Sharing the road in Wisconsin

By the end of this topic you can

• You can pass bicyclists with legal clearance.
• You can stay out of a truck's blind spots.
• You can respond correctly to emergency vehicles and school buses.
• You can cross railroad tracks safely.
• You can handle farm equipment, livestock and deer on rural roads.

What you need to know and understand

• Give bicyclists at least 3 feet of room when you pass.
• A large truck cannot see you about 20 feet in front of it or about 200 feet behind it.
• Pull over and stop for emergency vehicles using lights and sirens, but not in an intersection.
• Stop at least 20 feet from a school bus with flashing red lights.
• Stop at least 10 feet from a pedestrian using a white cane or guide dog.
• Yield to livestock on or near the road, and do not honk at them.

People on foot and on bikes

Watch for pedestrians at corners, crosswalks and between parked cars. Yield to them in crosswalks.

Bicyclists may use the travel lane. Leave at least 3 feet when passing, and check for bikes before you turn right or open your door. In a roundabout, cyclists may ride in the lane or use the crosswalk.

Motorcycles and large trucks

• Motorcycles are small and easy to miss. Look twice before turning or changing lanes.
• Stay out of a truck's no-zones: close in front, close behind and along its sides.
• If you cannot see the truck driver's mirrors, the driver cannot see you.
• Give trucks extra room to turn, and yield to semitrucks in roundabouts.

Rail crossings and rural roads

Slow down at the round yellow advance sign and look and listen both ways. A crossbuck may show how many tracks there are. An 'Exempt' sign means certain vehicles, such as buses, need not stop there. Never stop on the tracks.

On rural roads, expect slow farm machinery and livestock. Deer are most active between sunset and sunrise. If you hit a deer, call the police so they can tag it.

Common mistakes

• Squeezing past a cyclist without 3 feet of room. Wait until you can pass safely.
• Sitting right behind a truck. Its driver cannot see you within about 200 feet.
• Stopping in an intersection for an ambulance. Clear the intersection, then pull right.
• Honking at livestock. It can make animals bolt into your path.

Test yourself: Sharing the road in Wisconsin

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Wisconsin Road Test Guide
• How to Get a Driver’s License in Wisconsin
• Wisconsin 50 Hour Driving Log and Sponsor Rules