How To Drive Safely In The City

To Jack, right-turn-on-red was the greatest thing sincelegal, your vehicle has come to a complete stop, traffic
sliced bread. He was a person on the go, a man in ais clear, and pedestrians are clear of the crosswalk.
hurry.Always take the few extra moments to look for a
To him every city intersection was just one moreno-turn-on-red sign.
obstacle standing between him and his next* When you encounter a yellow light, always stop if it
appointment. Right-turn-on-red was his license to neveris safe to do so. The purpose of a yellow light is to
stand still. Moving, moving, keep that car moving.allow you time to clear an intersection you have
Bad habits breed bad results, and right-turn-on-redalready entered, not one you are approaching.
soon progressed to "rolling stop through red" andRoadside Distractions
"ignore NO-right-turn-on-red warnings." He finally came* A lack of consideration can cause trouble.
to his senses the day he was broadsided by a cityDemanding the right of way can lead to a
bus and spent several weeks stuck in his hospital bed.confrontation that benefits no one.
City driving is filled with hassles and delays, but these* Keep your eyes moving for potential problems such
minor inconveniences aren't going to be avoidedas children playing, cyclists, pets, and cars backing from
through reckless or rude behavior. The best advice isdriveways. Look into your rear view mirror often.
to maintain a calm and patient attitude.* Establish a high visual horizon. You should be able to
Surviving Intersectionssee one block ahead of you.
About 50 percent of all city driving collisions occur at* Blind spots are everywhere. If you can't see beyond
intersections, usually because a driver failed to yield thean object, slow down or change lanes to improve your
right-of-way.vision.
A recent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study* Don't tailgate. Maintain a three second following
reports that red-light runners are responsible for andistance.
estimated 170,000 injuries every year, about 900 of* When waiting to make a left turn, point your wheels
which are fatal.straight ahead. If you are hit from behind with your
Worse, the number of deaths related to red lightwheels turned to the left, you would be forced into
running is rising! To keep intersections safe, remembertraffic.
these tips:* Whenever possible, avoid getting boxed in. Speed up
* The vehicle on the left always yields to the vehicleor slow down as required.
on the right.* Don't fiddle with the radio or other nonessential
* Rolling stops can be a dangerous habit. You canequipment in heavy traffic.
miss spotting a vehicle and cause a collision.* If a left turn is risky because of heavy traffic or poor
* As you approach a "stale green light" cover thevision, make a right turn and use an alternate route.
brake with your foot and be prepared to stop.Backing Up
Indications of a stale light include: traffic flowing* Always check behind your car. Pedestrians and small
smoothly, considerable cross-traffic, blinking pedestrianchildren can be hidden from your view.
signals, and people standing on the corner.* Use your outside mirrors to help your vision.
* When a red light turns green, check to see that* Do not back into busy streets, highways and
traffic has stopped on the intersecting street. Look left,pedestrian crosswalks.
then right, then scan left before you proceed. You* Keep your foot firmly on the brake before shifting
invite disaster if you don't check for oncoming vehicles,into reverse.
pedestrians and cyclists.* Back slowly. Glance over each shoulder out the
* Turning right on a red light is allowed only when it iswindows.