1. Highway & Rural Driving
Chapter 11

2. 11-1 The Rural driving environment
Highway
A main public roadway designed to carry traffic for long, uninterrupted periods at medium to high speeds
Can have intersections with cross traffic, side roads, driveways, etc.

3. 11-1 The Rural Driving Environment
Typical highways is a two-way, two-lane road separated by double yellow lines
Major rural highways, including interstates, have four or more lanes.
Divided Highway
Opposing directions of travel are separated by a fixed barrier or area of space called a median strip
Areas can be paved, dirt, or landscaped

4. 11-1 The rural Driving Environment
Rural Roads
Old, narrow, and originally designed for slower speeds
Paved with various materials
Concrete, asphalt, macadam, cobblestone or brick
Traction varies with weather conditions
May be grooved or rutted
Potholes and other damaged sections left unrepaired for long periods of time
Patched quickly with asphalt
Not cleaned regularly
Debris can be left on the road for

5. 11-1 The Rural Driving Environment
Rural Intersections
T-Intersections
Side roads join a main road with through traffic at a right angle
Common and dangerous
Difficult to see vehicles enter from the side roads
Y-Intersections
Often the site of junctions of minor and major roads
Can be confusing for beginning drivers
Either fail to stop or stop when they are not supposed to

6. 11-1 The Rural driving environment
Unmarked Driveways
Driveways to farms or fields
Can be hidden by bushes, crops, or trees
Look for mailboxes, gates, openings in fences,
Reduce speed and be prepared for vehicles to pull out in front of you
Entry/Exit Problems
When entering:
Wait for larger gaps in traffic before you pull out
When exiting:
Make sure you slow down earlier than usual

7. 11-1 the rural driving environment
Crossover
Special area where vehicles can turn around and go in the opposite direction
Unpaved crossovers are usually restricted to law-enforcement and emergency vehicles

8. 11-2 Defensive Driving on highways
Reduced visibility
Vision is more limited than on city streets
Examples?
Because of this, signs are posted further in advance
Make sure to look off-road as well as in front of you
Increase your following distance
At highway speeds greater than 50 mph, you need 6 seconds to stop or avoid an accident
Utilize “covering the brake”

9. 11-2 defensive driving on highways
Highway Passing
Multilane roads – stay in the right lane unless you are passing another vehicle or preparing to turn
Two-lane Highway – do not cross the center line unless you can see far enough ahead to know whether you can pass safely
Don’t pass on hills or curves – pass on straight sections of the road
Multi-Lane - Always pass on the left unless the vehicle you are wanting to pass is turning left or not keeping with the flow of traffic, then you can pass on the right

10. 11-3 other dangers of highway & rural driving
Velocitation
Driving much faster than intended
Highway Hypnosis
Becoming hypnotized by the road
Feel like you just awakened from a dream with no recollection of the last few seconds
To prevent both:
Drive when mentally fresh
Stop frequently and break trips up

11. 11-3 other dangers of highway & rural driving
Slow-Moving Vehicles
“wide-load” vehicles
Construction zones
Farm equipment
Dangers:
Not designed for high speed travel
Difficult to pass
Reduce speed and don’t attempt to pass unless you can see clearly the road ahead

12. 11-3 other dangers of highway & rural driving
Off-Road Vehicles
Less stable than cars and provide little protection to operators in a collision with a motor vehicle
Livestock Crossing Areas
Horse-Drawn Vehicles and Riders
Wild Animals