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Driving etiquette refers to the unwritten or unspoken rules that drivers follow. [1] [2] [3] The term dates back to the early 1900's and the use of horse-drawn carriages. [4] Driving etiquette typically involves being courteous and staying alert, which varies by vehicle, situation and location (e.g., etiquette for driving an F-1 race car [5] has different rules than driving an RV [6] ). Failure to adhere to this behavior can cause an increased risk of legal consequences, road collisions, trauma and road rage. [7]
Driving etiquette can extend beyond in-vehicle actions: [8] When a courteous driver scrapes the fender or inflicts minor damage to a parked car without its owner present, they leave a note giving their name, telephone number, and the name of their insurance company. If the owner is present, the courteous driver exchanges insurance information politely and contacts the proper authorities. Breaches in driving etiquette can often be addressed cordially with a simple and immediate expression of apology. [9] Its guiding principle is "one good turn deserves another", [10] and is considered a vital part of responsible driving. [11] Speeding and aggressive driving, examples of poor driving etiquette, have been cited as negative factors related to rural highways. [12] Drivers need driving etiquette education to lower the risk of causing accidents. [13]
"Many Chileans have tendency to speed, pull out of lanes without signalling, and rarely demonstrate driving etiquette when it comes to cyclists". [14]
Traffic in China can at times be chaotic, and some road courtesies are often ignored. [15]
In France, it is common for drivers to nudge other vehicles to fit into a tight parking space. [16]
In Germany, it is common for a wedding parade to honk the vehicles horns en route. Drivers on the autobahn will flash their lights if a vehicle in front is driving too slowly. [16]
Loud honking, always ceding the way to vehicles traveling on uphill mountainous passes and passing on blind curves is considered normal driving etiquette in Guatemala. [17]
Hyderabad has "what could be considered the worst driving etiquette in the country". [18]
In Jamaica, drivers will honk their horn to say thank you when let out at a junction. [19]
It is considered a good driving etiquette in Kenya to honk your horn to warn other vehicles of rocks or debris on the road ahead. Turn signals are commonly used to indicate if a driver wishes to be overtaken or not. At night, some drivers use their right indicator to show the extended width of their cars, aiming to avoid collisions on narrow roads. [20]
Few Macedonians wear a seat belt, even though it is illegal not to in that country, or "follow any form of lane discipline and driving etiquette". [21]
New Zealand drivers generally follow the road rules, it is acknowledged that driving etiquette could be improved. [22] Drivers observe lane lines and give way rules, [23] indicate changes of direction and (mostly) adhere to speed limits. Drivers are courteous and will allow other road users to merge but tend to be impatient.
Puerto Rico's driving "tends towards mild anarchy". Speeding past traffic on the shoulder of a road is "perfectly acceptable". After letting ambulances or police cars overtake them, it is common for drivers to heavily tailgate that car. "Merging into a thoroughfare from a side road is simply a matter of nosing your automobile into traffic until a generous fellow traveler waves you in or until you force them to a screeching halt". [24]
In Turkey, flashing of headlights is commonly used to indicate that the driver intends to go first. [25]
A "strange but pleasant bit of South African driving etiquette" involves "pulling over onto the tarred hard shoulder to let the car behind overtake in safety". This is done regardless of whether there is traffic or not. The overtaker is expected to flick their hazard lights as a sign of saying thanks. [26]
In Spain, drivers flash their lights to warn other drivers they are about to conduct an overtaking maneuver. [27]
British driving etiquette includes:
Although the Highway Code advises against flashing a vehicle's lights in most situations, many drivers use it to communicate with other drivers, such as to let them in to a stream of traffic. Due to this disconnect between rules and practice, some scammers use flashing lights to scam other drivers for insurance money, by making them think they are being let out. [28]
The following acts are commonly cited as examples of poor driving etiquette. [29] [30]
Traffic comprises pedestrians, vehicles, ridden or herded animals, trains, and other conveyances that use public ways (roads/sidewalks) for travel and transportation.
Driving is the controlled operation and movement of a land vehicle, including cars, motorcycles, trucks, and buses. Permission to drive on public highways is granted based on a set of conditions being met and drivers are required to follow the established road and traffic laws in the location they are driving. The word driving, has etymology dating back to the 15th century and has developed as what driving has encompassed has changed from working animals in the 15th to automobiles in the 1800s. Driving skills have also developed since the 15th century with physical, mental and safety skills being required to drive. This evolution of the skills required to drive have been accompanied by the introduction of driving laws which relate to not only the driver but the driveability of a car.
Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – also known as robots in South Africa and Namibia – are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order to control the flow of traffic.
Traffic calming uses physical design and other measures to improve safety for motorists, car drivers, pedestrians and cyclists. It has become a tool to combat speeding and other unsafe behaviours of drivers in the neighbourhoods. It aims to encourage safer, more responsible driving and potentially reduce traffic flow. Urban planners and traffic engineers have many strategies for traffic calming, including narrowed roads and speed humps. Such measures are common in Australia and Europe, but less so in North America. Traffic calming is a calque of the German word Verkehrsberuhigung – the term's first published use in English was in 1985 by Carmen Hass-Klau.
A moving violation or traffic violation is any violation of the law committed by the driver of a vehicle while it is in motion. The term "moving" distinguishes it from other motor vehicle violations, such as paperwork violations, parking violations, or equipment violations. The United States Department of State makes reference to moving violations in its enforcement guidance.
Road rage is aggressive or angry behavior exhibited by motorists. These behaviors include rude and verbal insults, yelling, physical threats or dangerous driving methods targeted at other drivers, pedestrians or cyclists in an effort to intimidate or release frustration. Road rage can lead to altercations, damage to property, assaults, and collisions that result in serious physical injuries or even death. Strategies include cutting motorists off, inappropriate honking, using obscene gestures, flipping off another driver, swerving, tailgating, brake checking, and attempting to fight.
Tailgating is the action of a driver driving behind another vehicle while not leaving sufficient distance to stop without causing a collision if the vehicle in front stops suddenly.
Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) are technologies that assist drivers with the safe operation of a vehicle. Through a human-machine interface, ADAS increase car and road safety. ADAS use automated technology, such as sensors and cameras, to detect nearby obstacles or driver errors, and respond accordingly. ADAS can enable various levels of autonomous driving.
The two-second rule is a rule of thumb by which a driver may maintain a safe trailing distance at any speed. The rule is that a driver should ideally stay at least two seconds behind any vehicle that is directly in front of his or her vehicle. It is intended for automobiles, although its general principle applies to other types of vehicles. Some areas recommend a three-second rule instead of a two-second rule to give an additional buffer.
A passing lane, overtaking lane is a lane on a multi-lane highway or motorway closest to the median of the road used for passing vehicles in other lanes. Countries with right-hand traffic put the passing lane on the left; those with left-hand traffic put the passing lane on the right. Motorways typically have passing lanes along their entire length, but other roads might only have passing lanes for certain segments, depending on design specifications typically related to available space, funding, and traffic levels. A 2+1 road alternates the passing lane between directions every few kilometers/miles.
Overtaking or passing is the act of one vehicle going past another slower moving vehicle, travelling in the same direction, on a road. The lane used for overtaking another vehicle is often a passing lane farther from the road shoulder, which is to the left in places that drive on the right and to the right in places that drive on the left.
School bus stop laws are laws dictating what a motorist must do in the vicinity of a bus stop being used by a school bus or other bus, coach or minibus providing school transport.
Road signs in Sweden are regulated in Vägmärkesförordningen, VMF (2007:90), and are to be placed 2 metres from the road with the sign 1.6 m from the base for motorized roads. Except for route numbers, there are a maximum of three signs on a pole, with the most important sign at the top. All signs have a reflective layer added on selected parts of the sign as is custom in European countries; most larger signs also have their own illumination.
Road signs in Singapore closely follow those laid down in the traffic sign regulations used in the United Kingdom, although a number of changes over the years have introduced some slight deviations that suit local road conditions. Road signs in Singapore conform to the local Highway Code under the authority of Singapore Traffic Police.
Aggressive driving is defined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as the behaviour of an individual who "commits a combination of moving traffic offences so as to endanger other persons or property."
Driving in the United Kingdom is governed by various legal powers and in some cases is subject to the passing of a driving test. The government produces a Highway Code that details the requirements for all road users, including drivers. Unlike most other countries in the world, UK traffic drives on the left.
A traffic collision, also known as a motor vehicle collision, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other moving or stationary obstruction, such as a tree, pole or building. Traffic collisions often result in injury, disability, death, and property damage as well as financial costs to both society and the individuals involved. Road transport is the most dangerous situation people deal with on a daily basis, but casualty figures from such incidents attract less media attention than other, less frequent types of tragedy. The commonly used term car accident is increasingly falling out of favor with many government departments and organizations, with the Associated Press style guide recommending caution before using the term. Some collisions are intentional vehicle-ramming attacks, staged crashes, vehicular homicide or vehicular suicide.
Road signs in Thailand are standardized road signs similar to those used in other nations but much of it resembles road signage systems used in South American countries with certain differences, such as using a blue circle instead of a red-bordered white circle to indicate mandatory actions. Until the early 1980s, Thailand closely followed American, European, Australian, and Japanese practices in road sign design, with diamond-shaped warning signs and circular restrictive signs to regulate traffic. The Department of Railway maintains a standard on the typeface used in the sign, with custom made type for Thai text, unofficially named "Thang Luang" (อักษรทางหลวง) and a small derivation of FHWA Series fonts typeface, which is used on American road signage, for Latin text. In most Bangkok Metropolitan Area's routes, TS Lopburi is still used.
Headlight flashing is the act of either briefly switching on the headlights of a car, or of momentarily switching between a headlight's high beams and low beams, in an effort to communicate with another driver or drivers. The signal is sometimes referred to in car manufacturers' manuals as an optical horn, since it draws the attention of other drivers.
Road signs in Switzerland and Liechtenstein generally conform to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals.