Driving on Interstates

Texas Interstate Highways are the safest driving environments because they are the most controlled. The following are ways interstate traffic is regulated:

1. Few Entrance Ramps
2. Limited Exit Points
3. Few Intersections
4. More guidance signs posted
5. Better pavement for higher speeds

Even though interstates are the safest driving environments, they are not without dangers. The following are dangers on interstates:

1. More fatalities when there is a crash. These fatal crashes often occur because of the higher rates of speed.
2. More congestion because of higher use. This creates more dangerous obstacles.

Interstate Right-of-Way

When entering or exiting an interstate, the slower traffic should always yield to the faster traffic. For example, if the interstate has a posted speed limit of 65 mph and the feeder road has a posted speed limit of 45 mph, the traffic on the feeder road would be required to yield to traffic exiting the interstate. If traffic were entering that interstate from the feeder road then the traffic entering the interstate from the feeder road would again yield to traffic on the interstate since the traffic entering the interstate from the feeder road has the slower posted speed limit.

Interstate Sign Tips

If an interstate number ends with an odd number such as I-45 then it runs north and south. If an interstate number ends with an even number such as I-10 then it runs east and west. If it's a loop then it begins with an even number and ends in the numbers of the interstate it loops around. An example of such would be 610 looping around I-10. If it's a spur, then it begins with an odd number and ends in the numbers of the interstate it spurs from such as 510 and that spurs off of I-10. When driving on an interstate, the side of the sign that the exit number is on indicates the side of the road your exit is on. If the “Exit 66” sign is on the left side of the sign then the exit should be on the left side of the road. If the “Exit 66” sign is on the right side of the sign then that exit should be on the right side of the road.

Texas has many Interstates, which can create problems for those that have challenges with driving. Taking a Texas Defensive Driving Class can help educate a person on the correct procedures of the roadways. Comedy Driving teaches helpful driving techniques in their classes. For more information take our Course Tour or Signup for our Online Course today!