Special Driving Conditions – Chapter 10

Always expect a train; never race it, stop on tracks, or drive around lowered gates.
Active crossings: proceed only after gates are fully up and lights/bell off.
Passive crossings: slow, look & listen; cross only when sure all tracks are clear.
Must stop $\ge 15\,\text{ft}$ from tracks at flashing red lights/gates.
Crossbuck = yield sign; ensure full vehicle can clear tracks before crossing.
Buses, haz-mat trucks must stop at all crossings—be ready when following.
If stalled: evacuate, call number on ENS sign, run toward oncoming train at $45^{\circ}$ .

Plan entrance/exit in advance; never back up or cross median if wrong entrance/exit taken.
Use entrance ramp to accelerate to traffic speed; if ramp is short, wait for large gap then enter.
Signal, shoulder-check for every merge or lane change; cancel signal after move.
Leave right lane free near on-ramps to aid merging traffic when possible.
Signal exit $\ge 100\,\text{ft}$ before ramp; decelerate on ramp, observe reduced limits.
Post-exit: check speedometer; road beyond is rarely $55\,\text{mph}$ .
Higher speed + heavy traffic demand quicker decisions; schedule rest stops.

Visibility limited to ~ $350\,\text{ft}$ ; drive so you can stop within that range.
Headlights required: $0.5$ h after sunset to $0.5$ h before sunrise, visibility $<1000\,\text{ft}$ , or whenever wipers are on.
Dim high beams within $500\,\text{ft}$ of oncoming or $200\,\text{ft}$ behind a vehicle; also dim for pedestrians.
If blinded: flash high beam briefly, then look right edge of road.
Reduce interior glare: night-position mirror, dim dashboard, keep windshield clean.

Reduce speed, lengthen following distance; avoid sudden moves on curves/ramps.
Risk of hydroplaning increases with speed & worn/under-inflated tires.
Headlights on low beam; high beams reflect precipitation.
NY law: headlights on when wipers in use; daytime running lights not sufficient.
Signal turns sooner; brake early & gently.
Use approved fog lights only in severe visibility loss; switch off when clear.

Mount snow tires before first storm; studs allowed Oct 16–Apr 30.
Clear all snow/ice from vehicle; fill washer fluid with antifreeze solution.
Drive with traffic flow; do not let AWD/FWD confidence raise speed.
Rear-wheel skid: steer in direction of skid; may require left-right corrections.
ABS: steady brake pressure. Non-ABS: pump brakes gently.
Front-wheel skid: off gas, shift to neutral/clutch in; as traction returns, steer desired path, then re-engage drive.
Brake early, gently; downshift to slow. Bridges/ramps freeze first.

Overall rule: stay calm; think before acting.
Tire blowout/wheel loss: grip wheel, ease off gas, steer straight, brake gently when controlled.
Steering failure: ease off gas, emergency lights on, avoid braking; slow naturally then brake carefully.
Brake failure: pump pedal; if no effect, gently use parking brake & downshift.
Headlight failure: try emergency/parking/signals; leave roadway.
Stuck gas pedal: hook with shoe; if fails, neutral + brake, do NOT cut ignition.
Off-pavement wheels: ease off gas, brake gently, return when safe.
Head-on threat: brake, move right, horn; never swerve left.
Vehicle on tracks: evacuate, run toward train at $45^{\circ}$ ; if safe, push car in neutral.
Water submersion: unbuckle, exit window; if sinks, move to rear air pocket, breathe out slowly while surfacing.
Fire: pull over, ignition off, retreat, call fire department.
Blocked vision: open side window, emergency lights, pull off.

Expressway speed limits: typical $55\,\text{mph}$ ; rural up to $65\,\text{mph}$ .
Railroad stop distance: $\ge 15\,\text{ft}$ .
Signal expressway exit: $\ge 100\,\text{ft}$ in advance.
Dim high beams: $500\,\text{ft}$ oncoming / $200\,\text{ft}$ behind.
Headlight range: $\approx 350\,\text{ft}$ ; stop within.
Visibility headlight law: $<1000\,\text{ft}$ .