INTERSTATE
DRIVING
Characteristics of Expressways
• Expressways/Controlled-Access Highways – vehicles
can only enter and exit at interchanges.
• Expressways include: interstates, freeways, turnpikes,
toll roads, parkways, and some beltways.
• Despite the high speed and heavy traffic, you are
safer on an expressway.
• Cross traffic is eliminated.
• There is a median or barrier between opposing lanes
of traffic.
• Pedestrians and slow moving vehicles are no
permitted on expressways.
• They have wide shoulders and signs are designed to
help you anticipate what is ahead.
Expressway Interchanges
• Cloverleaf Interchange –
Resembles a four-leaf
clover and enables a
driver to proceed in
either direction.
Expressway to
expressway.
• Diamond Interchange –
used when the cross
street is not as busy as
the expressway.
Expressway Interchanges
• Trumpet Interchange –
when side road form T with
expressway.
• All-Directional Interchange
– used in complicated
intersections with a high
volume of traffic. Traffic is
channeled in many
directions.
Safe Expressway Driving
• Travel about the same
speed as other drivers
on the road.
• Know the name of roads,
route numbers, and
entrances/exits you will
use.
• Plan stops for food, fuel,
and rest when driving
long distances.
• Keep vehicle in top
condition to guard
against mechanical
failure on expressways.
Expressway Entrances
• Entrance Ramp – build speed and prepare to enter
expressway. (1)
• Acceleration Lane – accelerate to speed of traffic
and look for gap to merge onto expressway. (2)
• Merging Area – this is where you blend into
expressway traffic. (3)
3
2
1
ENTERING THE INTERSTATE
• Accelerating
• The first thing that you need to do before
entering the flow of traffic on the interstate is
to get up to speed.
• The ramp area gives the driver time to
evaluate traffic conditions.
• If you don’t get up to speed or if you slow
down or stop on the on-ramp, then you are
greatly increasing your chances of a rear-end
collision.
ENTRANCE RAMP PROBLEMS
• 1. PICKING THE WRONG LANE TO MERGE.
• 2. TRAFFIC AHEAD AND BEHIND ON THE
RAMP.
• 3. SHARP CURVES ON THE RAMP.
• 4. VISIBILITY PROBLEMS AHEAD AND TO THE
EXPRESSWAY.
ACCELERATION LANE
• THIS IS THE AREA TO GET THE SPEED UP TO OR
NEAR THE SPEED OF THE TRAFFIC ON THE
EXPRESSWAY.
• THE AMOUNT OF ACCELERATION DEPENDS ON THE
TRAFFIC FLOW OF THE EXPRESSWAY.
• MERGING AREA
• ACCELERATION LANE
• RAMP
Entering the Gap in Flow
checking
ACCERELATION LANE PROBLEMS
• 1. AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC IN LANE AND ON
THE EXPRESSWAY.
• 2. SHORT ACCELERATION LANE
• 3. LIMITED SPACE AHEAD
• 4. ACTIONS OF DRIVERS AHEAD AND
BEHIND
MERGING
• As you reach the end of the on ramp, drivers on
the interstate should try and make room for
merging traffic, but the entering traffic must yield
right of way to the vehicles already on the
interstate.
• This means that if you are merging onto the
interstate, then it is your responsibility to try and
find a safe opening in which to merge.
• If there is a car in the lane that you are trying to
merge, then usually the safest thing to do is to
slow and try and merge behind the car next to you.
MERGING
• Some on-ramps aren’t very long. That means
that you won’t necessarily have a lot of time
to prepare to enter the interstate; therefore,
accelerate at a consistent and steady pace.
• Check the lane of traffic that you are trying
to merge into. Use your turn signal, and then
check your mirror and blind spot before
finally merging onto the interstate.
MERGING IN THE PROPER LANE
• When merging, stay in the right lane to get
used to the freeway faster rhythm.
• Center Vehicle in Proper Lane
Adjust Speed to Traffic Flow and Law
MERGING ON TO THE INTERSTATE
• MERGING FROM THE RIGHT
PICKING THE WRONG LANE
THIS IS THE WRONG WAY TO ENTER THE INTERSTATE
TRAFFIC FLOW.
USE ACCELERATION LANE AND MERGING LANE
MERGING ON TO THE INTERSTATE
• MERGING FROM THE LEFT
MERGING AREA PROBLEMS
 HEAVY TRAFFIC
LACK OF A GAP TO MERGE
TRAFFIC SLOWING OR STOPPING AHEAD
VISIBILITY PROBLEMS AHEAD AND TO THE
SIDE
EXITING FROM THE EXPRESSWAY
• THE EXIT HAS TWO COMPONENTS:
• DECELATRATION LANE - AN ADDED LANE IN
WHICH TO SLOW DOWN AND EXIT SAFELY.
• EXIT RAMP - RAMP LEADING OFF THE
EXPRESSWAY OR INTERSTATE. THESE MAY BE
LEVEL, SHARPLY CURVED, UPHILL OR DOWNHILL.
BE SURE TO ADJUST YOUR SPEED FOR THE RAMP
SPEED LIMIT.
EXITING FROM THE EXPRESSWAY
• IMPORTANT FACT:
• IF YOU MISS YOUR EXIT, GO ON TO THE NEXT
EXIT. IF YOU HAVE SELECTED THE WRONG
EXIT RAMP----- CONTINUE TO EXIT!
• NEVER STOP AND BACK UP !!!
EXITING FROM THE EXPRESSWAY
• IDENTIFY THE EXIT EARLY
EXITING FROM THE EXPRESSWAY
• EXITS ARE MARKED WITH
GUIDE SIGNS, USUALLY
ONE TO TWO MILES
BEFORE THE EXIT.
• IN ALL STATES, THE EXIT
NUMBER CORRESPONDS
WITH MILE MARKER
NUMBERS.
• YOU CAN DETERMINE IF
AN EXIT IS A RIGHT EXIT
OR LEFT EXIT BY THE
POSITION OF THE EXIT
NUMBER ON THE SIGN.
• ABOUT ½ MILE, BEFORE
THE EXIT, SIGNAL, AND
MOVE TO THE LANE
CLOSEST TO THE
DECELRATION LANE.
EXITING FROM THE EXPRESSWAY
• DECELERATION LANE:
• ABOUT ½ MILE, BEFORE THE EXIT, SIGNAL, AND
MOVE TO THE LANE CLOSEST TO THE DECELERATION
LANE. CHECK YOUR MIRRORS. USE YOUR TURN
SIGNAL TO ALERT DRIVERS YOU PLAN TO EXIT.
1
EXITING FROM THE EXPRESSWAY
• MOVE INTO THE DECELERATION LANE•
MAINTAIN YOUR CURRENT SPEED
•
UNTIL YOUR ARE OUT OF THE FLOW
•
OF TRAFFIC
2
EXITING FROM THE EXPRESSWAY
• RELEASE THE ACCELERATION AND CHECK
YOUR REAR VIEW MIRROR FOR TRAFFIC
BEHIND YOU. CONTINUE REDUCING YOUR
SPEED TO THE APPROPRIATE EXIT SPEED.
3
POSSIBLE EXITING PROBLEMS
 WEAVE LANE CONFLICTS
TRAFFIC ON THE EXIT RAMP
SHORT DECELERATIONS LANE
VERY SLOW RAMP SPEEDS
EXITING FROM THE EXPRESSWAY
• TRAFFIC ENTERING AND EXITING THE
EXPRESSWAY USES THE SAME LANE (WEAVE)
TO AVOID A CONFLICT, THE DRIVER IN THE BLUE CAR ENTERING FROM THE
ENTRANCE RAMP MUST YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY TO THE DRIVER IN THE
RED CAR WHO IS LEAVING THE EXPRESSWAY.
POTENTIAL EXITING
PROBLEMS
THERE MAY BE A STOP
SIGN OR A TRAFFIC
LIGHT AT THE END OF
THE EXIT RAMP. THE
DRIVER MUST ADJUST
FROM A FAST SPEED
TO A STOP IN A SHORT
DISTANCE.
WEAVE LANE CONFLICTS
TRAFFIC STOPPED ON THE EXIT RAMP
 SHORT DECELERATION LANE
SHARP CURVE ON RAMP
ON THE EXPRESSWAY……….
• DO NOT:
 DRIVE OVER OR ACROSS THE MEDIAN OR
YELLOW PAINTED LINE.
ON THE EXPRESSWAY……….
• DO NOT:
 MAKE A LEFT TURN OR A U-TURN ON
CROSSOVERS (DESIGNATED FOR EMERGENCY
VEHICLES ONLY).
 USE THE LEFT EXCEPT FOR PASSING
(RIGHT LANE IS THE DRIVING LANE)
[ LEFT LANE IS FOR PASSING SLOWER VEHICLES]
ON THE EXPRESSWAY……….
• DO NOT:
CHANGE LANES WITH SIGNALLING AND
CHECKING FOR AN ADEQUATE GAP IN
TRAFFIC.
DRIVE ONTO AN EXPRESSWAY EXCEPT FROM
AN ON-RAMP.
ON THE EXPRESSWAY……….
• DO NOT:
PARK OR STOP ON AN EXPRESSWAY
SHOULDER UNLESS YOU HAVE AN
EMERGENCY OR MECHANICAL DIFFICULTIES.
BACKUP ON THE SHOULDER OR WALK OR RIDE
A BIKE .
HIGHWAY HYPNOSIS
• Driving for a long time can be boring, especially
at night or when you drive at the same speed for
long distances. You can become "hypnotized"
where everything seems to float by and you pay
less attention to what is happening around you.
You may even fall asleep.
HIGHWAY HYPNOSIS
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You can help prevent highway hypnosis by following a few simple rules:
Don't eat a heavy meal before you drive.
Wear comfortable clothing.
Talk with your passengers, but not to the point of distraction.
Keep your eyes moving and check your mirrors often.
Take an interest in all road signs and traffic around you.
Take a coffee or walking break every hour.
Don't try to drive too far in one day.
Avoid driving during your normal sleeping hours.
Keep the temperature in your vehicle cool.
If you do start to become drowsy, do something different immediately.
Open a window; talk to passengers; sing out loud; move your body
around a bit.
• Stop at the next service centre or rest area and take a short walk or have
a coffee and eat a light snack. If you don't feel any more alert, find a
place to sleep for an hour or for the night.
HIGHWAY HYPNOSIS
• If you do start to become drowsy, do
something different immediately. Open a
window; talk to passengers; sing out loud;
move your body around a bit.
• Stop at the next service center or rest area
and take a short walk or have a coffee and
eat a light snack. If you don't feel any more
alert, find a place to sleep for an hour or for
the night.