Special Driving Situations - Registry of Motor Vehicles
Contents
1. yield the right of way by safely moving over to a lane that is not next to the lane the emergency vehicle is in In other words leave an open lane between your vehicle and the stopped emergency vehicle If moving over is not possible you must still be cautious and reduce your speed to a reasonable and safe speed Always be ready to stop if necessary when passing an emergency vehicle At night be sure to dim your high beams f you need help pull in front of the police cruiser and ask for help Never stop behind a police cruiser Do not approach a police officer who is dealing with a stopped motorist Stand next to your vehicle on the shoulder until the police officer is finished It is illegal to drive by or park within 800 feet of a fire Do not drive over an unprotected fire hose unless directed to by a firefighter or public safety official General Guidelines if You Are Stopped by a Police Officer State law requires you to pull over to the right side of the road and stop when signaled by a police officer You must pull over whether the officer is in a police car or on foot Being pulled over may cause anxiety for both you and the police officer You may be anxious about getting a ticket or not know why you are being stopped Police officers rarely know what to expect from a driver or passengers Because of this they may be anxious about their own personal safety Your actions during a traffic stop may d2. a lower gear and work your way down to the lowest gear if necessary Apply the parking brake gently Hold the brake release in case your vehicle starts to skid e If you cannot slow your vehicle sound your horn and flash your lights to warn drivers or pedestrians around you If your vehicle does not have antilock brakes you should pump the brake pedal several times rapidly to build up brake fluid pressure Do not pump antilock brakes If this does not work you should then follow the steps listed above You can determine what type of brakes you have by checking the indicator on your dashboard or checking your vehicle s user manual Stuck Gas Pedal If your gas pedal sticks e Put your car in neutral and press the brake pedal to slow down Try to free the gas pedal with your foot Ifthe gas pedal doesn t release reapply the brakes Keep your eyes on the road When safe pull your vehicle to the side of the road and bring it to a stop Vehicle Approaching Head On If a vehicle is driving toward you head on in your lane Slow down and pull to the right e Sound your horn to alert the other driver Headlight Failure If your headlights suddenly go out Turn on your parking lights emergency flashers or turn signal Try the headlight switch a few times Pull off the road as quickly as possible and leave your emergency flashers on Stalling on Railroad Tracks If your vehicle stalls on railroad tracks and a
3. and you may be subject to up to six years of insurance surcharges Your driver s license may also be suspended See the license suspension periods and reinstatement fees in the Criminal Offenses and Suspensions Chart in Chapter 2 of this Manual If You Witness a Crash If you drive by a crash and there are police and emergency vehicles there use good judgment Reduce your speed and drive carefully Look out for people and equipment in the road Do not stop or slow down to sightsee This is dangerous and will cause a traffic problem If you see a crash and there are no police or emergency vehicles 1 Park your car off the road Turn on your emergency flashers to warn other drivers 2 Check to see if anyone is injured 3 If you have a cellular phone call the police If you don t have a cellular phone tell the next person who stops with a phone to call the police or try to flag down a passing vehicle and ask the driver to get help 4 If anyone has flares emergency triangles or reflectors put them 200 feet or more in front of and behind the crash to warn other drivers 5 Follow the emergency first aid tips listed above 6 If possible move all vehicles involved in the crash to the side of the road 7 Turn off the ignition of all vehicles involved in the crash Just reporting a crash to your insurance company is not enough You must follow all the instructions in this section Do not go near any e
4. by obeying the rules of the road following the instructions in this manual and learning to drive defensively If you are involved in or witness any crash state law requires you to do as follows If You Are Involved in a Crash When you re involved in a crash even a small one you must stop your vehicle Never leave the scene of a crash It s against the law You could be charged with a hit and run violation Property Damage Only 1 Move your vehicle off the road if possible 2 Exchange name address driver s license number vehicle registration and insurance information with all drivers or property owners who are involved You must show your driver s license and registration if asked to 3 If you damaged a parked vehicle or other property you must try to locate the owner to report the crash or notify the local police 4 Within five days of the crash you must file a crash report with both the RMV and the local police department You must report any crash with 1 000 or more of property damage 5 If you ve injured a cat dog or any other animal notify the local police and if possible the animal s owner If you have a cellular phone you can contact the state police to report any emergency by dialing 911 Crashes Involving Injuries 1 Check to see if anyone is injured 2 Call the police and request an ambulance or EMTs if necessary 3 If possible move your vehicle off the road 4 Exchang
5. right You should not pull your vehicle to the left or slam on your brakes Do not stop suddenly Use your right turn signal NEVER stop in the middle of an intersection Drive through the intersection and pull over as soon as it is safe After the emergency vehicle has passed use your left turn signal and make sure the lane is clear Be sure there are no other emergency vehicles approaching Then you can merge back into traffic Itis illegal to follow closer than 300 feet behind an emergency vehicle responding to an alarm Stationary Emergency Vehicle In 2012 there were 268 crashes involving stopped emergency vehicles in Massachusetts You must slow down and stay alert when you see an emergency response vehicle stopped ahead of you with its emergency lights flashing This includes fire trucks police cars ambulances and disaster vehicles usually in support of other emergency vehicles and services This also includes highway maintenance vehicles or recovery vehicles tow truck ramp truck etc with flashing emergency lights You must be careful for the safety of yourself and others The move over law Chapter 418 of the Acts of 2008 requires you to be cautious and reduce your speed to a speed that is reasonable and safe for the road conditions when you approach a stationary emergency vehicle with flashing lights On a highway with at least four lanes at least two in the same direction you are heading
6. train is coming Get everyone out of the vehicle and move as far from the tracks as you can Try to signal the train any way you safely can To avoid being hit by wreckage run from your vehicle in the direction the train is coming from If your vehicle stalls on railroad tracks and you don t know if a train is coming e Roll down your window or open your door and listen for a train Try to start your engine If your vehicle won t start shift to neutral and try to push the vehicle off the tracks e f you cannot move your vehicle from the tracks call the police immediately If your car is caught on a railroad crossing contact the local or state police as quickly as possible The police may be able to stop the trains before a collision Breakdowns Move your vehicle to the side of the road Never park on a hill or a curve where others cannot see you If you cannot get your vehicle off the pavement get all passengers out of the vehicle and off the road On a highway with a breakdown lane or shoulder move your vehicle as far from the travel lane as you can Do not stand near the travel lane or in the breakdown lane Turn on your emergency warning lights flashers At night also turn on your vehicle s interior lights e Tie a white cloth to your antenna or door handle use a red cloth when it s snowing Raise your vehicle s hood If you have flares or reflective signs place them 200 feet in front of a
7. Special Driving Situations Only practice and experience can make you a good driver About 40 percent of highway crashes involve drivers under 25 years old RMV Crash Data Department Most of these crashes are caused by driver inexperience To be a good driver you must follow these rules e Give driving your full attention Don t be distracted while driving Talking to passengers adjusting a car stereo or eating can all be dangerous Drive defensively and keep your eyes on the road ahead By staying alert you will see hazards and have time to avoid them Learn to drive in different situations Practice highway driving night driving and handling a motor vehicle in different weather conditions Know how to handle emergency situations such as skidding or tire blowout Know understand and obey the rules of the road This chapter explains defensive driving and how to handle special driving situations It also tells you what to do if there is a crash even if you are only a witness Moving Emergency Vehicle Always yield the right of way to fire engines ambulances police cars and other emergency vehicles that are using a siren and or emergency flashing lights e If an emergency vehicle is coming from any direction you must pull as close as possible to the right side of the road Stop until the vehicle has passed Slowly rolling is not acceptable e Check your mirrors and find a safe place to pull over to the
8. e name address driver s license number vehicle registration and insurance information with anyone who is injured and with any other drivers involved You must show your driver s license and registration if asked to 5 Within five days of the crash you must file a crash report with both the RMV and the local police department You must report any crash that caused injury or death or that caused 1 000 or more of property damage 6 Notify your insurance company Emergency First Aid Tips Don t move an injured person unless absolutely necessary If you must move someone because of a life threatening situation fully support the person s head and spine e Check to see if the person is breathing If the person is not breathing and you are certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation CPR begin performing CPR immediately If the person is bleeding put pressure directly on the wound Maintain pressure until help arrives e Cover the injured person with a blanket or coat to provide warmth and prevent shock Hit and Run Crashes Leaving the Scene of a Crash Without Identifying Yourself From 2010 through 2013 Massachusetts has averaged a high number of hit amp run crashes each year in which drivers leave the scene without stopping and identifying themselves The average number of hit amp run crashes for each of those years includes 14 that caused death 722 that caused personal injuries and 5 952 that caus
9. ed property damage Leaving the scene of a crash can result in serious consequences both for the driver once caught and for any victims left behind at the scene When you re involved in a crash even a small one you must stop your vehicle Never leave the scene of a crash involving a death personal injuries and or property damage without stopping and identifying yourself You must stay on the scene properly identify yourself give aid if possible and call for emergency assistance if needed If you leave the scene after a crash without properly identifying yourself you could be criminally charged with a leaving the scene violation and face the following maximum penalties e Up to 200 or up to two years imprisonment or both for leaving the scene after a crash causing damage to another vehicle or other property M G L c 90 Section 24 2 a e Up to 1000 and imprisonment of up to two years for leaving the scene after a crash causing personal injury to any person not resulting in death Section 2 a 4 1 e Up to 5000 and imprisonment of up to 2 years in jail or up to 10 years in state prison for leaving the scene after a crash causing personal injury to any person that resulted in death Section 2 a 2 If you hit and injure or kill a cat or dog and do not notify the animal s owner or the local police you can be fined under M G L Chapter 272 Section 80H Any criminal conviction may result in probation costs
10. em to respond to incidents as soon as possible e Pull to the side of the road if you can Activate your hazard flashing lights e Call 911 and follow instructions e Stay in your vehicle if it is safe to do so Wait for emergency personnel for help When Entering A Tunnel Stay alert Turn on your headlights Obey all signs and signals e Listen to the radio for traffic updates Do not enter if you notice smoke near the entrance or if your car is smoking or burning e Maintain a safe driving distance e Hazardous Materials are prohibited including propane In Heavy Traffic e Listen to the radio for updates Keep a safe distance from other vehicles even if traffic is moving slowly Note the location of emergency exits Follow the instructions of MassDOT officials State Police and message signs If There s A Fire Stop turn off the engine and exit your vehicle To help emergency personnel leave your keys in the vehicle e For your safety leave your stuff in the vehicle Call 911 e Follow the instructions of Fire Department State Police MassDOT officials and message signs Exit at the nearest tunnel entrance unless directed otherwise Help others if you can Please remember Fire and smoke can kill Save your life not your car Traffic Crashes Each year there are more than 125 000 motor vehicle crashes in Massachusetts You can lower your chances of a crash
11. etermine the police officer s reaction Arguing disregarding the officer s instructions or requests suggesting that the officer could be more productive by stopping other drivers or suddenly reaching under the seat or into unseen areas of the passenger compartment are not appropriate These actions may increase the officer s own anxiety Traffic law enforcement is one of a police officer s most important duties They help to ensure the orderly flow of traffic and to prevent deaths and injuries on our public roads There is an obvious need for constant enforcement More persons are killed and injured in motor vehicle crashes across the U S each year than in all other forms of violence combined In 2012 the last year for which figures are available 33 561 persons drivers passengers pedestrians and bicyclists were killed and over 2 360 000 were injured in the U S in crashes National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA Massachusetts had 383 deaths and 43 858 injuries from crashes RMV Crash Data Department Police officers have reason to be worried about their safety during traffic enforcement Each year in the United States a number of police officers are killed and thousands more are assaulted During 2012 alone 8 police officers were killed and 4 450 others were assaulted during traffic pursuits and stops Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reports To help reduce the levels of anxiety you should do the follow
12. ing during a traffic stop Don t ignore the officer s signal or pretend you didn t see it Turn on your right turn signal and check your mirrors Carefully and slowly move your vehicle completely to the right side of the road If the officer drives by and doesn t stop return to the travel lane when it is safe Do not stop your vehicle in an intersection in front of a driveway or in a travel lane If the officer directs you to pull over in a certain place pull over where directed Put the car in park if an automatic transmission or in neutral with the parking brake on if a standard transmission Turn off the engine Stay in the vehicle both you and your passengers Only get out if you are instructed to by the officer fitis dark leave your headlights on and put the interior overhead light on Roll down your window as the officer walks toward you Have your license and registration ready Give them to the officer when instructed Do not present them to the officer in a wallet or holder You are required by law to have your license and registration when operating a vehicle Keep your hands in plain sight and tell your passengers to do the same Do not make any sudden movements or gestures that could seem threatening Examples of this could be reaching under the seats or into unlit areas of the vehicle Make sure your passengers do not do this either Stay in your vehicle when the officer goes bac
13. k to the police car If you have a question wait until the officer returns If you find something the officer requested hold it out the window and wait for the officer to return Be polite when the officer returns your license and registration If the officer gives you a ticket do not argue Once a citation is issued the officer is required to file it and cannot take it back You have the right to challenge the citation in court When the officer tells you that you can go put on your left turn signal check your mirrors and return to the travel lane If you are on a highway accelerate to a safe speed in the breakdown lane before merging into traffic Remember that a police officer never knows what to expect when stopping a driver Don t let your emotions or sudden unexplained movements or those of your passengers cause more anxiety The officer may be more likely to listen to you and less likely to feel threatened if you follow these guidelines IMPORTANT If you believe that you were stopped by a police officer because of your race or your gender you may report this by contacting the police department or law enforcement agency of the officer who stopped you Driving Emergencies In any emergency situation it is very important to think clearly and don t panic You often have only a short time to react Read this section to learn what to do when an emergency occurs It could save a life Skidding You should handle a skid the
14. lectrical wires that have fallen because of a crash If electrical wires have landed on a vehicle tell the people inside to remain inside until emergency personnel arrive Do not touch the vehicle Reporting a Crash You must report any motor vehicle crash you are in that causes someone to be killed or hurt or that causes 1 000 or more in property damage You must file a written report with the RMV within five days of the crash If you are required to file a crash report but you do not you can be fined and your license can be suspended or revoked You can get a Motor Vehicle Crash Operator Report at your local police station an RMV branch or by calling the RMV s Phone Center You can also download the report from our website at www massrmv com Where to send completed reports 1 Mail or deliver one copy to the local police department in the city or town where the crash happened 2 Mail one copy to your Insurance Company 3 Mail one copy to the RMV at the address below Crash Records Registry of Motor Vehicles P O Box 55889 Boston MA 02205 5889 You should keep a copy of the report for your own files
15. nd behind your vehicle to warn other drivers The Highway Assistance Patrol HAP provides help to stranded drivers It is operated by the MassDOT Highway Division and sponsored by MAPFRE Commerce Insurance For more information visit http www massdot state ma us highway TrafficTravelResources EmergencyRoadsideAssistance as px Car Catches Fire If you see smoke coming from under your vehicle s hood e Pull off the road turn off the ignition and move away from the vehicle Call the fire department or emergency services Do not try to fight the fire unless you have an extinguisher Vehicle Drives into Water If your car drives into water Unfasten your safety belt and escape through a window f you have power windows open them quickly before the water causes them to stop working Do not open a door This would cause water to rush in and your vehicle could flip over If your vehicle sinks before you can get out climb into the rear seat An air pocket may form there When the vehicle settles take a deep breath and escape through a window Driving Through Tunnels Public Safety is a priority at MassDOT Please follow these important safety tips when traveling through our tunnels If You are in a Crash or a Disabled Vehicle in a Tunnel Most major tunnels within Massachusetts are monitored by the Highway Operations Center State Police and MassDOT personnel are located throughout the tunnel syst
16. same for front and rear wheel drive vehicles e Slowly remove your foot from the gas pedal and shift into neutral Don t hit the brakes You will make the skid worse e Turn your steering wheel in the direction of the skid If your rear tires are skidding to the left turn your steering wheel left If they are sliding right steer right You may need to steer left and right a few times until you get your car completely under control Running Off the Pavement If you drive off the pavement and onto the shoulder of the road Hold the steering wheel tightly and slowly remove your foot from If your vehicle skids the gas pedal always turn your Gently apply the brake to reduce your speed steering wheel In the direction of the skid Check for traffic behind you then steer gently back onto the road Flat Tire Blowout or Wheel Loss If you get a flat tire your tire blows out or you lose a wheel Grip the steering wheel tightly and slowly remove your foot from the gas pedal e Gently apply the brakes e f you begin to skid turn the steering wheel in the direction of the skid e Gently straighten the car Don t use the brake until you have the vehicle under control e Pull your car off the road as soon as it is safe Brake Failure If your vehicle has antilock brakes and the brakes fail to respond when you are fully pressing the brake pedal you should do the following Downshift to
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