Summary
Our Driver Education offers students a comprehensive, four phase program that concentrates on physical, mental, social and emotional skill training. The program consists of over 24 hours of classroom, 2 hours of range, 3 hours of awareness information online, and 24 hours of lab with on-road and simulation instruction.
In this chapter, you will learn techniques and procedures for driving safely in rural areas. You will learn about driving on two-lane and multilane rural roads. You will learn about how to pass safely on these types of roads and what to do to ensure safety when you are being passed. Hazards specific to rural roads and to different rural environments are also discussed.
Chapter Outline
Section 1: Characteristics of Rural Traffic
Open spaces and less traffic are common in rural areas. Inclement weather, hills, curves, intersections, narrow lanes, and traffic conditions all affect safe speed selection on rural roads.
Section 2: Using Basic Skills in Rural Areas
In rural areas it is important for drivers to manage speed control and to use an orderly visual search pattern. A driver should maintain a four-second following distance or more when being tailgated, pulling a trailer, driving on a steep downhill slope or on wet or icy roads, or following a motorcycle, snowplow, or a large vehicle.
Section 3: Passing and Being Passed on Rural Roads
Before deciding to pass, drivers should check whether it is legal and safe to do so. Drivers should never pass when there is a solid yellow line in their lane, if there is a line of sight restriction, if space is narrow and the front zone is closed, if cross-traffic is present, or when approaching a hill, bridge, underpass, curve, or intersection.
Section 4: Rural Situations You Might Encounter
Slow-moving vehicles and animals are sometimes hazards on rural roads. Drivers should identify them as early as possible. Drivers on two-lane roads need to identify oncoming vehicles early to select a safe place to meet.
Section 5: Special Driving Environments
Safety precautions for driving in the mountains include reducing speed, tapping the horn when driving around a curve, maintaining a 4-second following distance behind large vehicles, and downshifting when traveling down hills. Safety precautions when driving in the desert include checking fluids and tire pressure and wearing sunglasses.
Online Materials
Take the Self-Test to assess your knowledge of this chapter.