Sharing the Road

What to Do if a Collision Occurs

Talk to your teen about what to do in the event of a collision. What to do as a witness or as someone involved in a collision is noted in the California Driver Handbook.

When You Hear a Siren

When a fire truck, ambulance, police vehicle, or other emergency vehicle approaches from behind with its siren on, have your teen pull over when possible to the right side of the road. Stop until the emergency vehicle passes. However, never stop in an intersection. Continue through the intersection and then pull to the right as soon as possible. Failure to pull over may result in a citation. Sometimes, the driver of an emergency vehicle will use a loudspeaker to direct a driver blocking the road.

Motorcycles, Bicycles, Scooters, Etc.

Be aware that because they are small – motorcycles, bicycles, scooters, and skateboards – can be difficult to see.

When You See a School Bus

When you see flashing red lights on a school bus, have your teen stop at a safe distance away from the school bus, and remain stopped until the red lights stop flashing. Traffic in both directions must stop unless driving on a divided highway. School buses are required to flash the red lights at all stops.

Be cautious around stopped school buses, even if the red lights have stopped flashing. Assume a child might dart out in front of you.

Railroad Crossings

When driving close to a railroad crossing, have your teen look and listen for trains in both directions. Be ready to stop, if necessary. Expect a train on a track at any time, day or night. Never stop on a railroad track. Usually by the time a train sees a vehicle, it will be too late for it to stop. When traffic is heavy, wait off the tracks until your teen is sure they can drive over the tracks without stopping.