Kansas · Handbook chapter 10 · 4 min read

Chapter 10: Rural roads, night, weather and work zones

Gravel and dirt roads, dust, narrow bridges, rural crossings and uncontrolled intersections, using high and low beams at night, flooded roads, work zones, deer and other animals, winter survival, hot weather, tornadoes and lightning.

Why this chapter matters

Kansas has thousands of miles of rural roads, and its weather ranges from blizzards to tornadoes. These situations call for slower speeds and different habits.

Rural roads

• Gravel and dirt give less traction: slow down and leave more following distance.
• In dust, turn on your low beams, slow down and leave more space.
• Watch for narrow bridges, steep ditches, sharp dips and blind corners caused by trees and tall crops. On open steel bridge gratings, slow down and grip the wheel firmly.
• Before a hill crest or curve, slow down and keep right.
• Many rural railroad crossings have only a warning sign and a crossbuck, with no lights or gates. Slow down, look both ways and be ready to stop.
• At uncontrolled intersections, slow down and be ready to stop for crossing or oncoming traffic.

Night driving

• Use your high beams when no one is coming; they let you see about twice as far as low beams.
• Dim them within about one block of an oncoming vehicle, and use low beams when following another car, in heavy traffic, and in fog, snow or hard rain.
• If an oncoming driver keeps high beams on, flash yours once quickly; if that fails, look toward the right side of the road. Never retaliate with your own high beams.
• Do not wear sunglasses or tinted glasses at night.

Flooded roads

• Do not drive through flooded areas. Turn around and find another route, or wait on higher ground.
• About 6 inches of water reaches the bottom of most cars and can cause loss of control or stalling; 2 feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles.
• Water can hide dips or a washed-out road.
• If your car is in the water and you cannot open a door or window, take a breath from the air pocket near the highest point, kick out a side window and escape.

Work zones

• Watch for cones, barrels, signs, equipment and workers in bright vests. All temporary work zone signs are orange with black letters or symbols.
• Slow down, obey signs and flaggers, increase your following distance and merge as soon as possible.
• Some work zones move, like line painting and mowing. Keep obeying the signs until you see End Road Work.
• Speeding fines in work zones are doubled.

Animals

• Deer are most active at dawn and dusk and from October through December. Deer travel in groups.
• If a crash is unavoidable, do not swerve; keep control and stay on the road. Swerving can cause a worse crash.
• If you have time, slow down, tap your brakes and sound your horn. Report crashes with large animals to police.

Winter

• Clear all snow and ice from windows and lights before driving. Bridges, ramps and overpasses freeze first.
• Carry a survival kit: spare tire, shovel, jumper cables, flashlight, blankets, water and snacks.
• If stranded, stay with your vehicle. Turn on hazard lights, keep the exhaust pipe clear, run the engine about 10 minutes each hour for heat, leave a window slightly open, and keep one person awake.

Hot weather, tornadoes and lightning

• In heat, check tire pressure (do not let air out of hot tires), oil and coolant, and watch for slippery bleeding tar.
• In a tornado, get to sturdy shelter or drive out of its path. Do not shelter under a bridge or overpass; winds are stronger there.
• In lightning, a hard-topped vehicle with windows up protects you; do not touch metal surfaces.