Urban Traffic Hazards and Defensive Driving Tips

1. Chapter 9 Driving in Urban Traffic

2. Traffic Complexity • Traffic is more ___________in urban areas • City traffic hazards are ___________to you than they are in rural areas.

3. Following and Meeting Traffic

4. 3-Second Following Distance • To determine a 3-second following distance, start counting as the rear of the car ahead passes your fixed check point. * Increase distance under adverse conditions.

5. Looking beyond the vehicle ahead • Look ______, ______ and ______ the vehicle you are following • What can we be looking for? • Always try to ______what the driver ahead is likely to do.

6. Areas of sudden Stops • ______where drivers may have to stop for traffic or pedestrians • Lanes next to ______vehicles • Business driveways with ______volume traffic.

7. What if we are being tailgated? • Move slightly to the ______so the tailgater can see better. • Signal ______for turns, stops, and lane changes. • Flash your ______. • In extreme situations, change ______, or pull out of ______to avoid the tailgater.

8. Reasons for Crossing the Center Line • Driver ______ • Driver might be drowsy, distracted, confused, intoxicated or ill. • ______Judgment • Driver might misjudge speed, distance, or position. • ______visibility • Direct sunlight, blinding headlights, or bad weather.

9. Crossing the center line con’t • ______Space • Snow bank, narrow bridge, or other objects. • Sudden ______by others • Children, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, a vehicle door opens • Vehicle ______ • Drive might loose control because of vehicle failure

10. Crossing the center line con’t • Turning ______& ______ • Longer vehicles need extra room to make a normal turn • ______-parked vehicles • Drivers or delivery trucks may park carelessly

11. If a vehicle comes at you… • Slow down until the other driver can return to their lane. • Turn on or ______your headlights and blow your ______. • If your right front zone is open; move as far to the ______to try to give the other driver room to pass.

12. Looking ahead while staying back… • Look at least a ______away and/or ______seconds. • If behind a truck maintain a ______second or more second following distance.

13. Covering the Brake… • Taking your foot off the accelerator, and hold it ______the brake pedal. • Use this when you see ______conflict. • Could cut ______time down.

14. Adjusting Speed in cities • Drive ______traffic flow • Stay ______the speed limit • Adjust ______and position ahead of time for other driver who might block your way

15. Selecting the Best Lane • Select the lane with the ______number of hazards. • ______is usually faster, but can be held up by drivers waiting to turn left. • Right moves slower, because of people slowing down to make turns

16. Changing lanes • Use your mirrors to check traffic in your rear zones. • Signal your lane change early • Quickly check your blind spot area • Change lanes without slowing • Cancel your signal.

17. Identifying one-way streets • ______signs are posted on most one-way streets • All moving and parked vehicles point in the ______direction • ______broken white lines are used to separate lanes. • Signs will be facing the ______direction.

18. Signaling wrong-way drivers • ______ • Steer ______ • Sound ______ • ______headlights