We all carefully studied for our DMV driving test and intently tried to follow all of the rules and laws in the DMV handbook. So why is it that so many of us have forgotten so many of the basic rules?
Here are my top three:
–Turn signals. “Always signal when turning left or right, changing lanes … it lets other drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians know your intentions,” the handbook says.
I see so many drivers not use their turn signals that I’ve been tempted to call a few auto repair shops to find out if there’s a parts shortage for replacement turn signals. It’s just plain safe to let me and others know that you plan to turn or merge into my lane. And don’t just signal and go: Give me a little notice so we can both be safe.
–Tailgating. “To avoid tailgating, use the ‘three-second rule’: When the vehicle ahead of you passes a certain point, such as a sign, count ‘one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, one-thousand-three.’ Counting these numbers takes approximately three seconds. If you pass the same point before you finish counting, you are following too closely. You should allow a four-second or more cushion when:
“• Being crowded by a tailgater. Allow extra room ahead, do not brake suddenly. Slow down gradually or merge into another lane to prevent being hit from behind by the tailgater!
“• Driving on slippery roads.
“• Following motorcyclists on wet or icy roads, on metal surfaces (e.g., bridge gratings, railroad tracks, etc.), and on gravel. Motorcyclists can fall more easily on these surfaces.
“• The driver behind you wants to pass. Allow room in front of your vehicle so the driver will have space to move in front of you.
“• Towing a trailer or carrying a heavy load. The extra weight makes it harder to stop.
“• Following large vehicles that block your view ahead. The extra space allows you to see around the vehicle.
“• You see a bus, school bus or a placarded vehicle at railroad crossings. These vehicles must stop at railroad crossings; so, slow down early and allow plenty of room.
“• Merging onto a freeway.”
I figure if I can’t see your bumper in my rear view mirror and we’re not in stop-and-go traffic, you’re way too close.
–Merging: “Whenever you enter traffic, signal and be sure you have enough room to safely enter the lane. You have to share space with traffic already on the road, and you must know how much space you need to merge with traffic, cross or enter traffic and exit out of traffic.”
And: “Enter the freeway at or near the speed of traffic. (Remember that the maximum speed allowed is 65 mph on most freeways.) Do not stop before merging into freeway traffic, unless it is absolutely necessary. Freeway traffic has the right-of-way.”
Yes, the traffic on the highway has the right of way. But while I didn’t find this mentioned in the handbook, drivers on the highway should help merging traffic get onto the highway. Way too many times have I seen drivers refuse to make room for merging traffic. Let them in.
For CHP Officer Jon Sloat, spokesman for the Sonoma County office, the failure to signal is his pick for the No. 1 rule that drivers have forgotten.
As for tailgating, “it’s three seconds, not three feet,” he said.
He said drivers following too closely is a primary cause of collisions.
Sloat theorized that many drivers don’t signal, tailgate and improperly merge because they’re not constantly reminded of the rules like they are for speeding or stopping with speed limit signs and stop signs.
For Roileen Miller of Miller Driving School in Cotati, her top three are:
–Drivers who fail to come to a complete stop. She noted a lot of police officers looking for this violation don’t watch the driver or the car, just the tires. If they don’t stop, you’re busted.
–Drivers who don’t turn their heads to check traffic before changing lanes or merging. Using your mirrors is not enough, she said.
–Driving too fast.
For Santa Rosa Police Sgt. Lance Badger, his No. 1 is drivers hitting their turn signals and immediately moving over without looking. “You have to yield the right of way,” he said.
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Danny D.
How about not moving over for faster traffic? i.g. slowpokes hogging the # 1 (fast) lane. Yielding for Passing
CA DMV Drivers Handbook: Drive in the lane with the smoothest flow of traffic. If you can choose among three lanes, pick the middle lane for the smoothest driving. To drive faster, pass, or turn left, use the left lane. When you choose to drive slowly or enter or turn off the road, use the right lane.
21753. Except when passing on the right is permitted, the driver of an overtaken vehicle shall safely move to the right-hand side of the highway in favor of the overtaking vehicle after an audible signal or a momentary flash of headlights by the overtaking vehicle, and shall not increase the speed of his or her vehicle until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle. This section does not require the driver of an overtaken vehicle to drive on the shoulder of the highway in order to allow the overtaking vehicle to pass.
June 21st, 2012 10:03 pm
Neil M
I find it interesting that Officer Sloat says that failure to signal is the number one rule that drivers have forgotten, and yet in my obsrevation police cars in Santa Rosa almost never use their signals. Several years ago a policeman turning into a Stabucks simply slammed on his brakes in front of my and turned without signaling. I went into the same Starbucks and said to him as nicely as I could that I thought it would good for him to set an example for drivers that don’t signal. He rose up, put his face near mine, put his hand on his holster and asked me if I wanted to file a formal charge against him. I said “no sir.”
June 22nd, 2012 6:53 am
Mike
What are the traffic law exemptions for law enforcement? I know there must be a ton, because if there is anyone on the road constantly violating each and every rule listed above, it is the Santa Rosa Police. I could follow ANY SRPD cruiser for two miles, and could at least five moving violations, without exception. I’m pretty sure all turn signal lights have been removed from all cruisers, because I haven’t seen one light up in years.
I love the whole ‘pot calling the kettle black’ tone of this article. As soon as the SRPD learns to drive, then maybe the rest of us will too? Not holding my breath….
June 22nd, 2012 8:06 am
Michelle Jack
Hey what about once you are in a turn lane.. you are committed, don’t just cut in front of traffic because you messed up.. I see that all the time.. oh and I got dinged on my DMV test when I took it, about crossing over a solid white line.. I see it happen all the time…
June 22nd, 2012 8:42 am
BD
I have to agree with the other commenters here–with all due respect to the SRPD–practice what you preach. This isn’t do as I say, not as I do. I’ve not seen a police cruiser use their turn signal in I don’t know how long.
June 22nd, 2012 8:51 am
Dar
As much as I would like police officers (and the CHP) to use their turn signals (not holding my breath), it would bring me greater satisfaction if they would actually ticket those who do not use their turn signals. In my humble opinion, this is just as dangerous as the other things mentioned in this article.
June 22nd, 2012 9:12 am
DJS
Personal I believe that turns signals are an enormous help while driving and any one who tries to justify not using them might consider therapy? Problem is that I heard (on KGO) that using turn signals was not required only recommended in the Drivers Handbook.
Another big one is when drivers do not turn on headlights when their windshield wipers are on. Apparently this is required on the Handbook.
June 22nd, 2012 9:15 am
Santos Rios
Maybe part of the problems is that many of the motorists on our freeways and higways are unlicensed?
June 22nd, 2012 9:20 am
gamma
I agree as well – the SRPD is not a shining example for others – I’ve seen many cops disregard many rules of the road, but the worst was watching a cruiser blow through a crosswalk with people well into it (Sonoma and D street, before the blinky was installed).
And about merging onto the highway at speed – I’ll do that when CalTrans makes those on-ramps longer – I’ve lived in a lot of places and 101 has the worst highway designs I’ve ever used! I don’t have a sportscar or a motorcycle and I’m not willing to destroy my engine to get up to speed. My car needs another 100 feet or so with some of those on-ramps…
June 22nd, 2012 9:26 am
JL
One of my peeves is the right of way in lighted intersections. When two vehicles are making turns in an intersection, one right and one left, the vehicle turning right has the right of way. Too many drivers turning left think the right of way goes to whoever gets there first, or they think that because you’re turning right, they can turn left and stay in the left lane. Signaling is another, and also for drivers who miss their offramps or turns, please don’t cut across traffic to make your turn at the last second, just continue on and find a place to turn around.
June 22nd, 2012 9:27 am
Chris
PULL TO THE RIGHT AND STOP!!….for emergency vehicles. Not freeze in the middle of the road, or try to out run the emergency vehicle or pull to the left or pull the the right and continue to slowly proceed. Safely pull to the right and stop. Not doing so not only endangers the occupants of the emergency vehicle, but also everyone else on the road. Inattentiveness and indecisiveness, by all ages, causes more hazardous conditions than any other forgotten basic driving rule!
June 22nd, 2012 9:28 am
Art
They key word in using turn signals is to show your “intention” to turn so others can react. If you turn on your signal just as you are turning you’re not telling anyone about your intent.
MOST drivers don’t seem to signal their intention to turn.
June 22nd, 2012 9:29 am
SP
How about all the police officers using cell phones on the road (holding the phones up to their ear). Aren’t police officers supposed to follow the same laws as civilians?
June 22nd, 2012 9:30 am
Karla D
The most egregious thing I see lately is people not knowing what a “Yield” sign means. Everyday I navigate the “Y” in Sonoma on 121, where you can continue on Arnold or veer towards Napa. I am almost hit on a near daily basis as people turning from Arnold towards Napa do not yield. Now I just assume that they are not going to obey the sign and I watch to see exactly what they are going to do.
June 22nd, 2012 9:38 am
Road.Warrior
For the comment on cellphones and police, the cellphone law allows them, along with other emergency responders, to use hand-held phones in performance of their duties.
June 22nd, 2012 9:44 am
Josy
“Towing a trailer or carrying a heavy load. The extra weight makes it harder to stop.” I would just like to add that when towing a trailer people need to realize that you have to stop the car and the trailer safely. Slamming on the brakes usually results in the trailer swinging sideways or jack-knifing, which can cause a potentially deadly situation. Also, when carrying a heavy load, make sure it’s secured well since any objects that are loose become deadly projectiles if you stop too quickly and they can hit other vehicles, causing injury or death.
June 22nd, 2012 9:46 am
Patrick
You can make a right turn at a red light unless it’s posted! This is the one that drives me nuts! People simply do not know this one. They just wait for the light to turn green and then go. Wake up! Hey Road Warrior are you naive? You want me to believe the cops and responders are actually using their phones in the performance of duty? Especially when you can see them laughing on the phone! I can’t tell you how many times I have seen this. Yeah sometimes they do, but majority of the time it’s a social call.
June 22nd, 2012 10:10 am
DS
I’m going to add that a lot of people apparently don’t know you can take a right turn on a red light. Too many times have I sat behind someone that doesn’t know this and sits there until the light turns green. I also can’t understand people that refuse to get out of the fast lane when they are doing the exact same speed as the slower lanes. Often there is obvious traffic behind them and people are passing them on the right yet they stubbornly stay there for miles.
June 22nd, 2012 10:12 am
Mike
JL, spot on. The exact same situation happens on a daily basis at Hwy 12 and Pythian rd. Light controlled intersection, and when the light turns green for the Pythian traffic to turn onto northbound 12, the drivers turning left are constantly shooting out and cutting off all the cars trying to turn right. Loads of near misses each and every day.
Road Warrior, Re: Ploice using handhelds in performance of thier duties. So they are not required/encouraged to pull to the side of the road to use the phones? It’s just so hypocritical, I mean, I have a family member that was ticketed for using her cell phone AFTER she pulled off the road to take her call. Because her engine was still running, the officer cited her for driving while talking on her cell phone. Yet somehow police officers are so much more skilled than the rest of us that they can drive around with cell phones held to thier heads, no turn signals and all?
June 22nd, 2012 10:13 am
Fred Mangels
A couple of my pet peeves, although these aren’t necessarily safety hazards:
You CAN turn left on a red light, if you’re in the left hand lane of a one- way street turning onto another one- way street with traffic in the direction you’re turning. You need to yield to traffic already in that lane, of course. I see people sitting at red lights for some time when they could have turned as soon as it was clear.
At intersections with four way stop signs, you don’t have to wait for the driver that got there first to proceed if he’s to your left or right. Drivers in the east/west lanes should proceed at the same time as should drivers in the north/ south lanes.
I see more and more drivers that wait at the stop sign even though it’s their turn to go and the driver opposite them has proceeded. They wait because someone on their right or left came to the stop sign a second or two before them and they think it’s not their turn.
The idea is to have cars on opposite sides of the intersection pass through the intersection at the same time. Then the cars in the other lanes do the same thing. You’re not supposed to proceed in the exact same order in which each driver stopped.
Not sure if that makes any sense but I see too many people wait for me to proceed when they should have gone ahead and passed through the intersection when the car opposite from them did.
June 22nd, 2012 10:16 am
Road.Warrior
To Mike: I’d have your family member go to traffic court to fight the cellphone ticket.
June 22nd, 2012 10:25 am
Mark
I agree with everyone about turn signals. Most of the time they’re not likely to cause an accident. However, at a 4-way stop, if a turning vehicle doesn’t signal, the car opposite will ram right into you because he/she didn’t know they were turning.
June 22nd, 2012 10:53 am
DJS
This is great but can some one clarify whether or not using your turn signal is required or is just recommended by the California Vehicle Code?
I can seem to get the answer from
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/driver_handbook_toc.htm
June 22nd, 2012 10:59 am
JCB
Section 22107 and read from there. http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/lov/lovd11.htm
signals are required it’s not just a suggestion.
June 22nd, 2012 11:25 am
Mike
Fred, you are wrong. Under no circumstances can you turn left from the left turn lane on a one-way street onto another one-way street under a red light. Nope, you can’t. I failed my drivers test when I was 16 for doing just that.
June 22nd, 2012 11:29 am
Mike
Fred, you’re also wrong about the stop signs. If someone to my right or left arrived before me, and they are going straight, they will hit me if I jump out. It’s just common sense.
June 22nd, 2012 11:32 am
OldAsDirt
Speaking of freeway merges, the most dangerous is when the vehicle already on the freeway speeds up to block your entry. Pacing to merge is pretty difficult when the freeway “flow” changes into a one-driver rapids.
Freeway drivers slowing down are trying to be courteous, but if you’re pacing your merge to enter after the guy who’s slowing, confusion reigns.
June 22nd, 2012 11:54 am
Mike V.
22108 CVC. Any signal of intention to turn right or left shall be given continuously during the last 100 feet traveled by the vehicle before turning.
Also, a ton of drivers don’t know that per 21200 CVC. they are required to move to the farthest right-side of the road, including into a bike lane, when making right turns. This not only prevents them from cutting off a bike passing on the right, but also allows other cars to continue past them to go straight and allows other drivers to turn with them on the red light.
Lastly, We have all seen idiots on their cell phones talking and driving like crap. Using a headset does nothing to stop this. The cellphone laws are crap and we all know it. What we need is a general distracted driving law that allows officers to cite people for not paying attention and driving like idiots becasue they’re reading, eating, talking, putting on make-up or falling asleep. Some people can actually talk and drive on a phone and drive just fine. so get rid of the cell phone law and punish the people who truly can’t multitask. Just my two cents.
For a full list of the California vehicle code, as well as all the other Ca. Law, here’s a great website for you:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html
If only they could cover all these laws in the driver’s handbook eh?
June 22nd, 2012 11:55 am
DJS
Thanks JCB!
TURN SIGNALS ARE REQUIRED!! RIGHT ON!!
June 22nd, 2012 12:00 pm
Mike V.
I had a type-o in my last post, the proper section for turning movements should have been 22100 CVC, not 21200 CVC. My apologies.
June 22nd, 2012 12:02 pm
Bill
Merging onto the freeway gets my goat. Drivers not using the long freeway entrance lane to get up to the speed of the freeway traffic. Also cars coming onto the freeway bumper to bumper (dumb). And forcing their way in.
Another also; if the genius’ at CalTrans would activate the on ramp signals it would alleviate the bumper to bumper problem. Baker St. North on ramp and Hwy. 12 to 101 southbound are 2 of the worst.
June 22nd, 2012 12:03 pm
Dave
Law enforcement should follow the rules, too. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen officers of the SRPD and CHP speeding, rolling stop signs, not using signals, and TALKING ON CELL PHONES! What gives?
June 22nd, 2012 12:13 pm
Bobbie Roberts
Wow. I had decided that I was wrong and turn signals are used to highlight what we did rather than what we intend to do. It makes such a difference if traffic has a couple of seconds to adapt. It also allows others to accomodate the driver who wants to merge or turn. Driving by best guess never works very well.
Thanks Road.Warrior
June 22nd, 2012 12:38 pm
paul
Many do not seem to know that refusing to let someone pass is illegal, that any accident from this is the fault of the passee, not the passer. Refusing to let someone pass is like trying to kill them, driving them into oncoming traffic.
One of my problems is people who act like they are letting you into the lane, but are so close that any lane change is dangerous. They slow down in the fast lae and wait for you to merge, but they are on your bumper. I’d rather they go by, but this is more of the mislpaced kindness of the “nice” driver.
And tailgatting, especially at night. If you are in my mirror, I’m going to slow down as an accident may be averted. And downhill tailatti is really stupid as the effective speed increases by 10 to 20% dependin on grade.
And I always thought common sense ruled when red light vehicles are trying to get by, not some rule. They will pick their way around traffic and moving to the left is sometimes better for them if a line is open in stopped traffic on the right side. Completing a left turn is better than blocking the lane, and similar attempts to get out of the way. I have seen them completely stopped by someone that will not move as they would have to travel forward to get out of the way. Common sense, no!!!!
June 22nd, 2012 12:46 pm
Drew
A small pet peeve. I was taught when I was learning to drive to always move to the right if there is space when making a right hand turn. It seems a lot of people these days just slow down and rather than move over leave themselves in the way blocking traffic when they could move over.
Also it seems like no one who is merging onto the interstate seems to know that they do not have the right of way and should yeild to traffic already on the highway and merge when clear.
Frankly these days it’s like driving from one near miss after another, roads are over crowded and people get aggressive.
June 22nd, 2012 1:03 pm
Dan Drummond
The Police Department would like your input! Please go to on the link below to complete a survey sponsored by the Police Department. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and ideas.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SRPDCommunitySurvey
June 22nd, 2012 1:03 pm
Z
Mike, you can turn left from a 1 way to another 1 way on red. Learn the law.
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/turns.htm
I also hate how people don’t creep forward in an unprotected left turn (like downtown). You GO forward slightly in green and then turn when it turns yellow (if you didn’t get a clearing). That way the turn lane will at least get 1 car through per green. You must have been moving through the intersection by the time the light turns red.
June 22nd, 2012 1:04 pm
John
Here is the actual information for Turn signals. “Always signal when turning left or right, changing lanes … it lets the other drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians know your intentions.” So they can speed up to cut you off” the handbook says.
June 22nd, 2012 1:28 pm
Van
Drivers failing to yield to pedestrians is rampant in Santa Rosa. I’m not talking jay walkers, I’m talking the crosswalks, where drivers are supposed to yield. Check your DMV books. Yield doesn’t mean speed up to 40 mph to get through the yellow or already-red light. Santa Rosa is perhaps the least pedestrian friendly city I’ve encountered — even downtown, where monster trucks and other oblivious or self-entitled drivers use Mendocino Ave. as a raceway.
Tailgating is exceedingly annoying as well, especially when it’s in crowded traffic and you’re not just cruising mindlessly in the fast lane (also a HUGE California trend, especially on Hwy 101).
June 22nd, 2012 1:44 pm
Fred Mangels
Mike; I think you’re misreading my point about 4 way stops, but it’s understandable since I had a hard time trying to figure out how to explain it.
And you are wrong about turning left at a red light from the left hand of a one- way street onto the left hand lane of another one way street. If you flunked a test for doing so, the grader was wrong. Think about it. It makes no sense not to be able to turn left into a clear lane, whether or not the light is red.
As an aside, I flunked my first driving test for driving through a blind intersection too fast. Was it over 25mph? I can’t remember the rules on that now.
June 22nd, 2012 2:01 pm
Peter
The laws are not for police officers, they are for their subjects, the public.
Perhaps we could have a multi-agency task force to observe and ticket illegal driving behavior of the other stewards of our laws. Now THAT might be a good use of our enforcement dollars, rather than the weekly “Show us your papers!” checkpoints.
June 22nd, 2012 2:31 pm
just another rider
I believe people not using their turn signals is one of the most annoying things. I have had it, I will always respect someones intentions if they signal first but if someone can’t bother to use their signal I won’t bother making any adjustments for them even if they look like they need to move over. Screw it. I refuse to try and read their minds.
June 22nd, 2012 4:18 pm
just another rider
also Mike is wrong, you can turn left on a red light if you are turning onto a one way street IF there’s a sign that says it’s allowed. I know of at least one intersection in downtown Sebastopol that is this way.
June 22nd, 2012 4:22 pm
Wilson
Law enforcement officers are required by law to follow all traffic laws UNLESS they are on a call with their lights flashing. I’ve seen U-turns in the middle of busy streets. I’ve seen right turns from the left turn lane and vice-versa. I’ve rarely seen any police officers from any city use turn signals. And add me to the list that’s seen them on cell phones.
Pet peeve #1is the law says that it is a violation to enter an intersection when there is insufficient room to travel all of the way through it. It’s called “obstruction of traffic” and I see it constantly and have never seen anybody ticketed for it.
Pet peeve #2 is that motor vehicle headlights are required by law to be no greater than 36″ off of the ground. That means most any truck with a lift kit is illegal. Once again, the police don’t enforce this law.
June 22nd, 2012 6:20 pm
Jack
Oh, look! It’s the ultra-elite turn signal users club! I didn’t know we had so many signaling locals.
When sitting at a light lacking a left turn signal opposite me, i usually have to play the “where are you going?” game. Many drivers do signal, they just do it after they’ve begun the turn. Thanks but figured it out already!
Signals should always be used. Even when there are no cars around, because there may be bikes or walkers i haven’t seen yet. I like to encourage them to stay out of my way if i can’t see them or they don’t have the right of way.
Yeah, some drivers will block an intent-signaller, but most don’t. I know this because i signal. It also helps to not drive like a jerk who always has the right of way no matter what he or she is doing. Drivers hate to let that jerk in.
June 23rd, 2012 8:06 am
Jack
Additionally, i ‘m tired of cars trying to pass me on the right shoulder by crossing the solid white when a new lane is beginning. I’m moving over too, but i won’t do it over the soild, like you do. I also signal but i try to make sure you know i’m not turning right into that driveway/road which is right before the new lane.
If you want to pass me, stay left until slower/saner cars have a chance to legally move over. Thanks!
June 23rd, 2012 8:11 am
CJ
TO JL concerning right of way while turning. The person turning right only has the right of way in the right most (curb) lane, or if there is only one lane to turn into.
From the CA driver handbook: Right turn. Begin and end the turn in the lane nearest the righthand curb. Do not swing wide into another lane of traffic.
I personally would not try to turn left into the left hand lane while another vehicle was turning right as there are too many drivers that do not know that they are required to only turn into the right lane. This can be witnessed at many intersections while waiting behind people that will not turn into the right lane as required even though it is clear because they want to turn into the far lane.
June 23rd, 2012 2:08 pm
ER
To Michelle Jack: I’ve seen so many people around here turn right from left lanes and left from right lanes that I call it “the Sonoma County _____ turn”
June 23rd, 2012 7:02 pm
JL
Thank you, CJ. I neglected to mention that when turning right in an intersection, I turn into the right (curb) lane. My point is that drivers making left turns often do so, at least in my view, without any awareness of the concept of right of way.
June 23rd, 2012 10:53 pm
wangofango
re”using turn signals was not required only recommended in the Drivers Handbook.”
Yes, yes, yes. Calls to ‘cite people who don’t signal’ don’t hold water because it’s NOT required to signal for a lane change and it’s not an infraction UNLESS you do an unsafe lane change and cut off someone, for example, without signaling. Simply changing lanes without signaling is NOT an infraction. But signaling is smart. As is actually turning your head and LOOKING behind you, not just into the mirrors, to see what’s there.
June 24th, 2012 11:41 am
Pat
I get so sick of rude people just drifting into another lane, then drifting back within a few seconds. Turn signals seem rare, but I’m pretty sure the new cars have them(?) I understand people are lazy, but I’m in the habit of almost always using signals, since I drive a truck. I appreciate the communication, rather than seeing the rude and lazy ones who assume you are the only one on the road. Also they do it on purpose, because I see them just weave right in front of another car, without alot of room.
July 8th, 2012 9:28 am
Pat
ALSO…. In Petaluma there are 2 onramps that are ridiculously short. (in both directions) When I am pulling 80,000 lbs and see 5 to 10 vehicles all following each other trying to get onto 101, I will either 1. already be in the center lane, or 2. have to break up your convoy. If you are the first car getting on the highway, do everyone a favor, and be going at least 50 mph. It may help to notice that there are cars behind you. No matter what is going on in your life, the highway is not the place to be pre-occupied with it.
July 8th, 2012 9:38 am