Idaho · Handbook chapter 8 · 5 min read

Chapter 8: Sharing the road

Emergency vehicles and Idaho's move over law, pedestrians, children, horseback riders, bicyclists and the Idaho stop, motorcycles, trucks, snowplows and pilot vehicles.

Why this chapter matters

Idaho roads carry cars, trucks, farm equipment, bicycles, horses and people on foot. The test asks how to pass a bicyclist, what to do near emergency vehicles and how to stay safe around trucks. Learn 3 feet, three seconds and 450 feet.

Emergency vehicles

• When an emergency or police vehicle approaches with a siren or red or blue lights, pull to the nearest right curb or edge right away and stop until it has passed.
• Move over law: when you approach a stopped emergency or police vehicle, tow truck or incident response vehicle with lights flashing, slow below the posted limit and go carefully. On a road with two or more lanes your way, also move to a lane not next to it if you safely can.

Pedestrians

Pedestrians are most often hit near homes, schools, trail crossings, parking lots, intersections, bus stops, playgrounds and parks. Fatalities rise sharply with vehicle speed.

• Yield to pedestrians in marked or unmarked crosswalks, when you enter from an alley or driveway, and to anyone with a white cane or service dog.
• Even when a pedestrian should have yielded, stop and let them finish crossing.
• If someone steps into the crosswalk just before your light turns green, wait for them.
• If a car in the next lane stops for a pedestrian, do not pass it.
• Night, rain, snow, fog and glare make pedestrians hard to see.

Children at play

Walk around your car before getting in, watch for children running behind you when backing, and expect a child to dart from between parked cars. A child you see may have a playmate you do not.

Horseback riders

Riders have the same rights and duties as drivers. Slow down, give plenty of room, and never sound your horn. If a rider is struggling with the horse, take extreme care and stop if needed.

Bicyclists

• Bicyclists may ride on all Idaho roads, with the same rights as drivers, with the flow of traffic, as far right as is safe (except to pass, turn left, avoid hazards or where the lane is too narrow to share).
• Pass with at least 3 feet of space, more at higher speed, moving into the next lane if you can. A typical 12-foot lane is too narrow to share with a bike.
• Idaho stop: bicyclists need not stop fully at STOP signs, but must yield to vehicles in or near the intersection. At a red light they must stop and yield, then may go with caution; they need not stop fully to turn right on red, but must still yield.
• Before turning right from a stop, look left, right and behind, checking the right first. A bicyclist may be on your right.
• Avoid the right hook: do not try to beat a bicyclist ahead of you to a right turn; stay behind until they pass the corner.
• At dashed bike lane lines you may move into the bike lane to turn right, after checking for bicyclists.
• Dooring: open your car door with your far hand so you turn to look back for bikes.
• Never honk close to a bicyclist. Do not park in bike lanes. A sharrow marks where bicyclists should ride in a shared lane.

Motorcycles

• About half of motorcycle crashes involve another vehicle, often a car turning left in front of the rider. Look, then look again, before turning.
• Motorcycle turn signals often do not cancel themselves; make sure the rider is really turning.
• A motorcycle is entitled to a full lane. Never share its lane.
• Gravel, debris, seams and wet surfaces can force a rider to swerve or slow. Follow a motorcycle by more than three seconds.

Large vehicles

• The bigger the vehicle, the bigger its blind spots, the more room it needs to turn, and the longer it takes to stop and pass.
• If you cannot see the driver's mirrors, the driver cannot see you. Do not ride alongside.
• A loaded truck at 55 mph on a dry road needs about 450 feet to stop. Do not cut in front after passing; wait until you can see the cab in your rearview mirror.
• Trucks turning right may swing left first. Never squeeze in on the right of a turning truck.
• Vehicles carrying hazardous materials must stop at all railroad crossings.
• Never park in or near a runaway truck ramp.
• Pilot vehicles with amber lights escort oversize loads. When one comes toward you, slow down and move right; when following, leave more room.
• Snowplows throw up snow that can blind drivers who follow too closely.