Session 9 - Driver Responsibilities: Adverse Conditions

Reducing your speed

-should be your first response to decreased visibility and dangerous road conditions.

Doubling your normal following distance, when the conditions demand it

Increase your space cushion by-

Sun glare

from sunlight, either direct or reflected, poses a dangerous driving situation for drivers. To reduce this problem, adjust your sun visor and wear sunglasses.

Shift your eyes to the lower right edge of the road and concentrate on the white edge markings.

To reduce glare while driving at night-

adjust your mirror or use a day-night mirror.

To cut glare from the rear-

LOWER

Always ____ your speed until your eyes have recovered from the glare.

• Your windshield being dirty. Dirt and grime on the window refract the light.

• Scratches or cracks on your windshield.

• Smoking inside your vehicle adds a film of chemicals on your windshield.

• Smudges from cleaning.

• Items on your dashboard.

• Bright lights, especially flashing from advertisements or construction warnings.

• Security and flood lights from adjacent buildings.

• Snow, ice, or frost.

• Condensation.

• Sun or lights reflecting off the hood.

Glare can be caused by:

• Wear sunglasses, especially polarized.

• Use the sun visor.

• Clean the windshield.

• Clean the headlights.

• Adjust your mirrors.

• Avoid looking directly at the headlights of oncoming traffic.

• While driving at night, look down at the white line or lane markers when an oncoming car is approaching.

A few ways to drive safely while managing glare include:

• You cannot see as well.

• There are more impaired drivers on the road.

• Drivers tend to be tired and less alert.

• The headlights of oncoming vehicles can blind a driver.

• Dirty windshields and poor lights can cause problems for some drivers.

Night driving is more dangerous than daytime driving because:

Reduce your speed at night.

Too many drivers try to drive the same speed at night as they would in the daytime. You should-

350 to 500 feet

Under normal conditions headlights on high beam illuminate about

150 feet

Headlights on low beam illuminate about

• From a half hour after sunset until a half hour before sunrise

• When there is insufficient light

• Whenever persons or vehicles cannot be clearly seen at a distance of 1,000 feet

• When directed by an official traffic control device

Headlights are legally required:

You must use headlights from sunset to sunrise.Use low-beams when driving in cities and towns, except on streets where there is no lighting, and no cars are driving towards you.

At sunset, as soon as light begins to fade, turn on your headlights to make your vehicle more visible to others.

Look to the right side of the road until the vehicle has passed.

When an approaching vehicle does not dim their headlights-

Rain, fog, snow, or smoke

reduce visibility and make maneuvering on pavement dangerous.

two to ten

Stopping distances on slippery pavement are ___ to ___ imes farther than stopping distances on dry pavement.

10 miles

Drive at least five to __ ____ per hour slower on wet pavement than you would on dry pavement.

where there is insufficient light, half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunset, where ever a vehicle can’t be seen at a distance of 1000 feet

Headlights are legally required:

• Significantly lower your normal driving speed.

• Turn on your headlights. Switch to low beams to prevent the glaring reflection of your lights on the fog.

• Look for road edge markings to guide you.

• Lower your speed even more when you see headlights or taillights. The headlights may be on a vehicle that is being driven down the center of the road, and the taillights may be a vehicle stopped or just barely moving.

• Be ready to stop quickly, and keep within the limits of your vision. If the fog becomes so thick that you can barely see, pull off the road and stop. Use your emergency flashers. Wait until visibility improves. Do not creep along at 5 or 10 miles per hour.

• Use your windshield wipers.

• Use your defroster or air conditioner to keep the windshield free from condensation.

The best rule during foggy conditions is to avoid driving. If you must drive, you should:

The start of a light rain when road oil and water mix to form a greasy film on the road

Roads are more dangerous at;

Then it is not safe to drive over 30 miles per hour

If you cannot see 100 feet within;

Hydroplaning

Occurs when a thin sheet of water gets between the road surface and a vehicle's tires, causing them to lose contact with the road. The vehicle then begins a skidding movement across the road.

Left on the car can fly off when the vehicle is moving and create a hazard for other motorists. Be sure to clear all of your windows, mirrors and front and rear lights of snow or ice so you can see and communicate with other drivers

Snow and ice

When driving while it snows

Start slowing down at least 3 times the distance you normally do when turning or stopping;

• Stay with the vehicle. Most deaths occur when people leave the vehicle, get lost and freeze to death.

• Put a red flag on the radio antenna or driver's door handle and place flares to the front and rear of the vehicle.

• Wrap yourself and any passengers in blankets and put on any warm clothing that is handy.

• Run the engine and heater until the car is warm - and then shut it off. Repeat this when you start to feel cold.

• Provide a little fresh air to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, even if it is very cold.

• Keep yourself and your passengers as active as possible. DO NOT LET ANYONE GO TO SLEEP.

• Do not panic. Be confident that help will arrive soon.

If you Become Stuck in a Heavy Snowstorm or Blizzard;

(In a vehicle with a manual transmission).

Do not use the clutch;

• More than half of all flash flood fatalities are auto-related.

• Observe any water level indicators at low-water crossings, remembering that six inches of water may be enough to cause you to lose control of your vehicle.

• Cars can easily stall in the water and be carried away in any current.

• Most vehicles will become buoyant in two feet (24 inches) of water or less.

• Most vehicles can be swept away in less than two feet (24 inches) of running water. Do not drive through flowing water.

• Cars traveling at a high rate of speed can be pushed off the road by only 6 inches of water.

• Do not try to cross a flooded road or stream in your vehicle.

• Do not drive around barricades at low-water crossings.

• Be aware that beneath the water's surface, roadbeds may have been washed away.

• If you choose to abandon your vehicle, respect the force of the water. Six inches of fast-moving water will knock you off your feet.

• Barricades are put up by local officials to protect people from unsafe roads. Never drive around barricades.

• It may be difficult to determine the depth of floodwaters because you have no idea if the road has washed away underneath.

Low Water Crossings

A rapid flooding of low-lying areas, such as dry washes, rivers, dry lakes, and basins.

flash flood

when it rains rapidly on saturated soil or dry soil that has poor absorption ability.

Flash flooding occurs

Coastal areas

may be flooded by storm events at sea, resulting in waves over-topping defenses or in severe cases by tsunami or tropical cyclones.

Urban flooding

the inundation of land or property in a built environment, particularly in more densely populated areas, caused by rainfall overwhelming the capacity of drainage systems, such as storm sewers.

Arroyos

also called a wash, is a dry creek, stream bed or gulch that temporarily or seasonally fills and flows after sufficient rain.

don't attempt to drive through it

If you encounter a flooded roadway;

• Check your battery and make sure none of the cables are loose. Check for any corrosion by looking for any white powder around the nodes. This should be done with the vehicle off.

• Replace your spark plugs.

• Check belts for wear and cracks to determine if they will snap or break. Make sure the belts have the proper amount of tension.

• Check tires for adequate tread and make sure that they are balanced and aligned. Check your tire pressure. Decreased temperatures will also decrease the tire pressure.

• Check your radiator and hoses. Flush your radiator if it has been a couple of years. Fill your antifreeze.

• Check your oil and change it if it is time to do so.

• Check windshield wiper blades for wear and cracks. Winterize your washer fluid.

• Keep with windshield and headlights clean for better visibility.

There are several precautions you can take to keep your vehicle functioning properly;

• Check tires for proper inflation and pressure. Driving long distances or at high rates of speed together with the extreme heat can cause underinflated tires to flex and build up pressure within the tire.

• In extreme heat, you are probably using the air conditioner more and at a higher fan speed. Routinely check the air conditioner's coolant hoses on the radiator to make sure there is a good connection. Also, monitor the tension of the air conditioner drive belts.

Extreme hot temperatures can also cause extra wear and tear on your vehicle. During extreme heat, keep an eye on these:

If your car is on fire.

DO NOT OPEN THE HOOD-

Buffeting

Strong wind conditions can produce strong gusts of wind called

Buffeting can occur;

when crossing bridges, driving over mountain passes or through valleys, and passing large vehicles such as tractor trailers.

• Decreasing your speed. This will give you more control of your vehicle and more time to react. Keep your hands firmly on the steering wheel.

• Be aware of your surroundings. Pay attention to anything on the side of the roadway that could blow into your path of travel, such as tree branches.

• Increase your following distance, especially when behind larger vehicles or anyone towing a trailer.

• Pay attention to your driving environment. Know when you are approaching areas where strong wind gusts are more prevalent, such as over a bridge or mountain pass.

• Position your vehicle in lane position two or three as you are approaching high risk areas to give yourself extra room to maneuver your vehicle without crossing into the adjacent lane.

• Prepare yourself to counter steer against the wind gusts. Do not turn the steering wheel quickly, make gentle movements.

When driving in strong wind conditions, prepare yourself for strong gusts of wind by:

seat belts

can double your chances of surviving a crash and more than double your chances of avoiding serious injury

• Seat belts reduce the force of impact against the car's interior.

• You can be thrown out of the car. Seat belts keep you inside the car and safer.

• Seat belts can keep fender benders from becoming major collisions because you are still in position to control your car or truck.

• If all passengers are buckled in, there is much less danger of being thrown forward or from the vehicle.

• Small children are especially prone to injury or death and must be protected. Have children sit in the back seat with seat belts fastened or strapped into a child passenger restraint system.

In a collision:

decrease your traveling speed

In strong wind conditions, you should:

13

Avoid putting children under ___ in the front seat.

There is a possibility your arms and hands could be injured if the air bag deploys with your hands at the 10 and 2 positions.

Use the 8 and 4 o'clock hand positions to hold the steering wheel;

8

All children under age ___ must be properly secured in a child safety seat or booster seat when riding in vehicles manufactured after January 1, 1968.

in the center of the back seat

The safest place to install a child safety seat is-

Birth to 12 Months:

Children under the age of 1 should always ride in a rear-facing car seat.

1 to 3 Years:

Keep your child rear-facing for as long as possible. It's the best way to keep your child safe. Your child should remain in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat's manufacturer.

4 to 7 Years:

Keep your 4- to 7-year old children in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat's manufacturer.

8 to 12 Years

Keep your 8- to 12-year old children in a booster seat until they are big enough to fit in a seat belt properly. For a seat belt to fit properly the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should lie snug across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck or face.

A lane

is part of a roadway that is designated for use by a single line of vehicles, to control and guide drivers and reduce traffic conflicts.

Shoulders

are not intended for use by through traffic but are wide on the side of highways for emergency use and safety.

Rumble strips

are a road safety feature to alert inattentive drivers of potential danger, by causing a tactile vibration and audible rumbling transmitted through the wheels into the vehicle interior.

Narrowing traffic lanes

makes slower speeds seem more natural to drivers and are less intrusive than other treatments that limit speed or restrict route choice.

• Lane narrowing can be created by extending sidewalks, adding bollards or planters, or adding a bike lane or on-street parking.

• Curb extensions (also called bulb outs) narrow the width of the roadway at pedestrian crossings.

• Chokers are curb extensions that narrow roadways to a single lane at certain points.

• Road diets remove a lane from the street. For example, allowing parking on one or both sides of a street to reduce the number of driving lanes.

• Pedestrian refuges or small islands in the middle of the street can help reduce lane widths.

• Converting one-way streets into two-way streets forces opposing traffic into close proximity, which requires more careful driving.

Narrowing measures include;

Head-On Collisions

a traffic collision where the front ends of two vehicles hit each other in opposite directions.

Rear-End Collisions

a traffic accident in which a vehicle crashes into a vehicle in front of it.

Side-Impact Collisions

are vehicle crashes where the side of one or more vehicles is impacted. These crashes often occur at intersections, in parking lots, and when two vehicles pass on a multi-lane roadway.

• Crumple zones

• Strong occupant compartments

• Side impact protection

• Smart seat belts

• Supplementary airbags

• Intelligent head rests

Vehicle manufacturers are always trying to make cars safer - so they are constantly designing new vehicle safety features that provide a greater level of injury protection to drivers and passengers who are involved in crashes. Some of these features include:

Vehicle Safety Technology (VST)

in the automotive industry refers to special technology developed to ensure the safety and security of automobiles and passengers.

Anti-lock Brake Systems

an automobile safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to maintain traction with the road surface when the driver has to brake firmly and suddenly by preventing the wheels from locking up (or ceasing rotation)

Traction Control Systems

is typically a secondary function of the electronic stability control (ESC) designed to also prevent loss of traction of the wheels.

Suspension

is the system of tires, tire air, springs, shock absorbers, and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels and allows relative motion between the two.

Suspension systems serve a dual purpose:

• Contributing to the vehicle's handling and braking capabilities for increased safety and driving pleasure, and

• Keeping vehicle occupants comfortable and a ride quality reasonably well-isolated from road noise, bumps, vibrations, etc.

Electronic stability control (ESC)

is a computerized technology that improves a vehicle's stability by detecting and reducing loss of traction (skidding).

Active Yaw Control Systems (AYC)

are computer controlled and the computer is programmed to limit understeering and oversteering of the vehicle by using what is called torque vectoring.

In a head-on collision, two vehicles going 50 mph is equal to:

a vehicle running into a stationary one at 100 mph.

An anti-roll bar, also referred to as a stabilizer or sway bar

is a bar or tube which connects some part of the left and right sides of the suspension system.

Damping

is the control of motion using the hydraulic gates and valves in a vehicle's shock absorbers and struts

Active or Intelligent Head Restraints

attempt to reduce neck injuries resulting from rear-end collisions.

Adaptive Cruise Control

uses radar to monitor and regulate the distance between vehicles.

Traffic Jam Assistance

takes effect when a vehicle approaches slowed traffic or traffic that slows to a crawl. TJA is designed to operate at speeds under 40 to 45 miles per hour and adjusts the vehicle’s following distance based on the stop-and-go traffic ahead.

Forward Collision Warning

use sensors to detect slower-moving or stationary vehicles.

Automatic Emergency Braking System

This technology is a two-fold system as it includes both Dynamic Brake Support (DBS) and Crash Imminent Braking (CIB) - and it does just what you would think it would do.

Rear Automatic Emergency Braking System

uses sensors, like parking sensors and the backup camera, to detect objects behind the vehicle.

Pedestrian Automatic Emergency Braking System

uses information from forward sensors to detect a pedestrian in the vehicle’s path.

Lane Departure Warning System (LDW)

This system uses cameras and transponders to alert drivers when their vehicle drifts out of its lane (without using a turn signal).

Lane Keeping Assist (LKA)

Lane keeping assistance helps prevent the vehicle from unintentionally drifting out of its lane.

Lane Centering Assist (LCA)

is currently the highest level of lane monitoring technology. This system proactively keeps the vehicle centered within the lane in which it is traveling.

Blind Spot Detection

use cameras and radar sensors to alert drivers that there is a car in their blind spot.

Backup Camera

Rearview video systems (RVS), commonly known as backup cameras, helps to prevent back-over crashes.

Adaptive Front Lighting System

automatically switches the vehicle's headlights to low beams when there is an approaching oncoming vehicle and returns the headlights to high beams when the car passes.

Smart Seat Belts and Inflatable Seat Belts:

• Like intelligent head restraints, smart seat belts are activated when a crash is imminent. The belts are tightened, and the shape of the seat may adjust to a more crash-ready position.

• Inflatable seat belts are usually used in the back rows of cars where there are no frontal air bags. In the event of a crash, the seat belts instantaneously inflate to help distribute the crash force across a larger area of the passenger's chest more than a traditional seat belt will do.

Self Parking System

automatically maneuver a vehicle into a parallel or perpendicular parking spot.

Traction

A physical process in which an indirect force is transmitted across a space between two surfaces (or bodies) through dry friction or an intervening fluid or film resulting in motion, stopping, or the transmission of power.

Traction between two surfaces depends on several factors:

• Material composition of each surface - for example, the rubber of the tires or the asphalt on the road.

• Condition or texture of the materials - for example, bald tires or brand new asphalt.

• The normal force pressing the contact surfaces together. The weight, speed, and direction of the vehicle affect this force.

• Contaminants or other substances between the surfaces - for example, oil or wet leaves on the road.

• Relative motion of the surfaces - a sliding object (one in kinetic friction) has less traction than a non-sliding object (one in static friction). In other words, friction/traction is less between the road and the tire when the tire is rolling.

• The level of traction relative to some coordinate system - for example, the available traction of a tire often differs when cornering, accelerating, and braking.

• For low-friction surfaces, such as off-road or ice, traction can be increased by using traction devices that partially penetrate the surface; these devices use the shear strength of the underlying surface rather than relying solely on dry friction - for example, aggressive off-road treads or snow chains.

Static (or stationary) traction

a force that must be overcome by an applied force before an object can move.

Rolling (or controlled dynamic) traction

the frictional force which opposes or resists the motion of an object which is rolling on a surface.

Sliding (or uncontrolled dynamic) traction

also known as kinetic friction. Occurs when the tires slide across the surface of the road. This is a decreased friction/traction situation. The tires do not grip the road as well as static or rolling traction because there is less adhesion to the road surface.

Road Surface Conditions that can Decrease Traction:

• Ice, snow, sleet, or frost

• Wet surfaces

• Standing water

• Mud

• Wet leaves

• Uneven surface of terrain or roadways

• Sand or gravel

• Curves

Releasing the Accelerator

Applying the brakes is not always necessary - you can reduce your speed by simply removing your foot or releasing pressure from the accelerator.

Cover Braking:

allows you to reduce speed smoothly over a relatively short distance. This technique involves removing your foot from the accelerator and then hovering it over the brake pedal, without immediately applying any pressure.

Trail Braking:

a driving technique where the brakes are used beyond the entrance of a curve and are gradually released up to the point of apex.

Controlled Braking:

When you need to reduce speed and then maintain the lower speed, smoothly press the brake while applying a steady pressure.

Backward pitch

when vehicle weight is transferred from the front tires to the rear tires. This can occur either when the vehicle is accelerating or the driver is releasing the brake.

Understeering

is when the front wheels tend to crawl slightly or even slip and drift towards the outside of the turn. The driver can compensate by turning a little more tightly, but road-holding is reduced and you will have a greater chance of losing control of the vehicle.

Oversteering

when the rear wheels tend to crawl or slip towards the outside of the turn more than the front. The driver must correct by steering away from the corner, otherwise the car is liable to spin, if pushed to its limit.

Road surface conditions that can decrease friction are:

ice, snow, wet leaves

smooth and gradual steering, braking, and accelerating

The key to vehicle balance and maintaining traction is;