CLASS FOUR

BASIC DRIVING SKILLS

1. What percentage of car crashes is as a result of driver error?

Answer: 75%

2. What is the time of day when most crashes happen in Utah

Answer:  2 pm to 6 pm

3. The highest rate of car crashes in Utah occurred in what areas:

Answer: Shopping and business areas

4. In America motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people ages

Answer:  1 to 24

5. What is Defensive Driving?

Answer:  Defensive Driving involves looking out for possible crashes and mistakes other drivers may make.

6. Over half the drivers killed in two-car crashes in Utah were not at fault

7. What is the difference between freeway and city streets?

Answer:  Freeways are without traffic light, so it get us to where we are going faster, while city streets are full of traffic lights and stop signs, it slow down traffic.

8. List 10 things you cannot do on a freeway

• Do not tailgate
• Don not make U-Turns
• Do not drive in the emergency lane
• Do not insist on going the minimum speed limit during bad weather
• Do not drive so slowly that you block traffic
• Do not use an entrance ramp to exit the freeway
• Do not insist on the right-of-way
• Do not cross over the solid white line to enter a traffic lane
• Do not pass unless it is safe to do so
• Do not drive in the left lane, it is for passing only

9. What is Ramp Metering?

Ramp Metering  

 

Answer:  Ramp meters look almost like traffic signals you see at intersections, except they have only red and green lights.  Ramp meters are placed on freeway on-ramps and allow only one vehicle to pass each time the green light comes on.

10. What is High-Occupancy Vehicle Lane (HOV)?

• HOV lane is for motorcycles, buses, vehicles with clean fuel license plates, and vehicles with two or more occupants may travel in the carpool lane without a monthly fee.
• Solo drivers will be allowed to use the carpool lanes with the Express Pass transponder on a pay-per-use basis.

 

Driving Alone In the HOV Lane Is Very Expensive

 

11. What is Access Point on a HOV lane?

Answer: Access Point is the area with white dotted lines along HOV lane that can be used to enter and exit the HOV lane

12.What is the best way to exit the HOV lane prior to reaching your exit?

Answer:  It is recommended that vehicles exit the HOV lane at least one interchange before reaching their desired exit.

13. What is Single Point Urban Interchange?

 

Single Point Urban Interchange  

Answer:  It is a type of interchange that is located either above or underneath the freeway and is designed in such a way that the intersecting off-ramps and on-ramps are diagonally adjacent to each other.

14.What is the benefit of Single Point Urban Interchange?

Answer:  Left turning traffic from both directions of the intersecting roadways are able to turn simultaneously without crossing the path of the opposing left turns.

15. Why is it called Single Point Interchange?

Answer:  Because traffic passing through the interchange is controlled by one single traffic signal.

16. Is it legal to make a U-turn from the off-ramp at a single point urban interchange?

Answer:  Yes, it is legal to make a U-turn from the off-ramp at a single point urban interchange and re-enter the freeway, as long as you are facing a green arrow at the time you begin the maneuver. 

17. When there is power outage, can single point urban interchange be treated as a four-way road?

Answer:  No, when there is power outage, the single point urban interchange is not handled the same way as a four-way stop.  It is important to proceed with extreme caution and courtesy. 

18. What makes night driving different from driving during the day?

Answer:  When you drive at night it is easy to

• Become disoriented because you no longer can use trees, houses or other objects to help judge your location or distances.
• Glaring headlights also hinder your judgment.
• Bicyclist and pedestrians may dart in front of your car without warning
• You are more likely to become sleepy and cause a crash

19. For the above reasons, night driving is an important skill you must develop

20. Things to do when you drive at night to help reduce the chances of a crash are:

• If a car is coming toward you, dim your lights before you get within 500 feet of the oncoming car
• Use your lights any time conditions keep you from seeing 1,000 feet ahead.  These conditions include fog, stormy weather, or dust.
• Turn your headlights no later than half an hour after sunset and keep them on until half an hour before sunrise.
• If another driver does not dim his/her lights, dim yours anyway.  Blinding the other driver to “get even” only results in two drivers not being able to see.  If you do not look at the lights of the oncoming car, you should be able to maintain proper control of your vehicle and be able to continue your driving without mishap.
• It is wise to slow down a little at night.  The law requires that you drive at a reasonable and prudent speed.  That means, especially at night, if you drive the posted speed limit, it may be too fast.
• Be sure that you can stop within the distance that is lighted by your headlights
• Do not drive at night with dirty, foggy, or icy windshield.  Although not safe at any time, windshields that are not clear at night will cause headlights and other lights to glare, which may result in the driver being blinded.
• You should check all of your lights often to see whether any of the lights or signals are not functioning properly.
• A person younger than 17 years of age, whether resident or nonresident of Utah, may not operate a motor vehicle upon any highway of this state between the hours of 12:00 am and 5:00 am. 

 

Night Driving  

 

21. What is Drowsy Driving

• Drowsy driving is driving when you are tired or on medication that make you drowsy.
• When you are tired (like getting off a graveyard shift) your ability to drive is affected.  You will probably not able to make decisions as quickly, your reaction time will be increased and you may become upset more easily. 
• You may fall asleep at the wheel

Drowsy Driving Can Kill

22. What are some of things you can do to help drive more safely to avoid drowsy driving?

• Get a good night’s sleep before you start a trip
• Do not take any medications that can make you sleepy. 
• Do not drive for long hours or distances – 300 to 400 miles a day is recommended
• Try not to drive late at night.  Your body is probably used to going to sleep at that time and your reaction time will become slower.  Travel at time you are normally awake.
• Take rest breaks regularly, even if you don’t feel tired.  Let someone else drive part of the time.  Stop for a bit of refreshment every 100 miles or every two hours of driving time.
• Plan for stops in cities where you may stay for the night.
• Shift your eyes from one part of the road to another.  Try to enjoy the scenery without neglecting your driving.  Look at objects near and far, left and right.

23. What are the warning signs of drowsy driving?

• You can’t remember the last few miles driven
• You hit a rumble strip or drift from your lane
• You keep pulling your vehicle back into the lane
• Your thoughts are wandering and disconnected
• You yawn repeatedly
• You have difficulty focusing or keeping your eyes open and your head up
• You tailgate or miss traffic signs
• You have narrowly missed crashing

24. What should you do if you feel tired?

• If you feel tired the best decision is to find a safe place to stop and get some sleep for at least twenty (20) minutes
• No matter the time of day especially if all passengers in the vehicle are sleeping

25. What is flooding and how does it affect driving condition?

• Flooding can occur when streams and rivers flow over their banks, when dams or levees break, when there is a run-off from deep snow or any time there is heavy rainfall.
• Floodwaters 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.

26. What must you do in case there is flood on the road?

• Do not drive through flooded areas.  If you see a flooded roadway ahead, turn around and find another route to get to your destination.
• Be cautious, especially at night, when visibility is limited
• Remember, six (6) inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars, causing loss of control or possible stalling
• Two feet of moving water can carry away most vehicles including sport utility vehicles and pick-up trucks
• Even if the water appears shallow enough to cross, do not attempt to cross a flooded road.
• If there is no other route, proceed to higher ground and wait for the water to subside.