Rules of the Road

Speed Limits

A speed limit is the maximum legal speed you can travel on a road under ideal conditions. You may drive slower than the posted speed, but it is illegal to drive any faster. By law, you must drive slower if conditions make the posted speed unsafe. It is illegal to use a radar detector in Virginia. However, you may legally possess one if the device has no power source and no one in the car can access it.

Stopping

You must always stop your vehicle:

when approaching from any direction on a public or private road a stopped school bus with flashing red lights and extended stop sign. Stop and remain stopped until all children are clear and the bus moves again. If you are traveling on the opposite side of a divided highway separated by a physical barrier or unpaved median area, you are not required to stop.

before the crosswalk at all stop signs, red traffic lights and flashing red signals.

when entering a street or crossing over a sidewalk from a driveway, alley, building or parking lot.

at railroad crossings with flashing signals or flaggers.

when signaled by flaggers at construction sites. for blind persons attempting to cross a street.

at the direction of a police officer. If you disregard a law enforcement officer's signal to stop and the officer pursues you due to this violation and is killed as a direct result of the pursuit, you will be guilty of a Class 4 felony. You may be prosecuted for multiple violations if you violate another law in the process of disregarding an officer's signal to stop.

at the scene of a crash in which you are involved.

Both reaction distance and braking distance are affected by weather, visibility and your mental and physical condition. Braking distance is further affected by the speed at which your vehicle is traveling, the condition of your brakes and tires and the pavement condition. For example, wet pavement can double your braking distance.

When driving on wet roads, reduce your speed by one-third. For example, slow down from 55 MPH to 35 MPH. When driving on packed snow, reduce your speed by one-half.

No matter how quickly you react, on the average, it takes 344 feet-- more than the length of a football field--to stop an automobile going 65 MPH on a dry, level, hard-surface highway. It’s not a matter of luck or skill; it’s a law of physics. The chart on the preceding page gives you average stopping distances for automobiles on dry level pavement.

If your vehicle is equipped with antilock brakes, be sure that you understand how they work. Check your owner's manual and practice braking before you go out on the road. Remember, never pump antilock brakes.
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Right-of-Way

When two vehicles approach an intersection not controlled by traffic lights or signs, neither vehicle has the right-of-way. Generally, Virginia law states that when two or more vehicles approach an uncontrolled intersection from different directions at the same time, the driver on the LEFT must yield to the driver on the right.

If the traffic lights at an intersection are not functioning, all vehicles approaching the intersection must stop. The driver on the left must yield to the driver on the right.

The law does not give the right-of-way to anyone. It only states which driver must yield to another.

Yield also means to stop if you cannot merge safely into the flow of traffic.

Emergency Vehicles

When approaching a stopped emergency vehicle, you must change lanes, where reasonable. If changing lanes is unreasonable or unsafe, you must proceed with caution.

Violations can result in court suspension of your driver’s license and demerit points on your driving record.

Additionally,

• You may not park within 500 feet of where fire trucks or equipment are stopped answering an alarm.
• You must yield the right-of-way to police, fire, rescue vehicles and ambulances using a siren, flashing lights or both.
• Never follow any emergency vehicle closer than 500 feet.
• When police, fire and rescue vehicles or ambulances approach you using a siren, flashing light or both, you must immediately yield the right-of-way. Pull over to the right edge of the road and stop until the emergency vehicle has passed. Don’t follow any emergency vehicle any closer than 500 feet.
• Regardless of your direction, on an undivided highway, you must pull over to the edge of the road and allow an emergency vehicle to pass.

• Drivers entering an interstate from an entrance ramp must yield the right-of-way to traffic already on the highway.
• Drivers entering any intersection or traffic circle must yield to traffic already in it.
• From a private road or driveway, you must stop before crossing a sidewalk or entering a public street. You must yield to all oncoming traffic and pedestrians.
• When two vehicles are approaching each other and signaling to turn left, both vehicles should take the inside path, the lane closest to the center. They will complete the turn by turning in front of each other.
• You must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians who are crossing a street within a clearly marked crosswalk or at an intersection.
• You must always yield to visually handicapped pedestrians who are crossing a public street or highway. Visually handicapped pedestrians usually carry a white cane or are aided by a guide dog.
• You must yield to funeral processions. Do not cut through, join or interfere with a funeral procession. Unless accompanied or led by a police escort, the lead vehicle in a funeral procession must obey all traffic signs and signals. Other drivers in the procession may follow carefully without stopping and may use hazard lights (flashers) to indicate they are in the procession.
• You must yield to all military convoys. Never cut through or join a military convoy.
• Police officers directing traffic should be obeyed over all other signs or signals.

Remember that turns on red are especially hazardous to pedestrians. Regardless of who has the right-of-way, avoid conflict with pedestrians and permit them to cross the street safely.

In these illustrations, the shaded vehicle must stop and remain stopped until all children are clear of the roadway and the bus moves again.

• When approaching a school bus with flashing signals or flashing signals and an extended stop sign on a public or private road, you must stop and remain stopped until all children are clear of the roadway and the bus moves again.

• You must also stop if the bus is loading or unloading children and the signal devices are not functioning properly.

• You do not have to stop, however, if you are traveling in the opposite direction on roadways separated by a physical barrier or unpaved median area.

Circular Intersections

Roundabouts, rotaries, and traffic circles are intersections that are controlled by a circular island in the center. Circular intersections may have one or more lanes. Entering traffic must yield the right-of-way to circulating traffic. Each road approaching the circular intersection is marked with a yield sign and may also have yield line markings on the pavement. However, rotaries and other circles may have stop signs. Drivers must be attentive and obey message signs.

Circular intersections are easy to use. Simply position your vehicle correctly and use your turn signals to indicate where you want to go.

When approaching a circular intersection, slow down. You must yield to traffic already in the circulatory roadway. If you plan to turn right, stay to the right as you enter the circular intersection. If you plan to go straight, you may stay in either lane (if it is a dual lane circular intersection). If you plan to turn left, stay to the left as you enter the circular intersection.

Studies show a roundabout can reduce the number and severity of crashes at an intersection, compared to intersections controlled by stop signs or traffic signals. Modern roundabouts are widely used in Europe and Australia, and are becoming more common in Virginia. More information about driving safely through a roundabout is available at the Virginia Department of Transportation web site at http://www.vdot.virginia.gov/info/faq-roundabouts.asp.

Tips for driving safely through a roundabout:

• As you approach the roundabout, slow down; look for the street and direction signs. This will help you know which exit to take. These signs should be posted along the roadside before you reach the roundabout.
• When you arrive at the roundabout, yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and bicyclists. You also must yield to any drivers already in the roundabout. Sometimes your entry point will be controlled by a stop sign or traffic signal. When the traffic level allows enough space and time, you may enter the roundabout.
• While inside the roundabout, stay in your lane until you are ready to exit. Use your vehicle's right turn signal to let the other users know what you want to do, whether you want to move from the "inside path" to the "outside path" before exiting, or are already in position to exit.
• Do not change lanes or take an exit before checking for vehicles that may be continuing through the roundabout in the lane next to you or behind you. Expect vehicles to be in "blind spots" you cannot see in your rearview mirrors.

U-Turns

U-turns are not legal everywhere. So before you make a U-turn, check for signs prohibiting them. In business districts, cities and towns, U-turns are allowed only at intersections. Never make a U-turn on an expressway. When making a U-turn, give a left turn signal, stop, check for approaching traffic. Proceed into the outside or right hand lane traveling in the opposite direction.
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Parking

When parking on a public road, move as far from traffic as possible. If you park on a road-side shoulder, pull as far on to it as possible. If you park next to a curb, pull close to it. You may not park more than one foot from the curb. Always park on the right side of the roadway unless it is a oneway street.

Parking on hills

When parking on a hill with a curb, turn the front wheels to prevent your vehicle from rolling into the street. When parking on a hill, turn the front wheels of your vehicle to prevent it from rolling into the street. Refer to illustrations A and B. If there is no curb, turn the front wheels so that if the vehicle rolls, the rear of the vehicle will roll away from traffic. Refer to illustrations C and D.

You may not park:

• beside another parked vehicle (double parking);
• on crosswalks or sidewalks;
• in front of driveways;
• within areas where parking is prohibited by curbs painted yellow or No Parking signs;
• in a parking space reserved for disabled persons;
• on the hard surface of a road when no curb is present;
• within 15 feet of a fire hydrant;
• within 20 feet of an intersection;
• within 15 feet of the entrance to a fire, ambulance or rescue squad station;
• within 500 feet of where fire trucks or equipment are stopped answering an alarm;
• within 50 feet of a railroad crossing; or,
• in such a way that you block or create a hazard for other vehicles in a designated traffic lane.

Traffic Crashes

If you are involved in a traffic crash, you must:

• Stop at the scene of the crash or as close to the scene as possible without blocking traffic. You may move the vehicles before the police arrive if the vehicles create a traffic hazard.
• Give any help you can if someone is injured. Do not attempt to move an injured person from a wrecked vehicle unless you have the necessary medical training or there is an immediate danger such as fire.
• Report the crash to the police as quickly as possible. Motor vehicle crashes involving property damage, personal injury or death must be reported to the police.
• Exchange information with other people involved in the crash as soon as possible. Be sure to get the following information:
  • name, address and driver's license number of other drivers;
  • license plate numbers of other vehicles;
  • name and address of anyone who was injured;
  • name and address of each witness;
  • name, address and insurance policy number of other vehicle owners.
• Notify your insurance company immediately.

Law enforcement officers are required to forward a written crash report to DMV when a traffic crash results in injury or the death of any person or total property damage in excess of $1,000. All crash information will be recorded on the DMV records of each driver involved in the crash.

You must make a reasonable effort to find the owner of an unattended vehicle or other property damaged in a crash. If you cannot locate anyone, leave a note that can be found easily at the scene of the crash. Include your name, address, telephone number, driver’s license number, the date and time of the crash and an estimate of the damage. You must also report the crash to the police within 24 hours.

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