Community Corner
A Refresher Course In Driver’s Education
School buses, emergency vehicles and four-way stops can be confusing if you can't remember what you learned in driver's ed, so we've pulled a few rules to help you drive easy on your UP streets.
Sometimes we need a friendly reminder of what we may have learned years ago.
Recently, I’ve noticed drivers unsure what the rules of the road are, so I’ve decided to do a refresher course with the Washington Driver Guide and wanted to pass on some key points that may help to refresh your mind, also.
Each point is taken directly from the guide, and if you would like further explanation please refer to it.
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School Buses-
You must stop for a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing whether it is on your side of the road, the opposite side of the road or at an intersection you are approaching. You are not required to stop for a school bus with red lights flashing when the stopped school bus is traveling in the opposite direction and the roadway:
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- has three or more marked traffic lanes,
- is separated by a median, or
- is separated by a physical barrier.
Scenario- I am driving south on Bridgeport towards Lakewood and a bus stops on the other side of the road. There is the beautiful UP median separating us, so I do NOT stop.
Police vehicle, fire engine, ambulance or other emergency vehicles-
You must yield the right-of-way to a police vehicle, fire engine, ambulance, or other emergency vehicle using a siren, air horn, or a red or blue flashing light. Pull over to the right edge of the road, or as near to the right as possible, and stop when you see or hear an emergency vehicle approaching from any direction. If you are in an intersection, drive through the intersection before you pull over. If the light is red, stay where you are. Follow any instructions given over the emergency vehicle’s loudspeaker.
Scenario- I am driving up 27th Street West toward Bridgeport and hear the horn from a fire engine coming towards me. I pull over especially since they may need to cross my path to turn down a street.
Four-Way Stop-
At a four-way stop the driver reaching the intersection first, goes first (after coming to a complete stop). If more than one vehicle arrives at the same time, the vehicle on the right goes first.
Scenario- I arrive at the intersection at the same time as another car and we are both going straight. I am to his left. Even though it was a tie, he should go first.
Thank you UP for letting me refresh your mind with some safe-driving rules of the road.