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Speed Zones – Where Do They Change?

Q: When a road’s speed limit changes, let’s say from 35mph up to 50mph, does the increased speed limit take effect once you can see the new sign or only after you pass the sign?

A: I was curious about this myself, so I asked a traffic engineer the same question. He began by directing me to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). This 800-plus page book is like the Bible to traffic engineers, providing guidance on all aspects of signs and markings on roadways. In the chapter on speed limits, the MUTCD states that speed limit signs “shall be located at the points of change from one speed limit to another.” Relying on the MUTCD, drivers should not accelerate until reaching an increased speed limit sign. I can already hear some grumbling about that answer. Keep reading. Beyond the MUTCD, the traffic engineer also brought up some additional points, including the reasons for speed limit changes and a variation on “speed kills.” Continue reading “Speed Zones – Where Do They Change?”

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Driving Through Disaster

Emergency managers all along the west coast have been preparing for “Cascadia Rising”, an ominously titled earthquake and tsunami exercise that will take place this June. This national-level exercise is based on a 9.0 earthquake, an event that happens in this region about every 200 to 500 years. (The last one was 300 years ago.)

All this earthquake planning got me thinking about driving during an earthquake. The average adult spends about an hour and a half driving every day, and we only have to look around at all the other drivers on the road to realize that when we have an earthquake, some of us are going to experience it in our cars. Let’s consider what that might be like, and how best to respond. Continue reading “Driving Through Disaster”

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Distracted Driving – The Phone is Smart; The Driver, Not So Much

Instead of answering a question this week, I’m going to let you in on a bit of information that could save you $124, or even (not to be too dramatic) your life. During the first two weeks of April, local law enforcement are participating in a national distracted driving enforcement campaign. That means extra cops on the road, looking specifically for distracted drivers. You’re welcome.

Nearly a decade ago Washington adopted our cell phone law, and I’ll admit, at the time I wasn’t fully supportive. Not because I didn’t think cell phones were a distraction, but because I though it would diminish the perception that many other activities drivers engage in are also distractions. Since then I’ve changed my view. I’m not dismissing other distractions; it’s just that phones create a uniquely high level of distraction. This isn’t my personal view; it’s supported by crash data. But, before we look at the numbers, let’s consider the types of driving distractions: Continue reading “Distracted Driving – The Phone is Smart; The Driver, Not So Much”

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Hello – I’d Try This

Last week’s distracted driving PSA ended tragically. This one; not so much. A friend in traffic safety passed it along (thanks Shelly) and I loved it, so here’s “Hello”. This PSA comes from New Zealand, but the message is universal. And funny.

Give it a view, and then ask yourself, “Would I try this?”

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Dead End vs. No Outlet – The Roads to Nowhere

Q: Why are some roads marked “Dead End” and some marked “No Outlet?” Is there a difference?

A: One theory is that wealthy neighborhoods petitioned to eliminate “Dead End” signs from their streets because it reflected poorly on the status of their residents. But that’s completely untrue. There’s a manual that traffic engineers use when determining appropriate sign usage. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) specifies that the “Dead End” sign may be used at the entrance of a single road that terminates or ends in a cul-de-sac, while the “No Outlet” sign may be used at the entrance to a road network from which there is no other exit. The sign choice comes down to whether it’s just one road or more than one road with no other way out.

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Fender Offenders

Q: How far can tires legally extend outside the body of a pickup?

A: Sometimes I wonder if when I answer a question I’m unwittingly assisting someone in winning an argument. So I have my own question in response to this one: Are you asking because you want to make sure your pickup complies with the law, or because you made a bet? I’m okay with either option; I’m just curious. Continue reading “Fender Offenders”

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Impaired Driving: Alcohol vs. Drugs

Recently I was asked if the legalization of marijuana was having an impact on impaired driving. I knew anecdotally, from conversations I’ve had with the law enforcement community, that officers were encountering more drivers impaired by marijuana, and I knew that over the last few years we’ve had a trend of less alcohol impaired drivers and more drug impaired drivers, but I hadn’t taken a close look at the data. Continue reading “Impaired Driving: Alcohol vs. Drugs”

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Turn Signals and Turn Lanes

Q: If I’m in a lane that is designated for right or left turns only, do I really need to use my turn signal?

A: The answer according to Washington’s law is, “Yes.” That answer finds it’s support in RCW 46.61.305, which states, “No person shall turn a vehicle or move right or left upon a roadway unless and until such movement can be made with reasonable safety nor without giving an appropriate signal . . .” Unlike many of the other RCWs we’ve addressed in Road Rules, this one doesn’t have any exceptions. Even in a designated turn lane, a turn signal is required. Continue reading “Turn Signals and Turn Lanes”