These Little-Known Traffic Rules Will Help You Drive Smarter
If you are going to drive, you have to follow the rules and most of us are familiar with the basics. However, there are a few lesser known road rules. Maybe you learned them in the driver’s seat, but forgot because they are not as important as, say, stopping at a red light. However, they will help you navigate effectively and communicate silently with other drivers.
The location of the exit panel alerts you to the left exit
My dad recently told me about this, but we’ve talked about it before : if the motorway exit is on the left, you can tell by the location of the sign.
In most cases, the left exits are clearly marked, but this is not always the case. As the Federal Highway Administration of the US Department of Transportation explains (PDF), if the exit number panel is located to the left of the freeway sign, the exit is on the left. If it is on the right, then the exit will be on the right.
However, not all left exits are marked this way. Some exit panels, right or left, are located in the middle, which doesn’t help you much. However, if you bump into the left panel, let it be heads-up – the exit will be on the left.
Exit numbers tell you how far you need to go
You are probably familiar with the feature of mile markers, which show the number of miles ago (or remaining) where the highway entered your state. According to the Federal Highway Administration, counting always starts on the southern line of the state for north-south routes and west for east-west routes.
One reader warned us about the number of exits based on distance, which corresponds to these marks in kilometers.
This is useful information for determining where you are and how far you need to go. For example, if you are passing exit 40, you know you are close to 40 miles. Thus, if you have to get off at exit 50, you can easily say that you are 10 miles away.
However, keep in mind that not all states follow this standard . Here you can see if your state is using distance based exit numbers.
Highway numbers tell you where you are going
Your highway number is another indicator of where you are heading. Interstate highways use an odd or even numbering system.
If a highway has an odd number, it moves from north to south and the numbers increase from the west coast (I-5) to the east coast (I-95). If the highway is level, then it runs from east to west, and the number should increase from south (I-10) to north (I-94). Of course, there are times when highways veer in different directions for a while, but as the FDA points out , the rule is based on the general direction of the highway.
And then there are three-digit interstate highways. The numbers on a three-digit highway usually tell you a few things:
- If the first digit is even, the highway usually connects to another highway at both ends, that is, it is a loop.
- If the first digit is odd, the highway is usually a “branch”.
- The last two numbers usually tell you which interstate your route starts off. For example: I-210 in California branches off from I-10. Loop I-610 in Houston also branches off from I-10.
Again, these rules are typical, but there are always a few exceptions. As Snopes points out , I-238 in California does not branch off from Interstate 38 because Interstate 38 does not exist.
Truck drivers have their own headlight code
You probably already know how to direct a high beam at someone who drives without their own at night to signal them to turn them on. Beyond that, there is interesting headlight vocabulary that truck drivers in particular use to communicate simply because they drive so much.
For example, you probably already know that when a truck (or just another car) turns on the blinker to enter your lane, a rapidly flashing light on them says “Forward.” If they flash their taillights twice ( we said “hit the brakes” earlier, it was wrong ), that’s their way of saying “thank you.” Broken Secrets describes a few more :
- Most often, the signal is used by cars and trucks in oncoming lane. They will flash their headlights twice as they just pass the police trap you are heading towards. While this is very helpful, make sure you are aware of local laws about it, in some places it is against the law.
- More than two consecutive flashes of oncoming traffic lights indicate a different type of hazard, such as a foreign object on the road, and drivers should proceed with caution.
- Truck drivers turn on flashing hazard lights when highway traffic comes to a sudden stop. This signal is fairly common among drivers in Europe, but only common among truck drivers in North America.
These rules are useful for truck drivers because it can be difficult to maneuver a huge vehicle around a group of small fast cars. However, they will be useful to all of us. Plus they’re pretty funny.
Blue reflectors – fire hydrant warning
You’ve probably been in a scenario like this: you are looking for parking, it seems to you that you see a place, but no, it’s a fire hydrant. However, if you pay attention, the road will often warn you about it. Blue reflectors on the road are a sign that there is a fire hydrant ahead .
While this is intended for firefighters, it is useful for those of us with parking issues as well. Likewise, white markers indicate lane markings , yellow markers separate traffic in opposite directions (or mark the left sidewalk on one-way streets), and if you see red markers, they are a warning that you are driving in the wrong direction. The red markers are actually crisp, white or yellow when you go the right way.
Of course, these colors also vary from country to country, and you can see their different meanings here .
Most of us know and follow the basic rules of the road. However, there are many rules, which means that many of the less important ones are forgotten. They’re not nearly as important as the others, but they’re still useful nuggets to have on hand.
Illustration by Sam Woolley