On behalf of all of us at Rapid Traffic School, thank you for caring about safety on Wisconsin’s roads. Our state has a vast range of urban and rural driving environments that each require a nuanced focus on safety. Here are some tips straight from our traffic school course curriculum:
- No matter who technically has the right-of-way in any situation, you are required by law to yield your right-of-way to prevent a collision
- When you drive over posted speed limits, or drive at an unsafe speed for the current road conditions, you automatically forfeit your right-of-way privilege.
- Motorcyclists, bicyclists, and those on electric scooters, mopeds, or personal mobility devices are all bound by the same road rules, traffic signals, and signs.
- The standard space between any vehicle and a cyclist, to be maintained by both parties, is a minimum of 3 feet.
- Parked cars along a street must yield to all pedestrians and road traffic when attempting to reenter the street.
- Pedestrians are required by law to not step off any curb if it will put them directly in danger in traffic. Even when a pedestrian has the right-of-way, they should look both ways and only proceed when safe to do so. A great trick to use is to try to make eye contact with approaching drivers, to ensure that you are seen and to observe whether they will notice you and stop in time.
- Motorcyclists can be notoriously less visible and more vulnerable on a busy roadway. Though two motorcycles may share a lane side by side, a single motorcyclist is always entitled to a full lane of traffic by law. No 4 wheeled vehicle may attempt to share a lane with a motorcyclist. Both parties are responsible for looking and listening carefully to avoid a sudden crash.
- Emergency vehicles (police/fire trucks/ambulances) with their lights flashing and siren sounding have the right-of-way on all roads. You should carefully pull to the right edge of the road and wait for an emergency vehicle to pass (make sure you do not back up or block an intersection). Always slow down when passing a stationary emergency vehicle with its lights flashing, and when possible, move over to a non-adjacent lane for safe passing.
- At uncontrolled intersections, yield the right-of-way to vehicles on the right. Easy to remember… “right”-of-way (the answer is in the phrase!). You may need to offer a one-hand gesture or friendly eye contact to drivers who may not know this rule.
- Motorcyclists and cyclists are most frequently struck or unseen by motor vehicle drivers turning left, either as part of oncoming traffic, or while turning attempting to turn left alongside. Look and listen carefully for two wheeled vehicles (and pedestrians too!) as you make left turns at any type of intersection.
