Ohio · Handbook chapter 7 · 5 min read

Chapter 7: Special situations and safe driving

What to do at an Ohio traffic stop, headlight rules, night, fog and winter driving, work zones, visual search, speed and space management, the four-second rule, stopping distance, using the horn and signals, and hot car dangers.

Why this chapter matters

These two Digest sections (7 and 8) supply many judgment questions: what to do in fog, how to recover from a skid, how far to look ahead and how much space to keep. Key figures: 1,000 feet, 20 to 30 seconds, four seconds, one car length per 10 mph, 158 feet at 50 mph and 100 feet for signals.

If police pull you over

1. Signal and pull over to the right when safe, or to the nearest safe spot.
2. Shift to park and switch off the engine.
3. Lower the window and stay in the car unless told otherwise.
4. Stay calm, keep your belt on and your hands on the wheel where the officer can see them.
5. If there is a weapon in the car, tell the officer at first contact.
6. When asked, show your license, registration and proof of insurance.
7. Do not argue. If you disagree with the ticket, you can contest it in court.

Headlights

Your lights must be on:

• between sunset and sunrise;
• in rain, snow, fog or other bad weather, at any time of day;
• whenever you cannot clearly see objects 1,000 feet ahead;
• whenever your wipers are on because of precipitation.

Night driving

• Drive at a careful speed: you can only see as far as your headlights reach.
• Use high beams when no one is coming, and dim them for oncoming traffic.
• If oncoming lights dazzle you, look toward the right edge of the road.
• Do not wear sunglasses or tinted lenses at night.

Fog

• Slow down and be ready to stop at any time.
• Use low beams, not high beams, which reflect off the fog.
• Keep a steady distance from the car ahead and keep your eyes moving.
• After a crash in fog, get off the road if you can; if not, leave your lights and flashers on and set out flares.

Winter driving

• Drive slower and leave much more following distance: stopping takes longer on slippery roads.
• Bridges, overpasses and shaded spots freeze first.
• If you skid, take your foot off the accelerator and steer in the direction of the skid. Do not brake while skidding.

Work zones

Watch for orange signs, cones, barrels, big vehicles and workers. Slow down even when no workers are present: narrow lanes and rough pavement are still dangerous.

Visual search

• Look ahead about 20 to 30 seconds down your path.
• Look to the sides for crossing traffic and over your shoulder for blind spots.
• Look behind using your mirrors, especially before changing lanes, slowing or entering an intersection.

Speed and road conditions

• Curves: slow down before the curve, then accelerate gently through it.
• Slippery roads: slow at the first sign of rain, snow, sleet or ice. If you slide, ease off the gas and brake gently.
• Hydroplaning: tires ride on a film of water. Slow down in rain to prevent it; if it happens, ease off the gas.
• Flooded roads: do not drive into standing water. Find another route.

Space management

Stopping distance has parts: perception time (about 3/4 second to 1 second), reaction time (also 3/4 second to 1 second) and braking distance. At 50 mph on dry pavement with good brakes, braking alone can take about 158 feet.

• Space ahead: keep at least one car length for every 10 mph, or four seconds. Count from when the car ahead passes a fixed object; if you reach it before "one-thousand-four," you are too close.
• Leave more space at night or in poor visibility, on slippery roads, behind trucks, buses, RVs and trailers, and behind vehicles that must stop at railroad crossings.
• Space to the side: do not ride next to other cars for long, keep away from the center line, make room for merging traffic, and give extra room to pedestrians and bicyclists. When a tractor-trailer passes, move to the far side of your lane.
• Space behind: you cannot control a tailgater, but steady speed, early signals and extra space ahead help.

Communicating

• Use your headlights to be seen.
• Tap the horn lightly when a pedestrian or bicyclist is about to move into your lane, when a driver starts to turn into you, or when a driver seems not to have seen you. Do not use it in anger.
• Signal at least 100 feet before turning, changing lanes or merging, and cancel the signal afterward.
• Your brake lights tell others you are slowing. Signal before you slow down when you turn off a road that has no separate turn or exit lane, or when you park or turn just before an intersection.

Hot cars

• Never leave children (or pets) alone in a vehicle. A car's inside temperature can rise 20 degrees Fahrenheit in 10 minutes, even with the windows cracked.
• Make a habit of looking in the back seat before you lock up, and keep the car locked.
• If you see a child alone in a car, call 911, try to find the parent, and if the child is in distress, get them out. Ohio has a Good Samaritan law that protects people who help in an emergency.