If you see the back or front of the police you have to stop.
This is an alert. For those who have stopped, they should start moving when the police stands to the side and and those who are moving should stop.
This means you can go
The indications given by the police take precedence over all others.
Green light: indicates go. Unless you are turning and there is a trafic light that is red or probhits turning.
Do not advance if the intersection is not clear of appx 10 meters.
Pedestrians who also have a green light have the right of way. If you are going to turn, you must yield to them.
Red light means stop. You must stop at the painted stop line or before the pedestrian path.
Yellow light is an alert. If you have not entered the intersection then you must stop and if you have entered the intersection proceed with precautions.
This means you need to stop and if no cars are coming you can proceed.
This means danger. You must approach the intersection slowly and continue with precautions.
You can enter the intersection carefully and can only continue in the direction indicated by the arrow.
The pedestrians and other cars have the right to pass.
If you are turning, even when you have a green light, they have the right of way.
Light signals at railroad crossings are white and red.
The red light can be two alternating flashing red lights that warn an approaching train.
The white light indicates that no trains are close.
Do not always trust the safety systems, as they can fail.
Special lane for bus have special traffic light, the only difference is that instead of green it is replaced with white
A lane sometimes can be closed and it will be marked with a red X sign.
Types :
- Regulatory Signs: This signs notify road users about priorities, prohibitions, restrictions, obligations and authorizations.
- Warning or Danger Signs: This signs warn users of danger.
- Informative Signs: Informative signs are designed to orient and guide drivers, so they can arrive at their destinations as safely, easily and directly as possible.
- Transitory Signs: This signs warn user about the dangers due to road work or construction.
Regulatory Signs: In general, these signs are circular or rectangular; containing symbols and/or numbers written inside a red circle or border.
Warning or Danger Signs: Tey are square signs placed like diamonds. Their background color is yellow with black symbols.
Informative Signs: There are 2 types: those that guide the driver to their destination and those that contain information of interest, like services, tourist attractions and others.
For highways they are rectangular or square and blue and for other roads they are green.
Transitory Signs: The first color is yellow that indicates that they need to be careful and then there is an orange color with cross marks to indicate the end.
Dashed lines means you can cross these lines and change lanes by signaling other drivers and sometimes they have square reflectors.
If they come with red reflectors it means the conditions are:
- Unsafe for crossing to other lane
- Insufficient visibility before a curve
When there is a solid and dashed lines mixed the cars that have dash lines can change the lane but the lane with solid line cannot.
Another important longitudinal line is the one that indicates the side of the road. In rural areas, you can only cross this line in case of emergency to remain on the shoulder.?? HUH?
Continuity lines are dashed lines when there is a widening of the road upon approaching intersections, where there is a parking area, or when there is a deceleration or acceleration lane.
On mountains where it snows the lines are yellow in color.
In urban areas, the edge of the road has a continuous yellow line, which means parking is not allowed.
Zebra crossing that are not controlled by traffic lights are marked with white strips with a horlzontal stop line or sometimes with zigzag lines. Pedestrians always has the right to cross in this case.
Do not bolci intersection marked with yellow diagonal lines.
If there is main street and a small street, the car coming from the main street has the right to pass.
If both the streets are same the cars coming from the right have the right to pass.
Drive slow and be ready to stop when you come across intersection with no traffic lights.
When you want to turn you must let the other cars and pedestrians pass first.
Traffic Circle/ Rotrary
Upon entering a traffic circle or rotary, you must yield to other vehicles coming in the roundabout.
- Upon approaching a crosswalk where someone is waiting to cross, you must stop and yield to the pedestrian.
- When you want to drive in to the road from parking, you must yeild for everyone.
- When begining to drive from a stopped position, you must yield for everyone.
- When trying to enter into private driveway or building parking lot, you must yield for others.
- When you are in the lane which is blocked, you have to yield before crossing the lane.
You must yield for cars with sirens on or move to the side of the raod to let them pass.
When you are changing lanes, do not start to signal until you are sure that you will be able to safely complete the maneuver. Remember this sequence: MIRROR – SIGNAL – MANEUVER.
Left turn
Right Turn
Stoping or slowing down
Left turn
Stopping or slowing down
Right turn
- White rear lights come on when you back up.
- Only use horn when required. Do not use horn in tunnel or while passing or overtaking animals.
Knowing the correct distance to put between yourself and the vehicle ahead of you can be difficult.
Convert speed to meters.
Knowing the correct distance to put between yourself and the vehicle ahead of you can be difficult.
If you are driving at 80 km/h you must maintain a distance of 80 meters on highways.
On urban roadways, the distance can be reduced to half that (40 meters).
Three second rule.
Look at a tree ahead of you and as soon as the car ahead of you passes that tree, start count down to 3, if you reach before 1 then you need to reduce your speed.
The driver on the right should keep enough distance so the driver on the left can overtake you and then come back to the right lane.
Increase your distance if you are driving in the city behind a vehicle with a foreign license plate. The driver may not know the area well and could brake suddenly to read the name of a street.
When you approach a parked vehicle leave a space of appx a door as someone could suddenly open the door and also reduce your speed.
Always drive on the right side of the road, unless you are in one of the following situations:
- When you want to overtake
- When the right lane is blocked by road work/accident/traffic
- When there are three or more lanes.
- One way traffic
Remember:
- Help others to change the lane
- Avoid unnessary change of lanes as it has risks
- Look long distance ahead and begin before changing lanes
When you are going to turn right:
- Get as close as you can to the right side of the road
- Give signal
- Turn towards the right part of the road
Remember:
- You must signal atleast 30 meters before
- You must stop for the pedestrians in the crosswalk
- Turn off signal after turning
- On a freeway where the speed limit is 100 km/h it can be 300 to 400 meters.
When taking a left turn, give signal and approach the right side of the center line.
If you do not feel safe stop and continue when you feel you can take the turn.
If you stop, do it a few meters ahead of the intersection with your wheels facing forward.
If someone crashes into you from behind and if your wheels were turned left you will be thrown in the oncoming traffic lane.
If you are going to turn left and if an oncoming car is also going to turn left pay special attention.
You can dop something like this
A large number of accidents that occur when a vehicle is going to turn left are rear-end crashes.
Sometimes left turns are not allowed and an alternative route is provided.
Avoid left turns if possible
Avoid U turns if possible and use a right and then a left turn.
U turns can be made on two way streets when there is no solid center line, on avenues with center medians
You should not make U turn when:
- At intersection
- At crosswalk
- Atleast 200 meters from a curve, hill or grade, railway crossing, bridge, tunnel or viaduct.
- When it is prohibited
If you are going to turn right use the right lane, if you are going to turn left use the left lane, left lane to overtake or use the right lane.
When entering the roundabout, you must yield to vehicles already moving through the roundabout.
When you are in the round about signal right to the previous exit, the one before you exit.
The traffic flow can change throught the day. It can change from single to double to reverse based on the time and the day.
If everyone followed the speed limits, many lives could be saved.
in Urban areas the speed limit is 50, is that every where or just certain places? How about 60 or 70?
In rural areas the speed limit is 100 and if there are two lanes then it is 120
Reduce spped when:
- Densly populated area
- Bad visibility
- Approaching or entering a curve
- Approaching a top of the hill
- When there is a risk of being temporarily blinddue to change in lighting or oncoming car on a narrow road
- Road is slippery
- Public transport or school transport
- Approaching squares, parks or children's games
- 30 when approaching a school during weekdays
- Approaching animals
- Road work zone
- Passing through a place where there has been an accident.
Driving defensively means that you:
- Drive with caution.
- Do not trust in others.
- Maintain a safe following distance.
- Plan with time.
- Brake in time.
- Look first and drive second.
Hidden Dangers
As a driver, always count on the fact that there can always be something or someone behind a parked car, behind a bush, or around the next curve. This is an ability that must be trained.
You should never drive at a speed that you cannot control your car.
Many drivers think they are much more skilled than they really are and as a result they drive faster than their skill level permits.
Many accidents happen where there are no other cars involved.
On a gravel or dirt road, the braking distance is significantly longer than on an asphalt roadway. Wet asphalt is slipperier than when it is dry.
Always be suspicious of vehicles that are coming in the opposite direction
When this happens reduce your speed and try to move right and honk beep, beep beep!
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Oncoming vehicle in your lane. Measure: Brake quickly, making signals with your lights and horn. As a last measure, try to squeeze out to the right. Never pass the car on the left side; the driver may suddenly realize his mistake and return to his correct lane. |
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An encounter with a large vehicle when approaching the top of a hill The driver coming behind the large vehicle may be reckless and try to overtake before reaching the top of the hill. Measure: be prepared to move to the right and reduce your speed. |
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The driver of the oncoming vehicle has fallen asleep Measure: never drive too close to the center line. |
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The oncoming vehicle may slide. Measure: Since the road is slipery try to brake slowly and move away from the center of the road |
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A sudden encounter with a truck on a narrow road. Measure: reduce your speed and move calmly to the right. In the majority of cases, it is possible for the vehicles to pass one another. Do not brake out of panic. |
When overtaking
- Oncoming cars are always a risk so stay close to the center line of the road.
- Do not look at the oncoming vehicle. Try to look farther ahead, along the right side of the road. May be both the lanes?
- The person driving on the side of the road with the obstacles should let any oncoming vehicles pass unless there is a traffic control system in place related to road work.
What do I gain by overtaking?
- How much free space do I have ahead?
- How long a passing distance do I need?
- How fast is the vehicle ahead travelling?
- How fast can I accelerate?
- At what speed can I overtake?
Whenever a vehicle comes in the other direction, imagine that the oncoming car also has high speed and don't assume that you will get help from the car that you are going to overtake.
Never overtake your own reason!
Imagine you are driving at 90 and you are going to overtake.
At a distance of 350m an oncoming car is coming at 90
Overtaking takes appx 8 seconds and in that time both of you travel 200m
The accident is unavoidable.
When you are going to overtake
- Look far ahead and be prepared.
- Look in your rear-view mirror and over your left shoulder to be sure that no one has begun to overtake you.
- Signal before changing lanes.
- Move quickly into the left lane, to reach an appropriate speed difference in comparison to the vehicle you are going to overtake.
- Assure yourself that the vehicle you are going to overtake does not have any obstacles in front of it.
- Look far ahead. Do not forget that a vehicle can appear from a side street.
- When you are going to overtake a large vehicle, stay sufficiently behind him, in order to have a better visual of the road ahead.
While Overtaking:
- Try to overtake quickly without passing the maximum allowed speed limit.
- Maintain a sufficient distance with respect to the vehicle you’re overtaking.
- If an oncoming vehicle appears or you feel insecure, abort the overtaking maneuver rather than tempting fate.
- Do not look at the vehicle you are overtaking. There is always a risk of veering towards it if you do so.
- Signal your intention to return to the right lane.
After overtaking
- Continue to the right once you see the vehicle you passed in your interior rear-view mirror
- Once you reach the right lane, turn off your turn signal.
- Return to your normal speed.
When being overtaken:
- Help by staying as far right as possible.
- Do not increase your speed.
- In case of danger do everything you can to help the person overtaking you.
- Overtaking should always be done on the left.
- You should not overtake the cars that are crossing the center or the road.
- Do not overtake if you do not have enough distance ahead.
- When you are approaching or driving through bridge, through a tunnel
- When the signs or markings prohibit it.
- When approaching the top of a hill or slope, or on a curve.
- When approaching an intersection, or in the intersection, or in a crosswalk
- When the driver of the vehicle ahead of you has signaled that he intends to overtake or move to the left
- When a vehicle behind you has begun to overtake.
Do not overtake sign
You can pass a vehicle on the right only in two situations:
- When the vehicle ahead is turning or about to turn left.
- When you drive on a city street with three or more lanes in the same direction.
Crub is where the sidewalk or footpath begins
Unless another form of parking is permitted, you must park parallel to the curb – no more than 30 centimeters away and leaving a minimum distance of 60 centimeters between your vehicle and other parked vehicles.
A shoulder is an emergency stopping lane
On rural roads park so that the entire vehicle is on the shoulder. If there is no shoulder, always park on the right side and as close to the curb as possible.
Double parking refers to parking parallel to a car already parked at the curb
Places where Parking and Stopping is Prohibited:
- Where official signs prohibit it.
- On sidewalks, in crosswalks, or places designated only for pedestrians.
- Double parking, with respect to other stopped or parked vehicles next to the sidewalk.
- In an intersection.
- To the side or on the opposite side of a traffic obstruction, excavation or road work.
- On bridges, in tunnels, on elevated structures or under/over passes.
- On roads or shoulders of public roads with two or more lanes in one direction.
When you stop behind a vehicle waiting for the green light, maintain a safe distance. It is estimated that this distance is adequate if you can see the back tires of the vehicle ahead of you.
In addition, you should not park:
- At less than 5 meters from a fire hydrant.
- At less than 10 meters from the entrance to a fire station, urgent care facilities or hospitals.
- At less than 20 meters from a railway crossing.
- In front of private residence or commercial garage doors.
- At less than 15 meters from the main entrance to military, police or other law enforcement premises.
- At less than 10 meters of a corner.
- Where there is a yellow solid line painted along the curb.
- At less than 3 meters from the doors to churches, educational establishments, hotels and performance halls, during the hours of public activity.
- At less than 10 meters of a STOP (PARE) or YIELD (CEDE EL PASO) sign; hazard signs, like SCHOOL (ESCUELA), NARROW BRIDGE (PUENTE ANGOSTO), CURVE (CURVA), etc.
You can park in a space reserved for another vehicle as long as you remain in your vehicle and leave the spot when the person who has the spot reserved arrives.
You can also stop in a place where parking is prohibited, but only for the minimum amount of time to pick up or drop off passengers.
When you park, remember:
- On inclined roads, leave your wheels turned towards the curb or towards the center of the road, depending on whether you’re facing downhill or uphill, respectively, so that if the vehicle started to roll it would be stopped.
- Stop the engine, leave the vehicle in gear and activate the hand brake.
- Remove the key from the ignition.
- Look behind you before opening the door
- Leave the vehicle locked.
- You should never leave small children or animals inside your vehicle.
When you park at night on a dimly lit public street or when visibility is reduced, be sure other vehicles can see you, by keeping your parking lights on.
The parking lights are somewhere near the steering and should have the P logo
- Place emergency reflective devices on the road.
- Keep your emergency hazard lights on.
- Use refelective vest when you get out of the car.
You should not drive backwards, unless
- To keep traffic circulating.
- To try to get into road.
- To park.
However, you should never back up in an intersection, even if you pass the stop line, unless you receive specific instruc- tions from a Carabinero.
Before backing, be sure there are no pedestrians – especially children – or obstacles behind you. Back slowly and carefully. Do not trust your mirrors to judge distances behind you.
Respect signs at railway crossings and only cross them when you are sure that there are no trains coming.
Some crossings have barriers that are activated ma- nually by a crossing guard; other crossings have automatic barriers or light and sound signals that activate when the train approaches.
Do not trust them if they indicate if no train is coming.
Some of them only have traffic signals
If the vehicle’s radio is on, turn it off.
If your vehicle breaks down in the middle of a railway crossing:
- Get everyone out of the vehicle.
- If it is possible and you have a short time before a train approaches, move the vehicle, clearing the crossing. On the contrary, exit the crossing.