Are you a city slicker? Read IAM RoadSmart’s guide to driving in towns and cities
Driving in urban areas presents a unique set of challenges, but IAM RoadSmart is here to help you through them in our latest set of driving tips.
Traffic can sometimes be heavy and slow-moving; it isn’t uncommon to find yourself in a maze of one-way streets, and it’s important to consider that we need to share the road with cyclists and pedestrians.
Reading the roads and understanding all road signs and lines will also protect you when driving in an urban setting.
Richard Gladman, head of driving and riding standards at IAM RoadSmart, has come up with a set of tips to help you be prepared.
Hazards
Early identification of hazards is an important aspect of safe driving. Knowing the type of hazards that are likely to appear on urban roads enhances the power of anticipation. They include heavy traffic, congestion, stop-start traffic, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.
Reading the road
Understanding the meaning of warning signs and painted lines on the road can help you share the road safely with others. Some warn of fixed hazards and others indicate restrictions. Whether they are red lines, controlled parking zones, zig-zag white lines, bus lanes, congestion zones or triangle warning signs giving advance notice of hazards that may include schools and junctions, they can all help you identify upcoming problems.
Be mindful that when driving on unfamiliar urban roads, it is very easy to not see restrictions such as driving in a bus lane or exceeding a 20mph speed limit. This is simply because there is a lot of information to take in when you are navigating and dealing with a dense traffic. Therefore, minimise distractions when driving in unfamiliar areas, drive proactively and look at how other drivers respond.
Dealing with vulnerable road users
Urban environments can present high risks, especially when vulnerable road users are sharing the same space. If you’re driving alongside pedestrians and cyclists it’s important that you give them the time and space, and always remember that they might be distracted from their surroundings. Always remember to give plenty of space when passing a cyclist and slow down, their stability might be affected if you drive too close.
Complex junctions
Turning right at a traffic-light junction is often the most complex manoeuvre when oncoming traffic is also turning right. The usual convention is to turn at the rear of the oncoming cars; however, some junctions are marked to turn in front. Often local habits have been adopted and you will have to follow the precedent set by other road users. If you are turning in front be extra vigilant for oncoming traffic as this is now obscured by the turning traffic.
Buses and trams
Buses and trams often use dedicated lanes. Bus lanes may be shared routes after a certain time of the day so you need to be aware of when you can and cannot use them.
Trams are restricted in movement by tram lines and overhead electric cables. Therefore, these lanes are not shared. Tramways are often indicated by lines, dots or a differently coloured road surface. Never stop or park on the tram route.
Further hazards are presented by pedestrians boarding. Trams and tramways use specific diamond-shaped road signs and white-light signs that need to be understood by all road users.
Richard said: “Driving in town can be a challenge. If you are using a sat-nav use the volume setting so it gives directions without you looking at a screen. If you do take a wrong turn; don’t panic, stay safe and find somewhere to turn around.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- Richard Gladman is IAM RoadSmart's head of driving and riding standards.
- IAM RoadSmart has a mission to make better drivers and riders in order to improve road safety, inspire confidence and make driving and riding enjoyable. It does this through a range of courses for all road users, from online assessments through to the advanced driving and riding tests. IAM RoadSmart is the trading name of all businesses operated by the UK’s largest road safety charity, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) and was formed in April 2016 combining the IAM, IAM Drive & Survive, PDS and IAM Driver Retraining Academy. The organisation has 92,000 members and campaigns on road safety debates on their behalf. At any one time there are over 7,000 drivers and riders actively engaged with IAM RoadSmart’s courses, from members of the public to company drivers, while our Driver Retraining Academy has helped 2,500 drivers to shorten their bans through education and support programmes.
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