Driver Education - Final Exam Review Notes

Planning a Trip

  • Plan to drive no more than 6-8 hours per day if a single driver, or 11 hours if sharing the driving task.
  • Reduce driving distance:
    • Plan your trip using a map or app.
    • Familiarize yourself with the map's "legend," which explains various map markings and symbols.
    • Check weather conditions and possible road construction work.
  • Before leaving, check potential problems:
    • Tires
    • Belts & hoses
    • Gauges and warning lights
    • Fix problems before you go

Entering a Curve

  • Decelerate your vehicle to reduce kinetic energy.
  • Avoid braking in the curve.
  • Try to accelerate out of the curve after the apex

Road Signs

  • Watch for bicyclists.
  • Pedestrians may be ahead.
  • Road narrows, right lane ends.
  • Two-way traffic ahead.
  • Stay on the right side of the roadway.
  • Steep downhill ahead.
  • Slippery when wet.
  • School crossing.
  • Low place in the road.
  • Exiting construction zone.
  • Advance railroad warning.
  • Yield the right-of-way.
  • No turns in the direction of the arrow are allowed.
  • U-turn not permitted.
  • Come to a complete stop.
  • Be aware of large trucks on the roadway.
  • Traffic in the left lane must turn left at the intersection ahead.
  • Road work ahead.
  • Flagger ahead, slow down, and be prepared to stop.
  • Travel only in the direction indicated by the arrow.
  • You may not turn right or left while the light is red.
  • Passing not allowed.
  • School zone, travel 20 mph or less if the light is flashing.
  • Railroad crossing.

Traffic Laws

  • Stop Signs: Come to a complete stop.
  • A traffic light that is not working should be treated the same as a stop sign.
  • Yellow lines separate traffic lanes moving in opposite directions.
  • White lines separate traffic moving in the same direction.
  • Broken lines may be crossed in a passing maneuver.
  • Solid lines must not be crossed in a passing maneuver.

Driving Advice

  • Never run your car in an enclosed space because of carbon monoxide.
  • If you feel fatigued, pull over and rest before driving.
  • Always have a positive attitude when driving; it will help you manage time, space, and speed of your car.
  • Always drive with balanced emotions because being overly emotional will lead to a lack of focus.
  • Wear your glasses while driving.
  • Impaired ability to judge distances and identify objects due to age requires extra caution driving at night.
  • Be careful of distinguishing between colors and combinations if color blind.

Highway Transportation System

  • Developed as a way to facilitate the movement of people, their cargo, and consumer goods safely and efficiently.
  • The three parts are: people, vehicles, and roadways.
  • People:
    • The Driver: Responsible for a safe environment by following the laws of the road.
    • Responsibility: Parent or guardian who signed for the license has financial responsibility.
    • Traffic Control Officer: Guide you through intersections and keeps the flow of traffic.
  • Vehicle:
    • No Fault Insurance: Covers injuries in a collision no matter who is at fault; mandatory in Florida.
    • Headlights: Must be on when raining, sunset to sunrise, and anytime visibility is less than 1000ft.
    • Headphone use while driving is NOT legal.
    • Securing your Vehicle: Stop First, Set the Parking Break, Shift to park, turn off your key.
    • Turn Signal: Do not use it to indicate that it is safe for others to pass you.
  • Roadways:
    • Construction Zone: You must obey the orange signs and construction workers signals to you.
    • Driving too slow: You’re too slow if you’re blocking other drivers from moving at a safe speed.
    • Emergency Vehicle Side of Road: When safe leave the lane closes to emergency vehicles open, if you cannot leave open reduce speed by 25 mph.
    • Missing a ramp on the expressway: Take the next available exit to turn around. Never back up on the expressway.
    • Right of Way: Car that arrives first (first in first out). If you arrive at an intersection at the same time as another vehicle, yield to the vehicle on the right.

Florida Learner's License Restrictions

  1. Daytime Driving only (First 3 Months)
  2. Restricted night driving (if under 18)
  3. Must have a licensed driver accompany you that is 21 yrs. or older

Speed Limits

  • Municipal Speed Areas: 30
  • Business or Residential Area: 30
  • Rural Interstate: 70*
  • Limited Access Highways: 70
  • Other Roads and Highways: 55*
  • School Zones: 20

Effects of Alcohol and Drugs/Substance Abuse

  • Driving while under the influence of alcohol can lead to taking risks.
  • Consumption of alcohol affects judgment, slows reaction time, motor skills, vision, and causes the driver to take risks.
  • Your parents ARE liable for any underage drinking that takes place at their residence.
  • Drugs taken for headaches always have the potential to make a person drowsy and impair driving abilities.
  • Taking medication before driving is dangerous for you and others because it may slow your reaction time and the ability to make rapid corrective actions while driving.
  • Only TIME will help sober up and lower the BAL (Blood Alcohol Level) of an intoxicated person.

Good Driving Habits

  • Aim high, keep your eyes moving, and get the big picture.
  • Aiming high means looking about 12-15 seconds ahead in the middle of your lane.
  • Quickly glance at your blind spot, then return your sight forward, quickly look in the mirrors, at the speedometer, and at the gas gauge every five to 10 seconds.

What to do at the time of an collision

  1. Move the car out of the flow of traffic if possible.
  2. Never leave the scene of the accident.
  3. Call 911.
  4. Call your insurance company.
  5. Identify yourself.
  6. Help the injured.

IPDE

  • Identify
  • Predict
  • Decide
  • Execute

10 Safe Driving Tips

  1. Always use your signal when changing directions.
  2. Maximize the space between you and other cars early for turns, stops, or change of lanes.
  3. When visibility is poor, always give yourself extra space between other vehicles.
  4. Use multiple seconds for the appropriate distance between you and the vehicle ahead. Managing the space around your vehicle reduces and avoids distractions.
  5. Driving at slower speeds than traffic flow may impede other vehicles on the road that are traveling at normal and safe speeds
  6. You should stay to the right if you are traveling slower than the rest of the traffic.
  7. The tailgating vehicle is a hazard to you because braking suddenly may result in the tailgater hitting you from the rear.
  8. Use defensive driving skills to defend yourself against possible collisions due to other drivers.

What Would You Do?

  • Temperature warning light comes on: Pull over and stop in a safe place; call for help.
  • Car behind you is tailgating: Increase the following distance.
  • Brakes give out and you are going to hit an object: Keep your seatbelt fastened and steer to the safest place.
  • Hood flies up: Turn on hazard lights, move off road quickly and safely.
  • Sliding on slippery surface: Slowly apply brakes, steer into the slide.
  • Road surface or visibility is compromised: Adjust your speed.
  • Accelerator gets stuck: Shift to neutral and apply brakes.

Preventative Maintenance

  • Extends the life of your car
  • Avoids costly repairs
  • Reduces risk of breakdown
  • Better fuel economy
  • Increases safety and dependability
  • Improves gas mileage
  • Increases engine power
  • Reduces pollution

Sharing the Road with Others (School Buses)

  • Two-Lane Road: Vehicles traveling in both directions MUST stop.
  • Divided Highway (5 ft unpaved space or raised physical barrier): Vehicles behind the bus MUST stop. Vehicles traveling in the opposite direction proceed with caution.
  • Multi-Lane Paved Across: Vehicles traveling in both directions MUST stop.

Other Considerations

  • Give right of way when their lights or sirens are flashing.
  • Safety Office of the Department of Transportation: Assistance in road emergencies
  • Used to shift the car, stop the car, put the car in motion
  • Extra caution when carrying passengers
  • Adjust speed/distance for: rain, potholes, slippery roads, turns, changing speed
  • Always check your tires for inflation and wear

The Penny Test

  • Put penny upside down in tread. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, your treads are worn and need to be replaced.

Critical Vehicle Systems

  • Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles:
    • Keep roadways safe
    • Ensure drivers can safely operate a vehicle
    • Regulate vehicle registration and sale
  • Division of the Florida Highway Patrol: Law enforcement on Florida’s roadways