Page 23 - 2021-2022 Commercial Drivers Manual

SECTION 2 : DRIVING SAFETY

ONE-WAY or DIVIDED HIGHWAY TWO-WAY or UNDIVIDED HIGHWAY OBSTRUCTED VIEW

Figure 2.8 Figure 2.9 Figure 2.10

other drivers will have trouble seeing you. Turn Use Your Horn When Needed. Your horn can

on your lights. Use the headlights, not just the let others know you’re there. It can help to avoid

identification or clearance lights. Use the low a crash. Use your horn when needed. However,

beams; high beams can bother people in the it can startle others and could be dangerous
daytime as well as at night. when used unnecessarily.

When Parked at the Side of the Road. When
you pull off the road and stop, be sure to turn 2.6 Controlling Speed
–

on the four-way emergency flashers. This is
important at night. Don’t trust the taillights to Driving too fast is a major cause of fatal
give warning. Drivers have crashed into the rear crashes. You must adjust your speed depending

of a parked vehicle because they thought it was on driving conditions. These include traction,

moving normally. curves, visibility, traffic and hills. House Bill 823
If you must stop on a road or the shoulder
of any road, you must put out your emergency 2.6.1 – Stopping Distance

warning devices within ten minutes. Place your Perception Distance + Reaction Distance + HUMAN Trafficking
warning devices at the following locations:
Braking Distance = Total Stopping Distance
• If you must stop on or by a one-way or di-

vided highway, place warning devices 10 feet, Perception distance. The distance your ve- Doesn't Pay!
100 feet, and 200 feet toward the approaching hicle travels, in ideal conditions; from the time
traffic. See Figure 2.8. your eyes see a hazard until your brain rec- House Bill 823, passed in 2020, is
ognizes it. Keep in mind certain mental and

• If you stop on a two-lane road carrying traffic physical conditions can affect your perception aimed at reducing the part the
in both directions or on an undivided high- distance. It can be affected greatly depending

way, place warning devices within 10 feet of on visibility and the hazard itself. The average transportation industry plays in

the front or rear corners to mark the location perception time for an alert driver is 1¾ seconds.
of the vehicle and 100 feet behind and ahead At 55 mph this accounts for 142 feet traveled. human trafficking.

of the vehicle, on the shoulder or in the lane Reaction distance. The distance you will con-
you stopped in. See Figure 2.9.
tinue to travel, in ideal conditions; before you This legislation ensures anyone
Back beyond any hill, curve, or other obstruc- physically hit the brakes, in response to a hazard
tion that prevents other drivers from seeing the seen ahead. The average driver has a reaction convicted of trafficking other

vehicle within 500 feet. If line of sight view is time of ¾ second to 1 second. At 55 mph this persons for labor or sexual

obstructed due to hill or curve, move the rear- accounts for 61 feet traveled.
most triangle to a point back down the road so servitude while using a commercial
warning is provided. See Figure 2.10. Braking distance. The distance your vehicle motor vehicle will receive a lifetime
When putting out the triangles, hold them will travel, in ideal conditions; while you are
between yourself and the oncoming traffic for braking. At 55 mph on dry pavement with good CDL disqualification.
your own safety. (So other drivers can see you.) brakes, it can take about 216 feet.
23