Safe Driving: Sharing the Road with Pedestrians, Bicyclists, Motorcycles, Light Rail, Low-Speed Vehicles, Trucks and Trailers, Backing and Parking, Visibility and Lights, Night, Fog, Rain and Snow, Aggressive, Distracted, Drowsy, Drunk and Drugged Driving, Crashes, Deer and Traffic Stops

Written for aiforu2 as the source for a practice-test bank and the on-device tutor for the Virginia driver's license knowledge exam. The facts follow the official manual; the wording is ours.

Source: Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39, 2026 printing), Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, section 3 "Safe Driving": sharing the road through traffic stops (pp. 20–26).

Sharing the road

Drivers share the road with mopeds, motorcycles, trucks, buses, RVs and vulnerable road users (pedestrians, bicyclists, wheelchairs, skateboards, skates, scooters, animals and animal-drawn vehicles); driving distracted or carelessly around vulnerable users is illegal, and it is your job to adjust for others' mistakes.

Pedestrians are easily hurt: be careful near schools, playgrounds and homes; when turning, pedestrians have the right-of-way, so let them finish crossing first; passing at a crosswalk is illegal because you cannot see who is crossing ahead of the stopped car; stop and stay stopped until pedestrians clear your lane; stop fully for anyone with a cane or guide dog; and stop fully for anyone lawfully crossing, since causing serious injury or death by failing to is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Bicyclists generally have the same right-of-way as drivers and may ride in the center of the lane when needed, such as before a left turn or when the lane is too narrow to share; they may use every public road except interstates and most limited-access freeways, and may ride either way on sidewalks, shared paths and two-way bike lanes. Slow near them; motor vehicles may not use marked bike lanes even to pass; pass with at least three feet of clearance, changing lanes if the lane is too narrow; be ready to stop suddenly; and check blind spots before pulling out, changing lanes, turning, backing, opening a door or crossing an intersection.

Motorcycles: more than half of fatal motorcycle crashes involve cars, usually because the driver never saw the motorcycle. Look twice, check blind spots, never tailgate (add an extra second to the following rule and double it in bad weather), expect sudden moves within the lane as the rider dodges debris, never share a lane, and yield, since a motorcycle's size distorts its speed and distance. The Tide light rail in Norfolk crosses traffic at 27 places: follow the roadway, never drive around lowered gates, look both ways before turning across tracks, expect trains on any track any time, never stop, pass or shift on tracks, and cross only with room to clear. Low-speed vehicles (electric or gas, 21 to 25 mph) may use roads posted 35 mph or less if driven by a licensed driver or supervised permit holder, registered and insured like a car; golf carts are not low-speed vehicles.

Trucks, tractor-trailers, buses and RVs are longer, higher and wider, accelerate slowly and need more room to stop and turn. Side No-Zones are large because they make wide turns: if you cannot see the driver's face in the side mirror, the driver cannot see you. The rear No-Zone hides your car and blinds you to traffic ahead; keep a safe following distance. The front No-Zone matters because they need nearly twice the time and room to stop; a truck and trailer may be 65 feet long and passing one can take more than half a mile, so pull in only when the whole front shows in your mirror and keep your speed. Blind spots may stretch 20 feet ahead of the cab and about 200 feet behind; never squeeze between a truck and the curb. Towing a light or medium trailer doubles the time to pass, stop, accelerate and turn; inspect the ball-mount pin, coupler, safety chains, electrical plug and lights before each trip, practice in an empty lot, allow for the extra length when changing lanes, slow down if the trailer sways, and when backing put your hand at the bottom of the wheel and move it the way you want the trailer to go.

Backing and parking

The most common backing mistake is not looking both ways; turn your body and head to the right to look through the rear window, back slowly and glance side to side. Park as far from traffic as possible, close to the curb, no more than one foot away; on a two-way street park on the right, on a one-way street on either side. Look for cars, bicyclists and pedestrians before opening your door. Never park beside another parked vehicle, on crosswalks or sidewalks, in front of driveways, at yellow curbs or No Parking signs, in a disabled space or its striped access aisle, on the paved road where there is no curb, within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, within 20 feet of an intersection, in a bike lane, within 15 feet of a fire, ambulance or rescue station entrance, within 500 feet of fire equipment answering an alarm, within 50 feet of a railroad crossing, or where you block a traffic lane. On a hill with a curb, turn the wheels so the car cannot roll into the street: downhill, wheels right toward the curb; uphill, wheels left away from it. Without a curb, turn the wheels right either way so the rear rolls away from traffic.

Visibility, lights and weather

The biggest cause of crashes is failing to identify a risk; look down the road, to the sides and behind. Headlights are required in rain, fog, snow or sleet when visibility drops to 500 feet, whenever the wipers run for weather, and from sunset to sunrise; running them by day makes you more visible. Turn them on as light fades at sunset. Use low beams in cities and towns except on unlit streets, whenever you meet oncoming traffic, and within 200 feet behind another vehicle; use high beams on highways unless a vehicle is within 500 feet coming toward you. Against oncoming high beams, glance toward the road edge and back, and never answer with your own high beams. In fog, which reflects your lights back, use low beams, follow the edge markings and slow down. In rain, use low beams, use wipers in drizzle with washer fluid, remember the first half-hour is slickest as oil mixes with water, and avoid ponded water that can cause hydroplaning. In snow, clear the whole car including roof, hood, rear, windows, mirrors and lights; use all-weather snow tires or chains; treat packed snow like ice, brake gently and slow before stopping or turning; on slippery roads release the accelerator and brake gently, since rolling front tires give the most control; and watch for ice on bridges and in shade, which freeze first. In any hazardous conditions, slow down first, double your following distance and turn on the headlights.

Dangerous driving behaviors

Aggressive driving is the intent to harass, intimidate, injure or obstruct someone while committing a traffic offense; aggressive drivers run signs and lights, speed, tailgate, weave, pass on the right and shoulder, gesture, scream, honk and flash. Stay out of the way, do not race or out-maneuver them, avoid eye contact and ignore them; a conviction can suspend your license for ten days to six months. Distracted driving causes about 17 percent of Virginia crashes; the law bans holding a phone or other wireless device while driving except in an emergency or when lawfully parked or stopped, though a mounted phone may be used for navigation if you do not enter information or hold it. Set controls before driving, keep eyes on the road and hands on the wheel, and do not use a phone. Drowsy driving shows as yawning, nodding, heavy eyelids, forgetting the last miles, missing exits, drifting or hitting rumble strips; sleep well, avoid alcohol and heavy food, beware sedating medicines, stop every two hours, nap 10 to 20 minutes, switch drivers, and avoid driving from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.; windows, gum, radio and caffeine do not work. Report a drowsy driver to police with the location, vehicle and behavior.

Drunk and drugged driving: at 21 or older you are DUI at a BAC of .08 or higher and can be convicted lower if impaired; under 21, a BAC of .02 to under .08 is illegal consumption and .08 or higher is DUI; drugs bring the same penalties. Between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. three of every ten drivers are drunk, more than a third drank at someone's home, nearly half of DUI arrests are social drinkers, and you face a 50-50 lifetime chance of an alcohol-related crash. One drink affects vision, judgment and coordination; drinking makes a crash seven times more likely; 12 ounces of beer, a shot of liquor and 5 ounces of wine are equal; only time sobers you. Decide not to drive before drinking and plan a sober ride. Mixing alcohol with any drug, even aspirin or cold medicine, multiplies the effects; over-the-counter and prescription drugs for headaches, colds, allergies and nerves cause drowsiness and dizziness; marijuana is legal to possess at 21 but illegal to drive under; read labels and ask a pharmacist.

Crashes, deer and traffic stops

In a crash: stop at or near the scene without blocking traffic, moving drivable vehicles off the road at once if no one is hurt; get out carefully, keeping the car between you and traffic; help the injured without moving them unless trained or in immediate danger such as fire; report to police quickly (any crash with damage, injury or death must be reported); exchange names, addresses, license and plate numbers, insurance policy numbers and witness details; and notify your insurer immediately. Police file a report with DMV when a crash injures or kills anyone or damages more than $3,000, and it goes on each driver's record. For an unattended vehicle or property, try to find the owner, otherwise leave an easily found note with your name, phone, the date, time and damage, and report to police within 24 hours.

Tens of thousands of crashes with deer, elk and bears happen yearly: be alert at dusk and dawn especially in fall, slow when you see one because they travel in groups, use the horn to scare them, and if a hit is unavoidable do not swerve: brake firmly, stay in your lane and stop under control, then report it to police.

Stopped by police: stay calm, pull to a safe spot and park, stay in the car, turn on the flashers and at night the interior lights, turn off the engine and radio, roll down the window (the officer may come to either side), keep belts fastened, keep hands in plain view on the wheel, make no sudden movements, carry license, registration and insurance and say where they are before reaching slowly with one hand on the wheel, ask for identification from an unmarked car or plainclothes officer, answer fully, save disagreements for court, and sign the citation, which is not an admission of guilt; refusing can mean arrest or a trip to the station.

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