On The Road

Road rule refreshers

21/09/2011 Office of Road Safety

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Every now and then we encounter a road scenario we aren’t certain how to handle correctly, so we take a look at some of the most common causes of confusion on the road to allow yourself and other drivers a safe and enjoyable ride.

Andy McLeod, an RAC driving instructor and former police officer says there are common mistakes people make on the road putting them at risk of an accident or becoming a victim of road rage. He says knowing and following the road rules is helpful in preventing this, though cautions against policing other drivers that are not following the rules to your satisfaction.

“Policing other drivers, such as blocking them in to stop them speeding, is just as unsafe and creates stress and distraction for yourself and others, lessening enjoyment of the ride," he says.

Andy says if you find yourself on the receiving end of someone’s aggression over their perception of your conduct on the road, the best thing to do is ignore them, let them pass and move on.

The Road Traffic Code 2000 outlines the regulations as to how a person handles themselves on the road in the various scenarios. Here are some of the common areas of confusion on the road, and how the RTC states they should be handled.

• A driver entering a roundabout must give way to a vehicle that is already within the roundabout.
• If you intend to leave the roundabout at the first exit after entering the roundabout and that exit is less than half way around the roundabout, give a left turn signal when approaching the roundabout, then continue to give a left turn signal until leaving the roundabout.
• If you intend to leave a roundabout more than half way around, give a right turn signal when approaching the roundabout and continue to give the right turn signal until turning off, unless you are changing marked lanes or entering another line of traffic.
• For drivers that intend to drive through a roundabout, stick to the left hand lane unless your vehicle is too large.
• If you are in a line of traffic that is merging with one or more lines of traffic travelling in the same direction as yourself, you must give way to a vehicle in another line of traffic if any part of their vehicle is ahead of yours.
• Except when overtaking and passing, keep enough distance behind the vehicle in front of you to allow yourself time to stop in an emergency with safety, and without running into the vehicle in front of you.

For more safe driving tips, visit www.ors.wa.gov.au