When driving in rural or mixed-use areas, you may encounter slow vehicles or animals on or near the road. Patience and caution are key.
🚜 Farm Tractors & Slow-Moving Vehicles
- Common on rural roads
- Often marked with an orange triangular slow-moving vehicle sign
- Typically travel 25 mph or less
- Be patient and wait until it is safe and legal to pass
- These vehicles may pull over when possible to let faster traffic pass
🔋 NEVs and LSVs
Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) and Low-Speed Vehicles (LSVs) are small street-legal vehicles that reach a maximum speed of 25 mph.
- They are banned from roads where the speed limit is greater than 35 mph
- Expect to meet them in residential communities, resorts and campuses
- Treat them like any other slow vehicle: give space and pass only when it is safe
🐎 Horseback Riders
- Riders have rights to the road
- When you encounter them:
- Slow down
- Give plenty of space
- Do not honk — it can spook the horse
- Follow the rider’s hand signals or instructions
🐕 Animals on the Road
- For wildlife or pets:
- Slow down or stop if safe
- For large animals (e.g., deer):
- Use extreme caution
- Avoid sudden swerving, which can lead to loss of control or crashes
🐾 Hitting Domestic Animals
- If you hit a domestic animal (e.g., dog or cat):
- Stop and try to help
- Report it to authorities or the animal’s owner
- Domestic animals are considered property under the law
Do not swerve into oncoming traffic for small animals — human safety takes priority, though you should brake if possible
🐄 Open Range Areas
- In some rural parts of California, cattle or livestock may roam freely
- These are known as Open Range areas
- Warning signs will alert you
- Be especially vigilant — hitting a cow or horse can be fatal due to their size and weight
Stay alert, reduce speed when necessary, and always prioritize safety — for yourself, animals, and others on the road.