When CHP is escorting a slow caravan, do vehicles have to pull over to let them pass?

Q: Richard Schadt of Moreno Valley said he was driving south on Palm Drive in Desert Hot Springs recently, and traveling north on the other side of the road were three California Highway Patrol cars with their overhead lights on but not their sirens. The CHP cars were slowly escorting an oversize truck carrying a large tank of some sort, and behind the truck were three more CHP cars with their overhead lights on also, but no sirens. Schadt asked if he was supposed to pull over to the right or stop for the slow-moving vehicles. He said it didn’t seem that there was an emergency.

A: Our reader did not have to stop for the slow caravan, said California Highway Patrol Officer Dan Olivas of the Inland Division. The CHP cars had their lights on to increase visibility of the oversized vehicle they were escorting and to simply alert other drivers, as a safety precaution, he said. “You don’t have to yield to that, or on the freeway. We can’t expect the whole freeway to yield to the oversize vehicle,” Olivas said.

Q: Fernando Guerrero of Corona said he recently renewed his driver’s license and read the entire California Driver’s Handbook. Guerrero found what he thinks is an error in Section 8, about safe driving, in the subsection called, “How to handle emergencies,” then “Tire Blow Out and Accelerator malfunction.” The booklet says that if your accelerator gets stuck, to shift to neutral and apply the brakes. If you can’t shift to neutral, the book says to shut off the engine so the vehicle slows down and stops.

Guerrero said, “This instruction does not apply to modern cars due to the anti-theft features built into the vehicle which when the engine is turned off, it automatically locks the steering wheel/column. This will make the car move in whichever direction the car was headed when the engine was turned off.”

Guerrero said his family has two 2015 Volvos and on both cars, the steering wheel/column is locked automatically when the engine is turned off. He said other vehicles have similar anti-theft features.

A: We passed our reader’s information on to the Department of Motor Vehicles. DMV spokeswoman Katarina Snow thanked us for bringing this matter to the DMV’s attention and said the DMV would update this information in the handbook’s next revision.

Safety tips for mountain driving

Finally, are you planning a trip to the local mountains for a snow day this winter? Follow these safety tips from the California Department of Transportation and California Highway Patrol before heading out:

• Make sure vehicle’s brakes, windshield wipers, defroster, heater and exhaust systems are functioning.• Check antifreeze and be ready for colder temperatures.• Make sure tires are properly inflated with adequate tread.• Carry chains in snow conditions, even if you have a four-wheel drive, and pay attention to road signs indicating if chains are required.• Bring a windshield scraper and a shovel to free your car if it gets stuck in snow.• Take drinking water, snacks, warm blankets, extra clothing, a flashlight and medication in case you are delayed or get stuck on a snowy road.• Keep gas tank full.• Before heading out, check weather conditions.

Do you commute to work in the Inland Empire? Spend a lot of time in your vehicle? Have questions about driving, freeways, toll roads or parking? If so, write or call On the Road and we’ll try to answer your questions. Please include your question or issue, name, city of residence, phone number and email address. Write ontheroad@scng.com or call us at our new phone number, 951-368-9995.

Source: Orange County Register