How to Drive the Overseas Highway
Driving is an unavoidable fact of life these days and given the increasing traffic density, one has to take a highway every now and then, which is quite different from driving on internal city roads. On highways, a greater need to exercise caution is required and one must be vigilant at all times to make sure that the journey concludes without any untoward incident.
The Overseas Highway carries U.S. Route 1 through the Florida Keys Area. The highway is about 127.5 miles long and was originally built with the idea of providing right of way to the overseas railroad. It was opened in 1938 and there have been some changes made to it since then. Like all highways, there are certain measures a driver must take that are specific to the nature of the particular highway. Taking these steps will certainly help you drive safely and reach your destination.
Instructions
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1
Driving with Boats
A lot of people drive with boats being pulled on the back of their vehicles. This is pretty common in Florida since many people are looking to head to the sea and enjoy sailing with friends and family.
If you are pulling a weight, be sure to not make any sudden moves or turns. This can not only affect the balance of your vehicle but also the traffic coming from behind. Stay in the right most lane so that you have to make minimum adjustments. Make sure that you maintain a steady distance between yourself and the next vehicle. Generally 100 feet are recommended on the highway, though it is not a bad idea to keep more when hauling a load. Similar precautions should be exercised when the vehicle in front of you is pulling a boat. -
2
Move Steadily
You may come across a situation where the person in front of you is going slower than you like. Either carefully overtake this person or stay behind him/her on a constant distance. Do not accelerate to get on the tail of the car. While driving on the highway, it is best that you go at the same pace as the car in front of you, while keeping your distance. This will help you avoid braking again and again. -
3
Two Lane Areas
There are certain areas of the highway that compromise of two lanes. Be more cautious in these areas and try to stay in the right lane. Make sure that you follow the speed limits. Only come to the left lane when overtaking and do not stay there for long. Be careful not to overtake from the right lane.
