Drivers' Education - Chapter 3

Who must wear a seat belt in NJ?

All drivers and passengers.

What makes seat belt violations a primary offense?

Failure of the driver, front-seat passenger, or any passenger under 18 to wear one.

Who's responsible for backseat passengers 18+ not wearing a seat belt?

They're responsible for themselves — it's a secondary offense.

What's the seat belt rule for permit/probationary drivers specifically?

They must require everyone in the car to wear a seat belt, no matter their age.

Three reasons for using a seat belt?

Prevents being thrown from the vehicle, hitting the dashboard, and sliding on the seat.

Where should a car seat go?

Rear seat.

At what age should a child be in the rear seat?

Children 12 and under should be in the back seat. Children 8 and older can sit in the back seat without a federally approved booster seat.

Best way to check headlights?

Test against a garage or parked car.

Law on snow on a vehicle?

All snow must be cleared off the vehicle, including the top.

What conditions can cause dangerous levels of carbon monoxide?

• Exhaust leak or poorly tuned engine

• Trunk or rear tailgate open

• Holes in the vehicle's body

• Idling in a garage/confined space, even with the door open

• Blocked tailpipe (snow, leaves, water, debris)

Most common symptoms of CO poisoning?

• Headache

• Dizziness

• Loss of consciousness

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Chest pain

• Confusion

What to do if someone has CO poisoning?

Remove them from the situation and call 911.

Hand position on steering wheel?

9 and 3.

Law on car idling?

Restrict idling to 3 minutes or less.

How many feet before a turn should you signal?

100 feet.

Best way to "talk" to other drivers?

Horns, lights, and hand signals.

Horn - Alerts other drivers to your presence or warns of danger

Lights - flashing headlights or using turn signals/brake lights to signal your intentions

Hand signals - Used to show your next move when needed, like if your signals aren’t working

Proper positioning for driving in reverse?

Head and body turned right, looking through the back window without mirrors.

Proper speed in reverse?

2–4 mph.

Tire direction parking uphill/downhill?

Uphill: away from curb. Downhill: toward curb.

Most common parking type on city streets?

Parallel parking.

Three types of hand signals?

Stop/slow: arm down, palm back.

Right turn: arm up.

Left turn: arm straight out.

How far from the curb when parallel parking?

6 inches.

What are three factors that would affect your stopping distance and why?

Several factors affect stopping distance. Reaction time matters because each driver reacts at a different speed. A slower reaction means more distance is covered before the brakes are even applied. Weather and visibility also play a role, since rain or snow reduce how well a driver can see hazards and how well the tires grip the road. Speed is another major factor, since a car traveling at 80 mph needs far more distance to stop than one traveling at 20 mph, because higher speeds increase both the distance covered during reaction time and the distance needed to brake.