Author: DOUG DAHL

Q: There is an intersection that I often use which is a two-way stop, where the arterial cross-street does not stop. Often cars are stopped at both stop signs waiting for the arterial to clear. Normally at a stop sign, the car that arrives first goes first. However, at this intersection, one of the stopped cars is almost always turning left, and the turning car usually yields to the opposing car going straight, regardless of who stopped first. Can you confirm that a two-way stop is governed by the first-stopped, first-going rule?

A: There’s a moment in Back to the Future Part 2, when Biff’s thugs confront Marty, saying, “Look, we can do this the easy way or the hard way.” Then they knock him unconscious, in what they call the easy way. I promise, the easy way to answer this question does not involve getting clubbed in the head. But the hard way will make you a better driver.

Continue reading “Left Turns and Right-of-Way”

Q: I’m writing in response to data you shared surrounding the increase in traffic fatalities. A question comes to mind: Are there statistics compiled showing overall traffic enforcement, and any trend over the past three to five years? And does that trend in enforcement have any correlation to the increase in fatalities? Call it anecdotal, but I will suggest there is a trend. 

A: You’re asking a great question, but I don’t think you went big enough. It’s hard to spot a trend in a three-to-five-year window. So I went bigger. Let’s take a look at the last twenty years of traffic fatalities and traffic enforcement.

Continue reading “Traffic Fatalities and Enforcement Trends”

Q: What does the law say about using turn signals while needing to perform an emergency maneuver?  For example, if I must avoid a head-on collision requiring a spontaneous and immediate response, am I breaking the law if I do not use a turn signal at this moment? 

A: Right now a bunch of BMW drivers are confused by this question. They’re asking themselves, “How can turn signals possibly be required in an emergency? I didn’t think they were even required for ordinary driving.”

The great driving instructor Archilochus once said that under pressure, “We don’t rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training.” Okay, he wasn’t a driving instructor, he was a Greek poet from 650 BC. He’s not wrong though.

Continue reading “Turn Signals in Emergencies”

Q: Both our cars have running lights that come on automatically, but because they aren’t as bright as headlights and don’t turn on rear lights, we tend to drive after manually turning on headlights during daylight hours. Is this any safer?

A: I can’t find any research comparing the safety of headlights and daytime running lights (DRLs.) But there are plenty of studies showing that some light is better than none. Driving with your DRLs or headlights on during the day reduces your risk of a crash in every country except the United States. (We need a punctuation mark for sarcasm.) The study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was “not statistically significant.” However, several states did their own studies and reached similar conclusions to other countries: vehicle lighting reduces crashes, especially collisions with pedestrians and motorcycles, two of the highest-risk road user groups.

Continue reading “Vehicle Lights Reduce Crashes”

Q: I have a friend who is applying for his “right to conduct himself in his personal capacity,” also known as a State National. He’s convinced that once he jumps through all the necessary hoops, he’ll be able to get a new car from the dealership and that he needs no driver license, license plates, or registration. Help.

A: Good luck even getting a test drive without a license. If your friend is deeply invested in this idea, showing him this article probably won’t change his mind. But if he was willing to listen, here’s what I’d say:

People believe a lot of things. Not all of them are true. Some false beliefs are relatively benign. For example, unless you’re pursuing a career like astronaut or satellite engineer, believing the earth is flat probably won’t have much real impact on your life. You might get nervous about sailing too far in one direction, but other than that it’s mostly just enduring the flat earther jokes.

Continue reading “Your Driver License and The Right to Travel”

Q: Many states allow for a digital driver license (DDL). I checked with Washington Department of Licensing (DOL) over a year ago when I read about Arizona’s program allowing DDLs, and their answer was that there were no plans. Even Louisiana, not commonly a leader in digital matters, has it, but Washington seems hesitant. Do you know if DOL has thought about implementing this?

A: Or asked another way, I can put my credit card, my insurance cards (both car and health), my vaccination card, and a boarding pass on my phone. Why can’t my driver license be there too?

I was asked a similar question nearly six years ago, and I predicted that in the near future Washington drivers would have the option of a digital driver license. At the time, a few states were pilot testing the idea, and with Washington consistently ranking high in the tech industry, I thought it wouldn’t be long before our state would offer a DDL. Turns out though, that what holds a state back from issuing digital licenses isn’t the technology, it’s the law (and a few other concerns).

Continue reading “Where’s My Digital Driver License?”

Q: Seems to me, it’s far more common to hear a motorcycle (and sometimes cars or trucks) from what could be a mile away, than to see one. I don’t think any agency uses decibel meters anymore. I believe the law prohibits modifying the exhaust from stock. So my question is: what enforcement, if any, is afforded to vehicles whose noise rattles the glasses in the cupboard?

A:  You have my sympathy. Once I had a neighbor who “upgraded” the muffler on his motorcycle. It might not have been so bad, except that he worked an early morning shift and left around five a.m. Soon it became the talk of the neighborhood, and not in a good way. People get grumpy (and I’m the worst of them) when they don’t get their sleep.

Continue reading “Traffic Enforcement and Loud Mufflers”

Q: Is it legal to drive on private property if I have a suspended license?

A: A few weeks ago, NASCAR driver Kyle Busch got his license suspended in his home state of North Carolina after driving 128 mph in a 45-mph zone. Pause for a moment and re-read that. Yes, that’s almost triple the posted speed limit. Normally speeding won’t get you a license suspension, but those kinds of speeds move things into reckless driving territory, and that’s what got him a suspension.

That 45-day license suspension didn’t stop Kyle from driving (and placing 7^th) in a NASCAR race in Florida three days later. In both North Carolina and Florida, the suspended driving laws prohibit a person from driving on state highways. So far, there are no NASCAR tracks that double as public highways, although some states (I’m looking at you, Texas) are pushing their top speed limits into racing territory.

Continue reading “Private Roads are not NASCAR Tracks”

Q: What are the rules about electric bikes and electric scooters?  We have them riding down the roads and sidewalks and now some of them are doing 45mph. Do riders need a motorcycle endorsement and vehicle registration? What about safety equipment?

A: An electric bike that can go 45 mph is a fictional vehicle. At least according to the law. Here’s what I mean: Washington law classifies electric bikes in three categories. Class three (the fastest category) is limited to a top speed of 28 mph. Any two wheeled vehicle that is capable of speeds greater than 28 mph is not an electric bike (by law).

Continue reading “Is it Really an Electric Bike?”

Q: How should cars and horses share the road? Some horse people say drivers should slow down to five mph and give a wide berth to the horses so they don’t freak out and throw the riders. I was told by someone else that drivers can be ticketed if they move into the opposite lane of travel to give room to horses although I’ve never heard of that happening.

A: I used to live in a semi-rural area, and occasionally I encountered folks riding their horses on the road. Whenever I passed them, I got a particular hand gesture. No, not that one. The one where you hold your arm straight out, hand facing palm down, and repeatedly motion toward the ground. You probably already know what it means, so it’s probably safe to declare it the universal hand sign for “slow down.” Or maybe not, since American Sign Language has an official sign for “slow down” (but it wouldn’t work very well for a vehicle approaching from behind).

Continue reading “Passing Horses on the Road”