DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAYS/ INTERSTATE

CHAPTER 11

SECTION 1- CHARACTERISTICS OF EXPRESSWAY DRIVING

•AN EXPRESSWAY IS A LIMITED-ACCESS OR CONTROLLED ACCESS HIGHWAY.

•VEHICLES CAN ONLY ENTER AND LEAVE AT INTERCHANGES.

• EXPRESSWAYS CAN ALSO BE CALLED:• INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS• TURNPIKES• TOLL ROADS• PARKWAYS• BELTWAYS

AVANTAGES OF EXPRESSWAYS

• EXPRESSWAYS ARE DESIGNED FOR LOW-RISK, HIGHER-SPEED TRAVEL.

• DESPITE THE HIGH SPEED AND HEAVY TRAFFIC- YOU ARE SAFER ON THE EXPRESSWAY THAN ON A HIGHWAY.

• THERE ARE FEWER COLLISIONS FOR 5 MAIN REASONS:• 1. CROSS TRAFFIC IS ELIMINATED.• 2. EXPRESSWAYS HAVE A MEDIAN OR BARRIER BETWEEN OPPOSING LANES

OF TRAFFIC.• 3. PEDESTRIANS, NONMOTORIZED VEHICLES (BIKES) AND SLOW MOVING

VEHICLES ARE NOT PERMITTED ON MOST EXPRESSWAYS.• 4. WIDE SHOULDERS AND EXTRA-WIDE UNDERPASSES PROVIDE GOOD

ESCAPE PATHS.• 5. EXPRESSWAYS SIGNS ARE DESIGNED TO HELP DRIVERS ANTICIPATE

CONDITIONS WELL AHEAD.

EXPRESSWAY INTERCHANGES• THESE PICTURES SHOW THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF

EXPRESSWAY INTERCHANGES. THESE ARE PLACED WHERE DRIVERS CAN CROSS OVER OR UNDER AS WELL AS ENTER ON LEAVE THE EXPRESSWAY.• CLOVERLEAF INTERCHANGE- HAS A SERIES OF ENTRANCE AND

EXIT RAMPS. ENABLES DRIVERS TO PROCEED IN EITHER DIRECTION ON EITHER HIGHWAY.

• DIAMOND INTERCHANGE- USED WHEN A ROAD THAT HAS A LITTLE TRAFFIC CROSSES A BUSY EXPRESSWAY- LEFT TURNS BY EXITING TRAFFIC CAN BE MADE EASILY O THE LESS BUSY ROAD.

• TRUMPET INTERCHANGE- A SIDE ROAD FORMS A “T” INTERSECTION WITH AN EXPRESSWAY

• ALL-DIRECTION INTERCHANGE- USED IN COMPLICATED INTERSECTIONS WITH HIGH VOLUME TRAFFIC-TRAFFIC CAN BE CHANNELED IN MANY DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

SAFE DRIVING STRATEGIES• ALTHOUGH EXPRESSWAYS HAVE ADVANTAGES COMPARED TO OTHER

TYPES OF ROADWAYS, COLLISIONS ARE OFTEN MORE SERIOUS DUE TO HIGHER SPEEDS BEING USED TO TRAVEL.

• HIGHER SPEEDS OFTEN PLACE GREATER DEMANDS ON BOTH THE DRIVERS AND VEHICLES.

• WHEN DRIVING IN EXPRESSWAYS, YOU SHOULD TRAVEL AT THE SAME SPEED OF OTHERS (WITHIN THE SPEED LIMITS).

• IF YOU DRIVE TOO SLOWLY, YOU CAN BLOCK THE SMOOTH FLOW OF TRAFFIC AND BECOME A HAZARD.

• USE THESE STRATEGIES:• PREPARE YOURSELF AND YOUR VEHICLE- MENTALLY READY, GAS/MAINTENANCE• BUILD EXPERIENCE GRADUALLY- PRACTICE ENTERING AND EXITING, LENGTH OF

TIME.• CONCENTRATE ON THE DRIVING TASK- FOCUS ON WHAT YOU ARE DOING!• COOPERATE WITH OTHER DRIVERS- ELIMINATE ANY “ROAD RAGE”

SECTION 1- REVIEW• WHAT ARE THE FIVE REASONS FEWER COLLISIONS OCCUR ON THE

EXPRESSWAY THAN ON OTHER TYPES OF ROADWAYS?• 1. NO CROSS TRAFFIC• 2. MEDIAN STRIPS OR BARRIERS BETWEEN• 3. NO PEDESTRIANS, NON-MOTORIZED OR SLOW MOVING VEHICLES.• 4. WIDE SHOULDERS AND XTRA WIDE UNDERPASSES• 5. DESIGNED TO HELP DRIVERS ANTICIPATE CONDITIONS AHEAD.

• WHAT ARE THE FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXPRESSWAY INTERCHANGES?• 1. CLOVERLEAF• 2. DIAMOND• 3. TRUMPET• 4. ALL DIRECTIONAL

• EXPLAIN WHAT STRATEGIES YOU CAN USE TO BECOME A LOW-RISK DRIVER ON THE EXPRESSWAYS.• PREPARE YOURSELF AND YOUR VEHICLE, BUILD EXPERIENCE GRADUALLY,

CONCENTRATE ON YOUR DRIVING & COOPERATE WITH OTHERS.

SECTION 2- ENTERING AN EXPRESSWAY•BEFORE YOU ENTER AN EXPRESSWAY, MAKE SURE YOU ARE USING THE CORRECT RAMP.

•MANY DRIVERS HAVE MISTAKENLY TRIED TO ENTER AN EXPRESSWAY BY USING AN EXIT RAMP. LOOK FOR “DO NOT ENTER” OR “WRONG WAY” SIGNS.

EXPRESSWAY ENTRANCES• MOST HAVE 3 PARTS:

• 1 ENTRANCE RAMP• GIVE YOU TIME TO EVALUATE ZONE CONDITIONS AND BEST

DETERMINE YOUR SPEED AS YOU PREPARE TO ENTER THE EXPRESSWAY.

• 2. ACCELERATION LANE• USUALLY LONG ENOUGH FOR YOU TO SEARCH FOR A GAP IN WHICH

TO MERGE AND ACCELERATE TO THE SPEED OF TRAFFIC-ACCELERATION INTO TRAFFIC IS DETERMINED BY THE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND THE ACCELERATION LANE. (STAY IN THIS LANE AS LONG AS YOU CAN)

• 3. MERGING AREA• WHERE THE VEHICLE WILL BLEND INTO THE EXPRESSWAY TRAFFIC.

TRY TO MERGE AT THE SAME SPEED AS THE VEHICLES IN THE NEAREST LANE.

STEPS FOR ENTERING• MAKE SURE THE ENTRANCE IS THE ONE YOU WANT- LOOK FOR RED AND

WHITE “ WRONG WAY ” OR “DO NOT ENTER” SIGNS

• ONCE ON THE ENTRANCE RAMP, CHECK YOUR FRONT AND REAR ZONES. SIGNAL YOUR INTENT TO ENTER INTO TRAFFIC AND TAKE QUICK GLANCES INTO YOUR MIRRORS AND OVER YOUR SHOULDER INTO YOUR BLINDSPOT. ALWAYS LOOK OVER THE SHOULDER IN THE SAME DIRECTION YOUR ARE TRYING TO MERGE.

• GRADUALLY INCREASE YOUR SPEED- CONTINUALLY LOOKING IN MIRRORS AND OVER YOUR SHOULDER.

• TRY TO TIME A GAP IN THE VEHICLES YOU WILL BE MERGING WITH, REMEMBER THAT IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO “YIELD”. AS YOU ENTER THE MERGING AREA, ADJUST YOUR SPEED TO MATCH THAT OF THE TRAFFIC FLOW.

• ONCE ON THE EXPRESSWAY, CANCEL YOUR SIGNAL AND ADJUST YOUR SPEED TO TRAFFIC. KEEP A SPACE CUSHION AROUND YOUR VEHICLE.

POSSIBLE ENTRANCE PROBLEMS• MANY DRIVERS FEEL INSECURE WHEN THEY HAVE TO MERGE INTO

FAST MOVING TRAFFIC.

• SHORT ENTRANCE RAMPS, SHORT ACCELERATION LANE AND HIGH DIVIDING WALLS CAN ALSO CAUSE PROBLEMS.

• USE YOUR IPDE PROCESS• MAKE YOUR VISUAL CHECKS AND ZONE EVALUATIONS QUICKLY.

• PREDICT THE ACTIONS OF OTHER DRIVERS

• DECIDE ON YOUR ENTRANCE GAP AND SPEED

• EXECUTE YOUR MERGE INTO TRAFFIC SMOOTHLY AND SAFELY.

• ENTRANCE RAMP PROBLEMS• AS YOU COME DOWN THE RAMP AND ARE READY TO MERGE, SOME

VEHICLES WILL NOT MOVE OR BE ABLE TO MOVE OVER FOR YOU. BE AWARE OF THIS AND YIELD TO THE TRAFFIC ALREADY ON THE INTERSTATE.

SECTION 2-REVIEW• WHAT ARE THE PROPER STEPS FOR ENTERING AN EXPRESSWAY?

• MAKE SURE THE ENTRANCE IS THE ONE YOU WANT- LOOK FOR RED AND WHITE “ WRONG WAY ” OR “DO NOT ENTER” SIGNS

• ONCE ON THE ENTRANCE RAMP, CHECK YOUR FRONT AND REAR ZONES. SIGNAL YOUR INTENT TO ENTER INTO TRAFFIC AND TAKE QUICK GLANCES INTO YOUR MIRRORS AND OVER YOUR SHOULDER INTO YOUR BLINDSPOT. ALWAYS LOOK OVER THE SHOULDER IN THE SAME DIRECTION YOUR ARE TRYING TO MERGE.

• GRADUALLY INCREASE YOUR SPEED- CONTINUALLY LOOKING IN MIRRORS AND OVER YOUR SHOULDER.

• TRY TO TIME A GAP IN THE VEHICLES YOU WILL BE MERGING WITH, REMEMBER THAT IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO “YIELD”. AS YOU ENTER THE MERGING AREA, ADJUST YOUR SPEED TO MATCH THAT OF THE TRAFFIC FLOW.

• ONCE ON THE EXPRESSWAY, CANCEL YOUR SIGNAL AND ADJUST YOUR SPEED TO TRAFFIC. KEEP A SPACE CUSHION AROUND YOUR VEHICLE.

• WHAT PROBLEMS COULD MAKE ENTERING AN EXPRESSWAY DIFFICULT?• HEAVY TRAFFIC, SHORT ENTRANCE RAMPS AND ACCELERATION LANES, VEHICLES AHEAD STOPPING AND

HIGH DIVIDING WALLS.

• WHY IS THE CHANCE FOR CONFLICT GREATER WHEN ENTERING AN EXPRESSWAY FROM THE LEFT THAN FROM THE RIGHT?• WHEN ENTERING FROM THE LEFT, YOU MERGE WITH A LANE OF TRAFFIC THAT IS ALREADY GOING AT A

HIGH SPEED, CHECKING TRAFFIC OVER YOUR RIGHT SHOULDER CAN BE MORE DIFFICULT THAN LOOKING OVER YOUR LEFT.

SECTION 3- STRATEGIES FOR DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAYS• USE YOUR IPDE PROCESS CONTINUALLY.• APPLYING THE IPDE PROCESS

• IDENTIFY- FREEWAYS ARE DESIGNED TO GIVE DRIVERS A LONG SIGHT DISTANCE. HOWEVER, THE FASTER YOU GO + MULTIPLE LANES = REDUCED AMOUNT OF TIME TO REACT. BE AWARE OF ALL YOUR ZONES AND OTHER VEHICLES.

• PREDICT- A PREDICTABLE TRAFFIC FLOW IS A SAFETY FEATURE OF EXPRESSWAYS. SEARCH AHEAD AND LOOK FOR SUDDEN STOPS OR THE SLOWING OF TRAFFIC DUE TO TRAFFIC SIGNALS OR VEHICLE ISSUES. PREDICT THAT A CAR ON THE SHOULDER MIGHT PULL OUT IN FRONT OF YOU. ETC.

• DECIDE- YOU NEED TO MAKE QUICKER DECISIONS WITH THE INCREASED SPEED. BE AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON SO YOU CAN MAKE A CORRECT DECISION.

• EXECUTE- DO THIS SMOOTHLY, AVOID SUDDEN MOVES AT HIGH SPEEDS, SIGNAL EARLY FOR ANY MANEUVER YOU MAY ATTEMPT.

• LANE CHOICE• SIGNS, SIGNALS, & ROADWAY MARKINGS- KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING AND WHAT SIGNS YOU

ARE LOOKING FOR.• SPEED LIMITS- MOST STATES POST MAX LIMITS ON INTERSTATES- BE AWARE OF CHANGES OF THE

LIMITS WHEN ENTERING CITY LIMITS. ALSO- REMEMBER TO DRIVE AT A SPEED THAT IS SAFE FOR THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

• COMMON SPEED- THIS IS THE SPEED THAT IS USED BY MOST DRIVERS. RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO SPEED IF EVERYONE ELSE IS TOO.

• WOLF PACKS- AVOID BUNCHES OF VEHICLES- IT CAN HELP AVOID POTENTIAL CONFLICTS.

• FOLLOWING• THE HIGH SPEEDS OF INTERSTATE DRIVING DEMAND THAT YOU MAINTAIN AT LEAST A 4-6 SECOND

FOLLOWING DISTANCE (3 SECOND MINIMUM).• A SHORTER DISTANCE GIVES YOU LESS REACTION TIME.• YOU CAN CONTROL THE SPACE AROUND YOUR VEHICLE BY ADJUSTING YOUR SPEED.• THE LESS “IDEAL” THE DRIVING ENVIRONMENT, THE SLOWER AND GREATER DISTANCE YOU SHOULD

INCORPORATE.• BLIND SPOTS- REMEMBER YOU HAVE BLIND SPOTS ON EACH SIDE OF YOUR VEHICLE, CHECK THEM OFTEN.• BEING FOLLOWED-VEHICLES FOLLOWING TOO CLOSE OR TAILGATING CAN PUT YOU IN DANGER, ENCOURAGE

THEM TO PASS YOU.

• LANE CHANGING• AVOID CHANGING LANES OFTEN• CHANGE ONE LANE AT A TIME• SIGNAL EVERY LANE CHANGE• M-SMOG EVERYTIME• IF IT IS CLEAR, QUICKLY MOVE INTO THE NEW LANE AND CANCEL YOUR SIGNALS.

• PASSING AND BEING PASSED• MUCH EASIER THAN ON A HIGHWAY BECAUSE A MEDIAN SEPARATES YOU FROM ONCOMING TRAFFIC.• M-SMOG- CHECKING FOR OPEN OR CLOSED ZONES AND SIGNALING YOUR INTENT• GET SPEED UP TO 10 MPH FASTER THAN THE CAR YOU ARE PASSING• WHEN YOU SEE THE VEHICLE IN YOUR REARVIEW MIRROR IT IS SAFE TO RETURN TO YOUR ORIGINAL LANE-

USE YOUR M-SMOG HERE TOO.

SECTION 3- REVIEW• HOW CAN USING THE IPDE PROCESS HELP YOU MAINTAIN A SAFE PATH

OF TRAVEL ON EXPRESSWAYS?• IDENTIFY, PREDICT, DECIDE, EXECUTE….WHAT?

• WHEN SHOULD FOLLOWING DISTANCE BE INCREASED FOR EXPRESSWAY DRIVING?• FOLLOWING A LARGE VEHICLE• FOLLOWING A MOTORCYCLE• DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC• BEING TAILGATED• DRIVING A HEAVY VEHICLE OR PULLING A TRAILER• ENTERING OR EXITING AN INTERSTATE.

• WHAT ACTIONS COULD YOU TAKE WHEN YOU ARE BEING TAILGATED?• REDUCE SPEED OR CHANGE LANES

• WHAT 3 ACTIONS SHOULD BE AUTOMATIC WHEN CHANGING LANES ON AN EXPRESSWAY?• WHEN PASSING ON AN EXPRESSWAY, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS EVALUATE THE ZONE

YOU ARE ENTERING, SIGNAL YOUR INTENT, CHECK YOU BLIND SPOTS.

SECTION 4- EXITING EXPRESSWAYS• LEAVING AN EXPRESSWAY (INTERSTATE) REQUIRES PLANNING AND

SKILL.

• PLAN YOUR EXIT AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.

• SCAN SIGNS TO KNOW WHICH EXIT TO TAKE

• WHEN YOU SEE THE SIGN FOR YOUR EXIT, MOVE INTO THE LANE DESIGNATED BY THE SIGN.

• MOST EXITS PROVIDE A DECELERATION LANE- TRY NOT TO SLOW DOWN UNTIL YOU ARE OFF THE EXPRESSWAY.

• THE DECELERATION LANE LEADS TO THE EXIT RAMP- BE AWARE OF A WARNING SIGN FOR SHARP CURVES AND AN ADVISORY SPEED SUGGESTION.

EXITING continued• APPLYING THE IPDE PROCESS WHEN EXITING

• IDENTIFY THE GREEN EXPRESSWAY GUIDE SIGNS SHOWING DISTANCE TO YOUR EXIT.

• PREDICT ACTIONS OF OTHER DRIVERS WHO MIGHT BE USING THE SAME EXIT.• DECIDE ON THE SAFE SPEED FOR EXITING.• EXECUTE YOUR MANEUVER SMOOTHLY AND BLEND WITH SLOWER TRAFFIC.

• STEPS FOR EXITING• AT LEAST ½ MILE BEFORE THE EXIT, CHECK FRONT AND REAR ZONES FOR TRAFFIC.

SIGNAL AND MOVE INTO LANE POSITION 3 IN THE LANE THAT LEADS TO THE DECELERATION LANE.

• MOVE INTO THE DECELERATION LANE.• CHECK YOUR REAR ZONES SO YOU WILL KNOW THE SPEED OF FOLLOWING

TRAFFIC. SLOW GRADUALLY AND KEEP A SAFE CUSHION AHEAD AND BEHIND YOU.• IDENTIFY THE EXIT-RAMP SPEED SIGN, ADJUST YOUR SPEED, LOOK FOR A STOP OR

YIELD SIGN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RAMP. BEWARE OF “VELOCITATION”- THE FEELING THAT YOU ARE GOING REALLY SLOW, CHECK YOUR SPEDOMETER OFTEN.

POSSIBLE EXITING PROBLEMS• EVEN THOUGH LEAVING AN EXPRESSWAY SHOULD BE A SMOOTH

OPERATION, PROBLEMS CAN OCCUR. BE ALERT AND READY TO ADJUST FOR PROBLEM SITUATIONS.

• CROSSING PATHS• ON SOME EXPRESSWAYS, THE SAME LANE IS USED AS AN ENTRANCE AND

AN EXIT RAMP.

• RAMP OVERFLOW• TRAFFIC IS BACKED UP ON THE RAMP- RATHER THAN JOIN THE LOG-JAM,

MOVE ON TO THE NEXT EXIT AND WORK YOUR WAY BACK. (THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE ENCOUNTER IN MONTANA)

• SHORT DECELERATION LANE• IT IS SHORT SO YOU MUST SLOW QUICKLY. JUDGE THE LENGTH, IDENTIFY

THE EXIT SPEED, CHECK SPEED WHILE BRAKING AND CHECK YOUR REAR ZONES.

SECTION 4- REVIEW• HOW SHOULD YOU USE THE IPDE PROCESS WHEN

PLANNING AN EXIT FROM AN EXPRESSWAY (INTERSTATE)?• IDENTIFY GUIDE SIGNS, PREDICT ACTIONS OF OTHER

DRIVERS USING THE SAME EXIT, DECIDE ON A SAFE SPEED, EXECUTE YOUR MANEUVER.

• WHAT STEPS SHOULD YOU FOLLOW WHEN EXITING AN EXPRESSWAY (INTERSTATE)?• CHECK FRONT AND REAR ZONES, MOVE INTO DECELERATION

LANE, CHECK REAR ZONE WHEN SLOWING- KEEP A SAFE CUSHION FRONT AND REAR, IDENTIFY EXITING SPEED.

• WHAT ARE THE 3 POSSIBLE EXITING PROBLEMS?• 1.CROSSING PATHS• 2. RAMP OVERFLOW• 3. SHORT DECELERATION LANE

SECTION 5- SPECIAL EXPRESSWAY PROBLEMS•EXPRESSWAYS CAN PROVIDE THE SAFEST TYPE OF DRIVING. EVEN SO, PROBLEMS CAN ARISE THAT PRESENT HAZARDS AND POSSIBLE CONFLICTS.

•DRIVER CONDITION•HIGHWAY HYPNOSIS•FALL-ASLEEP COLLISONS•VELOCITATION