5 RULES

Don’t Fixate at Vehicles – Means don’t focus on them and mind your own business. Staring at other vehicles will cause distraction. All vehicles are always visible to you in your peripheral vision and you will easily react if it is wrongly coming your way. Don’t look on front vehicle and look much ahead of it.

Correct Lane – Drive in middle of your lane. Road surface in the middle of the lane is always a little different shade to give you alignment. On community roads, parking lane and driving lane are two different lanes. Every community road can be divided in 4 lanes. Your parking lane, your driving lane, opposite driving lane, opposite parking lane. Narrow roads still will have shared driving lanes.

Correct Speed – Try to drive at higher speed within the speed limit whatever you feel is comfortable and safe for you as per road conditions, weather conditions and traffic conditions. Slow driving is not good. Community roads are 40 or 50 speed limits depending upon city. Roads divided by median are generally 60 or above. Always follow the speed limit.

Road Signs – Like eagle. keep looking for road signs which are 99% posted on your right. These are posted just before the intersections, at corner of intersections, immediately after the intersections, on top near the traffic lights. Road signs are generally missed out because you get busy in checking other vehicles much beyond a casual peripheral look. Just follow your road signs and traffic lights and you will surely do good driving

Scan Intersections – Casually scan every intersection or any passage which is joining your road. If you keep your eyes always at ground level, you will easily pick up any intersection coming your way. Sequence of actions when approaching intersection is – from far locate your road sign, when closer locate pedestrian crossing you, when more closer follow your road sign and a CASUAL scan every intersection to see if any traffic is wrongly jumping in your way. If no road sign for you then try to locate who has a control sign. This will enable you not to miss any uncontrolled intersection in community area. Habit of scanning every intersection.

 

GENERAL TIPS

Right Turn – Slow, Close Turn Initially start turning slow without brake paddle and gas paddle. Do rolling turn. Generally, every car has enough engine power to roll you through the turn. If not enough speed your subconscious mind will automatically push the gas paddle. On community roads, you will need to do a right lane change even if in a minor sense to move from your driving lane into your parking lane. Upon right turn, try to turn into the new parking lane if it is available for upto approx. 50 meters, (5 car lengths, space to drive for 5 seconds). This habit will enable you to turn from and into correct lanes in downtowns. Right turns are from Your-Right-Most-Available lane into Your-Right-Most-Available lane.

Left Turn – Wide Turn without cutting Yellow Line Don’t curve towards your left turn. Left turns are almost 90 degree turns from Your-Left-Most-Available lane into Your-Left-Most-Available lane.

Clear Intersection Quickly – There must be a perfect mental balance between slow turns and quickly clearing the intersection. You should not feel that you are dragging your feet in the intersection. The moment you get a safe and legal opportunity, quickly clear the intersection

Practice Ground Search, Visual Lead Time, Proactive Driving while driving

 

Mandatory Action at Intersections

Yield Sign- slow drifting into intersection for better view, stop if required, go if clear

Going Straight - slow, yield left & right traffic, if clear then go

Right turn - slow, yield right pedestrian & left traffic, if clear then go

Left turn - slow, yield left & right traffic, if clear then go

Stop Sign - Stop & then Yield

No Sign - Scan intersection & keep going

 

Green Light

Going Straight – Look straight, go straight

Right turn – Yield right sidewalk & turn

Left turn – Yield Opposite traffic, yield left sidewalk & turn

Red Light

Right turn – do AS stop sign

Yellow Light

Can Stop Safely - SHOULD stop. If Can’t Stop Safely- Just keep Going

 

Sequency of Action when approaching Community Intersection

Locate road sign before intersection

Locate road sign on right corner of intersection

Locate front pedestrian

• Follow Sign of intersection

• No Sign – Scan intersection & keep going

Locate road sign after intersection

Sequency of Action when approaching Traffic Light Intersection

Locate road sign on top near traffic light & be in correct lane

Locate pedestrian timer near traffic lights

Locate road sign near intersection

• Follow Lights

Locate road sign after intersection