Tools for Parents of Beginning Driver Students (Part 7)

From Lloyd Hobbs, Vice-president of Programs, SafetyNL

The contents of these articles are suggestions. Do not attempt any maneuver that you or the student driver are uncomfortable attempting.

Students completing a Graduated Driver Licensing Program in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada must have a beginner’s permit for at least eight months before challenging the road test. Without a recognized beginning driver program, they are required to have the permit for twelve months before completing the road test. You may feel that the information in these articles is coming at you rather rapidly. While I want you to have an overview of many of the components of being a beginner driver, I do not expect you to do everything within a couple of weeks. Take your time, pace the lessons, review and practice over and over before moving into new subjects and above all don’t let your child get in over their head or comfort level. Today we are going to talk about highway driving, but ensure you are both comfortable before attempting it.

You must discuss a few concepts before moving to higher speed driving. First, the posted speed on any roadway is for ideal conditions. If it is raining, the roads are slippery, visibility is poor or it is dark, the driver should know to adjust their speed back accordingly. Highway speeds are probably going to be 90 or 100km per hour in most jurisdictions but you should be able to travel 10 to 20km per hour below that without obstructing traffic, if you introduce this component outside rush hour traffic times. Always have your NOVICE DRIVER sign posted in your back window to warn other drivers.

There needs to be a discussion about merging into traffic, exiting high speed roadways, recovering from a wheel drop-off from the paved surface, courtesy lane changes when others are trying to enter the highway, other lane changes when passing and constant monitoring of the rearview mirror. You also need to revisit following distance, the pull-over law for emergency vehicles on the side of the roadway as well as how to deal with an emergency vehicle approaching your vehicle. Students should be prepared for all these events before they experience them. The remainder of this chat will serve as a review for you before that chat.

Getting on and off the highway can be a challenge in busy traffic so begin these maneuvers at low traffic times. When merging you must use the on-ramp to increase speed to that of the traffic flow you are entering. At the same time, you need to find an opening in that traffic flow into which you are going to position your vehicle. In most local cases you will be entering the flow from the right, so activate your left signal light and keep checking that opening and as you draw closer to the main traffic flow do a left

shoulder check to ensure a safe merge, adjusting your speed up or down slightly to fit in between other vehicles. Sometimes an inexperienced driver will want to freeze or lock-up the brakes. Avoid that, as you run the risk of being rear-ended by vehicles behind you that may be looking to the left momentarily as they plan their entry onto the highway. As a very last resort it is better to run onto the right shoulder and stop than to stop in the flow of traffic.

Once on the highway, you may encounter other intersections where other drivers are attempting to merge into your flow of traffic. You can increase or decrease your speed slightly to make an opening for them or you can do a “courtesy lane change” where you move to the left lane to allow that other vehicle to enter. You must use all the steps we discussed earlier for lane changes including signal lights, mirror and shoulder checks when moving from lane to lane and back again. You are not required to do a courtesy lane change, but it is, as its name states, the courteous thing to do when it can be done safely. However, it is always the responsibility of the driver who is merging to do so safely.

Because you will be travelling at higher speeds than in previous lessons, you should also discuss “wheel drop-offs”. This is when your wheels on one side or the other go over the edge of the pavement. Instruct the driver to immediately take the foot off the throttle thus reducing the speed. Avoid touching the brake, hold the wheel firmly, look ahead for a spot where there is the smallest lip between the pavement and the shoulder and gradually bring the vehicle back onto the pavement. Sudden moves like quick steering or hard braking can send the vehicle out of control in these circumstances but controlled moves will save the day.

We discussed following distance earlier. Again, impress upon the new driver that the greater the following distance, the greater the cushion of safety and the more time they have for responding to whatever they encounter. A four or five second rule could save a life. If they ever become frightened by something that happens while driving, they can find a safe place to pull off the road and regain their composure before continuing their drive.

Eventually you will encounter emergency vehicles. If on a divided roadway and you see an emergency vehicle coming towards you, you do not have to do anything because the flow of traffic on your side is divided or separated from that coming towards you. However, if on a divided roadway and an emergency vehicle approaches from behind or if you are on a roadway with no center-divider and an emergency vehicle approaches from either direction, you are required to pull to the right and stop. Always use your mirrors and do your shoulder checks whenever changing lanes. It is important to get into the habit of checking the rearview mirror every few seconds, as you always need to know what is behind you as much as what is ahead.

Finally, in this chat we will discuss exiting from highways. There will be exit ramps at most major intersections and these allow you to reduce your speed for the side roads you are entering. Signal your intention to leave the highway early enough to warn drivers following you. If you can, remain at close to highway speed until you enter the exit lane and then immediately drop to the ramp speed. This allows you to exit without slowing the traffic that is remaining on the highway. However, if roads are slippery, off ramps may not be in the same condition as the main roadway and you will need to reduce speed

before entering them to reduce the risk of entering a slippery ramp at too high a speed and losing control of the vehicle.

At some exit points, like cloverleaf configurations, the exit lane from the highway is also the merge lane for traffic entering the highway. We call these swing lanes because two vehicles may want to be swinging into the same space at the same time. You need to be aware of this and find a space for yourself and create a space for the other driver without colliding. While it can be a challenge, by adjusting speed, assessing the speed of the other vehicle, anticipating when you both will reach that point and making corrections to avoid a collision, you will safely exit and allow the other driver to safely enter the highway. If there is one thing to remember, it is that driving is a “cooperative not a competitive activity”.

Let’s stop there for today. In our last chat in this series, we will discuss a few final points and discuss going for a road test. Until then, remain safe!