Sharing the road in Louisiana

By the end of this topic you can

• You can yield correctly to pedestrians, including people who are blind.
• You can pass a bicyclist legally and safely.
• You can keep a safe distance from motorcycles and trucks.
• You can respond to an approaching emergency vehicle.
• You can cross railroad tracks safely and know what to do if you stall.

What you need to know and understand

• Leave at least 3 feet when passing a bicyclist (R.S. 32:76.1).
• Pedestrians using a guide dog or a white cane must always be given the right of way.
• A motorcycle is entitled to the full width of a lane, so never share a lane with one.
• Keep at least a four-second gap behind a motorcycle, and four to five seconds behind a big truck in good conditions.
• Do not follow a responding emergency vehicle closer than 500 feet or park in the block where it has stopped.
• When a train is approaching, stop between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail (R.S. 32:171), and never stop on the tracks.
• Vehicles moving under 25 mph, such as farm equipment, often show a slow-moving vehicle emblem.
• Children under 12 must wear a helmet when riding a bicycle.

People on foot and on bikes

Pedestrians have the right of way in marked and unmarked crosswalks, when crossing with a green or walk signal, and over a car turning right on red. Even someone crossing illegally must be allowed to cross. Do not pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk.

Bicyclists have the same rights and duties as drivers. Give them the whole lane when they pass parked cars, wait for oncoming cyclists before turning left, and never swing in front of one to turn right. Look for cyclists before opening your door.

Trucks and the No-Zone

• If you cannot see the truck driver's face in a mirror, the driver cannot see you.
• Do not cut in front of a truck; a loaded tractor-trailer at 55 mph needs about 290 feet to stop on a dry road.
• Pass on the left, then wait until you see the whole truck in your mirror before moving back in.
• Never squeeze between a turning truck and the curb; trucks swing wide to turn right.
• Use low beams when following a truck at night.

Emergency vehicles and trains

The deeper guide on this site to Louisiana intermediate license rules explains how new drivers should handle passengers safely too.

1. Siren or flashing lights behind you: pull to the right edge, clear of intersections, and stop until it passes.
2. Flashing lights or lowered gates at a crossing: stop 15 to 50 feet from the rail and wait. Never drive around gates.
3. Line of traffic over the tracks: wait until there is room for your whole car on the far side.
4. Car stalled on the tracks with a train coming: get everyone out and move away toward the train, at an angle away from the tracks.

Common mistakes

• Passing a cyclist with less than 3 feet of space or while an oncoming car is near.
• Riding alongside a truck in its blind spot for long stretches.
• Judging a motorcycle's speed at a glance. Look twice before turning left in front of one.
• Stopping on the tracks in heavy traffic. Wait until there is room to clear them.

Test yourself: Sharing the road in Louisiana

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

Go deeper

• Louisiana Intermediate License Rules Under the R.Y.A.N. Act
• Louisiana Road Test
• How to Get a Driver’s License in Louisiana