First there was the Pony Express. Then, American Express. And of course, we've all heard of Federal Express. By definition: express means fast, direct, making few stops, characterized by speed or velocity. So it's no wonder that when it came to building roads designed for fast driving, they were named "expressways." Show Let's take a moment to differentiate between an expressway and a freeway. A freeway is typically an Interstate highway. On a freeway, there are no intersections, no traffic signals, no curb- cuts and, there is full access control. Vehicles enter and leave the roadway only by way of on-ramps and off-ramps with acceleration and deceleration lanes. Interstate 70 is by definition a freeway. An expressway is a four-lane divided highway with partial access control. You will experience intersections, but not entrances. You may also encounter pedestrians and slow-moving vehicles, and maybe even interchanges. SPEED LIMITS When cars were first introduced and driving was limited to short distances and considered a "luxury" for most Americans, there was no need for speed limits. In fact the law read that speeds should be "reasonable and prudent." With the inception of the Interstate, or freeway system in Kansas, when the Turnpike was built in the late 1950's, it became necessary to post speed limits on some Kansas roadways. In fact, from 1957 to 1970, the Turnpike was posted at a maximum of 80 m.p.h. That changed to 75 during the day and 70 at night from 1970 through 1974. With the energy crisis and gasoline shortage in the mid-70's, the federal government took action to help alleviate the problem by enacting a nationwide 55 m.p.h. limit on all highways in 1974. A provision in the 1988 Transportation Appropriations Act allowed routes connected to Interstates in rural areas and built to interstate standards to be signed at 65 m.p.h. and routes like I-70, I-35 and K-10 in Kansas were changed to the higher limit. In 1996, the mandatory speed limit law was again changed on the federal level to allow states to set their own speed limits. In Kansas that now means:
TIPS "EXPRESSLY" FOR YOU
SEEING RED Because you can travel at up to 70 miles an hour on an expressway, it's easy to forget that there may be traffic signals, stop signs and emergency vehicles that require you to stop. It's a mistake that can prove tragic.
EXPRESSWAY BREAKDOWNS: Some Do's & Don'ts What if your vehicle breaks down on an expressway? First and foremost, do not leave your vehicle stopped in a traffic lane. Get off the road by pulling to the right shoulder if at all possible. Be especially careful at night when there is a greater chance of being hit from behind. Stay calm. Next steps:
Be Prepared For Problems The Scout motto certainly applies to driving. It helps to "be prepared" for any situation. Here's how:
EXPRESSWAY MARKINGS: Lines Pavement markings give you all kinds of information, such as:
Here are what the markings you see on the road mean:
WORK ZONES: Patience, Patience The bulk of our interstate highway system was built in the 1950's and 60's and many other highways were originally constructed before that time. Those roads are aging and in need of repair, replacement or improvement in some places. Millions will be spent to improve our state's roadways and bridges over the next few years. Those improvements bring with them an increase in the number of road construction sites...and that generally means delays. In a typical year, the state of Kansas has more than 500 highway projects underway. Municipalities throughout the state also have numerous construction sites on their local roadways. As a result, drivers are likely to encounter a variety of work zone conditions, including narrow lanes, concrete barriers, orange barrels, uneven pavement, slow moving equipment and loose gravel. Because of their temporary nature, these areas can surprise a motorist. The color orange is designated for most signs, barrels and barricades used in these areas. Annually, more than 700 people are killed and 39,000 injured nationally in crashes that occur in work zones. In Kansas, 85 percent of those killed were drivers and passengers of cars that crashed into other cars or roadside construction equipment. About 15 percent of those killed were road workers and pedestrians. Many states, including Kansas, double the fine for speeding in work zones, whether or not workers are on site. Some states even require jail time and/or community service for violations in work zones. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the combination of high speeds and congestion is the leading cause of crashes on urban interstates, followed by the failure to remain alert while driving. As a result, one in three work zone crashes is a rear-end collision. What Can You Do?
Here's The Law: Kansas law requires you to obey all signs in work zones. Many states double or triple the fine for a moving violation in work zones, whether or not workers are on site. Some states even require jail time and/or community service for violations in work zones. In Kansas, fines in work zones are doubled. If you are ticketed driving just 10 miles an hour over the speed limit in a work zone, you will pay at least $114 in fines and court costs. THE GREATEST ROAD THREAT: Yourself You may not realize it, but you pose the greatest danger to yourself and other drivers. Most crashes are due to driver error, not the highway. And it only takes a split second of driver inattention for a crash to occur. You say you always pay close attention while driving? Well...let's see. Have you ever talked on your cell phone while driving? Eaten food? Read the newspaper? Read directions to someplace you were trying to go? Blared the radio or tape player? Shaved? Put on make-up? Combed your hair? Bent down to pick something up off the floor? Lit a cigarette? Rode with a pet on your lap? You get the idea. Just remember, when you're driving, your focus needs to be on your driving. A split-second distraction can cause you to run off the road, rear-end a vehicle that has come to a sudden stop, swerve into the next lane...any number of things. Here's a scary statistic: one crash occurs every seven seconds in the United States. By the time you find and answer your cell phone, a crash has occurred somewhere. Make sure it's not you. DISTRACTIONS Cell Phones Cell phones are nice conveniences, but can potentially be deadly. An incoming call can divert your attention from the road. One solution: find a safe place to park before you answer that call. Likewise, if you have to make an outgoing call. Another solution: have your incoming cell phone calls routed to your voice mail or message machine until you safely arrive at your destination. Fast Food The split second you take to grab a french fry is all it takes to become involved in a collision. Noise Blaring music can prevent you from being able to hear sirens from emergency vehicles, train whistles and the horns of other drivers who may be trying to alert you. Cigarettes Lighting up or putting out a cigarette can distract you. So can flicking hot ashes on yourself or getting smoke in your eyes. If you smoke while you drive, be especially careful and realize its potential to distract you. Rubbernecking Slowing down to look at accidents, police cars that have pulled someone over, even at articles for sale along the road can cause crashes. Slowing down can affect the driver behind you, who might also be rubbernecking and not realize your car has slowed down. Loose articles Empty pop cans. CD's. Books. Come to a quick stop and these and similar items start rolling around. If something happens to lodge beneath your brake pedal or your gas pedal, it can become a disastrous situation. Check your car before you drive. Remove or secure any loose articles. Children and Pets Dealing with children and/or pets can be extremely distracting, especially if they are crying, fighting, barking and the like. Insist children are buckled securely in their seat belts (or if under the age of four in their child seat). Separate older children if necessary to keep them from squabbling. Provide them with a book to read or a game to play if they are going to be in the car for an extended period. In the case of pets, always use a pet carrier. YOU'RE NOT ALONE: Sharing the Road You may be alone in your car, but you're never alone on the expressway. You share that little strip of pavement with a multitude of vehicles-cars, pickups, 18-wheelers, motorcycles, recreational vehicles and slow-moving vehicles. You also share it with a multitude of people and their various personalities, preferences, habits and idiosyncrasies. Some forgot their glasses and aren't seeing too well that day; others had three or four drinks at dinner and are driving under the influence; still others may have smoked marijuana or snorted cocaine before they got behind the wheel. You never know. Maybe the woman next to you just lost her job; and the man in front of you just had a fight with his son. The driver on your right just got his license and has only been driving for two weeks. The Aggressive Driver All these people are out there with you. Their ability to drive is affected by numerous factors, physical and emotional. One of the most dangerous drivers is the aggressive driver. Governed either by a lack of courtesy and common sense, or by a physical (drugs or alcohol) or emotional situation, this driver puts you in danger. How do you properly enter an expressway?You should first slow down and then merge with the expressway traffic. Stop at the end of the acceleration lane before merging with the expressway traffic. Always use the acceleration lane to accelerate the speed of your vehicle to safely merge onto the expressway traffic.
What are the proper steps for entering an expressway choose the best five?What are the proper steps for entering an expressway? Chose correct entrance and make sure there are no "do not enter" signs, when on ramp check front & rear zones, turn signal on and watch to the left and right for a good place to merge onto ramp.
When traffic is entering the expressway drivers should drive in the far right lane?On expressways the far right lane should be used by faster moving traffic. Peripheral vision is affected by the speed of the vehicle. The best way to be prepared for a blocked lane is to allow for an escape route to one side of your vehicle.
When preparing to enter an expressway it is preferable to?Before entering an expressway, pay attention to road signs indicating the route number and direction of the road to make sure you're entering at the right place. Frequently, there will be entrances to the opposite sides of the expressway close to one another.
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