CHAPTER

S 9 & 10
URBAN &
RURAL
DRIVING
Drivers Ed
Mr. Hill

Complex Traffic Situations

Urban Traffic has more hazards than rural

or suburban roadways.
You will have to deal with Hazards more
frequently in urban areas.
Traveling at reduced speeds can give you
the time you need to identify & react
more effectively to the challenges of
urban driving.

Hazardous Cities

Mile for mile cities are the most

dangerous & challenging places to drive,
why?
What specific elements make city driving
so demanding?

Using IPDE in Cities

Eliminate any distractions in the car

Identify aggressively & look far ahead
Predict possible points of conflict earlier
Decide: Be ready to change
speeds/position
Execute: Be prepared to use the car
controls in an instant.

Following & Meeting Traffic

Always maintain a space cushion using

the Smith system.
You can see farther down the road
Others will see you more clearly
Youll have more time to use IPDE
You are better able to avoid sudden
collisions
Maintain at least 2-3 seconds of following
room in good weather.

How do you check that its 2 seconds?

Areas for sudden stops

Unmarked Intersections
Intersections with signal lights
Lanes next to parked cars
Parking lot entrances & exits
Adverse weather conditions
Neighborhoods

Managing a tailgater

Increase your following distance to 3

seconds
Move to the right to let the tailgater see
better
Signal early for turns, stops, or lane
changes
Flash your brake lights before you slow
down
In really bad circumstances change lanes
or pull over safely & wait for the tailgater
to pass you.

Oncoming Traffic

Why could a vehicle come into your travel

path?
To avoid a head-on collision:
Slow down to give the other car time & room to
move
Flash headlights & blow horn
Move all the way to the right to give the
oncoming vehicle as much room as possible.
Swerve sharply to open space on the right if
necessary.

Traffic Driving

Look ahead & stay back (pg. 166)

Approaching stop signs

Better view of the road & more time to react

Identify them early & use the IPDE process

Covering the Brake (168)

Adjusting Speed
Drive with the traffic flow
Stay within speed limits
Adjust your speed early to allow for other
drivers who will block your way

Traffic Continued

Always select the best lane for you

Change lanes only when necessary

What is the proper procedure?

Overtaking & Passing

Use lane position to your advantage

Only do so when necessary & follow the

proper steps (pg. 171)

Special Traffic (HOV) lanes

Stay out of them unless you are legitimately

supposed to be there

Urban Situations

Two Way Streets

One-way Streets (pg. 173)

Wrong-way drivers

Emergency vehicle blasting through tight

spots
Unexpected situations
Multiple simultaneous challenges to you as a
driver
PLUS there is a much higher rate of
pedestrians on city streets/sidewalks
Situations (pg. 175)

Rural Driving

Wide open spaces

Twisty-turny roads
Higher speeds
Unpredictable road surface
Very dark night driving

Road conditions

Concrete
Brick
Asphalt
Macadam
Gravel
Dirt
Shoulders
Road Maintenance
Lighting, weather & abrupt surface
changes

Rural Driving

Speed

Never drive faster than road conditions will

permit

Traffic Controls
Identify signage early & use it to your
advantage
Follow the suggested speeds on turns they are
there for a reason!!!

Watch out for hazards

Small or soft shoulders
Obstructions close to the road
Businesses along the roadway
Farm equipment & animals

Basic skills in Rural Areas

Dont use excessive speed

Always apply the IPDE process & Smith
System
Use an orderly visual search pattern
Look ahead & to the sides
Look for outs
Check road surface
Glance in the rearview
Speedometer & gauges
Roadway ahead
Repeat process

Driving on 2-lane roads

What are some examples?

Curves
Hills
Intersections
Speed Zones
Use longer following distances to allow
yourself a little margin for errors in
judgment

Multilane Roads

Multi-lanes with center lines

Divided Roadways
Large intersections
Entering Multi-lane Roads
Turn to pg 187

Passing on Rural Roads

You will pass & be passed always use

caution & reason before passing
someone.
Turn to page 188-189
Preparing to pass
Passing process
Executing a pass on a 2-lane road

No passing situations

Limited Space ahead

Space is narrow
Cross-traffic hazard
Going uphill
Intersections
RR crossings
Bridges & underpasses
Curves
Other situations

Rural Situations

Slow Moving vehicles

Animals
Oncoming traffic
Night driving
RR crossings
Objects
Close to the roadway

Special Environments

Driving up a mountain
Driving down a mountain
Desert Driving
Driving in flood areas
Snow driving
Turn to pages 196-198

Questions