wearing seat belts eliminate distractions prior to driving distracted driving distracted driving is any non-driving activity a person engages in that has the potential to distract from the primary and complicated task of driving and increase the risk of crashing drivers are frequently distracted perhaps as much as half the time three main types of distraction visual taking your eyes off the road to look at something else manual taking your hands off the wheel to do something I.E adjusting the radio cognitive taking your mind off what you're doing while all distractions can endanger a driver's safety Tech texting is the most alarming because it involves all three types of distraction other distracting activities include using a cell phone eating and drinking talking to passengers grooming reading including Maps using a PDA or navigation system watching a video changing the radio station CD or MP3 player five things to remember about distractions all distractions are not the same as each has different levels of risk and crash involvement cognitive distraction is real using a hands-free device may keep your hands on the wheel but not necessarily your mind on your driving it's not just where your hands are it's also where your head is laws that ban only handheld use likely will not be effective in reducing risks or crashes because the cognitive distraction still exists with handsfree phone texting is very high risk and teens are the highest risk group Louisiana has laws against texting by any age group the number one driver distraction that is involved in most of the crashes is cell phone use concentrating on the active driving is vital to driving safely the driver's seat is no place for daydreaming intense conversation or absent-mindedly looking at scenery there have been too many crashes after which the driver said I don't know what happened these are some suggestions to avoid distractions turn off your cell phone or set it to silent before you get in the car if you can't hear it you won't be tempted to answer it or look at it leave a message on the phone that lets others know you can't take the call if you must make a call pull over to a safe location have a passenger make the call for you never ever text or surf the web while driving do not read your emails while driving prepare for your trip whether it is long or short if you are going to an area you are not familiar with study Maps or get driving directions before you start to drive if you are driving with pets secure them properly before you begin if a situation should arise with a child pull over to a safe location before you handle it teach children the importance of good behavior in cars ask a passenger to as your co-pilot do personal grooming at home do not try to retrieve items that fall on the floor or elsewhere in the car most important of all is to focus on your driving refrain from smoking eating drinking reading or any other activity that may take your attention and eyes off the road risks and teenage drivers teens are at a greater risk for accidents including fatalities than any other age group of drivers teens are 50% more likely to have an accident in the first month of driving alone without parental supervision the contributing factors are driving inexperience risk-taking behaviors immaturity and greater risk exposure the late night lifestyle of teens adds to the risk of an accident occurring due to drowsiness teens are more likely to make a poor decision due to peer pressure teens more than any other age group are likely to be involved in a single vehicle crash one in three deaths for this age group is due to a motor vehicle crash most teenage deaths due to a motor vehicle accident occur on weekends as 53% of all teen accidents occur on the weekend when teens were asked what they felt were the leading causes of unsafe Behavior while driving the use of alcohol and texting were listed highest however the top factors for fatal crashes involving teens are unsafe speeds and non-use of seat belts over two-thirds of teens admit to a near miss that could have ended in a crash of those 2third there will be at least one half that will have multiple near misses unfortunately many teens do not make the connection between bad driving habits and close calls teenagers are quick Learners and will often Master the fundamentals of driving quickly however the biggest challenge at teen will face is concentrating and remaining focused on the task of driving teens are easily distracted while driving by the radio station the MP3 player or other teens in the car too often teens do not have good role models to follow in safe driving habits only one in 15 teens can admit to parents talking to them regarding safe driving habits and taking an act of role in the development of safe driving habits parents will also exhibit unsafe driving behavior avior while teens are in the car young people ages 15 to 24 make up 14% of the population in the UDS and 6% of the licensed drivers however they account for 30% 19 billion of the total cost of Motor Vehicle injuries among males and 28% 7 billion of the total costs of Motor Vehicle injuries among females 19% of fatalities in the US involved Young Drivers the risk of a teen driver being killed or injured in accidents becomes greater if there is a teenage passenger involved the risk increases exponentially with each additional passenger 81% of teenage motor vehicle crash deaths in 2008 were passenger vehicle occupants of that 81% 55% were not buckled up in 2009 about 3,000 teens in the US ages 15- 19 were killed and more than 350,000 were treated in emergency rooms for injuries suffered in motor vehicle crashes while this is down from 6,100 in 2002 it is still too high today drivers ages 16 to 19 have a fatality rate four times as high as that drivers 25 to 29 teenagers not only have a higher crash rate than other age groups their crashes are different the combination of inexperience behind the wheel and immaturity produces a pattern of fatal crashes among 16-year-old drivers that includes the highest percentage of crashes involving speeding single vehicle crashes crashes due to driver teenager error and occupancy according to statistics teenage drivers lack maturity and experience in driving teenagers are more willing to take risks and less likely to use safety belts they are more likely to underestimate the dangers associated with hazardous situations and less able to cope with such dangers with these things in mind all states and several other countries have developed a graduated licensing program GP in an effort to reduce teenage deaths on the highway avoiding collisions there are four factors that contribute to the majority of the collisions in the US they are equipment failure brakes unsafe tires steering and suspension roadway design traffic control devices roadway surfaces weather road hazards and traffic flow poor roadway maintenance debris on the highway potholes and construction driver Behavior speeding tailgating aggressive driving unsafe Lane changing failure to signal and failure to give the right of way in 95% of motor vehicle accidents there was some factor of driver Behavior combined with one of the other three factors that caused the accident to happen even with the best defensive driving behavior unfortunately there are some occasions that an accident cannot be avoided in a few seconds that you have before a possible crash try not to panic reacting properly and quickly can avoid crashes or at least minimize the damage to prevent some injuries that commonly occur in a collision you should put loose items in the trunk whenever possible have an accident kit in your glove compartment your kit should include paper pen insurance and information medical information if needed and emergency supplies know your vehicle and its braking system if you have a manual disc brake system do not break hard and hold this locks the wheels and puts the car into a skid to stop quickly in an emergency you should pump the brake push the brake pedal hard as the car begins to Skid quickly let up on the brake then quickly push down again again use this quick pumping action until the car is stopped if you have an anti-ock braking system ABS when the brakes are pressed hard the ABS pumps the brakes up to 30 times SL section according to Nitsa the ABS works with your regular braking system by automatically pumping them if your vehicle is not equipped with abs the driver has to manually pump the brakes to prevent whe lock up in the ABS this system helps you maintain control and stops the car in a straight line rather than spinning out of control focus on where you want the car to go ABS does not stop the car faster it enables you to stop it where you want to buy allowing you to concentrate on steering the car to safety to determine if your vehicle has abs check your owner's manual you can also determine if you have abs by checking your instrument panel when you start your vehicle the ABS light will illuminate and then dim if if you see an ABS indicator light then you have abs if the light stays lit the ABS is not working correctly turning quickly may be your only chance of avoiding a front-end crash if a crash looks probable turn away from it even if it means leaving the road drive rather than skid off the road choose to hit something that will give way such as brush or shrubs rather than something hard if you have to hit anything try to make it a glancing blow a sideswipe for example is better than a head-on crash never cross over into the oncoming traffic lane the other driver may swerve back into his own lane sometimes you may need to speed up quickly to avoid a crash this may be the case when another car is about to hit you from the side or from behind if your car has a manual shift shift quickly into a lower gear and push the gas pedal to the floor in any case you may have only seconds to decide and act oncoming car in your lane if you see a car coming toward you in your lane Blow Your Horn and flash your lights to warn the other driver if you have time break fast but don't lock your wheels and lose control if the other driver keeps coming and a crash is probable steer off the road to the right shoulder or ditch do not drive into the left lane overtaking vehicle in danger if another vehicle is attempting to overtake and pass you but cannot complete passing because of oncoming traffic you must act quickly to help avoid a crash if the passing vehicle continues to attempt to pass you can help by slowing your vehicle and moving as far to the right as you can safely if the other driver definitely cannot complete the pass and must drop back increase your speed so that he can move and behind you if the right shoulder is safe and a crash is almost certain move quickly onto the shoulder to allow the passing car to move into your lane in either case be certain of the intentions of the driver of the passing vehicle before you change your speed protecting yourself in a crash you may not always be able to avoid a crash if you are about to be hit here are some tips on how to protect yourself the best protection before a crash is to always buckle your seat belt and shoulder harness before you start any trip in your vehicle no matter how short your journey will be rear collisions if you are about to be hit from the rear be ready to apply your brake so you won't be pushed into the car ahead brace yourself between the steering wheel and the seat back press the back of your head firmly against the headrest side collisions if you are about to be hit from the side keep a tight grip on the steering wheel this may keep you from being thrown against the side of the car get ready to steer quickly so that if you spin around you can try to regain control of the car head-on collision if you are about to be hit from the front use your arms and hands to protect your face if you are wearing your seat belt and shoulder strap if you are not using your shoulder strap throw yourself across the seat to keep from hitting the steering wheel or windshield rollovers rollovers are much more likely than most other types of crashes to result in serious injury or death even though only about one of every 40 Vehicles involved in a police reported crash has rolled over one of every three passenger vehicle occupant deaths occur in rollovers this illustrates the seriousness of rollover crashes the majority of rollovers occur during ordinary driving situations many rollovers occur when a driver suddenly swerves to avoid an obstacle such as a stopped vehicle in the road Road or when a driver accidentally veers off the road when you lose control of your vehicle and it begins to slide sideways something can trip the vehicle and cause it to roll over this tripping object could be a curb guard rail tree stump or soft uneven ground on the side of the roadway if you are speeding or you turn the wheel too sharply the friction between the tires and the road can cause the vehicle to trip and then roll over rollover crashes are more common for sport utility vehicles SUVs Vans pickups and small trucks than for passenger vehicles due to their higher centers of gravity which makes them top heavy and more likely to tip over whenever the height of a vehicle Rises the center of gravity Also Rises additional cargo and passengers can also increase the chances of a rollover you can reduce the likelihood of having a rollover crash simply by making some smart choices speed is an important factor that contributes to rollover crashes and one factor that you can control the faster you drive the less time you have to react to any emergency that suddenly arises in the road ahead of you which means you will probably end up steering more sharply and or breaking harder simply obeying the posted speed limit and using extra caution in bad weather can reduce your chances of having a rollover crash many rollovers occur when drivers overcorrect their steering in response to unexpected situations such as encountering a stopped vehicle in their lane or accidentally driving off the pavement sudden steering Maneuvers at high speeds or on soft surfaces can lead to rollovers if your vehicle leaves the paved Road surface slow down gradually but do not jerk the steering wheel to get the vehicle back on the pavement the most effective way to reduce the risk of injury or death in a rollover is to use your safety belt without safety belts occupants and vehicles that roll can be thrown from the vehic vehicle greatly increasing the risk of serious injury or death airbags play an important part in reducing injury side airbags triggered by rollover sensors can prevent the upper body from being exposed to contacts with the ground or even complete occupant ejection other vehicle emergencies skids most skids happen when you try to turn or stop suddenly on slippery pavement if the rear of your car starts to slide don't use your brakes steer in the direction in which the rear end of your car is skidding to steer out of a skid take your foot off the gas pedal turn your front wheels only enough to keep them going straight down the road if the rear of your car is skidding to the right turn the front wheels to the right turn left for a skid to the left be careful not to over steer your car may start to Skid the other way again turn turn your wheels in the direction of the skid you can feel when the car is back under control then straighten the wheels taking these simple tips into account can save your life you can prevent skids by driving slowly and carefully especially on curves steer and Brake with a light touch when you need to stop or slow do not break hard or lock the wheels and risk a skid maintain mild pressure on the brake pedal if you do find find yourself in a skid remain calm ease your foot off the gas and carefully steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go you must be prepared to turn the steering wheel again and again until the front of the vehicle is traveling in a straight line for cars without anti-lock brakes avoid using your brakes if your car has abs breake firmly as you steer into the skid avoid hydroplaning by keeping your tires inflated correctly maintain good tire tread don't put off replacing worn tires slow down when roads are wet and stay away from puddles try to drive in the tire tracks left by the cars in front of you if you find yourself hydroplaning do not break or turn suddenly this could throw your car into a skid ease your foot off the gas until the car slows and you can feel the road again if you need to break do it gently with light pumping actions if your car has anti-ock brakes then brake normally the car's computer will automatically pump the brakes much more effectively than a person can do a defensive driver adjusts his or her speed to the wet road conditions in time to avoid having to use any of these measures caution different types of braking and steering systems and vehicles with four-wheel drive or front-wheel drive respond in different ways if your car begins to Skid due to wet or icy conditions let off the gas do not break simply look and steer in the direction you want to go be prepared to counter steer after making the initial steering Corrections try not to use your brakes during a sid skid if necessary pump them lightly ESP stands for electronic stability program many vehicles today come equipped with an ESP that works in conjunction with ABS brake system the ESP computer continually monitors the traction available ESP electronically Compares where a driver is steering the vehicle and where the vehicle is actually going when ESP senses traction problems between the two it selectively applies any one of the vehicle brakes to reduce the possibility of a skid and helps the driver to maintain control and stability of the vehicle in traction loss with ESP you should steer the vehicle toward the direction you are looking and avoid abrupt steering the ESP will electronically adjust the the vehicle reducing the traction loss and allowing you to steer the vehicle toward the travel path Wheels roll off the pavement if your wheels should slip off the edge of the road do not try to turn back onto the pavement right away this could cause you to Swerve into the lane of oncoming traffic you should stay on the shoulder slow down by gently using your brakes if there is no drop off from the pavement gently steer back onto the road if the shoulder is much lower than the pavement slow to a very slow speed 10 mph look for traffic coming in both directions turn your wheels sharply back onto the pavement stalled on railroad tracks if your vehicle is stalled on a railroad track and there is immediate danger of an approaching train don't try any last minute heroics to make it get all passengers and yourself out and walk quickly alongside the tracks in the direction toward the approaching train so that you will not be struck by debris when your vehicle is hit if danger is not immediate and you are certain there is time you may move your vehicle off the tracks Tire blowout the most important rule is don't panic and don't slam on the brakes you should hold the steering wheel firmly and keep your car in the same Lane there may be a strong pull to the right or left let your car slow down don't use the BR breaks until you have slowed to a safer speed around 30 mph then break gently and pull off the road into a safe area gas pedal sticks if your gas pedal sticks keep your eyes on the road put the gear shift in neutral try to free the pedal with your foot have your passenger try to free it if you can't turn the ignition off use care not to lock the steering wheel locking mechanism vehicle with power steering and brakes will required much more effort to control put on the brakes pull off the road into a safe area brakes fail at the first sign of trouble try not to panic do not put your parking brake on suddenly this could cause you to lose control of your vehicle instead work your vehicle into the right lane and then toward the shoulder or if possible toward an exit if it is necessary to to change lanes do so smoothly and carefully watching your mirrors and the traffic around you let the cars slow down gradually by taking your foot off the gas pedal simply steer your vehicle as it slows and shift the car into a lower gear to let the engine help slow the car shift into neutral and gradually apply the handbrake until the vehicle stops if that brake has also failed direct the car onto a soft shoulder or rub the wheel against a curb which will help the car slow down do not attempt to drive your vehicle no matter how slowly without brakes call for help loss of a wheel this is a rather uncommon emergency but if it should happen uses the same procedure as for a tire blowout the warning signs are a thumping noise and are pulling to one side once stopped you will be unable to move the vehicle it must be towed overheating if steam begins to come from under the hood your cooling system is boiling you should pull to the side of the road and turn off the engine do not open the radiator cap wait for the engine to Cool Fire most vehicle fires occur as a result of an overheated engine an electrical short a fuel leak or an oil leak any burning odor should be immediately investigated if smoke comes from under the hood drive off the road clear of traffic and stop turn off the engine and all electrical switches get all passengers out of and away from the vehicle poisonous fumes may fill the vehicle if the fire is small use a chemical fire extinguisher dirt mud sand or clothing to smother the fire do not use water on gasoline oil or an electrical fire if a large gasoline or oil fire develops you may not be able to fight it don't try seek assist dead battery if your car has a dead battery be very careful if you jump start it from another car's battery either battery could possibly explode and cause you injury here are some helpful hints take off the vent caps from both batteries put a cloth over the open vent Wells turn off lights heater or air conditioning and radio connect the positive post of the dead battery to the positive post of the live battery then connect the negative post of the live battery to the negative post of the dead battery or to the engine block or frame make sure the two cars are not touching then start the car giving the jump after letting it run a few minutes start the other car take off the cables in the opposite order and put the vent caps back on safely discard the cloth used to cover the vent Wells if you get battery acid on your skin eyes or car wash it off immediately with water never light a match or smoke a cigarette near a battery the fumes from the battery can cause an explosion breakdowns at the first sign of car trouble gently and smoothly take your foot off the accelerator do not break hard or suddenly carefully work your vehicle toward the side of the road if you are on an interstate try to reach an exit signal your intent ions to drivers behind you if it is necessary to change lanes watch your mirrors and the traffic around you closely once off the road make your car visible put reflectorized triangles behind your vehicle to alert other drivers or use your emergency flashers if it is dark turn on the interior dome light or if you have flares put them at least 100 ft behind your car do not try to flag down other vehicles raise your hood and tie a white cloth to the radio antenna or hang it out a window so Enforcement Officers or tow truck operators will know you need help don't stand behind or next to your vehicle if the car is in the roadway stand away from the vehicle and wait for help to arrive if your car is safely out of traffic wait inside the vehicle with the doors locked use your cellular phone to call for help if someone stops and offers to help open the window slightly and ask ask them to call for assistance watch for a uniformed police officer or other emergency Personnel all interstate highways and major roads are patrolled regularly also some highways have special call boxes for roadside assistance it is unadvisable to walk on an interstate especially during inclement weather however if you can reach a source of help on foot without jeopardizing your physical or personal safety try the direct approach by walking but keep as far away from traffic as possible carbon monoxide poisoning carbon monoxide poisoning can be deadly carbon monoxide is gas given off from a vehicle's exhaust system it can seep into a car if there are holes in the exhaust system your car may take in this gas from cars and traffic jams it may build up when the engine is running in a closed space such as a garage because carbon monoxide does not have an odor you can be affected without knowing it it can make you sleepy early symptoms include yawning dizziness and upset stomach if any of these occur suspect carbon monoxide poisoning and get fresh air immediately driving an adverse weather flooded roadways flooding can occur when streams and rivers flow over their Banks when dams or Lees break when there is runoff from deep snow or anytime there is rainfall flood waters can be found on roads Bridges and low areas flash floods can come rapidly and unexpectedly they can occur within a few minutes or hours of excessive rainfall be cautious especially at night during storm Seasons or anytime that flooding is common in your area do not drive through flooded areas if you see a flooded roadway ahead turn around and find another route to get to your destination remember 6 in of water will reach reach the bottom of most Passenger cars causing loss of control or possible stalling and 2 ft of Rushing Water can carry away most Vehicles even if the water appears shallow enough to cross do not attempt to cross a flooded Road water can hide dips or worse floodwaters can damage roadways by washing away the underlying Road surface if there is no other route proceed to Higher Ground and wait for the waters to subside becoming submerged in water sometimes the unthinkable does happen an estimated 400 people die each year when their car becomes submerged in water and they are unable to escape whether due to flooding or if you are in a crash and your vehicle enters a pond Lake River or other body of water you should remain calm and assess the situation if your vehicle enters water it will only float on the surface for 30 to 60 seconds so make every attempt to get out of the vehicle immediately do not stay and wait wait for the car to fill with water immediately unbuckle your seat belt and roll the window down even the electronic Windows keep working for some seconds if the key remains in the ignition and the engine is engaged once the window is down climb on top of the vehicle if the car is not fully submerged before trying to swim away assess the current of the water if the vehicle is sinking quickly and you cannot get the door or window open you will have to wait for the pressure to equalize take off heavy clothing that will cause you to sink but keep your shoes on in case you have to kick the window to escape kick out a side window do not try to break or kick out the windshield windshields are now designed with glass that does not shatter when the water along the window is to your shoulder try to open the door if you are able to there will still be a rush of water coming into the vehicle Don't Panic continue to to work your way out of the vehicle if you cannot open the door or window there will be a small air pocket near the part of the vehicle which is highest in the water if you can't get a side window open take a breath and kick the window out or use a tool to break the window go to the air pocket for one more breath and then Escape if there are passengers in the car they may have to escape out the front as some cars have passenger windows that are not designed to roll down completely if there are children in the car unbuckle the oldest child first and then the smaller younger ones the older children should require less assistance to safety than the smaller ones don't panic and stay calm memorize This Acronym to help you and remember you will have only seconds to save yourself and your passengers p pop the seat belt open o open windows by breaking or rolling them down there are tools designed for this for sale at hardware stores G get oh out do not stay in the car and wait for help traffic crashes one in every eight drivers will be involved in a motor vehicle crash this year according to the national Safety Council Collision if you are involved in a traffic crash resulting in injury death or property damage you are required to stop your vehicle immediately if it is clear and safe do not leave the scene of the crash without identifying yourself have someone worn approaching traffic to prevent further damage make sure to turn off the ignitions of the vehicles involved make a first aid check of all persons involved in the crash call the police and ask for an ambulance if needed if in doubt assume that an ambulance is needed gather the names of all persons in the motor vehicles and people who witnessed the crash drivers must give their name address and vehicle license number and if requested display their driver's license to any person involved in the accident if you damage an unattended vehicle or property you must notify the police and attempt to locate the owner leave your name address and telephone number on a note where the owner will be sure to see it make a quick diagram of where the vehicle occupants were seated and indicate the vehicle's direction of travel and Lane also note the date time and weather conditions notify your insurance company as soon as practical give complete information about the accident see your doctor as soon as possible if you are injured if you are no trained in first aid remember that there are only a few things that you can do summon help try to help the injured where they lie in order of their needs keep them warm to stop bleeding place a clean cloth over the wound if a person has stopped breathing give first aid if you know how do not move the injured person unless there is immediate life-threatening danger movement could cause more injury ask a walking injured person to sit or lie down on his back if the person is bleeding from the lower part of the face or jaw turn him on his side do not give fluids you should not try to take an injured person to the hospital yourself unless there is no other way to get help with serious injuries improper movement may be harmful unattended Motor Vehicles Louisiana's move it move it move it steer it clear campaign is an attempt to make you aware of your responsibility to remove vehicles from the roadway to the nearest soft shoulder in accordance with Louisiana law no person driving or in charge of any motor vehicle shall permit it to stand unattended without first stopping the motor locking the ignition removing the key and effectively setting the brake removal of vehicle from the roadway will play a great role in reducing traffic congestion and reduce the chances of secondary crashes approach of an authorized emergency vehicle if you are approached by an authorized emergency vehicle police car ambulance fire truck Etc making use of audible or visual signals you will always yield the right of way and immediately drive to a position parallel to the right hand Edge or curb and remain stopped until that vehicle has passed when driving on an inter State Highway or other Highway with two or more Lanes traveling in the same direction yield the right of way by making a lane change into a lane not adjacent to the parked vehicle if possible with due regard to safety and traffic conditions if a lane change is not possible the driver shall slow to a reasonably safe speed when driving on a two-lane road maintain a safe speed for road conditions if unable or unsafe to change lanes or driving on a two-lane road or Highway chapter 9 driving offenses driving under the influence of alcohol or certain drugs is a crime according to the national Safety Council every 33 minutes someone dies in an alcohol-related crash drunk driving will cost every adult in this country almost $500 per year drunk driving is the leading single cause of death among young people in the age range from 16 to 24 statistics indicated that us drivers drank too much and got behind the wheel about 112 million times in 2010 alcohol when alcohol enters your stomach it goes into your bloodstream and to all parts of your body it reaches your brain in about 20 minutes in your brain alcohol affects those parts that control your judgment and skill here are some things you should know about alcohol alcohol is a depressant not a stimulant it is anesthetic effects on the brain which goes to sleep alcohol slows normal reflexes interferes with judgment reduces alertness and impairs vision if you feel stimulated after drinking it is simply because your inhibitions are lowered causing loss of caution and self-control in large enough quantities acute alcohol poisoning can result in a coma or death it doesn't matter whether you drink beer wine whiskey or any other alcoholic beverage it's the amount of alcohol that enters your blood that causes the problem alcohol can affect you differently at different times a small amount on an empty stomach will affect you more rapidly than it would if you had recently eaten many other factors affect the rate at which alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream alcohol content potency and type of Beverage rate of consumption gender physical fitness emotional state and rate of metabolism and elimination once the alcohol enters your blood there is nothing you can do to lessen the effect black coffee exercise or a cold shower will not sober you up alcohol is metabolized by your liver and eliminated from your body through your kidneys and lungs this process takes time if you have been drinking alcoholic beverages you are in no condition to drive you have placed yourself in a position where you might injure or kill yourself or some innocent persons remember that alcohol reduces the ability to judge speeds distances and angles encourages the driver to take foolish risks and break laws impairs concentration you may forget to fasten a seat belt turn on headlights use turn signals observe stop signs Etc slows reaction time in stopping and turning limits Vision eyes become blurred and can't focus reduces ability to judge one's own condition causes sleepiness increases anger towards other drivers if you know someone has been drinking do not allow them to drive even one drink can inhibit response time the brain is most dramatically affected by alcohol initially you may become more relaxed and less concerned with a minor irritation one of the positive effects of alcohol for many people physically a feeling of warmth can be caused by the dilation of capillaries beneath the surface of the skin resulting in a feeling termed flushed this is caused by internal heat moving to the surface but actually the body's temperature is being lowered blood is being transferred from the vital organs to the extremities which makes alcohol dangerous for a snake bite shock or overexposure to cold in hot weather the result could be a heat stroke as the level of intoxication increases cord coordination and vision become impaired the ability to think and learn is altered because of effects on cells in the outer layer of the brain an unsteadiness or inability to stand or walk can follow in small amounts alcohol can have a tranquilizing effect but in large amounts it can depress the highly developed brain centers which store learned behavior the ability to think in relation to the overall picture is reduced alcohol can disturb sleep patterns an alcohol IC blackout occurs when information is not stored properly in the brain causing a complete memory loss the next morning blood alcohol concentration what does blood alcohol concentration BAC measure back describes the concentration of alcohol in a person's blood expressed as weight per unit of volume for example at 0.1% BAC there is a concentration of 100 mg of alcohol per 100 mlit of blood for most legal purposes however a blood sample is not necessary to determine a person's BAC it can be measured much more simply by analyzing exhaled breath such as using a breathalyzer it takes about an hour for the body to get rid of one normal drink from the circulatory system therefore if someone has had four normal drinks they should wait 4 hours or more before they drive in Louisiana the legal limit of blood alcohol concentration is 04 if you are operating a commercial motor vehicle 08 if you are 21 years of age or older 02 if you are 20 years of age and younger the body can process 0.015% of alcohol per hour if your blood alcohol content BAC is 0.20% at 2 a.m. it will be more than 0.1% at 8:00 a.m. and still 0.05% at noon the following day a you cannot hide drunk driving keep in mind that sober means that no alcohol or other impairing drugs are in the circulatory system of the body impairment starts with the first drink even one drink of alcohol can affect a person's ability to operate a motor vehicle with one or more drinks in the bloodstream a person is visibly impaired and could be arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs a trained police officer will notice a driver who has been drinking some telltale signs are speeding a drinking driver often thinks he can drive safely at high speeds weaving even though a driver may stay in his Lane he may have trouble steering straight slow driving a drinking driver may be overly cautious and drive slower than normal traffic jerking motion a drinking driver often may have short mental lapses and not keep a steady speed on a clear Road quick stop a drinking driver may make sudden stops at a traffic sign or light rather than easing up to it Louisiana has a law against an open container of alcohol in the vehicle this law prohibits both the possession of any open alcoholic beverage container and consumption of any alcohol beverage in a vehicle even if you are not consuming alcoholic beverages the fact that it is the vehicle puts you the driver at risk for fines and penalties penalty for driving while intoxicated DWI your first conviction could cost you $4,500 court costs fines lawyer fees Etc first DWI conviction maximum penalties a criminal record 6 months in jail $11,000 fine plus court costs loss of driver's license for 365 days second DWI y conviction maximum penalties a criminal record 6 months in jail with 48 Hours mandatory jail time $11,000 fine plus court costs loss of driver's license for two years third DWI conviction maximum penalties RS 14.98% $2,000 fine plus court costs loss of driver's license for 3 years vehicle may be seized and sold 6 weeks inpatient and 12 months outpatient substance abuse treatment home incarceration for remainder of sentence fourth DWI conviction maximum penalties RS 14 hours 98 minutes a felony criminal record 30 years in prison with 30 days mandatory jail time $5,000 fine plus court costs loss of driver's license for 3 years Auto may be seized and sold 6 weeks inpatient and 12 months outpatient substance abuse treatment 5 years home incarceration note with a felony record you can't vote you may be restricted from pursuing a career in the military Dentistry engineering insurance law medicine and public accounting some insurance companies will not sell you auto insurance in addition to the penalties listed proof of future financial responsibility must be filed and maintained for 3 years from the date of conviction the court also has the authority to require participation in community service work driver improvement programs and substance abuse treatment all at your expense if you are driving while intoxicated and cause a crash which results in the death of another person your conviction can result in a jail term of up to 30 years you'll lose your driver's license a great deal of money and the Privileges of citizenship you'll face being sued by the deceased person's relatives for amounts that could easily exceed your insurance coverage most importantly you'll have to live the rest of your life knowing that you killed another human being if you see a drunk driver you should stay as far away from the other vehicle as possible do not signal the driver to pull over this may result in a collision make a note of the license plate number and the details of the vehicle do not compromise your safety while trying to obtain this information pull over and call 911 give a complete description of the vehicle and its exact location then leave the rest to the police and let them do their work drugs driving while slash or after using drugs EG amphetamine tranquilizers and barbiturates can be hazardous and possibly lethal because of drowsiness reduced coordination and poor judgment or risk-taking it can take hours to wear off and if the drugs are combined with alcohol the effects can be exaggerated and increased dramatically Louisiana law provides the same penalty for driving under the influence of drugs as it does for alcohol this includes over-the-counter OTC and prescribed medication it is important to pay attention to the labels on medications as they may interfere with your driving ability marijuana whereas the effects of a single drink will diminish over an hour it takes 5 to six hours for the effects of smoking one marijuana cigarette to wear off making the combination of marijuana and alcohol especially dangerous it can affect your eyesight and with some users marijuana interferes with the ability to judge time speed and distance marijuana use can cause increased heart rate and make some user paranoid and anxious in young people it impairs the ability to concentrate and retain information short-term effects of marijuana use are the interference with memory and learning it can make the simplest task seem hopelessly confusing vehicular homicide under rs14 minutes and 32.1 second vehicular homicide is the Fatal injury of a human by an operator of any motor vehicle aircraft watercraft or other means of conveyance whether or not there is any intent to cause death or great bodily harm penalties include fines of not less than $2,000 nor more than $115,000 and imprisonment for not less than 5 years or more than 30 years at least onee jail time will be mandatory vehicle negligent injury under RS 14 minutes and 39.1 second vehicle negligent injury is inflicting any injury by an operator of any motor vehicle aircraft watercraft or other means of conveyance when the offender is under the influence of alcohol or drugs and or the offender's blood alcohol concentration is 0.08% or more penalties include fines of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than 6 months or both first-degree vehicle negligent injury under rs14 minutes and 39.2 seconds first-degree vehicle negligent injury is inflicting of serious bodily injury by an operator of any motor vehicle aircraft watercraft or other means of conveyance when the offender is under the influence of alcohol or drugs and or the offender's blood alcohol concentration is 0.08% or more penalties include fines of not more than $2,000 or imprisonment for not more than 5 years or both reckless driving if you operate a vehicle in a criminally negligent or Reckless manner you are committing a crime punishable by a fine in jail hit and run driving if you are involved in or cause an accident you are required by law to stop identify yourself and render reasonable Aid failure to do so may result in a fine and time in jail flight from an officer a motor vehicle driver who refuses to stop knowing a law enforcement officer has given a signal for him to stop has committed a crime punishable by a fine and time in jail administrative per se submit or refuse alcohol analysis test Louisiana law states that when you drive a motor vehicle upon the highways of this state you are deemed to have given your consent to a test for the purpose of determining the alcoholic content of your blood and the presence of any abused or illegal control dangerous substance this is known as implied consent you may be asked to perform a field sobriety test or consent to a blood urine or breef test to determine your blood alcohol level the test will be administered at the discretion of a law enforcement officer who has reasoned to believe you were driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time the officer will advise you of both your criminal and civil rights as they relate to your arrest and to the chemical test if you refuse to submit to the test your driving privileges will be suspended for 365 days on your first offense if it is a second or subsequent offense your driving privileges will be suspended for 730 days in addition before you can have your driving privileges reinstated you must file proof of future financial responsibility by submitting in State Route 22 which is high-risk insurance or $30,000 in cash or security you will be required by law to maintain in State Route 22 for 3 3 years from the date of conviction if you submit to the test and you are 21 years of age or older and the test results show a BAC level of 0.08% to 0.19% your driving privileges will be suspended for 90 days if your BC level is 0.2% or greater your driving privileges will be suspended for 2 2 years if you submit to the test and you are under 21 years of age and the test result results show a BAC level of 0.02% or more your driving privileges will be suspended for 180 days these are the specified penalties for first offense if it is a second or subsequent offense your driving privileges will be suspended for 365 days losing your driving privileges the following is a list of various violations for which your driving privileges will be suspended conviction of driving while intoxicated DWI failure to stop for a school bus loading or unloading children manslaughter or negligent homicide resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle any felony committed while operating a motor vehicle failure to stop and render assistance at an accident in which you were involved that results in the injury or death of a person three convictions of reckless driving committed within a 12-month period unlawful use of a driver's license making a false statement or concealing a material fact on an application for a driver's license failure to answer a traffic law charge driving in violation of a driver's license restriction refusal to take alcohol analysis test when arrested for DWI or after submitting to the test where the results show a BAC level of 0.08% or more for those 21 years of age or older or0 0.02% or more for those younger than 21 years of age failure to comply with the financial responsibility law when required committing an offense in another state which if committed in this state would be grounds for suspension or revocation altering information on the license driving with a suspended driver's license text messaging while operating a motor vehicle using a wireless SL cellular communication device while operating a school bus using a wireless cellular communication device while operating a motor vehicle if the driver holds a classy learner or intermediate operator's license or is under the age of 18 or has been issued a firsttime operator's license that is within one year from the original issue date excluding outof State transfers the surrender of an individual's actual driver's license will not be required to begin the period of suspension and or disqualification the suspension and or disqualification dates can be given upon receipt of the individual's most current operator's license in state or out of state upon expiration of the operator's license on the date a statement of non-possession is received after the expiration date of the prior suspension or disqualification or 30 days after the date of the notice of suspension depending upon the individual record each conviction of driving under suspension will cause your suspension period to be extended for one year driving while your license is suspended will be caused for arrest a court fine and or time in jail upon expiration of any suspension period a reinstatement fee will be required before your driving privileges can be reinstated chapter 10 general information for class D chauffer's license Class D shuffer driver's license permits the operation of any single vehicle used in Commerce if the vehicle has a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,1 or more pound but less than 26,1 or any combination of vehicles if the vehicles have a combined gross weight rating of 10,1 or more pounds but less than 26,1 lb inclusive of a toad unit with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 lb and not utilized in the transportation of hazardous materials a Class D license may be used for transportation of passengers For Hire or fee provided the usage thereof does not fall within the definition of vehicles in classes a b or c a Class D license allows for operation of those vehicles in the class E category you must be at least 17 years of age to obtain a class D license vehicle size maximum width 8 ft for most Vehicles the load will not project more than 6 in beyond the width of the body 8 ft 6 in for buses maximum height height 13 ft 6 in for all vehicles some overpasses or other structures have clearance of less than 13 ft 6 in maximum length 40 ft for any single vehicle including the load 65 ft for truck tractor and trailer combination these limits do not apply to Auto carriers trailers hauling poles or pilings or trailers hauling logs when operating during daylight hours loads securing loads contents must not be allowed to drop shift leak or otherwise escape the load must be securely fastened so the covering or load does not come loose or in any manner become a hazard to other motorists a load must not extend more than 4 ft to the front of the vehicle or more than 8 ft beyond the rear of the vehicle except poles pilings and logs May project 15 ft beyond the rear most part of the trailer if a load extends four or more feet past the bed or body of any vehicle a red flag 12 in square must be attached to the extreme rear of the load during daylight hours the entire area of the flag must be visible at night a red light must be attached to the extreme rear of the load and visible for at least 500 ft to the sides and rear driving maximum speed for any vehicle in Louisiana is 70 mph except when pulling or Towing another motor vehicle the speed limit is 45 mph school buses are limited to 35 mph when frequently stopping to load or unload children where a lower speed limit is posted on portions of I 49 the speed limit is 75 following distance on Rural highways outside residential areas or business districts drivers of motor trucks must must not follow within 400 ft of one another except to pass also highbeam headlights must be dimmed no less than 500 ft from oncoming traffic and 200 ft of a vehicle being followed coasting you must not let your vehicle Coast downhill with the clutch disengaged or the gear in neutral railroad stops you must stop within 50 ft but not closer than 15 ft from the nearest rail you may not change gears until you have completely crossed over the tracks this does apply to Street rail crossings within a business or residential district equipment fire extinguisher Vehicles transporting passengers For Hire must be equipped with at least a type 2bc fire extinguisher completely filled and in working condition tow trucks must be equipped with at least one 4bc fire extinguisher capable of extinguishing flammable liquid fires completely filled and in working condition Motor Vehicles transporting explosives must be equipped with at least one fire extinguisher with a rating of at least 10 BC completely filled and in working condition fenders and mud guards every truck must have a device mud flap to minimize the spray or splash of water or mud or loose Road surface material to the rear warning equipment Freight carrying vehicles and passenger buses must carry 3 three flares three three Electric Red Lanterns or three three red portable reflectors 2 2 12in square red cloth flags with standards trucks carrying explosives flammable liquids compressed gases or using compressed gas as a fuel must use red electric lanterns or Red emergency reflectors only flares or fuses are not allowed this equipment must be used immediately anytime the vehicle breaks down one signal must be placed 100 ft behind the vehicle and 100 ft forward of the vehicle each of these signals must be in the center of the lane or shoulder a third signal must be on the traffic side of the truck 10 ft to the front or rear trailers and towed vehicles when towing another vehicle the draw bar or other connection must have sufficient strength to pull all toad weight and must not exceed 15 ft exception distance can exceed 15 ft when transporting poles pipes Machinery or other objects which cannot be readily dismembered mirrors a rear view mirror must reflect a view of the highway for a distance of 200 ft to the rear regardless of the load of the vehicle lights any motor vehicle shall not be driven when any of the required lamps or reflectors is obscured by the tailboard by any part of the load by dirt or otherwise brake all trailers or semi-trailers with a gross vehicle weight rating of 3,000 lb or more must be equipped with brakes adequate to stop and hold it care should be used to avoid excessive use of brakes on Long downgrades drivers should use engine compression as the principal means of controlling speed on Long grades if your brake should fail on a level Road you should downshift and use engine compression to slow down air brakes air brakes use compressed air to make the brakes work you can apply all the braking Force you need to each of the wheels of a heavy vehicle air brakes are a safe way of stopping large Vehicles if the brakes are wellmaintained and used properly air brake systems are three braking systems combined the service brake system the parking brake system and the emergency brake system the service brake system applies and releases the brakes when you use the brake pedal during normal driving the parking brake system system applies and releases the parking brakes when you use the parking brake control the emergency brake system uses part of the service and parking brake system to stop the vehicle in the event of a brake system failure parts of an air brake system air compressor pumps air into the air storage tanks reservoirs air compressor Governor controls when the air compressor will pump air into the air storage tanks air storage tanks used to hold compressed air air tank drains two types manual operated by turning a quarter turn or by pulling a cable you must drain the tanks yourself at the end of each day of driving automatic the water and oil is automatically expelled they may be equipped for manual draining as well safety valve protects the tank and the rest of the system from too much pressure the valve is usually set to open at 150 psi if the safety valve releases Air something is wrong brake pedal you put on the brakes by pushing down the brake pedal pushing the pedal down harder applies more air pressure letting up on the brake pedal reduces the air pressure and releases the brakes pressing and releasing the pedal unnecessarily can let air out faster than the compressor can replace it if the pressure gets too low the brakes won't work supply pressure gauges all vehicles equipped with air brakes have a pressure gauge connected to the air tank these gauges tell you how much pressure is in the air tanks application pressure gauge this gauge shows how much air pressure you are applying to the brakes this gauge is not on all vehicles low air pressure warning a low air pressure warning signal is required on vehicles with air brakes a warning signal you can see must come on before the air pressure in the tanks Falls below 60 PSI or one half the compressor Governor cut out pressure on older vehicles the warning is usually a visible red light a buzzer may also come on spring brakes all trucks must be equipped with emergency brakes and parking brakes they must be held on by mechanical force spring brakes are usually used to meet these needs when driving powerful Springs are held back by air pressure if the air pressure is removed the Springs put on the brakes parking brake controls in newer vehicles with air brakes you engage the parking brakes using a diamond shaped yellow Push Pull control knob you pull the knob out to put the parking brakes spring brakes on and push it in to release them on older vehicles the parking brakes may be controlled by a lever use the parking brakes whenever you park never push the brake pedal down when the spring brakes are on if you do the brakes could be damaged inspecting the air brake system the following three-part air brake check must be performed step one with the engine running build the air pressure to governed cutout 100 to 125 psi shut off the engine chalk your wheels if necessary release the tractor protection valve and or parking brake push in fully apply the foot brake and hold it for 1 minute check the air gauge to see if the air pressure drops more than 3 3 lbs in 1 minute single vehicle step two turn the key to the on position without starting the engine begin Fanning off the air pressure by rapidly applying and releasing the foot brake low air warning devices buzzer light and flag should activate before air pressure drops below 60 PSI step three continue to Fan off the air pressure at approximately 20 to 40 PSI the parking brake valve should close pop out in addition to the three-part air brake check the following items must be inspected prior to operating a vehicle equipped with air brakes air compressor drive belt if compressor is belt driven manual slack adjusters on S cam brakes brake drums or discs Linings and hoses rate of air pressure buildup with engine at oper RPM the pressure should build from 85 to 100 PSI within 45 seconds or manufacturer specifications air compressor Governor cut in and cut out pressures test parking brake test service brakes using the air brakes emergency stops you should break so you can steer and so your vehicle stays in a straight line use one of the following two methods control braking put on the brakes as hard as you can without locking the wheels do not turn the steering wheel while doing this stab braking a press the brake pedal as hard as you can B release the brakes when the Wheels lock up c as soon as the wheels start rolling put on the brakes fully again stopping distance with hydraulic brakes used on cars and light/ medium trucks the brakes work instantly with air brakes it takes a little time one half second or more for the air to flow through the lines to the brakes thus the total stopping distance for vehicles with air brake systems is made up of four different factors perception distance plus reaction distance plus brake leg distance plus effective braking distance equals total stopping distance example the air brake lag distance at 55 mph on dry pavement adds that's about 32 ft so at 55 mph for an average driver under good traction and a brake condition the total stopping distance is over 300 ft this is longer than a football field low air pressure warning if the low air pressure warning comes on stop and safely Park your vehicle as soon as possible brake fading or failure brakes can fade or fail from excessive heat caused by using them too much and not relying on the engine braking effect or improper adjustment parking brakes anytime you park use the parking brakes unless the brakes are very hot from having come down a steep grade the brakes are very wet and freezing temperatures note for more complete and detailed information about air brakes please refer to the Louisiana driver's manual for commercial vehicle driver licensing chapter 10A trailer safety most SU SUVs pickup trucks vans minivans and Passenger cars can be equipped to tow a trailer check the vehicle's owner's manual to ensure your vehicle is properly equipped to tow your trailer hitching systems the most common type of hitch is the ball and coupler it is important to make sure that the size of the ball and coupler match to prevent separation of the towed vehicle during transport make sure the hitch has Provisions for the connection of safety chains or other approved safety devices the safety chains or other approved safety device shall be securely attached your vehicle and shall be of sufficient strength to hold the trailer behind your vehicle in case the connection between the two vehicles detaches when connected safety chain should have some slack to permit sharp turns but should not drag on the road in addition they should cross under the trailer tongue to help prevent the tongue from dropping to the road in the event the trailer separates from your vehicle braking systems all trailers with a gross weight of 3,000 lb or more are required to be equipped with brakes brake shall be designed to be applied by the driver of the towing motor vehicle from its cab and said brake shall be so designed and connected that in case of an accidental Breakaway of the towed vehicle the brake shall be automatically applied lighting trailers are required to have tail lights brake lights side marker lights turn signals and side and rear reflection s you must ensure that the electrical connector on your vehicle matches the electrical connector of the trailer be sure to check the electrical connection between your vehicle and the trailer to ensure it is not dragging to ground and has enough slack to allow for Sharp turns always make sure the lights on your trailer are functioning properly before Towing tires all your trailer tires should be the same type size and construction do do not mix bias belted and radial tires in selecting tires for your trailer by the size type and load range found on the trailer certification label or in the owner's manual keep in mind that tires have a load rating that indicates the amount of weight they can carry safely as with your vehicle always maintain proper tire pressure and replace worn tires remember your vehicle's tires may require a higher tire pressure for towing especially heavy loads loading and weight distribution your ability to handle and control your vehicle and trailer is greatly improved when the cargo is properly loaded and distributed refer to your vehicle and trailer owner manual to find out how to balance weight from side to side distribute cargo weight evenly along the length of the trailer secure and Brace all items to prevent them from moving or fall off during travel adjust the height of the tow vehicle SLT trailer connection apply load leveling weight distributing hitch bars chapter 11 motor vehicle registration and title Louisiana Law requires that motor vehicles be titled and registered you can apply for the title registration and license plate at any motor vehicle office or a licensed public tag agent Services provided by public tag agents PTA are subject to additional fees public tag agents are located in the link section on our website at www.expresslane.org new vehicles when you buy a new vehicle from a Louisiana dealer the dealer will provide an assigned certificate of origin and notorized invoice in most cases the dealer will collect the taxes and fees and submit them with the proper documents to obtain your title and license the dealer will issue a 60-day temporary cardboard plate which must be clearly visible from the rear of your car used vehicles if you buy a used vehicle the certificate of title must be assigned to you by the previous owner or dealer the seller is required by law to deliver a properly assigned certificate of title to the buyer at the time of sale or delivery of the vehicle if a lean is shown on the certificate of title be certain that this has been released by an authorized agent of the lean holder you have 5 days from the date of sale to apply for a title in your name you need to present the following previous owner's title assigned to you and notorized notorized bill of sale if the title has a place to enter the selling price of the vehicle a separate bill of sale is not required a declaration of liability insurance sales tax title and license transfer fees Federal odometer statement if vehicle is less than 10 years old required by federal government note most titles have the odometer statement Incorporated in the assignment of the title mortgage document if applicable registration certificate you will receive a registration certificate along with your license plate this registration is proof of ownership of the vehicle it must be kept in the vehicle at all times and must be presented when requested by law enforcement if your registration is lost a duplicate registration can be purchased at any motor vehicle office or any public tag agent new residents if you are a new Louisiana resident you must transfer the title and registration for any Vehicles brought with you during the move you can register your vehicle at the local motor vehicle office or public tag agent bring your outof State title and registration certificate and proof of insurance if your title is held by an out of State lean holder a photoc copy of the title must be presented fees to transfer your vehicle to Louisiana are based on the current Book value of the vehicle bring your tax receipt or other documentation showing the outof state taxes paid credit is allowed for the percentage of taxes paid to other states which allow similar credit to Louisiana Louisiana state tax is 4% City and Parish tax rates vary change of address Louisiana Law requires you to correct the address on your registration within 10 days after a move visit your local motor vehicle office to have the corrected registration issued at no charge in order to receive an updated copy you must bring your previous registration of all vehicles with you failure to change your address may result in non-receipt of your renewal invitation as well as a violation ticket if you are stopped by law enforcement proof of insurance any vehicle used upon the highways of Louisiana must be insured when you apply for a license plate you must have proof of the required liability insurance or other allowable substitute Louisiana has implied consent laws a part of these laws is that proof of insurance must be maintained in the vehicle when the vehicle is operational and must be presented anytime a law enforcement officer requests that proof be provided if you are stopped by a law enforcement officer and you are unable to provide the proof of insurance the vehicle's license plate will be seized and the vehicle may be impounded you will have three three calendar days excluding Saturdays Sundays and legal holidays to provide the proof at a motor vehicle office the office location at which you may retrieve your seized license plate will be identified on the notice of violation issued to you by the law enforcement officer if you do not provide the office with proof of insurance within a 3 three calendar day period your license plate will be destroyed and you will be required to pay all necessary fees to have your vehicle re-registered if you provide false information about your insurance coverage your vehicle registration may be suspended you may also be fined by the court and jailed if you decide to no longer drive a vehicle on the highways you should remove the license plate and surrender it to the Office of Motor Vehicles before the insurance is cancelled penalties will be assessed if the license plate is not rendered prior to the insurance cancellation renewals your vehicle license plate expires on the last day of the month in the year indicated on your registration certificate you may renew your license pled in person 60 days prior to the expiration date registration renewal applications are mailed to your last recorded address you can mail your renewal application and avoid waiting in line make your check or money order pay payable to the Department of Public Safety for the amount shown and mail it in with your renewal form you may be eligible to renew your registration by internet or phone if you are eligible instructions will be printed on the renewal invitation any errors you find on the application or any change of an address should be reported to the Office of Motor Vehicles renewal notices are sent out as a courtesy it is the owner's responsibility to maintain current registration motor vehicle inspection sticker every automobile truck trailer boat trailer and motorcycle operated on the highways of this state must have a current motor vehicle inspection sticker authorized motor vehicle inspection stations display an orange colored sign with the words Louisiana motor vehicle inspection station the City of New Orleans the City of Kenner and the City of West weo operate their own inspection program if you are a resident in one of these areas you must must obtain an inspection sticker from that City fees automobile license plates are based on 1% of the original selling price of the vehicle vehicles with a value of $10,000 or less are $10 a year automobile plates are issued for a 2-year period the licensed plate fee for private minimum use pickup trucks £6,000 or less is $10 per year truck plates are issued for a 4-year period larger trucks over 601 lb are based on the weight for specific fee information on commercial vehicles motorcycles special license plates license plate transfers Etc contact your local office of motor vehicles or visit our website at www.expresslane.org the fee to issue a title is $18 and. 50 most transactions are subject to a handling fee of $8 some offices have an additional service fee ranging from $2 to $3 Louisiana Department of Public Safety www. dps.gov Office of Motor Vehicles www.expresslane.org 1 225 925 6146