Chapter 7 Flashcards
When in school zone… speed?
Appropriate speed would be at a walking pace - when you see ‘kinderen’ signs
Max speed limits within built up area
within builtup area - 50km/h, unless a sign indicates a different speed
Within builtup areas, sections with lower max speed of 30km/h in 30km/h zone and 15m/h in pedestrian priority areas
Maximum speed limits outside the builtup areas
Many depending on where you are driving
- Motorways - 130km/h
- trunk roads - 100km/h
- all other roads outside builtup area - 80km/h
-if there are signs indicating lower speed limits, that is the one to go by
Max speed on motorways
- 130km/h but there are many places where lower max speed is in force.
- indicated by road signs
- sometimes lower max speed applies 24 hours a day and sometimes only during peak hours
Max speed microcars
the speed limit for microcars within and outside the built-up area is 45km/h.
- Same applies to motorized handicapped vehicles
- Allow for this when approaching these vehicles
Max speed with trailer
when driving with trailer or caravan - speed limit on all roads outside the builtup area is 80km/h
-if max permitted mass of your trailer or caravan is below 3,500kg, your speed limit on motorways and trunk roads is 90km/h
Recommended speeds
There are also recommended speeds
-these are tailored to specific local circumstances
Variable speeds
recommended speeds may gradually increase or decrease as local circumstance change
-by sticking to the speeds - get green wave, where all the traffic lights will allow you to pass without having to stop for green light
Adjusting your speed
Sometimes necessary for other road users.
- Drive slowly near schools
- drive slowly with bad weather conditions
Trying to gain time
-generally driving fast in busy traffic just wastes petrol and increases chance of accident.. doesn’t gain time.
Misleading habituation
When on highway for awhile and enter built up area, will have tendency to speed because you have become accustomed to highway speeds. You need to remember to be 50km/h
Risks of misleading habituation
- will have a reduced sense of speed
- will be less aware of maintaining a safe following distance
- you will be less aware of risks
- you will become less aware of your own speed
Maintaining safe following distance
- Apply two second rule
- on busy motorways, people often don’t keep a safe enough distance from other vehicles
Calculating the safe following distance
divide your speed in meters per hour by the number of second in an hour and then multiply the result by 2
Rule of thumb for the safe following distance
since calculations are hard while driving…
you can divide your speed in km/h by 2 and add 10% to result.
Pulling in after overtaking
if you apply the two second rule and a vehicle pulls in in front of you, make sure to leave a two second gap to the new vehicle in front of you
Increasing the safe following distance
In dangerous situations increase the following distance
examples include:
- risk of aquaplaning
- wintry conditions
- steep hills
- fog
- heavily loaded vehicle
- if you are tired
Stopping distance
Always be able to stop in time
- if you double your speed, the braking distance increases fourfold.
- total distance you require to come to a standstill is called the stopping distance. (distance you travel during the reaction time + braking time)
Reaction time of one second
on average, it takes one second from the moment you realize that you must brake and the moment that you actually apply the brakes - this is the reaction time
-the distance you calculated previously is the distance you travel during the reaction time
Braking distance
if brakes are in good working order, you can use this rule of thumb..
(speed in km/h:10) * (speed:10)
ex. at 120km/h, braking distance is 12*12=144 meters
Figure out
Reaction times
