Drivers Ed

Highway Transportation System

Chapter 1: GDL

RULES & RESTRICTIONS

Chapter 2 & 9 Notes 

Vision Test

Knowledge Test

Nikhil Pledge

What Requirements must you have when taking the road test?

Elements of the road test include…

Why would one fail?

Registration expiration

Age to register a vehicle 

3 Requirements for driving

Inspection (Expirations)

Insurance: What type must you have?

Why LIABILITY?

What impacts premiums?

Chapter 11 Guided Notes

Traffic Signals- Please write down what the following light signals mean.  

Traffic signs, signals and road markings are set up to control the flow of traffic 

During heavy traffic or in an emergency, a police officer may direct traffic. A police officer can overrule traffic signals

When vertical red is on top, yellow in center, green on bottom  

When there is an arrow, always on bottom

When hung horizontal, red is always on left

Right on Red (explain the process and guidelines)

Types of Signs & 2 Examples of each

Road Markers: Please describe what the road markers mean

Road markings have the same force of law as signs or traffic signals 

Yellow lines : Separate traffic that is going in opposite directions 

What are 2 examples of raised pavement markings?

Chapter 3 Guided Notes 

1. Seat Belts can save a life and improve a motorist’s chance of surviving a crash by what percentage? 

2. If you are wearing a seatbelt with a shoulder harness and a lap belt, how much greater are your chances of surviving a collision? 

3. What are the 3 specific ways seat belts help? 

4. Children under age 8 and less than 57 inches tall must ride in what kind of car seat? Front or rear of the vehicle? 

5. Children under age 4 who weigh less than 40 lbs must ride in what kind of car seat? What way should it face? Front or rear of the vehicle? 

6. Children under 2 who weigh less than 30 lbs must ride in what kind of car seat? What way should it face? Front or rear of the vehicle? 

7. What kind of signal is your horn? 

8. What is the fine for failure to remove snow/ice from your vehicle before driving? 

9. In what conditions can dangerous levels of Carbon Monoxide accumulate? (list at least 3) 

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless colorless gas that is present in a vehicle exhaust

Certain conditions can cause dangerous levels of CO to accumulate with potentially fatal results 

Starting a parked car 

• Before getting in vehicle look behind and in front 

• Blind spots - hidden dangers 

  • Children, bottles, cans, bicycles 

Starting checklist : 

• Windows clean and nothing blocking vision

• Seat adjusted to reach all pedals and controls easily ( arm’s length ) 

• Inside and outside mirrors adjusted 

• Seat belt and harness fastened firm 

• Vehicle in park or neutral, parking brake set

• Doors locked

• Check blind spots 

• Start engine 

10. What is the proper hand placement on the steering wheel while driving? 

11. Name 5 things stopping distance depends on. 

The faster a vehicle is going the longer it will take to stop

When you must stop quickly, speed can be the difference between life and death 

Driving signals 

Always give a proper signal when turning, changing lanes, stopping or slowing down. 

A motorist should turn on the turn signal at least 100 feet before turning 

Horn is a warning signal - call attention 

12. A motorist should turn on the turn signal how far in advance before making a turn? 

13. When driving in reverse, if you turn your steering wheel to the right, what way will the back of the car turn? What way will the front of the vehicle swing? 

14. Describe the proper body and hand placement for when driving in reverse. 

The 3 point turn ( k turn ) 

A new motorists will be required to make this turn during MVC’s road test

15. What is idling? (pg, 50) What is the possible fine for idling your vehicle for more than 3 minutes? 

16. When parking facing downhill, the vehicle's wheels should be turned where? (pg. 57) 

17. When parking facing uphill, the vehicle’s wheels should be turned where? (pg. 57) 

18. When parking a vehicle facing uphill without a curb, where should the vehicle's wheels be facing? 

Angle parking 

Angle parking if often used in parking lots of shopping centers and sometimes at curbs

Remember the front of the vehicle will swing the opposite way from the back when reversing 

Parallel parking 

Parallel parking is the most common type of parking in city streets 

You must be able to parallel park a vehicle in order to pass the road test 

This takes the most practice 

The vehicle's tires should be no more than 6 inches from the curb 

19. When parallel parking, how far from the curb should your vehicle's tires be? 

20. When exiting your car, which way should you walk? Why? 

Chapter 4 

Safe Driving Rules & Regulations 

Speed Limits

Speed control - start slowly gradually increasing speed until safely within the legal speed limit and flow of traffic 

• On open roads, keep a steady legal speed 

• When necessary, decrease speed slowly 

• Breaking the speed limit is a factor in all types of accidents 

• A good rule is to keep up with the flow of traffic at any legal speed 

• Never drive faster than weather, road or other conditions safely allow, regardless of the posted speed limit 

• Follow the following basic speed limits, unless otherwise posted :

25mph

• school zones 

• business or residential districts 

35mph

• Suburban business areas 

• Residential districts 

50mph

• Non posted rural roadways - driving and haven’t seen a speed limit sign in a while assume it is 50

55mph

• Certain state and interstate highways, as posted 

65mph

• Certain interstate highways, as posted 

Motorists pay double fines for exceeding the 65mph limit 10 miles per hour or more. Double fines also apply to most other moving violations committed in a 65mph

When should you always slow down?

Never drive faster than weather, road or other conditions safely allow, regardless of the posted speed limit 

Always slow down: 

• On narrow or winding roads

• At intersections or railroad crossings

• On hills 

• At sharp or blind curves 

• Where there are pedestrians or driving hazards

• When the road is wet or slippery

Always try to keep up with the normal flow of traffic, but not exceeding the speed limit. 

• When road surfaces and traffic are normal, the law prohibits blocking traffic from slow driving

If vehicle problems prevent you from keeping up with 

Fines for speeding 

Double fines 

• Pay double fines for exceeding the 65mph by 10mph or more 

• Double fines also apply in 65mph zones 

• Fines for driving beyond posted speed limit sign in construction zones 

What is the Safe Corridors law? 

The safe corridors law doubles fines on various state highways for a variety of driving offenses, including speeding and aggressive

Designated in areas of crash rates 50% over the state rate and 1000

Essive driving Passing

Most passing should be done on the left 

Conditions in which you may pass on the right: 

• Only on roads with more than one lane going in the same direction

• When the motorists ahead is making a left turn and there is room to pass

• Never pass on the right shoulder of the road - against the law

When should you NOT pass? 

- double solid lines 

-When line is solid 

• On a hill or curve or any time you can’t see fare enough ahead

• At a street crossing or intersection

• At a railroad crossing

• On narrow bridges, underpasses, tunnels 

• When a sign prohibits passing or center lines restrict passing 

• When behind a vehicle that has stopped to let a pedestrian cross

Stay to the center lines passing is only safe when there is no oncoming traffic

All passing must be completed before the center lines are solid again

Keeping to the right 

Keep to the right, expect when passing 

• On a multi lane roadway, motorists must drive in the lane nearest to the right 

• Except when passing another vehicle or you are making a left turn

Yielding the right of way

Yielding = giving way 

By giving way you are allowing individuals/cars to go in front of you 

This mostly occurs when merging from a slow road to a faster road - it may also require you to come to a full stop before merging in an effort to join traffic 

Most yielding occurs at : 

• Controlled and uncontrolled intersections

• Pedestrian crossings 

• Traffic circles 

• Entrances to highways and accelerations lanes 

Yielding is one of the many times other drivers make mistakes and ignore the law. Always be prepared for others not to appropriately yield 

Yielding the right of way 

• Laws govern the right of way, but you should always be prepared to yield 

• Emergency vehicles : when police cars, fire engines, and ambulances are giving warning signs ( sirens, flashing lights)

• Trains : when a train is approaching a railroad crossing 

• Buses : when re-entering the flow of traffic 

• Postal vehicles : when vehicle is seeking to re-enter the flow of traffic 

• Motorized or mobility assistance devices : when in a crosswalk or seeking to cross a road 

• Other vehicles that  are already in the intersection 

• Pedestrian crossing : when in a crosswalk or seeking to cross a road 

Fine for failure to yield to pedestrians

Pedestrians in a crosswalk 

• Pedestrian safety is a shared responsibility. Pedestrian and motorists must all do their part to keep pedestrians safe 

• Failure to stop carries a fine up to $500, up to 25 days in jail, community service, a driving privilege suspension of up to 6 months and 2 points 

• Yield the right of way to all pedestrians in a crosswalk, even if they began crossing with a proper signal and they are still in the crosswalk when the signal changes Intersections

• A single solid white lines across a road at an intersection means that a motorists must stop behind the line

• An intersection is controlled if there are traffic signals or signs in any direction or controlled by a police officer

• You must obey the signals and signs 

• At a controlled intersection you must yield for certain conditions : 

  • At a multiway stop you must yield to the vehicle on the right if both vehicles get there at the same time. You should also yield to another vehicle already stopped at the intersection

  • At an intersection controlled by a yield sign, you must slow down and yield to traffic on the intersecting road, even if you have to stop

  • When making a left turn at an intersection, you must yield to oncoming traffic and to pedestrians within the sidewalk

  • Driving on private property to avoid a traffic signal or sign is a motor vehicle violation 

uncontrolled intersections 

• An intersection is uncontrolled when two or more roads join and there is no traffic signal or regulatory device 

• When you are coming from a private road or driveway, you must yield to all traffic on the main road 

• When a traffic signal is not illuminated because of a power failure or other malfunction, the traffic signal Is observed as a 4 ways stop sign 

Blind intersections

• Buildings, parked vehicles, bushes, trees, etc may obstruct view 

• Always slow down or stop completely to make sure there is no cross traffic before proceeding 

Roundabouts - Traffic Circles 

• No set rules for driving into, around and out of a traffic circle in new jersey

• Use common sense and caution at all times

• The circles established traffic flow patterns dictates who has right of way

Entering high ways 

• Enter these roadways by way of acceleration lanes 

  • Extra lanes at highway entrances used to speed up to join the flow of traffic 

  • You must yield to traffic already traveling 

• Obey posted speed limits at the entrance ramp

• Speed up to the flow of traffic when leaving acceleration lanes 

Leaving highways 

• Exit ramps r deceleration lanes are extra lanes at a highways exit located on the right side of the roadway

• Start slowing down when entering a deceleration lane

• If you miss an exit, go on to the next one 

• Never back up on an exit ramp or declaration lane 

Disabled vehicles 

• If your car becomes disabled : 

  • Pull off as far as possible onto the shoulder or median 

  • Turn on emergency flashers 

  • Raise the hood to signal for assistance 

  • Stay in the vehicle, keep your seatbelt on and lock the doors 

  • If available, use phone and call for assistance 

  • Do not get into a strangers vehicle 

Toll booths 

• Stay alert for toll booth signs and begin reducing speed early as traffic may be backed up 

• Green lights or signals will highlight open booths 

• Be aware of EZPASS booths and lanes, including high speed EZPASS lanes 

Curves 

• The best way to enter a curve is to slow down before entering to avoid drifting into another lane or off the road 

Turning Regulations 

Right turn on red

• Unless a no turn on red is posted, come to a complete stop and check for traffic 

• Yield to all oncoming traffic and pedestrians before turing rights a red lights 

Right turns

• Approach the intersection as far to the right as possible

• Do not swing outward or into another lane while making the right turn 

Left turns

• when safe, each motorist should turn to the left of the center of the intersection

• Left turn from a one way road onto a one way road : 

  • approaching the turn in the left lane, the motorist should turn into the left lane of the road he/she is entering 

Left turn from a two way road ont a two way road : 

Approach the turn as close as possible to the line nearest to the center of the road 

When turning, the vehicle should not cross lane markings 

The motorists should keep to the right of the center line 

Left turn from a two way road onto a four way highway 

Approach the turn as close to the center line of the right side of the roads as possible 

Turn into 

Stopping Regulations 

• Never try to beat a traffic light change 

• Be careful even if the light is changing to green ( fresh green light ) 

• Be alert for a stale green light. This is a light that been green for some time 

• You must stop 

  • at an intersection with a stop s

  • At an intersection with a red light either flashing or illuminated 

  • At an intersection with a yellow light after a green, unless too close to stop safely

  • When a traffic officer order the vehicle to stop 

  • When there is a yield sign and traffic does not permit a safe merge 

  • When a school bus is picking up or letting off children and/or the red lights are flashing - must stop 25 feet away from school bus 

  • When coming from an alley, private driveway or building 

  • At a bridge span that is about to open for boat traffic 

  • For a blind pedestrian using a white or metallic walking cane, or a trained guide dog

  • For a pedestrian in a crosswalk or at an intersection

  • For a motorized wheelchair or mobility assistance device in a crosswalk or at an intersection

  • Single white stop lines show motorists where to stop at stop signs or traffic signals 

Stopping at railroad crossings

• 15 feet from crossing when lights flashing or gates lowered 

• A motorists should never stop his.her vehicle on railroad tracks

• If a vehicle stalls on the tracks and you see a train coming get out and walk clear of the tracks - never try to race a train 

Stopping for school buses 

• You must stop for a school bus with flashing red lights 

• Stop at least 25 feet away 

• Only proceed after the bus signals have been turned off 

• If a school bus stopped directly in front of a school to pick up or drop off kids you may pass from either direction at a speed of no more than 10 mph

Stopping at frozen dessert trucks 

• Approaching from either direction looks for flashing lights and stop signal/arm 

• Yield to anyone crossing to or from truck 

• Stop first, the ass no faster than 15 mph 

Stopping for emergency vehicles 

• When flashing pull to extreme right of roadway and stop and wait for vehicle to pass 

• When vehicle passes you should stay 300 feet away ( behind ) 

Move Over Law

• When approaching a stationary, authorized emergency vehicle with lights flashing you need to change lanes if you are able to. If not slow down while passing 

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