Expressway Driving
Characteristics of Expressway Driving
Roadway
•Interchanges
•No cross traffic
•Median
•Tollbooths
•Entrance/exit ramps
•Limited access
•More lanes
Speed
•55-65 MPH
•Minimum 45 mph
•IPDE faster
•Predict sudden
stop
Characteristics of Expressway Driving
Other Users
No pedestrians
Trucks
Motorcycles
Construction
Emergency
vehicle
Signs & Signals
•Green guide
signs
•Merge
•No traffic
signals
•Interstate signs
Advantages to Expressway Driving
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Designed for low-risk higher speed travel
Safer than other highways
No cross traffic
Median or barrier separates oncoming traffic
Pedestrians & slow moving cars are not allowed
Wide shoulders = good escape paths
Signs help anticipate conditions early
Safe Driving Strategies
•Collisions can be more serious
•Know where you are going
•Obey speed limit or common speed
•Build experience gradually
•Give full attention to driving task
•Cooperate with other drivers
3 Parts of Entrance Ramp
See picture in textbook page 225
1. Entrance Ramp
2. Acceleration Lane
3. Merging Area
Steps for
ENTERING
expressway
Step # 1
1. Entrance you
want ?
2.Is it an entrance?
Step # 2
• Check zones
• Signal
• Check rearview
mirror and blind spot
Steps for
ENTERING
expressway
Step # 3
• increase speed
• check mirrors
• check blind spot (just
before moving over)
Step # 4
• Find TARGET (car) to
follow
• adjust speed
• merge smoothly
Step # 5
• Cancel signal
• adjust to speed
of traffic
Randall Rd. and
Interstate 90
Randall Road and Interstate 90
Double turn lane to go EAST on 90 off
Randall Rd.
Entrance from Randall to 90 East
Woodfield
shopping area
Interstate 90 & 53
One example of
Entering an
Expressway
Check the volume of traffic and their speed…
(so you’ll know how fast to accelerate)
What is the purpose of the first
head check…early on ramp?
Look for a space to merge in...
What is the purpose of the second head check as the
ramp begins to straighten?
…you are now building up speed
- you should also…at this point:
…signal, mirror, final head check left
…but what will you do if you can not get over because
other vehicles are preventing your merge?
…make any necessary speed adjustments
#5 What other problems might you encounter
entering the expressway?
a. ramp
d. Merging area
b. Ramp signal lights
e. Entrance on left
c. Acceleration lane
-- stay back and let him merge…then you can
quickly accelerate & complete your merge
What if there is a slow moving truck in front of you
getting ready to merge?
Short merging area, sharp curves
Shared entrance and exit
Best Lane Choice:
Middle/Right Lane
Shared entrance and exit
Shared entrance and exit
Shared entrance and exit
How about an entrance on the left??
Best Lane Choice: middle
or right lane
Scott’s Law (Move Over Law)
IPDE
• Identify—drivers have
longer sight distance, MUST
identify volume of traffic,
signs & signals EARLY
Lane Choice
Read section on page 230
You will not be delaying faster traffic
If you will be driving slower, why is it
best to stay in the right lane?
Change lanes
Other options: speed up or slow down
You are in the right lane and predict a conflict
with this merger. If you can, what is your best
decision to avoid a conflict?
Stay away from mergers
If you are moving with the flow of traffic, why
is it best to drive in the center lane most of the
time?
Sometimes there are additional merges to deal with
Speed limits
•Minimum speed limit
Driving too slowly can be dangerous on an
expressway, highways have a set lowest
speed
•Common speed
Drive at the common speed used by most
drivers so you can blend with expressway
traffic, sometimes common speed is
higher than maximum speed
Lane changing on expressway
•Steps for making lane change (page 233)
Change one at a time, check mirrors, check
blind spot, if path is clear then accelerate and
move to next lane, cancel signal
•Problems with lane changing—see pictures on
page 233
Two cars could be moving into the same open
space, traffic in lane you are moving into may
be going much faster
Exiting Expressway
STEPS:
page 236
1. at least ½ mile ahead of exit move into the
lane that leads to exit, do not reduce
speed until you are in deceleration lane
2. move into deceleration lane, cancel signal
3. flash brake lights to warn drivers behind
you are slowing, check rear zones
4. identify ramp speed, check your speed,
predict a yield sign, a stop sign or signal light
at end of exit
Make a lane change right!
If this driver wants to get off on Palatine Rd.
what should they be doing ASAP?
We want to exit at the upcoming exit but
what else do we need to look for?
You do not want to exit at Kirchoff Road… what
must you do here?
Preparing to exit at Randall Rd
A closer
look at
signs and
roadway
markings
If we are exiting here what should we
be doing now?
If we are in the left 2 lanes can
we still exit?
Approaching tollbooth
Tollbooth before Randall
After tollbooth before Randall
Thinking About Not Wearing Your
Seatbelt?
Construction Video
not riding on shoulder
heavy traffic
Move Over Law (Scott’s Law)