Traffic Signs

TRAFFIC SIGNS

Traffic Signs are their to

Guide you
• Warn you
• And inform you

Of potentially dangerous situations on the road ahead .All traffic signs found in St.Lucia are international signs. They enable us to travel to any part of the world and safely drive a motor vehicle; they are the language of the road.

Knowledge and obedience of traffic are important for all road users, generally

Triangular traffic signs warn you of potentially dangerous situations ahead where you might come into conflict with other road users for example junctions, bends, pedestrian crossings .

Red circler traffic signs give you a negative instruction they tell you what you must Not do for example No Entry, No Left turn, No U Turn.

Blue circler traffic signs give you a positive instruction you must do exactly what the blue signs tell you foe example One Way Street ,Keep Left ,Direction of traffic flow at a round a roundabout.

As road users we must learn and obey all traffic signs. Traffic signs are not part time signs; you can be charged and taken to court for disregarding any traffic sign.

Be socially responsible, vandalism of traffic signs could cause an innocent road user their life.

We would like to remind you that it is a criminal offence to damage, deface, or remove any traffic sign.

The pros and cons of Overtaking

OVERTAKING

Do not overtake unless you can do so safely; make sure the road is clear ahead and behind you.

Do not get too close to the vehicle you intend to overtake; it will obscure your view of the road ahead

Use your mirrors to check the speed and position of vehicles coming up from behind you.

Signal before you start to move out, remember other drivers cannot read your mind only your signal.

Read the road ahead and anticipate that the vehicle you are overtaking might move to the right without warning to avoid an obstruction.

Take extra care at night and in conditions of poor visibility when it is harder to judge speed and distances.

REMEMBER THE GOLDEN RULES OF OVERTAKING

• Mirrors first to check on what is happening behind and to your sides , to see how your actions will affect others

• Signal to inform other road users of your intension to overtake ,

REMEMBER other road users can only read your signal NOT YOUR MIND

• Manoeuvre Once you have started to overtake quickly move pass the vehicle you are overtaking, leaving it plenty of room.

• Then move back to the left as soon as you can not forgetting to check the left mirror do not cut in.
  
  When overtaking motorcyclists, pedal cyclists, horse riders give them just as much room as you would give a car.
  
  Remember that cyclists may be unable to ride in a straight line, especially when it is windy or if there are potholes on the road surface
  
  Normally we overtake on the right only. But there are two occasion when you can overtake on the left they are:
  
  (1) When the vehicle in front is signalling and has positioned to make a right turn, if there is space to his left you can pass on the left.
  
  (2) When traffic is moving slowly in queues and vehicles in a lane in the right are moving more slowly than you are. But do not change to the left just to overtake.
  
  Do not increase your speed when you are being overtaken by other road users, slow down if necessary to let the overtaking vehicle pass you and pull in safely.
  
  Give way to vehicle coming towards you before passing parked vehicles or other obstructions On your side of the road.
  
  
  
  
  YOU MUST NOT OVERTAKE:
  
• Where you cannot see far enough ahead to be sure it is safe, for example when you are Approaching or at
  
  • A corner or bend in the road
  
  • A hump back bridge
  
  The brow of a hill.
  
  YOU MUST NOT overtake
  
  
  Where you might come into conflict with other road users, for example:
  
  • Approaching or at a road junction on either side of the road
  
  • Where the road narrows
  
  • When approaching a school crossing
  
  • Where traffic is queuing at junctions or road works
  
  • Where you would force oncoming vehicles to swerve or slow down.
  
  Do not overtake:
  
  If you would have to cross or straddle double white lines with an unbroken line closest to you.
  
  Do not overtake
  
  • On approach to a pedestrian crossing
  
  • After a no overtaking sign
  
  REMEMBER THE GOLDEN RULE: IF IN DOUBT--- DO NOT OVERTAKE
  
  
  

PROPER USE OF THE HORN

Use of the Horn

Have you ever driven into a blind bend in the road and found another vehicle that you were not aware of coming in the opposite direction ,and found that driver badly positioned in the bend or even on your side of the road.

And you quickly realized that if either one of you had been a few seconds earlier or later into the bend their could have been a nasty accident.

You can easily avoid this situation by blowing your horn on approach to every blind bend and anticipate meeting another vehicle.

Blow your horn early and loud enough to give the other driver those vital few seconds advance warning of your presence.

Remember the other driver will hear your horn long before he can see you, so if he is in a bad position coming into the bend he will have time to correct his position.

Those few seconds advance warning help both of you.

IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE


Use your horn before overtaking, to bring that drivers attention to you.


Whenever you approach any traffic hazard you must consider the use of the horn as an advance warning of your presence,

Remember that using the horn does not give you the right of way in any traffic situation nor does it relieve of your responsibility to drive your vehicle in a safe courteous manner on our roads.

There are certain legal restrictions on the use of the horn at night in built up areas. So get into the habit “beep beep” on every blind bend you come across.

The two second rule (what is it?)

TIPS FOR BETTER DRIVING (1)


Hello and welcome to Tips for better driving, the aim of this road safety message
is

• Is to help drivers improve their standard of driving by giving information on up to date modern techniques in practical Defensive Driving methods.

• To develop road safety skills and knowledge of he High Way code.
  

More traffic and faster vehicles mean that however safe and reliable a car may be its driver has to have much more driving skills than ever before.

Today’s drivers cannot escape their own direct and personal responsibility for the accidents that that occur on our roads every year.

The Two Second Rule

So there you are driving along behind the vehicle in front, now how can you be certain that you are the correct separation distance behind him? Just suppose that driver in front of you had to do an emergency stop (for example a pedestrian might have stepped into the road in front of him) would you be able to stop in time or would you crash into the back of him.

One-way of making sure this never happens to you is to keep at least two seconds behind the vehicle in front. Here’s how to check.

When travelling behind the vehicle in front look ahead and pick an object at the side of the road, the object could be for example an electricity pole, a tree, a parked car, anything that is not going to move for the next two seconds, this will be your fixed reference point.

When the back of the vehicle in front passes this point say to yourself this poem ‘’ only a fool breaks the two second rule “this takes about two seconds to say.

If you did not pass the reference point before you finished the poem then your separation distance is good


If you passed the reference point before you finished the poem than you are driving much to close, drop back and try the test again.

Remember two seconds is the minimum distance you should be behind the vehicle in front of you on a dry road.

When it is raining or the road is wet your tyres will have less grip on the road surface, if you have to brake hard your vehicle could get into a skid.

Under these conditions being only two seconds behind the vehicle in front is much too close.

Drop back to four seconds (say the poem twice,) this will give you more time to react and bring your vehicle to a safe stop on wet roads. Try it, it really works.

Remember the poem now “Only a Fool Breaks the Two Second Rule” It could save your life or damage to your expensive motor vehicle one day.

KEEP YOUR DISTANCE

OVERSIZE TYRES

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Oversize Tyres

If you are tempted to buy oversize magnesium alloy rims remember that nice as they look alloy rims are much more prone to damage than steel ones.

If they are wider than the standard Manufactures wheels they replace, considerable extra strain can be throne on the hub bearings which than wear very quickly, and have to be replaced.

Oversize Tyres will

• Give you and your passengers a harsher ride leading to more fatigue.

• Put extra strain on your steering components leading to early replacement of ball joints, steering boxes, steering racks etc.

• Cause your hub bearings to wear quickly

• Increase the rolling resistance of the tyre leading to heavier petrol consumption.

If the width of the tyre is excessive the tyre can rub dangerously on the bodywork of the vehicle when it is driven around a corner or over a bump.

When a vehicle is braked hard extra weight is thrown onto the front suspension

This causes the front to dip down and can cause the oversize tyre that will be rotating very fast to rub on the vehicle body

Which can lead to the tyres literally disintegrating and causing a horrific road traffic accident.


Prepared by
Martin P. Joseph
Driving Examiner

TYRES

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Tyres

Let us look at one of the most important and at the some time most neglected item on most motor vehicle, tyres.

Most drivers occasionally check pressures with a quick look and a kick, and never really think about the important function of those four circular pieces of rubber, whose area of contact with the road surface at any moment when rotating is about the size of a size ten (10) shoe.

Tread Pattern

Contrary to popular belief the groves or channels in the tyres are not for the purpose of traction.

The sole purpose of the groves or channels in the tyres is to remove water from the road surface

The Function of the Tread Pattern.

When the tyres are rotating the groves or channels are designed to pick up the water at the leading front edge of the tyre and channel that water and force it to pass to the rear and sides of the tyre, enabling the rubber to remain in firm contact with the road surface.

At sixty miles per hour a tyre has to shift gallons of water every second if the rubber is to bite down onto the road surface.

The deeper the groves or channels in the tread pattern the easier the tyres can carry out this function.

As the tyres become worn through use, the groves become smaller and smaller reducing, and sometimes completely eliminating the tyres ability to remove the surface water leading to a very dangerous condition known as Aquaplaning.

When the rubber can not bite down to the road surface in wet weather, either because the channels are not deep enough or you are traveling to fast for the conditions, the tyres start to skim along the surface of the water and lose contact with the road surface.

Now you will be in real trouble because when you brake the vehicle, the road wheels stop rotating immediately but the vehicle continues to move forward at the same speed,

The rubber is not in contact with the road surface so therefore cannot retard the vehicle).

When the vehicle is steered into a corner the angle of the front wheels change but the vehicle will not change direction. (The tyre is not in contact with the road surface so the rubber can not change the direction of the vehicle).

At this point your vehicle is really behaving just like a speed boat on the water.

Aquaplaning (how to reduce the risk)

• In wet weather reduce your road speed.

• Never use tyres that are below the legal limit for your type of vehicle.

• Keep tyres properly inflated.

Minimum Tyre tread depth for Saint Lucia

Type of Vehicle
Minimum depth in Millimeters

Car/Jeeps (Small) 1.mm

Jeeps (Large) 2.mm

14 Seat Passenger Bus 2.mm


Please remember these limits are the legal minimum depth of the channels for your type of vehicle, and anyone with an eye for safety will think about replacement when the rubber is down to around the 3mm mark.

Prepared by
Martin P. Joseph
Driving Examiner

AIR BAGS

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AIRBAGS

Air bags were first introduced in vehicles in 1972.Airbags provides additional protection in frontal collisions at speeds faster than 12 m.p.h.

In a frontal collision, a computer sensor recognizes the sudden loss of speed and triggers an inflation mechanism.

Sodium azide is released, reacting with the air to produce nitrogen, which fills the bag within one-tenth of a second after impact. In the new generation of air bags an explosive device is used to inflate the bag.

After deployment the bag immediately deflates and is empty after about 1 second.

LOCATION

Airbags are located in the steering wheel, if the vehicle is fitted with a passenger side bag it will be to the left of the instrument panel in the region of the glove box. Some expensive vehicles have airbags on all doors for side impact collision.


MATERIAL
Airbags are durable. An unused bag will last the life of the vehicle. Airbags do not contain poisonous gas .The gas that inflates the air bag (sodium azide) generates nitrogen. Nitrogen makes up approximately 80% of the air we breathe.

INFLATION
An accidental inflation is extremely rare; even if one occurred it would not be likely to cause the driver to lose control of his vehicle. Collisions under 12 m.p.h will not cause the bag to inflate.

INJURY
Airbags inflate at a speed of over 200 m.p.h; due to this rapid inflation rate short people are more likely to be killed by the inflating bag, because they tend to sit closer to the steering wheel.

Since the risk zone for driver airbags is the first 2-3 inches of inflation, placing yourself 10 inches from your driver airbag provides you with a clear margin of safety. This distance is measured from the center of the steering wheel to your breastbone.

Airbags deploying will not cause permanent hearing damage. In most tests the sound of the bag inflating cannot be heard over the sound of the collision.

USING AIRBAGS AND SAFETY BELTS
People wrongly believe that that when airbags are fitted to their vehicle they do not have to wear a safety belt, Airbags should never be your sole means of protection.

Some collisions involve multiple impacts; the bag inflates for the first impact than deflates within one second, leaving you with no protection for the second impact, always wears your safety belt.

Airbags are not intended to work alone and offer additional protection NOT the only protection.they are not a substitute for safety belts, lap and shoulder belts MUST be worn also.

Once an airbag has been deployed, it cannot be used again and must be replaced




Prepared by

MartinP. Joseph

Driving Examiner

OCCUPANT PROTECTION DEVICES

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We Cover All Your Driving Needs

Hi and welcome to the first of a series of road safety articles brought to you by the Omega Driving School.

The aim of these articles is to

• Promote a sense of responsibility and concern for all road users.
  


• Give information on up-to-date Defensive Driving Techniques
  


• · Improve knowledge and awareness of the Highway code and the Road Traffic Ac
  

• · To give technical information on matters affecting passenger and vehicle safety

In this issue we are going to look at the various occupant protection devices found in motor vehicles to protect us in a traffic accident. Let’s begin with the safety belt.

Remember in St.Lucia it is now law for all drivers and front seat passengers to wear a safety belt if the vehicle is fitted with one. We also recommend rear seat passengers to buckle up.

The purpose of the safety belt is to:

* Protect you by absorbing the impact forces in collision.
* Seat belt helps you to stay in control of your vehicle by keeping you in your seat.

It has been known for passengers in the rear seat to kill people in the front due to the severe impact forces involved in a collision. People who wear a safety belt have a 45% chance of surviving a serious traffic accident, and a 50% chance surviving without serious injuries.

WEARING AND MAINTENANCE:

Safety belt should be worn so that the lap belt is low and snug across the hips, not across the stomach.

The shoulder strap should be snug across the chest and on your shoulder not touching the neck.

Keep the belt clean, wipe only with mild soapy water, check for cuts or fraying along the entire length of the belt and replace if damaged.

Check belt for smooth operation, tug belt sharply to check lockup mechanism...

After a serious collision any belts in use at the time of impact must be replaced or thoroughly inspected for continued use.


When your vehicle is involved in a frontal collision certain forces act on your vehicle and you. We have to understand this to appreciate the importance of wearing a safety belt.

Imagine that you are driving down a road and you are involved in a collision at 30 mph, on impact your vehicle will come to a stop in a fraction of a second, once the vehicle stops, everybody inside the vehicle that is not wearing a safety belt will continue to move forward at the original speed you were traveling at the moment of impact .

Your body will hit the steering wheel, dash board, or windscreen with an impact force of 3 1/2 tons, that is about the weight of an elephant. On striking the interior of the car your body then stops dead, now all your internal organs (brain hart liver intestines etc) accelerate to your impact speed and hit your body walls with an impact force of 3.5 tons at 30 mph, now this is when the real injuries occur

Even at a speed of only10 mph the forces of impact is the same as trying to catch 200 lbs bag of cement dropped from a 1st floor window.

Some people falsely believe that they do not need to wear a safety belt because in a crash they will be able to brace themselves against the forces of impact, you can now see that it is not possible to do this. Your limbs simply cannot withstand such forces of impact. And remember the greater the speed involved in a crash the greater the forces of impact.

Some drivers believe that just because they are wearing a safety belt they are safe, and can therefore drive in an unsafe manner, as the safety belt will protect them. This is not the case. In a severe frontal collision the belt will hold you in place but due to the speed involved on impact the passenger compartment collapses in around you, and moves towards you to meet your body resulting in severe injuries.

Now let us look at some common excuses people give for not wearing a safety belt.

1. I am a good driver.

FACT-- A lot of other drivers are not. In your lifetime you have a one in three chance of being involved in a fatal crash. Even if you are a good driver, safety belts are your protection from other drivers.

2. I can brace myself if I see a crash coming.

FACT--In a crash at only 30 mph your body will be thrown forward with a force of 3.5 tons. This is much more force than wrist, elbows and other arm bones can stand, it is simply not possible to brace yourself against such forces, and remember the higher the speed on impact the greater the forces on your body.

3. I don’t want to be trapped in a burning or submerge vehicle.

FACT--Less than half of 1% of injury produce in collision involve fire or submerging, what you see at the movies is not true; cars do not just burst into flames after every collision. If you are not wearing a safety belt you may be thrown from your vehicle onto the road surface where you have 25 times greater chance of serious injury than if you remain in your seat. The impact forces in a collision can be great enough to fling you body as far as 150 feet that is about 15 car length.

4. When in the rear seat of a vehicle I do not need to wear a seat belt.

FACT--Rear seat passengers can hit the back of the front seat with enough force to remove the seat from its mountings thus pinning front seat occupants between the seat and the dashboard with an even greater force. Rear seat passengers have been known to come over the top of the front seat hitting the front seat occupants in the back of the head and killing them.

5. I only need to wear safety belts when going on a long journey

FACT - -In the United Kingdom 75% of deaths or injuries occur less than 10 miles from home, wear your belt even for the shortest of journeys. It is better to have the protection and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

SEAT BELTS SAVE LIVES, BUCKLE UP YOUR SAFETY BELT BEFORE YOU START UP.

HEAD RESTS

Headrests protect in the event you are hit from the rear of the vehicle, in that
Situation as you are hit the impact pushes your vehicle forward.

Without the headrest your head will be forced violently backwards until it touches the top of the seat, this sudden neck stretching can cause a whiplash injury to the neck vertebrae and the spinal cord causing neck and spinal injuries that can leave you paralysed for life.

If the head is twisted back through more than about 900 it can be fatal. Proper placement of headrests can prevent injury. A proper placement is one in which the pointed or padded portion of the headrest is even with the back of the head.

OPEN PICK-UP VANS (TRAVEL AT YOUR OWN RISK).

It is very dangerous to travel in the cargo compartment of this type of vehicle.

When travelling in this type of motor vehicle it is safer to travel inside in a seat wearing a safety belt. If you must travel in the cargo compartment

DO NOT

* Sit on the edges or the tailboard of the vehicle
* Stand up in the back

The impact forces in a collision can be great enough to throw your body as far as 150 feet away from the site of impact, that about 15 car lengths.

If you must travel in the cargo compartment remember the safest position in the cargo compartment is for you to sit on the floor with your back resting on the rear of the passenger compartment, this has the effect of lowering your centre of gravity and gives your body something firm to brace against at the moment of impact.
So what if the floor is always dirty … remember it is better to have a dirty pair of pants than to die a horrific death in the back of this type of vehicle.

TRAVEL AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Remember if you are injured when travelling in the back of this type of vehicle you will not be covered by the driver’s insurance policy, and cannot make any claims for compensation.


Prepared by
Martin P. Joseph
Driving Examiner