Unit 4: Section 1
Bad Weather and City Driving
Unit Overview
Your driving should change with driving conditions. Bad weather can be very dangerous and
should be treated with serious consideration. City driving can be very challenging with a lot of
different unforeseen factors.
Sign Starter Question
Every lesson has a reading assignment that you must complete the interactive portion to get credit
for your reading assignment. The first section of the interactive portion asks you to identify the
sign. There will be a sign identification portion on your written test that you will take at the BMV.
You must pass this portion in order to get your license. *If you are not sure about the name of a
sign, then check Indiana Driver’s Manual Chapter 4. What sign is this?
Fog
Fog is a weather condition that can greatly reduce visibility. Don’t use your high-beam
headlights, otherwise referred to as “brights,” in fog. This will only make your visibility worse.
Use your low-beam headlights, also called “dims.” In normal driving conditions, high-beam
headlights will allow you to see further than low beam headlights.
In the fog conditions shown below, you can see that your high beams actually limit your visibility.
This is because the extra light gets dispersed more by the fog particles and too much light
bounces back towards you limiting your visibility.
Normal Conditions
Fog Conditions
Winter Driving
Winter driving is one of the biggest dangers for Indiana drivers. You should always be sure that
your vehicle is ready to drive. This means clearing all snow and ice off of your windows every
time that you drive. Visibility can be greatly reduced by snow. The effects of snow on your
visibility are similar to the effects of fog. Your high-beam headlights can actually reduce your
visibility.
When there is snow falling, make sure that you use your low beam headlights, slow down, and
give three seconds or more following distance.
Be careful of ice on roads. The likelihood of ice is greatly increased on bridges especially. Ice is
more likely to form on bridges because the cold air can get under the bridge and cool it off more
quickly than the road. Be prepared for longer stopping distances at all times. Make sure that
you are prepared with warm clothes and supplies in case your car breaks down or you get stuck
in snow. It is always better to be safe than sorry.
Heavy Rain
Heavy rain can also reduce visibility and requires an increase in stopping distance. Make sure to
increase your following distance and be prepared to react. Stopping distances can double in
wet conditions. This risk is increased at the beginning of a rain because of oils and debris that
may be loose on the road.
Hydroplaning is an added risk in rain, especially at the beginning of a rainfall. Hydroplaning
occurs when your tires lose contact with the road because of a layer of water between your tires
and the road. This can cause you to lose control. One way to reduce the chance of losing control
is to not over-stop or over-correct in rain.
Heavy rain can lead to flash flooding. Flash flooding can damage or wash away roads. Be very
careful when driving after or during floods. Do not drive when there is water over the road. The
water can carry your car away. You may think that your car is too heavy to be swept away, but
your car becomes a boat once you enter water.
Ask Your Parents
Bad weather driving can be a scary experience. It can help to get a little bit of experience in
these conditions. Next time it is driving or snowing ask your parents to take you out for a drive
and give you tips and feedback on dealing with weather.
Right of Way Quiz
Every lesson has a reading assignment. There is an interactive portion that you need to complete
to get credit for your reading assignment. Each interactive portion has a question about the Right
of Way Quiz. To get credit for this question you must identify the color of the car that has the
right of way in the following example.
A tan car is turning left through an intersection. A green car is stopped at a sign and going
straight. Who has the right of way?