Insufficient visibility is understood as a temporary situation caused by weather or other phenomena (fog, rain, snowfall, blizzard, twilight, smoke, dust, water and mud splashes, blinding sun), when the distance at which the object in question can be distinguished from the background is less than 300 meters .
These weather conditions have a significant impact on road safety.
During the rain
The main danger when driving in the rain is the deterioration of the adhesion of the wheels to the road. The coefficient of adhesion on wet roads decreases by 1.5–2 times, which worsens the stability of the car, and most importantly, it increases sharply braking distances. Particularly dangerous are asphalt roads covered with mud or wet fallen leaves, when the grip of the tires with the road is further reduced.
The rain that has just begun is dangerous, which makes the road surface very slippery, as dust, the smallest particles of tires, soot and oil particles from exhaust pipes cars are wetted and spread along the road, creating a very slippery, like soap, film on it. At the beginning of rain, you need to be especially careful, be sure to slow down, avoid overtaking, sharp steering wheel rotation and sudden braking. As the rain intensifies and continues, the muddy film is washed away by the rain, and with continued rain, the traction coefficient increases again. Concrete and asphalt pavements with a specially treated rough surface, washed out by rain, have a coefficient of adhesion close to that of a dry pavement.
After the rain stops, as the mud dries, it first turns into a dirty slippery film, and the coefficient of adhesion also decreases. Again, be careful before the road dries up. The dirt turns to dust and the friction coefficient is restored.
The dependence of the road adhesion coefficient on the duration of rain is shown in fig. 1
Figure 1. Dependence of the coefficient of adhesion with the road on the duration of rain:
- time t0 - t1 - beginning of rain;
- time t1 - t2 - rain duration;
- time t2 - t3 - drying time of the road.
When moving to high speed By wet road in passenger cars, the formation of a water wedge is observed between the tires and the road - hydrosliding or the so-called hydroplaning. When driving on wet roads with low speed the wheels drive moisture into the grooves of the tire tread pattern and squeeze it out through the roughness of the road surface, the tires touch the drier road surface. If you are driving behind a car in the rain, you will see a dry track from the wheels right behind the car. At a high speed and a large amount of water on the road, the wheels do not have time to squeeze out moisture, and then water remains under them, the wheels float above the road surface. A sign of the appearance of a water wedge is a sudden ease in steering the steering wheel. Shallow tread depth, less than indicated above, low air pressure in the tires and a smooth road surface of an asphalt road contribute to the occurrence of hydroplaning even at low speeds, since the wheel does not have time to squeeze water out from under it.
To combat this phenomenon, you can only reduce the speed. In this situation, engine braking should be applied, i.e., gradually reduce the pressure on the gas pedal. At the same time, you should try not to use the service brakes, as water reduces their effectiveness.
Splashes of dirty water and liquid mud from under the wheels of oncoming and overtaking vehicles can instantly flood Windshield, and for a while you won't see anything ahead. Do not get lost in this situation and, most importantly, do not brake sharply, immediately turn on the washer and wiper with a high frequency of movement. Do not turn the steering wheel and gradually reduce the pressure on the gas pedal. After a few seconds, visibility will be restored.
It must be taken into account that when you drive through puddles at high speed, the following troubles are possible:
- sprinkle mud and even pour water from head to toe on pedestrians;
- water from under the wheels of your car will fall on the front glass and reduce visibility;
- water will also enter the engine compartment, and even a few drops of water on the ignition coil, distributor or wires can turn off the engine;
- water entering the air intake can lead to engine damage;
- there can be various dangers under water: holes, stones, etc.;
- get wet brake pads and the brakes may fail.
- if the wheels on one side of the car fall into a puddle, then the car may skid, since the amount of adhesion of the tires to the road with different parties will not be the same.
The rain changes the look pavement. Light and dull when dry, the asphalt pavement becomes dark and shiny, and it is very difficult to notice a dark obstacle on such a road. Moving in these conditions, even if there are no obstacles, is tiring. The driver has the impression that he is rushing into a dark abyss, crossed by sparkles of raindrops sparkling in the headlights.
On wet pavement white road markings becomes almost invisible during the day and completely invisible at night. It is the responsibility of the driver to be so careful in the rain as to make up for poor visibility, and to drive smoothly, without sudden changes in direction, to choose a speed appropriate to the visibility, you can also turn on the front and rear fog lights, side glass raise to the limit.
In fog
Driving in foggy conditions requires more more experience than in the rain. Sometimes the fog is so heavy and creates such great danger that it is necessary to cut short the trip and wait patiently for a change in the weather. Fog creates dangerous road conditions. Dozens of cars are involved in an accident during fog, a large number of people die and are injured.
Fog greatly reduces the visibility zone, contributes to optical illusion, and makes it difficult to navigate. It distorts the perception of the speed of vehicles and the distance to objects. It seems to you that the object is far away (for example, the headlights of an oncoming car), but in fact it is close. The speed of the car seems small to you, but in fact it is moving fast. Fog distorts the color of an object other than red. Therefore, the traffic signal is red so that it can be clearly seen in any weather, so red cars are considered less dangerous.
Fog affects the human psyche: poor visibility, constant pressure, the sudden appearance of another vehicle out of the fog, which seemed to be far away, causes severe nervous tension in the driver. He is nervous and makes incorrect driving actions. The eyes tire quickly and reduce the driver's ability to respond to changes traffic situation. Headlights do not illuminate the road at all, their light only crashes into the fog with bright blinding beams. In the fog, you can make a mistake in choosing the road, the landmarks are covered with fog, the intersections are not visible.
In the fog follows:
- reduce the speed of movement, it should not exceed half the visibility distance in meters. So, with a visibility of 20 m, it should be no more than 10 km / h;
- be prepared to stop within that line of sight of the road;
- you should drive with the dipped headlights, which illuminates the road better than the distant one;
- when moving with high beam pass with oncoming traffic without switching to the passing one, since blinding in the fog is excluded;
- if there are fog lights, turn them on together with the low beam in heavy fog. They have a low and wide beam of yellow light that penetrates fog better than the white light of conventional headlights;
- if the visibility of the road is less than 50 m, they can turn on independently;
- rear fog lights to be switched on together with parking lights;
- turn on the windshield wipers;
- when the windows fog up, turn on the heating and ventilation system, as well as the electric heater rear window;
- in very heavy fog, you can try to see the road in front of the car by sticking your head out the door window;
- periodically you need to check your speed on the speedometer;
- to improve visibility in fog, lean over the steering wheel and bring your eyes closer to front glass. This position is very tiring, but periodically it must be used;
- if there is a markup, take central position between the marking lines dividing the lanes;
- You can also navigate the road along the sidewalk, the roadside, and especially along the solid white marking line that marks the edge of the carriageway;
- it is better to keep the driver's door window open and listen to the noise of other vehicles;
- periodically use sound signal especially on country roads.
In the fog you should not:
- approaching too close to the vehicle ahead;
- use rear lights the front car as a guide, you will have a false idea of the distance and its speed;
- look in one place in front of the car - your eyes will quickly get tired, they will water and your eyesight will weaken;
- park the car on the road;
- move too close to the centerline, and you can create dangerous situation;
- trying to get past a strip of fog in a valley on the road. It is in this area that objects and people can be hidden by fog;
- trying to overtake the vehicle in front is risky and dangerous.
Fog is not so much a safety hazard, but the way you drive in fog.
blinding sun
The summer sun shining into the eyes tires the eyesight and reduces the concentration of attention, reduces visibility. In the evening, morning and winter, when the sun is low on the horizon, the light falls almost parallel to the road, the load on the eyes increases significantly. Moving against the sun is not only difficult, but sometimes dangerous. The road is very shiny, reflecting the rays of the sun, and the vehicles appear to be contrastingly black. Silhouettes of people are lost on the road in the glare of the sun's disk, as the pupils of our eyes constrict, limiting the amount of light transmitted into the eyes. Due to this, the visibility of objects in the shadow worsens.
If the road periodically passes through the shadow cast by roadside objects, then at the moment of entering the shadow, the driver experiences a sudden decrease in visibility. This is due to the fact that the pupils of our eyes require a certain amount of time to adjust to a sudden change in light intensity.
Driving a car when driving against low sun, both in full light and in dark areas, requires a significant increase in attention. In addition, when driving against the sun, the colors of traffic lights, brake lights and direction indicators of vehicles noticeably pale. As a result, they do not attract your attention as they should. And this affects security.
With the sun shining from behind, it is even more difficult to distinguish traffic signals, and all the rear lights of the vehicle shine with reflected light from the sun and do not tell which light is on and which is not. In this case, you need to move so that the shadow from your car falls on the vehicle in front. Then it will be much easier for you to observe his rear lights.
The low sun shining from the side is easier for the driver, although it also causes trouble, forming strong contrasts of shadows on the roadway.
In all these cases, you need to use a sun visor that restores the visibility of the road. However, it is not recommended to use dark glasses, as they limit the brightness of illuminated sections of the road and at the same time reduce the visibility of places and objects that are in the shade and therefore not noticeable enough.
Other weather events.
The road becomes especially dangerous during the first snowfall(photo 1), when compacted snow and the first ice appear on the roadway. At this time, the number of collisions with pedestrians increases sharply, because drivers and pedestrians have not yet had time to adapt to the changed traffic conditions.
Photo 1. Snowfall.
Due to the reagents used, a mud mess is formed on the roads, flying from under the wheels of the cars in front directly onto the windshields of those driving behind. The result is a sharp deterioration in visibility. Always on wipers and huge expense Windshield washer fluid is not very helpful.
Visibility is deteriorating, the number of accidents is growing. And this is true for all cars without exception.
IN dusk and in the dark, visibility deteriorates significantly. Visibility on the road plays important role, since more than 90% of the information necessary for traffic safety, a person receives through vision. Human eyes are designed in such a way that they need time to get used to the darkness. Still, night vision is much worse than daytime. In poor lighting, at dusk, drivers do not distinguish very well what is happening on the road, moreover, their eyes do not distinguish colors well. For example, red appears dark and even black. Green color looks lighter than red. When approaching a traffic light, its signals appear white at first, and only later do we begin to distinguish colors. First of all, it becomes green, then yellow and red.
The worst thing is to drive in semi-darkness, when it just starts to dawn or get dark. It is difficult to see obstacles on the highway. At dusk, when long shadows make it difficult to distinguish individual items, will help high beam, although it does not seem to be strong enough. It will not be enough to completely illuminate the highway, but it will allow you to notice an obstacle that suddenly appeared in front of the car.
The reaction time of the driver to an obstacle that occurs on the road in low visibility conditions increases by an average of 0.6 ... 0.7 s or more, which is explained by the need to spend time on recognizing this obstacle.
At night, at least the headlights help to see, but at dusk the headlights illuminate the road very poorly. At this time, nothing helps except slow down and increase alertness.
Ticket 38 - Question 1
How many road crossings does this intersection have?
3. Four.
The intersection has two crossings of carriageways, since the crossed road with a dividing strip has two carriageways (clause 1.2).
Correct answer:
Two.
Ticket 38 - Question 2
These signs warn of approaching:
1. To the place of work on the road.
2. K railway crossing with a barrier.
3. To a railway crossing without a barrier.
Correct answer:
Only with enabled flashing beacon blue (blue and red) colors and a special sound signal.
Ticket 38 - Question 7
You intend to stop just past the intersection. Where should the right turn indicators be turned on?
1. Before entering the intersection, in order to warn other drivers in advance about the stop.
2. Only after entering the intersection.
3. The place where the direction indicators are turned on does not matter, since turning to the right is prohibited.
In this situation, turning on the right direction indicators before entering the intersection may be perceived by the driver of the car as your decision to turn right at the intersection. This can serve as a signal for him to start moving, which will create emergency. Therefore, in order not to mislead the driver of a passenger car, you must turn on the right turn indicator only after entering the intersection (clause 8.2).
Correct answer:
Only after entering the intersection.
Ticket 38 - Question 8
At the exit from the road to the territory adjacent to the right, you:
1. Take advantage of other road users.
2. Must give way only to pedestrians.
3. Must give way only to a cyclist.
4. Must give way to pedestrians and cyclists.
Turning to the right into the courtyard, you drive off the road to the adjacent territory, therefore you must give way not only to pedestrians, but also to the cyclist whose path you cross (clause 8.3).
Correct answer:
Must give way to pedestrians and cyclists.
Ticket 38 - Question 9
Are you allowed to make a U-turn while driving uphill?
1. Allowed.
2. Permitted only when the visibility of the road is 100 meters or more.
Correct answer:
It is allowed only when the visibility of the road is 100 meters or more.
Ticket 38 - Question 10
From what maximum speed Is it permissible to continue driving while towing a disabled power-driven vehicle?
Correct answer:
50 km/h.
Ticket 38 - Question 11
Can you start overtaking?
2. You can, if overtaking is completed before the intersection.
3. You can't.
You are approaching an unregulated intersection secondary road(sign 2.4 
"Give Way"). At unregulated intersections, overtaking is prohibited when driving on a road that is not the main one (clause 11.4). Therefore, in this situation, overtaking a truck can only be started if it is completed before the intersection.
Correct answer:
It is possible if overtaking is completed before the intersection.
Ticket 38 - Question 12
Drivers of which vehicles violated the rules of stopping?
1. Car B only.
2. Cars A and B.
3. Cars B and C.
4. All vehicles listed.
In this situation, only car B can stop, since the Rules do not prohibit stopping on the left side of the road with one way traffic in settlements directly behind pedestrian crossing. Stopping cars (A and B) in front of it is prohibited (clauses 12.1 and 12.4).
Correct answer:
Cars A and B.
Ticket 38 - Question 13
What should you do when turning left?
1. Pass the intersection first.
2. Give way only to a car with a flashing beacon and a special sound signal turned on.
3. Give way to both vehicles.
This intersection is regulated, and the sequence of traffic on it is determined not by priority signs, but by traffic lights (clauses 6.15 and 13.3). However, despite the permission signal of the traffic light, you must give way to a car with a flashing beacon turned on. of blue color and a special sound signal moving along the crossed road (clause 3.2). When turning left, you must also give way. passenger car moving from the opposite direction (section 13.4).
Correct answer:
Give way to both vehicles.
Ticket 38 - Question 14
When moving in which direction are you obliged to give way to the tram?
1. Only to the left.
2. Only straight.
3. In both listed.
In any case, you must give way to the tram on the left, since at the intersections of equivalent roads, the tram has an advantage over trackless vehicles, regardless of the direction of its movement (clause 13.11).
Correct answer:
Both listed.
Ticket 38 - Question 15
You intend to turn right. Can you start turning?
1. You can.
2. Can after freight car will start to turn left.
3. You can't.
Correct answer:
In both cases listed.
Ticket 38 - Question 18
The owner of the vehicle is obliged to compensate for the damage caused by this vehicle unless it proves that the harm has occurred:
1. Exclusively due to force majeure.
2. Exclusively due to the intent of the victim.
3. Due to force majeure or intent of the victim.
In accordance with article 1079 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, the owner (a person who owns the vehicle on the right of ownership of this vehicle or on another legal basis) of the vehicle (as a source of heightened danger) is subject to civil liability, i.e. is obliged to compensate for the harm caused to this vehicle, unless he proves that this harm arose as a result of force majeure (an extraordinary and unavoidable circumstance under the given conditions - a hurricane, etc.) or the intent of the victim (foreseeing the harmful consequences of his unlawful behavior and desire or conscious foreseeing such consequences).
Ticket 38 - Question 20
In what cases should the victim be removed from the car?
1. With a high probability of a car overturning, fire, explosion or loss of consciousness by the victim.
2. With a high probability of a car overturning, fire, explosion, hypothermia of the victim, in the absence of consciousness and breathing, as well as the impossibility of providing first aid directly in the car.
3. With a high probability of a car overturning, fire, explosion, or with heavy bleeding or traumatic brain injury.
All types of first aid, except for resuscitation, can be provided to the victim in the car. Therefore, it is necessary to remove the victim from the car only in case of a threat to his life (high probability of a car overturning, fire, explosion, hypothermia of the victim), if he is unconscious and breathing, and also it is impossible to provide first aid directly in the car.
Correct answer:
With a high probability of a car overturning, fire, explosion, hypothermia of the victim, in the absence of consciousness and breathing, as well as the impossibility of providing first aid directly in the car.
Engineers made the front suspension so that when driving, the front wheels themselves take a straight position under the weight of the car.
On a straight section of the road, the driver does not need to do anything special - just hold on to the steering wheel.
But there's a warning sign on the side of the road! - after 150-300 meters, an open section of the road will begin, and a strong side wind often blows there.
Now the driver is not up to relaxation. Now we need to prepare for the possible demolition of the car from a given course by strong gusts of side wind.
That is, the speed must be exactly reduced, but you also need to take the steering wheel harder - now the car itself will not be able to keep a straight course, now the driver will have to keep the car in its lane.
And if it happens in winter, when the coating itself is slippery, then on such a section of the road all the above measures are especially relevant.
In general, road conditions sometimes change very quickly.
Imagine what would happen if the driver was distracted for a second and did not notice how the right wheels were on the side of the road.
And unfortunately, the roadside is not fortified (that is, soil or sand), and even wet.
In such conditions, the left wheels travel on indelible surfaces, and the right crumpled. Due to the difference in resistance to wheel rolling, the car will inevitably pull to the right.
Now the task of the driver is not to provoke a skid of the car.
And the conditions for skidding are just perfect - you just need to press the brake or sharply turn the steering wheel to the left, and the rest will be done for the driver by the inertia force, which necessarily appears during any braking (and with a sharp turn of the steering wheel, it also adds centrifugal force).
What to do?
First, hold on tight steering wheel(it will now escape from the hands, trying to turn to the right on its own), and in a very, very smooth arc, we return the car to carriageway. We do not press on the brake, but on the gas we press so as to move both without slowing down and without accelerating.
Or another situation like this.
You didn’t drive off to any roadside, you moved strictly along the roadway, and then suddenly you have a section of a broken and slippery road in front of you.
It's pointless to slow down - we still won't have time to stop. And if we go to slippery area with the brakes on, the car's skidding is guaranteed with all the ensuing consequences, up to the "shifter".
Now the main thing is that no harmful forces act on the car.
And all the same forces can harm us now: the force of inertia (if we slow down) and the centrifugal force (if we turn the steering wheel).
If a section of slippery road short, then one thing remains - hold the steering wheel firmly and skip this short section with bated breath and without changing the trajectory and speed of movement .
And sometimes the driver himself climbs into such a jungle that he can’t pass, can’t drive.
Sand it crumpled surface , and here there will be no rolling, here the resistance to wheel rolling increases sharply.
The same problems arise when driving loose snow. It is clear that no fifth or fourth or even third gear is inappropriate here.
The second is our transmission in such conditions!
Let it be slow, but the engine has enough torque reserve, and it copes with the increased load.
It is undesirable to stop - after the stop you will not touch. You will have to drive back (strictly along the track!) And from there start moving.
Well, sharp turns should be completely excluded, in such conditions, any turns - only in a smooth arc.
And one more important observation!
Almost half of his automotive life you will drive on wet roads.
And there is nothing wrong with that. Despite the fact that the coefficient of adhesion of wheels with wet asphalt is almost half that with dry asphalt, this is quite enough for safe movement.
But when the rain just starts to drizzle, the road can get really treacherous!
The first drops of rain act like a mixer, whipping up the dust and dirt accumulated on the road, and for a short time the road seems to be covered with a thin slippery film.
Then when it goes heavy rain, it will all wash away. But while the rain is only dripping, it is necessary slow down and be especially careful!
The rain has passed, puddles have formed on the roads, and this obliges us, drivers, to a lot.
First, do not forget the testament left to us by the classics:
“Pedestrians must be loved. Pedestrians make up the majority of humanity. Moreover, the best part of it. Pedestrians created the world. It should be noted that the car was also invented by pedestrians. But motorists somehow immediately forgot about it.
And, secondly, the puddle is fraught with danger for the driver. If you drive into a deep puddle at a speed of 90 km / h, then the water simply does not have time to “escape” from the wheel. As a result, under the wheels a so-called water wedge tires lose traction and the car becomes uncontrollable. This phenomenon is also called hydroplaning.
When hydroplaning, the car does not respond to either the steering wheel or the brake!
But this is only until the speed decreases, and the wheels push through the water!
Therefore, if a terrible thing has happened, and the car has swum, you should not turn the steering wheel and put pressure on the brake pedal. When speed will drop, and contact with the road is restored, the turned wheels will surely cause the car to roll to the side. And if at the same time you also block the wheels by pressing on the brake pedal, then the car will skid.
As the speed drops, contact with the road will be restored, and with it the controllability of the car will be restored.
And here it is important that the wheels do not slip, but are forced to roll along the road.
Therefore, it is impossible to turn off the gear (squeeze the clutch) in any case.
One thing remains - to slow down the engine, reducing the pressure on the accelerator pedal.
If the puddle is large and deep, it must be overcome carefully and at low speed..
If the puddle is large and deep, it must be overcome carefully and at low speed.
But this alone is not enough. In a deep puddle, the brake mechanisms will definitely pick up water.
And if the brake pads are thoroughly moistened, their wonderful frictional properties disappear.
The driver presses the brake pedal, the pads are regularly pressed against the discs, but there is no braking - wet pads rub against the discs without any resistance!
What to do? Wait until they dry?
If summer is in the yard, you can, of course, wait, but you will have to wait a long time. And if it's winter, then the pads will get icy, and where to go with such brakes?
Therefore, it is best to dry the brakes on the go, observing all safety measures, namely:
We occupy the extreme right position on the roadway, turn on the emergency gang and, moving in first gear, periodically press the brake pedal.
Friction will heat up the pads and discs, the water will evaporate, and braking will be restored.
Do you know how to properly use external lights in difficult road conditions.
In heavy fog or snowfall, high beam headlights are ineffective. A light beam 100 meters long simply does not reach the roadbed, completely disappearing in a hundred-meter thickness of fog (or thick snowfall).
From the driver's seat, it looks something like this. The driver does not see the road, but only sees fog (or falling snow).
The dipped headlights hit 45-50 meters, and something will break through the 50-meter wall of fog (snow), that is, part of the light beam will still reach the roadbed. And if we add fog lights, then the visibility of the road will become quite tolerable. The flat and wide beam of light coming from the fog lights well illuminates the road in the immediate vicinity of the car.
From the driver's seat it will look something like this.
When driving at night in thick fog or heavy snow best visibility provide fog lights together with low beam headlights.
And of course, the speed must be chosen such that stopping way was less than the visibility distance.
And one more thing that drivers should always remember!
IN dark time days, approaching the top of the ascent, it is always necessary to switch
on dipped headlights!
If this is not done, then already 100 meters before the top of the ascent you will not see the road - the beam shines into the sky without touching the roadbed. This is first.
And, secondly, having met at the top of the ascent, the drivers will blind each other at the same time (if they do not switch to low beam in advance).
And in the end, a few more puzzles about all sorts of things.
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The established fact of the use by the driver of substances causing alcoholic intoxication is determined by the presence in his body of absolute ethyl alcohol in a concentration exceeding: 1. 0.10 milligrams per liter of exhaled air. 2. 0.16 milligrams per liter of exhaled air. 3. 0.25 milligrams per liter of exhaled air. RULES FOR EXAMINATION OF A PERSON WHICH
Item 8. The fact of the use of substances that cause alcohol intoxication is determined by the presence of absolute ethyl alcohol in a concentration exceeding the possible total measurement error, namely 0.16 milligrams per liter of exhaled air. |
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How does alcohol affect driver reaction time? 1. The reaction time is reduced. 2. Alcohol does not affect the reaction time. 3. The reaction time is increased. |
The approaching twilight and night is the most unfavorable time of day for driving. Visibility on the road is greatly reduced.
Statistics show that the period from five to nine o'clock in the evening is characterized by the largest number traffic accidents. But the degree of their severity is low due to the low speed of movement: traffic jams, traffic lights - the roads at this time are crowded with vehicles with people returning from work.
The most severe road accidents occur between nine o'clock in the evening and early in the morning. And it is they that happen due to poor visibility, neglect of traffic rules, loss of vigilance and fatigue of drivers.
What is special about driving at night?
Driving at night includes several specific features. So, feature is a limited visibility zone - only the part of the roadway illuminated from the headlights and the dimly lit part of the street from the lamps when the road lies through the area equipped with street lighting.
It is believed that in the dark, at night, the amount road transport significantly reduced and movement on the highway without dense flow cars are getting easier. However, back to the statistics: almost half of all traffic accidents occur at night.
Driving at night is a high probability of unforeseen, sudden dangers for the driver. At the same time, the response time is much less than during the day. Here are examples when a driver can be “taken by surprise”: blinding from oncoming headlights, poor visibility due to weather conditions, dangerous overtaking on rough roads, pedestrians without special reflectors, and others.
To be ready for the features night trip check out some simple tricks and tips in this article.
How to drive a car at night?
Driving at night requires focus and attention. This is due to several factors: limited visibility distance; the inability to follow the horizon line, to foresee sharp descents and ascents, road roughness.
The driver should not miss a single road sign, as it will not be so easy to see the upcoming turn in advance.
before leaving, Special attention look at the headlights of the car. The average range of illumination by the headlights of the roadway is about 45 meters, and in the "high beam" mode - 100 meters. And if they are dirty, they should be wiped before the trip, as well as reflectors and glasses. Make sure the headlights of the car are set to correct position and do not dazzle oncoming drivers.
On a long trip, in bad weather, clean the mirrors and windows regularly. The adhering layer of snow, dirt, insects can significantly reduce visibility and visibility. Avoid moving with cracked glasses and mirrors. Try to replace them in a timely manner, otherwise the movement will not be comfortable.
Pedestrian Visibility and Stopping Distance Illustration
To be able to respond to road signs in a timely manner, the speed of the car must comply with the rules of safe traffic. It is recommended that when driving in dark, unlit areas with low beam headlights on, do not exceed a speed of 50 km / h. The speed will be small, but it will allow you to avoid obstacles in a timely manner or stop. For example, if you suddenly meet a sign in your lane emergency stop in case of an accident or a car breakdown, which is not so easy to see in advance.
Remember what is useful features V modern cars. Night driving - a reason to use the brightness control of the lighting dashboard. You will continue to move, and the subdued light will not distract from the road.
It is important to remember that in addition to disciplined drivers on the road, you can also meet those who neglect safety. Inattentive pedestrians, cyclists who blend in with the color of their clothes and do not wear special reflectors can be an unpleasant surprise on the way. In the city, suburban area and cottages - the probability of meeting them is very high, and it is better to move at a speed limit of no more than 60 km / h.
Driving in bad weather
The difficulty of driving in bad weather conditions and, in fact, a different approach to management are directly dependent on the nature of the contact surface. Simply put, all variations of your behavior on the road will be different based on whether you are driving on wet asphalt, snow or ice.
Of course, in general, there are many factors that affect the grip of tires with the road: the type of tread, the temperature of the air and tires, and the speed of movement. But the most important and obvious parameter- the quality of the road surface. Here good example how tire contact deteriorates with changing weather conditions and, as a result, the road surface.
So, if snow, fog or rain caught you on a late trip, it will not be superfluous to know some of the management features. Let's consider each option individually.
night and snow
The cold season brings many inconveniences: slippery road, snowdrifts, snowfalls and blizzards. Daylight hours are getting shorter and nights longer. If you remember a few important points, you can significantly reduce the safety of driving at night in the winter season.
Visibility at night in a snowfall or blizzard can be only a couple of meters. Wet snow easily sticks to a warm windshield, and car brushes freeze and don't clean well. To prevent the snow from freezing and turning into ice, stop occasionally and clean the brushes.
The speed of movement in a snowstorm should not be high, because it is very difficult to follow the road. If the snowfall continues for a couple of hours, the road can be quite well covered with snow, under which the track has disappeared. Such snowdrifts significantly reduce the grip of the wheels with the road.
It is best to drive through snowdrifts and small drifts at speed. But if the car has stalled, you need to clear the space under the wheels, put branches or boards and try again to drive.
Another danger can be expected if the track is covered with fresh snow. Most likely, in the center of the road and on the sides of the road, the snow is not rolled and lies in a rather deep snowdrift. Therefore, when overtaking and driving to the edge, you need to be quite careful and attentive.
Ice driving tips
And yet, the most dangerous when driving in winter is ice. In this case, the adhesion of the wheels to the road decreases significantly, the braking distance increases - the machine control technique must be on good level. Here, do not forget about the high-speed mode - the movement should be at a low speed. The main goal with such a ride will be to prevent skidding and slipping.
Here are a couple of tips for driving in icy conditions:
You should not brake when cornering. Climbing up and downhill is best done in low gears. At steep climb it is better to move at a uniform speed, without stopping. It will be almost impossible to start moving, and you will just stand still.Dangerous on winter road is also braking in ice. Due to what is under different wheels the machine may turn out to be ice, snow and asphalt, as a result, there will be different grip coated wheels. When braking in such a situation, the car may turn around and throw out oncoming lane. It will help to avoid this in modern cars, but it’s still better to rely on yourself and not take risks, and the system will insure in a critical situation.
Thus, I would like to draw your attention to:
- the speed of movement in winter should be small;
- prepare for maneuvers in advance, do not brake sharply;
- Remember to keep your distance from the traffic ahead.
Night and fog
Thick fog, highway, night - this is not a horror movie, but a very real picture for the Russian autumn. And not the most favorite natural phenomenon among drivers.
Here, the factor of surprise plays the main negative role: a transport that has arisen from nowhere, an animal has jumped out onto the road - all this requires an instant response. But, so that trouble does not await you on a fog-shrouded road, here is a small instruction for action.
Let's look at a variant with very dense fog. Literally a couple of meters and a white veil before my eyes. by the most simple solution for your safety, it will wait out this moment and continue the journey when the visibility on the road becomes better. But what if there is no choice, and you are forced to keep moving?
Important moments of movement in the fog
Remember that it is almost impossible to estimate the distance to objects in foggy weather. Distant objects can be deceptively close. Therefore, do not exceed the speed limit, and even more so, do not overtake.
Another tip is to keep your distance. Since the road becomes wet with moisture and the braking distance on a wet road may increase.
Do not forget that you can turn on the fog lights. They illuminate the road better, and focusing on the vehicles ahead is not always reliable. If the fog lights are set correctly, then the light from them will fall on the canvas, as well as illuminate the roadside.
The eyes get tired very quickly from the white thick fog - this fact should not be overlooked. If your health and strength fail, it is better to stop and rest a bit.
Movement should be carried out strictly in its own lane. When avoiding parked vehicles or parked cars in your lane, you should first give a sound signal, and then make a maneuver.
To hear the sounds of cars better, you can open the window. In thick fog on empty roads, drivers often give a horn from time to time to warn oncoming drivers.
When parking, it is better to choose a separate exit or parking lot, as you may simply not be noticed on the side of the road. Remember to turn on the parking lights and rear fog lights when you stop.
Night and rain
Why is it difficult to drive a car in the rain? The whole problem lies in bad grip auto tires with asphalt surface. Driving should be careful, without sudden braking and maneuvers.
At hard braking or overtaking on wet pavement, the car can skid. Therefore, if the road is uneven, with puddles and ruts, it is better to calmly move along your lane.
Another test on your way can be an oncoming vehicle, or rather a wave of spray from it. It can unexpectedly cover the entire windshield, and the main thing here is not to get confused. Properly working "wipers" will be able to come to your aid. Feel free to check them out before sending. In such weather, it is simply not prudent and dangerous to drive with broken windshield wipers, since visibility can be zero during heavy rain at dusk or at night.
In a thunderstorm with a strong wind, it often breaks branches and trees, various garbage is lying on the roads. Therefore, be careful when driving, even if you are driving at a low speed, a sudden gust of wind can bring anything onto the road.
Do not cut through the puddles at speed, you put yourself in danger. A puddle can hide a hole, a stone or a hatch. It is very easy to lose control due to a sudden entry of the wheels into the water. Here you will encounter such a phenomenon as hydroplaning - a temporary loss of contact between a car tire and the road surface. The whole danger lies in the loss of adhesion of one or two wheels, because of which the car begins to skid. Very often the effect of "hydroplaning" is compared to sliding on ice.
Causes of hydroplaning and correct actions
If you feel that the car has skidded, you should not panic, press on the pedals and unscrew the steering wheel. Even in the absence ABS systems The situation can be corrected, but you need to act slowly. You should steer or brake after passing the wheels dangerous area with water.
The best advice for driving on wet roads is to follow speed limit no more than 60 km / h, especially if there is a rut on the road. It will be much easier to drive through a puddle or correct the path while driving, while the car will be easy to drive.
Conclusion
Thus, remember that weather conditions can be unpredictable and changeable, but you should not panic even in the most difficult situation. Before the trip, really assess your level of driving and the condition of the car, take an experienced companion with you, leave early. After weighing all the pros and cons, do right choice! If you know simple, but important rules driving in adverse weather, you can avoid the most unpleasant situations on the road.
AutoleekAn article about how to drive a car at night, what important rules must be observed. At the end of the article - interesting video how to drive properly in the dark!
The content of the article:
Majority experienced drivers, whose practical driving experience amounts to hundreds of thousands of kilometers, agree on one thing - if it is possible to refuse a trip at night, there is no need to take risks. However, if a trip is unavoidable, we advise you to take into account a number of nuances that will help you avoid problems while driving at night.
Mandatory requirements for a car
Looking at the traffic rules, we will answer without hesitation that a car driving onto the road is without fail must have:
- proper lighting fixtures;
- working turn signals, brake lights, parking lights;
- functioning license plate lights;
- working sound signal.
- Clean glass: windshield, rear, side. Not only that, through the maximum clear glass better seen, so it glares even less, mirrors, blinding both the driver himself and oncoming cars. Therefore, chips or cracks, even small ones, are also unacceptable.
- All process fluids: oil, coolant and brake fluid as well as the washer reservoir windshield filled in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. Top up something in dimly lit engine compartment a car parked on a dark deserted street is another pleasure.
- Salon and exterior mirrors - in stock, whole, clean.
- Wipers - the most cleaning the surface of the glass. And if your car has rear wiper, check its operation and how tight it fits. Maybe it's time to replace the wiper.
- Spare wheel, jack, wheel wrench - as they say, no comment. Waiting for help at night on a deserted road is a very long time, and often there is simply no one from anyone.
- Correct adjustment of the angle of inclination of the headlights. This will reduce the likelihood of dazzling oncoming drivers, as well as increase the efficiency of illuminating the road in front of the car.
An important role for safe night driving is also played by the type of road, each of which has its own specifics in this context.
Road types
All roads, and accordingly, movement along them, can be divided into:
- city traffic;
- major highways;
- minor roads between settlements;
- country "directions".
Traffic in the city
Roads in any city of our country, whether it be the capital or a small resort town for 70-100 thousand inhabitants, consists of a well-lit, well-marked center and adjacent sleeping areas. Full of surprises, surprises for both an experienced seasoned truck driver and a young lady whose driving experience is calculated in days. That's why - binding rules for trips at night:
- Move closer to the center. A lot of drunken citizens who simply "fall out" on the road risk being under the wheels of your car. Therefore, it is better to violate traffic rules than to crush one of them.
- The number of inadequate drivers whose actions defy any logic, and common sense alien to them as a class, multiplying. Moreover, managers not only cars, but also more big cars. Therefore, there are three tips: slow down, increase the distance (just don't overdo it) and be as careful as possible.
- Learn to feel the dimensions of the car. Without this skill, it is definitely impossible to go out on the road at night. The same advice applies if you've recently changed cars: established habits are very difficult to change quickly.
- The vast majority of traffic lights that regulate both the order of passage and the movement of pedestrians switch to a yellow flashing night mode. Priority for pedestrians and strict observance of signs and rules - only this way and nothing else.
- Finally, if it is possible to choose a route, give preference to main, well-lit roads. Even if it will be longer, believe me, you will definitely arrive earlier.
Highway trips
As practice shows, driving on the highway at night is the safest. However, if an accident does happen on a night road, the consequences can be very serious, often ending in an ambulance and a hospital. The reason is simple - non-compliance with the speed limit by most drivers. Even the most quality headlights, transferred to high beam, do not illuminate the section of the road sufficient for a complete stop of the car.
Therefore, if you are traveling alone, not in a convoy (that would be best solution for night traffic over long distances), you should attach yourself to an adequate driver and follow him. Although many people don't like to be such "pioneer skiers", make your ride as comfortable as possible:
- Observe the movement interval. This indisputable rule becomes especially relevant when driving at night.
- Do not blind with headlights: temporarily forget about the high beam, and adjust the low beam to the lowest position - it should practically creep along the road.
- You can periodically change roles with the driver in front by discussing the intervals of movement and stops at the nearest gas station. If he is in a hurry, you do not need to adapt to his rhythm - it will be difficult and uncomfortable for you.
- And of course, do not race to find out who has more powerful machine or who is the best driver.
One- and two-lane roads between cities
It is these roads that account for the bulk of cars moving at night. Tips are not much different from driving on highways, but they are still there:
- Most of these roads pass through various settlements. Reduce your speed and be extremely careful.
- When crossing a secondary road, slow down and switch your headlights to low beam. Drivers coming out of the dark cannot adequately judge the distance, and you can blind them with high beams.
- The quality of the roadway is worse than on highways, and not always evenly. Therefore, “waves”, irregularities, frank holes are a regular phenomenon. At the same time, the light from the headlights of your car is distributed in such a way that they are simply not visible. Bottom line: at least - a tangible blow, as a maximum - a torn wheel and a damaged suspension.
- Strictly comply with the instructions of all speed limit signs. They were installed definitely not in vain, but for many they even saved lives.
- Where there is not even a marking, stick to your lane - no one has yet canceled the logic when driving, especially at night.
Country roads
Such roads are the most undesirable option for movement even during the day, not to mention night driving. Therefore, if possible, try to avoid such extreme entertainment as the need to travel at night in these "directions". All the worst that can be on a night road is present here, and the only plus is that you will not be able to accelerate, nothing in comparison with all the shortcomings. Although there are country roads of excellent quality, illuminated by the necessary markings, but there are very few of them.
Requirements for a driver when driving at night
All of the above are requirements for the car, as well as what roads and how best to drive at night. However, the most important link in this chain is a person, in our case, a driver. The one who, according to all physiological laws, should sleep at night, and not stay awake, driving a car for many hours in a row. Here are the important rules for driving at night:
- "About ten." A simple rule: we drive for one hour - we rest for ten minutes. At modern speeds - a maximum of 150 kilometers of the car. So you will definitely delay the accumulated fatigue for many hours, but at the same time you will reach your destination without getting into an accident, just falling asleep at the wheel.
- No soft music - it works like a lullaby, most effectively lulling your composure and attentiveness.
- Passenger on front seat, supporting the conversation, and not peacefully snoring on the armchair. Therefore, many, if traveling alone, prefer to take fellow travelers at the nearest bus station or exit from the city.
- Don't turn on the interior lights. Moreover, the backlight of the instrument panel should be reduced to a minimum, and the radio should be switched to night mode. So you will not be distracted, and your eyes will be much less tired.
- Driving glasses will also come in handy. Their mirror surface will reduce the possibility of blinding by oncoming cars, and the yellow color is not too much, but still increase your concentration on the road.
- Coffee, energy drinks, just a lot of drinking. All this not only prevents the driver from falling asleep, but also forces him to make regular stops in order to go to the toilet - this is an additional warm-up for the general tone of the body.
- Nutrition - do not fill up: abundant food is guaranteed to make you sleepy. Although recharge for the brain and muscles, of course, is needed. Therefore, energy bars and chocolate are optimal.
- Lemon. Sour juice not only suppresses motion sickness, but also helps fight drowsiness. Just do not press a full glass and drink it in one gulp - there will be practically no effect. But the constant biting and thorough chewing of the fetus will perfectly help fight sleep. Sour candies have a similar effect.
- Alcohol. Even in small doses, it is unacceptable during daytime movement, and even more so at night. Therefore, even if at dinner you drank half a glass of champagne ( allowable rate blood alcohol content within a few hours), do not travel overnight.
Baggage requirements
It turns out that there are some. There are not many of them, although in fact they do not differ much from the requirements for luggage in a car when traveling in daytime days:
- Observe the passport load capacity of your car. Otherwise, the behavior of the car will become unpredictable, and the risk of getting into an accident increases many times over.
- Baggage in the cabin must be properly secured. During hard braking, a box of seedlings that hit the driver or a can of cola that blocked the pedals can cause serious harm, even death.
- The contents of the trunk must also be secured. Especially if it is not a heavy suitcase or 19-liter bottles of water, which for a while became "real estate".
- If you are transporting goods to top trunk, check how securely and efficiently it is fixed.
- trailer hitch, and lighting fixtures on it should be correct. Otherwise, a night trip with a trailer is not allowed.
Conclusion
However, no matter what the recommendations for night driving are, no matter what nuances try to make this task easier, there is a simple rule - if there is an opportunity to avoid a night trip, be sure to use it. The gain in time due to the higher speed limit and less traffic on the road is not worth the significant risk to life. And not only yours, but also other road users, including random night pedestrians.
Video on how to drive in the dark:
