Are you hitting the road this summer? Always drive friendly!
Summer is the road trip season! Whether you’re hitting the road for days or hours, driving through new places can come with some unfamiliar infrastructure.
You might encounter roundabouts, colored bike lanes, cross-bikes, marked and unmarked crosswalk, the list goes on. If any of these road features are new to you, don’t worry, Oregon Friendly Driver is here to help you navigate the roads across Oregon, safely and confidently.
Many towns use roundabouts to keep traffic flowing efficiently, especially Central Oregon. Roundabouts also include people walking, biking, and using mobility devices. If you’re not used to roundabouts, they can feel overwhelming. Just remember:
- Yield to people in crosswalks.
- Yield to traffic already in the roundabout.
- Allow people on bikes to take priority when entering a roundabout.
- Always enter and exit roundabouts slowly, ensuring you are aware of everyone using the lanes and crosswalks.
Take it slow, and stay alert for all road users.
Oregon communities use a variety of infrastructure for people on bikes. In some areas, you’ll see:
- Painted bike lanes, sometimes green, to alert drivers to bike traffic. These spaces are for bikes, never for cars to drive or park in.
- Sharrows, which indicate shared lanes. Bicycles and cars travel together, and bikes have full use of the lane.
- Protected bike lanes, these look like bike lanes with a built in barrier on the outside.
- Cross bikes, are basically cross walks for bikes. They are usually marked with green paint and they allow people on bikes to cross the intersection safely.
Understanding different types of infrastructure helps everyone stay safe and respect each other’s space on the road. Remember, people on bikes have the same rights to the road as people on cars. It is crucial that we drive in a manner that protects all people using the road. It is especially important for someone driving to check their blind spots and ensure a clear passage if they are ever making a turn through a bike lane or a cross bike.
In rural areas and neighborhoods across the state, crosswalks might not be marked. but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. In Oregon, every corner is a legal crosswalk, marked or not. Always slow down and look for people showing their intention to cross the street.
Driving in a new place can feel stressful, especially when the rules or infrastructure are unfamiliar. That’s where the Oregon Friendly Driver Course comes in.
Our course helps drivers:
– Understand how to share the road safely
– Recognize different types of infrastructure
– Build confidence in driving around all types of roadway users
Take the Oregon Friendly Driver Course and become a safer, more informed driver, so you are prepared for any journey around beautiful Oregon.
