This Training Tip is for the more advanced student who is proficient in most settings and maneuvers. However, when it becomes time to start finishing their safety procedures on the road, we can add this one.
When entering the road from a driveway onto a busy route and needing to turn LEFT, it is not always necessary to wait out a safe spot to complete the turn without interrupting traffic safely. As an option to have your student get out safely, here is the alternative.
Have your student scan the near road to their right, for any commercial entrance or sideroad, that would be a safe place to turn left into. Then explain how to execute a RH turn, when available, and then make a lane change into the turning lane for that LH turn opportunity.
If it is a commercial lot with an IN and OUT access, and space to move a large vehicle through the parking lot, they can then exit with a RH turn when only one direction of traffic has a break, instead of waiting for two. This may be faster than hoping to catch both flows of traffic opening up for a safe LH turn, and in an urban setting this may be necessary at some times.
Teach the concept of scanning for opportunities to avoid difficult situations, find an alternative that is safe and workable, and go about completing any action safely.
This can also work when missing an entrance to a customer’s location!
Calling all Instructors and TTSAO Acreddited Schools
We invite you to submit your training tips to share in next week’s Training Tip of the Week. Your participation and offerings will truly benefit all our students, and we greatly appreciate your support. Thank you!