Learning plan Driving Course

Traffic Situations

21 Approaching en crossing intersections

Most accidents happen on intersections, because here’s where the traffic usually “meets”. Therefore intersections must be approached cautiously and must be cleared as soon as possible. It is not allowed to stand still on a junction. Extra caution is needed when:

• you have to cross multiple lanes (pedestrian walk, cycle lane, car lane, bus lane)
• you have to cross cycle lanes with cyclists coming from both sides
• there are separate cycle- or walking lanes laying next to the road
• some parts of the junction are considered “equal” and some parts “unequal” in terms of priority

Recognizing intersections

Look far ahead and try to spot the intersection as early as possible. The easiest way to notice them early is to look for road signs. A lot of times the junction is physically not visible from a distance, but the road signs are. Obviously priority signs are positioned near intersections but actually most road signs are positioned in front or right after a junction. Not all junctions will have road signs however. These are mostly junctions in residential / 30 zones and are in general harder to spot. What you can look for are: gaps in house blocks, gaps in a line of parked cars, curbs that stop or ‘go around the corner’ and street name signs.

Looking technique

Approach junctions cautiously. Your approach speed is determined by the priority situation on the junction and your vision. So look far ahead and determine in the early stage:

• the priority situation on the junction (give or get priority).
• your vision on the junction (often blocked by buildings and/or vegetation).
• observe the situation behind the car in your mirrors
• look before you enter the junction if it has separate/multiple lanes.
• look before you enter the junction where to position the car.
• look in the following order to get oversight on the junction: Left, front, right. Repeat as much as necessary.

Priority

On equal junctions (junctions without priority signs) you give priority to drivers coming from the right. On unequal junctions the priority signs arrange the priority.

Position on the road

It’s important that you get into a good position when on a junction:

• Under normal circumstances this is mostly the right side of the road.
• You start crossing the junction only if you see that you can keep going or if you can position somewhere on the junction.
• Blocking and slowing down on a junction must be avoided.
• Don’t stop on pedestrian crossings and cycle lanes. Sometimes it’s necessary to stand on a pedestrian crossing because your view over the junction is blocked.
• Under normal circumstances don’t stand on a cycle lane.

Action analysis

Approaching
1. Recognize the intersection
2. Determine the priority
3. Determine the view
4. Observe the situation behind the car
5. Observe left – front – right and repeat as much as necessary
6. Stop if necessary but keep moving if safe

Crossing
1. Look where you can or have to position
2. Clear the intersection as quickly as possible
3. After crossing observe the situation behind the car

22 Taking turns

When you’re taking a turn you are at an intersection. If you follow a corner in the road you drive straight. If you’re following a priority corner, it is also recognized as going straight.

Looking technique

Taking turns to the left: Back mirror, front, left side mirror and shoulder. Before crossing a parallel road/cyclepath/footpath: left side mirror and shoulder.
Taking turns to the right: Back mirror, front right side mirror and shoulder. Before crossing a parallel road/cyclepath/footpath: right side mirror and shoulder. After completing the turn: observe the traffic with your mirrors.

Priority

When you make a turn, you give priority to all traffic that goes straight. When you want to take a turn at a junction and there’s another driver coming towards you, the driver turning right goes first. This is often referred to as “the driver who takes a short corner goes before the driver that takes a wide corner”.
So traffic that goes straight goes first, then drivers taking a turn to the right and then drivers taking a turn to the left.
Note: sometimes when you take a turn you will cross a bicycle lane that is constructed as a separate junction. This means bicycles here can have the sign B6 (sharktooth), then you don’t have to give them priority.

Position on the road

• When you give priority, you stop in front of junctions and other lanes
• When you are turning right try to presort mostly on the right side of the road
• When you are turning left try to presort mostly left, against the middle line
• If it’s a one way road position mostly left
• When it’s a one way road with exceptions for bicycles, presort mostly against the (imaginary) middle line
• When the road has pre-sorting lanes, enter the lanes immediately when they “open up”
• When you turn into a road with multiple lanes, immediately position into the correct lane
• When taking a turn to the right, end up mostly right in the new road
• When making a turn to the left, don’t “cut” the corner and end up mostly right
• When taking turns into streets with limited view, move in when your view is sufficient (when you see no other cars approaching). Blocking each other and as a result driving backwards, must be avoided as much as possible.
• If you have multiple lanes going into a corner, keep following the lane you’re initially on. After completing the corner, and after driving some time straight you can switch lanes if needed.

Signaling

You signal in time, after checking your mirrors/bs. “In time” means that other road users will have time to anticipate. In general, signal roughly 100 meters before you take a turn. If you are not following a through road or a priority corner, signaling is required.

Action analysis

1. Recognise the side street / intersection.
2. Check mirrors and blind spot.
3. Signal left / right.
4. Position mostly right or left (against the imaginary middle line).
5. Check mirrors and blindspot again if necessary.
6. Possibly give way to other traffic.
7. Make the turn.
8. Observe the situation behind the car after the turn.

23 Approaching and crossing roundabouts

Looking technique

Approach roundabouts cautiously. Your approach speed is determined by the priority situation on the roundabout and your vision. Look far ahead and try to determine as early as possible:

• Priority situation on the roundabout (signs)
• If there’s other traffic on or approaching the roundabout
• If there is also traffic approaching from the right (cyclists, pedestrians)
• Observe the traffic behind you with your mirrors
• Look left and front just before entering the roundabout

On the roundabout:

• When switching lanes on the roundabout: back mirror, right side mirror, right shoulder
• Keep an eye on overtaking drivers by checking the back mirror, left side mirror and left shoulder
• Try to find your exit with your eyes, use your side window! (Look where you want to go)

Leaving the roundabout:

• If there’s traffic on your right side, check the back mirror, right side mirror and right shoulder
• Be extra alert when there are bike lanes and pedestrian crossings around the roundabout

Position on the road

Don’t block bike lanes on or around the roundabout. Look at the road markings where to position: often you can position behind the bike lane and in front of the car lane, sometimes between the bike lane and the pedestrian lane.
On roundabouts with multiple lanes get mostly on the correct lane when approaching (look for signs). You enter the roundabout on the same lane you were pre-sorting: don’t cut off other traffic. Be careful when switching lanes on the roundabout, sometimes it’s easier/safer to just “go around”.

Signaling

When going right on the roundabout: signal right when approaching, keep the indicator on until you leave the roundabout.
Going straight on the roundabout: indicator on neutral when approaching, indicate right when leaving. Going left on the roundabout: signal left when approaching, signal right when leaving.

Action analysis

Approaching
1. Recognise the roundabout
2. Determine the priority
3. Determine the view
4. Observe the situation behind the car
5. Observe left – front – right
6. Signal

Crossing
1. Look where you can or have to position.
2. Enter the roundabout as quickly as possible.
3. Observe the situation on the roundabout.
4. Signal right when leaving.

24 Other special parts of the road

Exits (uitritten)

You can recognise these constructions by the elevated area or a footpath/curb that you have to cross. Looking technique: when approaching, observe the situation behind the car with your mirrors. Check the junction left-front-right (start with the footpath/curb!)and repeat as much as necessary. Also keep observing the traffic around the car (cyclists) with your mirrors when you have to wait for a while. Often they’ll “pile up” around the car when waiting to cross the junction. All the other traffic has priority over you when coming out of an exit construction.

Living area (Erf)

Here all road users can use the whole road. So especially watch out for playing kids when your view is blocked (coming from behind a parked car for example). There are also no curbs in these kinds of area’s.

Pedestrian crossing (zebrapad / voetgangersoversteekplaats)

Obviously pedestrians have priority here. Sometimes your view is blocked on one or both sides of the “zebra-crossing”. You always should be able to stop normally for a crossing pedestrian: adjust your speed when your view is blocked. Every crossing is marked by a sign.

Busstop

Buses have priority in the built-up area. Therefore, be careful when you pass one. If you think the busdriver is about to drive away (no more waiting passengers) adjust your speed in advance. Keep an eye on his indicator. Also be aware of passengers getting out of the bus. Sometimes they’ll walk around the front of the bus and then cross the street: adjust your speed to the situation.

25 Moving sideways

This part contains the following activities:
1. Overtaking another road user
2. Going past an obstacle
3. Changing lanes

Important criteria before performing a sideways movement can be:

• Road situation (width / condition of the road)
• The possibility to accelerate
• The (over)view on the road
• The available space for other traffic
• The speed of the road users that you’re going to overtake

In general we are overtaking other road users on the left side. There are exceptions (driving in heavy traffic, driving on an exit lane). Changing lanes and going past obstacles can happen both left and right.

Looking technique

Look far ahead and decide if you can overtake safely. Overtaking another road user in a safe way is more difficult than going past an obstacle. This is because the other road user is in motion and the obstacle is not.

• Overtaking another road user: look in time front, back mirror, left side mirror, left shoulder. Just before you decide to overtake: front, back mirror, left side mirror, left shoulder. After overtaking, but before getting back into position again: back mirror, right side mirror, right shoulder.
• Going past an obstacle: back mirror, left side mirror and left shoulder. Before going back to the right: right side mirror, right shoulder.
• Making a stop to go past an obstacle (because the road is too small and you have oncoming traffic): make sure you stop in such a position that you still have a good view forward. Before you go check: front, back mirror, left side mirror, left shoulder. Before you drive away, also check the right side of the car (overtaking bicycles “on your inside”).
• Changing lanes left: front, back mirror, left side mirror, left shoulder.
• Changing lanes right: front, back mirror, right side mirror, right shoulder.

Priority

Drivers with an obstacle on their side of the road let drivers without an obstacle on their side of the road go first.

• Sometimes it’s more practical to let the driver with the obstacle go first anyway. This can be the case if there’s not enough room to move out of the way.
• Often both drivers have obstacles on their side of the road: look for the most practical and safe solution. Mostly the drivers who come first go first.

Position on the road

Traffic situations where it’s mostly not safe to overtake (oncoming traffic):

• Roads with equal junctions that have poor visibility
• Priority roads where the vehicle in front of you is blocking your view to the sidestreet(s)
• Corners en elevating roads that have poor visibility
• Close to pedestrian crossings with poor visibility.
• When overtaking / going past an obstacle make sure you keep enough (sideway) space. An opening door (1 meter) is considered as the minimum distance. Sometimes youre not able to keep this 1 meter distance, then adjust your speed or stop.

Signaling

When overtaking another motorized vehicle, always signal (after checking mirrors). Also when changing lanes always use your indicator. When overtaking bicycles or going past obstacles, only signal when it’s an important sideways movement. When this move is important is decided by the situation: overtaking a bicycle on a very narrow road is a more important sideways move, then overtaking the same bicycle on a very wide road.

Action analysis

Overtaking another road user / Going past an obstacle / Changing lanes

1. Recognise
2. Observe the situation behind and next to the car
3. Determine if it’s safe to make a move sideways
4. Check mirrors and blindspot left or right
5. Move determined
6. Move back to the right is safe
7. Before moving back check mirrors and blindspot

26 Merging and exits

Speed

Merging can only be done safely when your speed is adjusted to the other drivers on the through road. When exiting, under normal circumstances, speed is only reduced when driving on the exit lane.
The merging lane and the exit lane are separated from the through road by white block marking.

Combined merging and exit lanes

When driving on a combined merging and exit lane, beware of exiting drivers. When driving on such a lane that is also very short, merge as soon as possible: make room for drivers who are taking an exit.

Looking technique

Merging
It’s important that you observe the through road as early as possible. Mostly when approaching the merging lane you can already determine: speed of the traffic on the through road and the amount of traffic.
While driving on the merging lane keep observing the traffic behind you and next to you: with your back mirror and mostly your left side mirror. Don’t stare in your mirrors, you should also be aware of what is going on in front of you: other drivers, the length of the merging lane. Right before you decide to merge, check your left shoulder (blind spot).

Exits
Even more as with intersections, the exits are hard to spot physically: use the road signs to find exits. It’s important that you observe the traffic behind you (or on the combined merging and exiting lane next to you) in an early stage: check your back mirror, right side mirror and right shoulder. Right before you’re about to go onto the exit lane check again as described above.

Position on the road

Use the merging lane in that way, you are able to make enough speed to merge safely. Merging onto the through road too close to another vehicle must be avoided. When exiting, get immediately on the exit lane when it’s “opening up”.

Signaling

When merging, signal left when you are planning to move the car to the left, and want to make use of the space next to the car. Sometimes, in heavy traffic, you can use your indicator to “ask” another driver to take the space in front of him.
When exiting, signal around 300 meters in front of the exit. Again, use the signs here: it’s impossible to signal in time when you’re not using the signs properly.

Action analysis

Merging
1. Recognize the merging lane.
2. Determine early (if possible): amount of traffic, their pace and space to merge.
3. Match speed with the traffic on the main road.
4. While building up speed, look in front and observe the left side mirror.
5. Before merging check your blind spot

27 Navigation

Driving with a navigation system is a mandatory part of a driving exam. It’s important that you don’t get distracted too much and that you’re not following system directions blindly. The navigation system can come up with very impractical/unsafe solutions to simple problems: you missed an exit and it asks you to turn around in the middle of a busy road. Maps can be outdated: so always check the signs to see if you’re allowed to enter the next street. Try to plan ahead when you’re looking at the map. Mostly you can use sidestreets/water/big roads as reference points. When you’re driving on the motorway/highway use the exit information (exit number/names) on the navigation system, and try to confirm these with signs on the road.