DRIVING UNDER ADVERSE CONDITIONS
NIGHT DRIVING
RAINY WEATHER
SNOW,SLEET,ICE
FOG
Reduced Visibility• Headlights must be used from dusk until
dawn or visibility is Less than 500 feet
• Rain- wipers on
Headlights on
Fog – low beamsBright beam use –
Open country
driving
Tips for Driving at Night• Stopping Disatance is increased because
your reaction time goes from .75 secs. To 1.5 secs.
• Increase following distance from 3 seconds to 4 seconds
• Pay closer attention to road signs and pavement markings
Driving at Night Rules• Use low beams as a general rule
• You may use HIGH BEAMS in OPEN COUNTRY DRIVING
• Dim HIGH BEAMs to LOW BEAMS when
• Approaching or overtaking another Vehicle
• At night slow down and Drive at a speed to be able to stop within the distance lighted by your headlights
FOLLOWING DISTANCE• Space cushion- Make sure you have sufficient
room on all sides. Don’t tailgate, drive in other blind spots or allow people to tailgate you
• If you are being tailgated slow down and move to the right and allow other car to pass
• 3 SECOND RULE• CHOOSE A FIXED OBJECT, WHEN CAR IN
FRONT PASSES IT START COUNTING
ROAD CONDITIONS AND FOLLOWING DISTANCE
• WET ROADS DOUBLE THEM• Snow covered road following distance should be 6
seconds
• FOLLOWING DISTANCE AT NIGHT • BE ABLE TO STOP WITHIN RANGE OF
HEADLIGHTS • 350’ LOW BEAMS 600’ HIGH BEAMS
STOPPING DISTANCE FACTORS
• REACTION TIME
• WEATHER CONDITIONS
• VEHICLE WEIGHT
• BRAKE CONDITIONS
• ROAD CONDITIONS
• TIRE CONDITIONS
• ABS BRAKES/ REGULAR BRAKES
PROPER BRAKING• DON’T PUMP ABS BRAKES
• MOST COMMON MISTAKE FOR NEW DRIVERS – THEY SLAM DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL
RAIN• WET ROADS - FIRST FEW MINUTES OF RAIN
ROADS BECOME VERY SLIPPERY DON’T HIT BRAKES
• HYDROPLANING- TIRES LOSING CONTACT WITH ROAD/ WATER+SPEED (35mph)
• Slow down drive on highest part of the road near center*
• Don’t TURN OR SPEED UP• MAINTAIN LANE POSITION LET UP ON GAS
PEDAL• TEST BRAKES AFTER DRIVING THROUGH A
PUDDLE*
SNOW• REMOVE ALL SNOW/ICE FROM CAR• ALL WINDOWS, ROOF,LIGHTS• DRIVER IS RESPONSIBLE
• SKID STEER IN THE DIRECTION THE CAR IS SKIDDING
FOG• USE LOW BEAMS
• HIGHWAY HYPNOSIS- EYES BECOME TIRED
• How to avoid
• REST BEFORE TRIP
• Avoid looking at one thing for more than a few seconds
PARKING REGULATIONS
• INTERSECTION or CROSSWALK 25’
• STOP SIGN 50’
• FIRE HYDRANT 10’ either side
• FIRE HOUSE 20’ same side, 75’ opposite side of street
• Never park in a driveway or any parking space provided for the handicapped
WHEN YOU MUST STOP
• When a police officer tells you to do so• Stop sign• Red light, Flashing red• Yield sign When other cars or pedestrians are
present• School Bus 25’ either direction• Exceptions at a school pass at 10mph• On a highway with a median 10mph
Stopping continued
• Emergency vehicles, Police cars, Ambulances, fire trucks
• Pull over to the right curb and wait for them to pass, check your blind spot before pulling back out into traffic
• Before entering the road from a private driveway• Pedestrians in crosswalks• For blind people With walking cane and seeing
eye dog.
State Test Library (Weather)
• SKID – Take your foot off the gas pedal
• At 35 MPH wet roads may cause your tires to HYDROPLANE and you loose control of the car
• After driving through a deep puddle you should test your brakes
• To avoid a spin, while in a skid, turn in the same direction the vehicle is skidding
• Truck stopping distance in ADVERSE CONDITION is 25% longer
• Headlights must be used ½ hr. after sunset until ½ hr. before sunrise or if visibility is less than 500’
• At night be able to stop within the distance you can see ahead
• Snow covered road following distance should be 6 seconds or more
State Test
• Drive through a Deep Puddle Test Your Brakes• To avoid HYDROPLANING Slow down and drive on
the highest part of the road• 3 second plus rule is for maintaining proper (safe)
following distance. This gives the driver time to react to emergencies.
• If your car begins to skid take your foot off the gas pedal
• Road surfaces are most slippery during the first few minutes of a rainfall
• The best way to “talk to other drivers is to use your horn, lights and hand signals
State test• When entering a curve your car wants to keep going
straight.• Slow down before you enter the curve.