CHAPTER FIVE

FREEWAY DRIVING

The freeway and highway systems require certain driving skills. Increased speed, sudden slowing or stopping, and frequent lane changes (including merging) are inherent risks when driving on a freeway. Perception, reaction, and stopping distances are increased. Below are a few simple steps to follow for the demands of freeway driving.

Plan your Route in Advance - Give yourself a little extra time in order to deal with unexpected situations such as construction, wrecks or heavy traffic. Don't speed just to make up for lost time. Statistically, speeding over the length of a drive only gains two to four minutes versus a vehicle traveling the speed limit. Is it worth receiving a ticket or being involved in a collision for just a few minutes saved?

Follow the Guide Signs - These signs indicate distances, route direction, and names of off-ramp exits. By paying attention to these signs, you will be able to safely maneuver into the appropriate lane with advance notice to others. Avoiding any surprises before your exit is vital, and remember to always use your turn signals.

Familiarize Yourself - Become familiar with alternate exits or side streets. You need a back-up plan or route in case something unexpected occurs.

Entering the Freeway - Once you enter the acceleration lane, increase your speed to match that of the traffic flow while you look for an opening on the freeway. Use mirrors and visual checks to ensure safety. Though rare, this becomes more critical on left lane merge ramps. Remember to always yield to existing traffic when merging onto a freeway until you can proceed with reasonable safety. Freeway drivers do HAVE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY; however, this does not give one the right to speed up when another driver is attempting to enter. The acceleration lane is an extra lane that permits a vehicle to reach freeway speeds. Some tips for safe freeway driving include:

• Be aware of entrance signs that warn of merging traffic, yield requirements, speed limits, or curves.
• Observe ramp speed limit.
• Check the current flow of traffic.
• Stay alert. Watch the vehicle in front for sudden stops (brake lights and no movement usually indicate there is a problem and to slow down or stop).
• Find a gap in traffic.
• Adjust your speed for merging smoothly onto freeway "through" lanes.
• Always signal until you have merged onto the freeway safely.

Many drivers make mistakes when entering a freeway from the acceleration lane. The most common include sudden slowing or stopping or merging too slowly. These can cause collisions or more likely will irritate other drivers. The best way to avoid these mistakes is to increase speed once you are in the acceleration lane so that you can match the speed of traffic on the freeway.

Sometimes you may come across freeway on-ramps with no acceleration lane. Obey any posted yield or merge signs, and use your turn signal to notify others of your intent to merge. Wait for a longer gap in traffic and accelerate quickly to gain the speed necessary to merge smoothly.

Special Situations for Freeway Driving - During certain times of the day, usually peak or rush hour, you may encounter special situations affecting your drive. For example:

• Timed entrance lights are active at certain peak hours. Sometimes only one or two vehicles are permitted to proceed at each green light.
• Double merge lanes exist when two lanes converge into one acceleration lane. Normally, these have timed entrance lights that regulate traffic. If no such light is active, you must merge when it is your turn.
• Many people have a difficult time merging. The way to merge is actually an easy concept: the right side moves in first and then the left.
• Diamond lanes, also known as carpool lanes or high occupancy vehicle lanes, may be present. To use these lanes, two or more human occupants must be in the vehicle. If double merge lanes are present, and the one on the left is a diamond lane, vehicles in that lane may continue without stopping.

Exiting the Freeway - The proper way to get off a freeway is via an exit ramp. The upcoming ramp, the distance to it, and its direction are normally posted well in advance. For example, " Central Avenue 1/2 mile" indicates that Central Avenue is approaching, and the exit is 1/2 mile away. Most exits are on the right side of the freeway, but they can sometimes be on the left as well. Scan ahead (at least 20 seconds or 1/3 mile) for signs that indicate your desired exit. While checking your mirrors and turning your head as necessary, turn on the appropriate turn signal and merge into the exit lane when safe.

You may sometimes miss your desired exit. Heavy traffic, unfamiliar surroundings, and even distractions may contribute to this. Stay calm... don't panic. Just continue driving to the next available exit ramp and then exit. Go back onto the freeway in the other direction and take the off ramp you missed. Never back up on a freeway! The other drivers will be going by you at extremely high speeds. Also, never cut across one or more lanes just to make the exit. It is obviously illegal to cut through the grass or to drive over a dividing median just to make an off ramp.

Multiple Deceleration Lanes - Sometimes exit ramps end in multiple deceleration lanes, which may be two, three, or even four lanes wide. The purpose is to stagger traffic and to allow drivers the choice to go straight, right, or left. Signs normally designate which lane a driver may turn into or proceed. For example, a sign with a right turn arrow means you may make a right turn when it is safe. You cannot make a left turn or go straight from this lane. Once you've safely maneuvered into the exit lane, you must reduce speed accordingly. Posted speed limit signs indicate the recommended safe exit speed. Gradually decelerate with the brakes as needed.

Choosing Lanes of Travel - Freeways can have two, three, four or even more lanes of travel. On a two-lane freeway, the right lane, or the #2 lane, is used by slower traffic and for entering or exiting the freeway. The left lane, or #1 lane, should be used for faster traffic and passing (it is never legal to exceed the speed limit in order to pass another vehicle - no exceptions!). On freeways with three or more lanes, the #2 lane is again for slower traffic and preparation for lane entering and exiting, while the left lane (the fast lane) is for faster traffic. The center lane is often safest because there is less activity and the speeds are not as high as in the fast lane.

Lane Changes when Approaching Interchanges - When two or more freeways converge, this becomes an interchange. There will be merging lanes available. Caution is a must! Use your resources such as mirrors and signals to change to another lane to avoid the interchange, unless of course that is where you intend to travel.

Making a Safe Lane Change - Higher speeds on freeways make it more difficult to make safe lane changes. The first step is to check for ample space to make your lane change. Next, look ahead of you in both lanes, the lane you are traveling in as well as the lane you want to change into. Check for spacing, hazards, and the speed of the approaching cars. Then do the same procedure in the rear; checking for hazards, speed, and spacing in the lane you are in, as well as the lane you will be changing into. To check behind you, use both your rear view mirrors as well as your side mirrors. After checking your mirrors, turn your head and look around your blind spots, making sure there are no cars in the lane you are entering. Signal your intent to change lanes, then check all mirrors as well as ahead and behind again, making sure nothing has changed. You then want to accelerate slightly and change lanes. Change lanes only one lane at a time. Try to avoid slowing down or stopping when making a lane change, as this could cause a hazard to other drivers.

Spacing and Scanning - Extra space and scanning further ahead is important with the high volume of cars and the faster speeds on the freeway. The two-second minimum spacing cushion necessary on most roadways should be increased to three seconds when on a freeway. In addition, you should leave spaces on all sides of your vehicle. Do not drive in clusters or groups. You want to leave yourself an out in case of an emergency. On freeways driving at 55 mph, you should scan 20 to 30 seconds ahead and check the entire width of the freeway.

Freeway Emergencies - Freeway emergencies are common occurrences. They range from the sudden appearance of an object in your lane to a ten-car pile up or an unexpected traffic jam. When these emergencies arise, you normally have two options: to stop, or to steer around. If you are unable to drive over an object, quickly slow down. Check your mirrors and your blind spot to see if there is an open lane and steer around the object. If it is impossible to steer around the object, you will have to stop. The first thing you should do is tap your brakes, which will warn other drivers behind you. Then apply your brakes firmly and try to leave a good amount of space between your vehicle and the object to decrease the possibility of the car behind rear-ending you. When you have come to a stop, turn your hazard lights on to let other drivers know of the hazard.

Breakdowns - If a breakdown occurs on the freeway, the first thing you want to do is control your vehicle and pick the safest path to the shoulder. While changing lanes, follow the same rules as before. Be sure to signal and move over just one lane at a time. When you get to the shoulder, be sure to pull as far off the freeway as possible, and park parallel to the freeway. When you are safely off the freeway, turn your hazard lights on, and if you have flares or warning devices, place them behind the vehicle on the shoulder at distances of 300 feet and 500 feet.

Special Freeway Problems - When driving on a freeway for an extended length of time, two problems can arise: velocitation and highway hypnosis. Unknowingly accelerating while driving is known as velocitation. When driving at faster speeds for any length of time, your body will adjust and incorrectly feel as if the car is going slower than it actually is. The best way to avoid this problem is to check the speedometer often. Make sure that, when exiting the freeway, you look at the ramp speed limit signs and drive accordingly. After you exit the freeway, checking your speed becomes more important. It takes time for your body and your vehicle to adjust to the slower speeds.

The second problem that might occur while driving for extended periods on the freeway is highway hypnosis. This hypnosis occurs by driving at a steady speed with no stopping or slowing for a long period of time. In addition to this steady speed, most freeway driving is dull, with not much to look at. These factors create a more relaxed person, which in time makes a person less attentive to his or her surroundings. In some situations, drivers have even been known to fall asleep at the wheel. Here are some ways to avoid this drowsiness:

• Avoid eating large meals before or during the trip.
• Take breaks - rest at regular intervals.
• Make sure the vehicle is cool and that there is proper ventilation.
• Talk with yourself or other passengers.
• Listen to the radio and change the station every once in a while.
• Change your seating posture from time to time.
• Scan the entire width of the road more often than usual.

Tollbooths - Tollbooths are an added danger spot on freeways or expressways. These tollbooths collect a fee to travel on publicly owned roads or expressways. When approaching a tollbooth, scan the road for signs that show the distance and the speed limit. You will need to decelerate as you get closer to the booth. As you get closer, you will see signs for designated lanes for special vehicles. You may see lanes for exact change, autos only, trucks only, trucks O.K., or many other possibilities. Try to find your lane and have your payment ready as soon as possible. Be aware of the vehicles around you as they may stop or change lanes suddenly.

Slow-moving Vehicles – Slow-moving vehicles are often a hazard on highways and freeways, because they are unable to travel very fast or keep up with the flow of traffic. Watch for large trucks, small underpowered vehicles, or steep grades, which make acceleration difficult. Vehicles can lose speed on long or steep hills, and it may take longer for these vehicles to get up to speed when they enter traffic. If you see any of these vehicles ahead of time, you should be able to change lanes or slow down safely. Sudden slowing or stopping is often the cause of traffic collisions.