Road Safety & Traffic Management Flashcards

A driver notices their vehicle begins to hydroplane. The correct response is to:

Answer: Ease off the accelerator and steer straight until traction returns

Gentle deceleration without braking and holding a straight line allows tires to re-establish contact with the road surface.

What does the term 'level of service' (LOS) measure in traffic engineering?

Answer: Qualitative measure of traffic flow conditions from free-flow (A) to gridlock (F)

LOS grades roadway performance on a scale from A (free flow) to F (forced or breakdown flow).

Which action is MOST effective in reducing pedestrian fatalities at unsignalized midblock locations?

Answer: Installing raised pedestrian crossings with high-visibility markings

Raised crosswalks slow traffic and increase driver awareness, significantly reducing pedestrian crash severity.

Under federal regulations, commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers are subject to hours-of-service rules primarily to:

Answer: Reduce fatigue-related crashes by limiting driving hours

Hours-of-service rules limit consecutive driving time to combat driver fatigue, a major cause of large-truck crashes.

A bicyclist is riding in a travel lane on a road with no bike lane. Legally, the cyclist:

Answer: Has the right to use the full travel lane

In most US states, cyclists have the legal right to occupy a travel lane when no bike lane is present.

Which sign shape in the US exclusively indicates a railroad crossing ahead?

Answer: Round

A circular (round) sign is reserved exclusively for advance warning of railroad grade crossings.

When merging onto a freeway, the correct technique is to:

Answer: Accelerate in the acceleration lane to match freeway traffic speed before merging

Matching freeway speed before merging minimizes speed differentials and reduces rear-end crash risk.