TAILGATING AND OTHER UNSAFE DRIVING

Tailgating or following too closely is a dangerous practice for motorists and is a common factor in most rear end collisions. Vehicle code section 21703 states the driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of such vehicle and the traffic upon, and the condition of, the roadway.
For years is has been taught to keep a minimum of two seconds between you and the vehicle ahead of you. The current recommendation is three to four seconds. The way to determine your following distance is to watch the vehicle ahead of you and wait until the rear of the vehicle ahead of you passes a stationary object like a light pole or street sign, then count how many seconds it takes the front of your vehicle to pass the fixed point. What is so important about the three second rule is what is called “perception and reaction time”. Perception and reaction time is the time it takes the average driver to perceive a roadway threat and react to the threat by applying the brakes to slow the vehicle. The standard accepted time used by law enforcement for perception and reaction is 1.5 seconds and was determined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

A vehicle traveling at 35 miles per hour travels 51 feet per second. During the perception and reaction time at 35 miles per hour a vehicle will travel over 76 feet. This does not include the total distance to stop a vehicle once braking is initiated. A vehicle traveling at 70 miles per hour travels over 102 feet per second. During the perception and reaction time a vehicle travels 154 feet. Another way to look at traveling distance at freeway speed is that a vehicle can easily travel the distance of a football field in under three seconds. To have a long enough stopping distance a driver should leave at least a three second following distance.

Tailgating does occur in Woodland, but I have noticed it more frequently on the freeways. I often see vehicles traveling at following distances of 50 feet or less. At that speed and distance it would be almost impossible to avoid a rear end collision if the lead vehicle were to make an emergency stop. As a driver, if you are being tailgated I recommend changing lanes or taking some other reasonable action to allow the vehicle to pass.

This is an external link to assist you in determining how many feet per second a vehicle travels at a given speed.

Another area of concern that has been brought to my attention is driver’s actions at railroad crossings. Vehicle Code section 22451 states the driver of any vehicle or pedestrian approaching a railroad crossing shall stop not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail and shall not proceed until he or she can do so safely, whenever the following conditions exist, (1) A clearly visible electric or mechanical signal device or a flagman gives warning of the approach or passage of a train or car. (2) An approaching train or car is plainly visible or is emitting an audible signal and, by reason of its speed or nearness, is an immediate hazard. (3) No driver or pedestrian shall proceed through, around, or under any railroad or rail transit crossing gate while the gate is closed. NOTE: This includes the time when the railroad crossing lights are flashing and the arms are coming down.
All railroad crossings in Woodland are equipped with an additional sign that remind drivers not to stop on the railroad tracks. This behavior becomes increasingly dangerous when a vehicle is stopped beyond the railroad tracks and a vehicle then stops on the railroad tracks. If a train approaches the vehicle stopped on the railroad tracks may have no avenue of escape. Earlier this year a mock vehicle VS train collision was conducted in Woodland. The train was traveling under 15 miles per hour and had enough force to nearly roll the vehicle and cause major damage. Please be aware of increased risk near railroad crossing.

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Speeding and Seat Belts

This column will address two of the most important issued related to safety on the roads, speeding and safety belts. First I will cover the issue of speeding. When talking about speeding there are two main laws to understand. The first law is The Basic Speed Law. California Vehicle Code section 22350 states “no person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic on, and the surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property.” This is the applicable law on the streets of Woodland when the speed limit is posted at less than 55 miles per hour. Some of the factors used to determine if a speed is unsafe are the number of pedestrians in the area, roadway surface condition, amount of vehicle traffic in the area, width of the road, presence or absence of roadway shoulders, and visibility from cross streets and driveways.

Some of the speed limits within Woodland are what are called “prima facie”. When a motorist travels above the prima facie speed limit it is presumed that the driver has violated the basic speed law. Examples of 25 mile per hour prima facie speed limits include school zones when children are present outside of a fenced area, residential districts, and business districts. Examples of 15 mile per hour prima facie speed limits are blind intersections and alleys. When no speed limit sign is present the prima facie speed limit applies.

Another speed law motorists need to be aware of is the maximum speed limits on freeways and rural county roads. These roadways will have posted speed limits of 55, 60, 65, or 70 miles per hour. Traveling at speeds above the posted speed limit is unlawful in these areas. In addition to the posted limits vehicles pulling trailers and vehicles with three or more axels are always limited to 55 miles per hour. I am regularly asked how many miles per hour a person can exceed the speed limit on the freeway without getting a citation. The correct answer is none. While Officers have discretion in issuing citations a citation can be issued for exceeding the maximum speed limit by one mile per hour.

May 18th-31st was the national “Click it or Ticket” campaign. The Woodland Police Department stepped up its efforts during this time to bring awareness to the importance of wearing seatbelts. During the campaign I noticed a number of motorists wearing their safety belts incorrectly. California Vehicle Code section 27315 requires occupants of vehicle to be properly restrained by safety belts while the vehicle is being operated. The most commonly observed inappropriate use of the safety belt is when the driver or passenger has placed the shoulder strap under their arm. Safety belts were not designed to be used in this manner. During a collision if the safety belt is worn lower than intended, the occupant's upper body is allowed to travel further towards the dash and windshield and increase the likelihood of injury by an airbag or other object.

Child restraint systems are required for children when they are younger than six years of age and weigh less than 60 pounds. California Vehicle Code section 27360 requires that children in a child restraint system be seated in the rear seat unless there is no rear seat, the rear seats are side-facing, the restraint system cannot be properly installed, for a medical necessity, or the rear seats are occupied by children under the age of twelve. The section also restricts children less the one year old, less than 20 pounds, and sitting in a rear facing child restraint, from sitting in the front seat when an active passenger side airbag is present. If you have questions about the proper installation of child safety seats you can contact the Woodland Police Department at 661-7800, we have personnel trained in safety seat installation.

Thank you for taking the time to read the column. This column is intended to help educate the public and show that the Woodland Police Department is committed to providing the highest level of law enforcement services available. You can see the full text of the laws associated to speeding and safety restraint systems at www.thetrafficstop.blogspot.com. Please visit the web page where you can ask questions or leave comments.