Packet #3-
New Jersey law requires all passengers to wear a seat belt, regardless of front or back seat.
Motorists are responsible for all passengers under the age of 18. Passengers 18 years and older are responsible for themselves.
A seat belt increases your chances of survival by 60%.
3 ways that seat belts can help:
keep passengers from being thrown from the vehicle
slow the body down within the vehicle
prevents passengers from sliding on seats
A seat belt consists of both a lap belt and a shoulder strap. Never put more than 1 person in a seat belt. Know how to adjust and release them properly.
It is recommended that anyone under the age of 12 be seated in the rear of the vehicle.
Car seats for infants and small children are law and must be used properly. With an infant, the car seat should be placed in the rear of the vehicle and face the rear seat. A convertible car seat is larger and can be used for an infant or toddler up to 40 lbs and 40 inches in height. When a baby reaches 17 pounds and can sit up without help, the car seat can be adjusted to an upright position and placed in the vehicle facing forward.
Children up to the age of 8 or a weight of 80 lbs must ride in a federally approved safety or booster seat in the rear of the vehicle.
State law requires a motorist to remove snow or ice from a vehicle before driving it. Any person who violates this law is subject to fines of $25-75 regardless of whether the snow or ice is dislodged from the vehicle.
List the things you should do before starting a parked car (starting checklist):
1. All windows should be clean
2. Seat must be adjusted
3. Sideview and rearview mirrors should be adjusted
4. The vehicle should be in park
5. Doors should be locked
6. Seat belts should be fastened
New Jersey law requires all drivers to restrict vehicle idling to 3 minutes or less. Idling for more than 3 minutes is unnecessary and is harmful to the vehicle and your health. Vehicle and property owners face fines of $250 - $1000 for each violation of this law.
Never start a car in a garage that is closed or in other enclosed areas. Open the windows when idling a car. This is to ensure you will not become a victim of carbon monoxide poisoning.
New Jersey law states headlights must be used between 30 minutes after sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise. They must also be used in bad weather, when your windshield wipers are on, and when visibility is less than 500 feet. Remember, in NJ, wipers on, lights on!
At night your vision is reduced. Reduce your speed, keep your eyes moving, and do not overdrive your headlights.
Most collisions are caused by driver error. A motorist can reduce the chances of collision by knowing and using the standard collision prevention formula: Be alert, be prepared, and act in time.
If a motorist is angry or excited, he/she should take some time to cool off.
Aggressive driving is defined as a progression of unlawful driving actions such as speeding, improper or excessive lane changing, or improper passing
Road rage occurs when motorists lose their tempers or become frustrated because of a traffic disturbance.
A tired driver is a dangerous driver. A tired driver cannot drive well and his/her reaction time is reduced. When a motorist has been behind the wheel for a long time, he/she may experience highway hypnosis.
Communicate with other drivers by all available means and signals. A motorist should stay in the lane that shows where he/she intends to turn.
Driving too close to the vehicle in front of you is called tailgating.
Two common methods for proper following distance include the one-car length method and the 3 seconds plus rule.
A motorist should always increase the following distance with poor road conditions.
When a motorist is passed by another vehicle, he/she must be careful. Stay in the proper lane and slow down to make it easier to pass.
Drive slowly on wet roads. Road surfaces are the most slippery during the first few minutes of rainfall.
A motorist should test the brakes by pumping them after driving through puddles or standing water.
Wet road surfaces can cause tires to hydroplane or ride up on a film of water starting at 35 MPH, which could cause a motorist to lose control of his/her vehicle.
Poor roadway or weather conditions require motorists to increase the following distance because rough, wet, or snow-covered roads may require more response time. A good rule on a snow-covered road is to maintain a following distance of 6 seconds or more.
Nearly 90% of driving decisions are based upon what a motorist sees while driving. At night, a motorist’s vision is reduced. A motorist should always consider the following factors when driving at night: speed, reaction distance, and braking distance.
Most motorists will encounter construction on roadways. In New Jersey, traffic fines are doubled for motor vehicle violations committed in the area of roadway construction zones.
The color of a construction zone area is orange.
If you go into a skid, turn your steering wheel in the same direction the rear of your car is skidding.
List 4 procedures for dealing with a tire blowout:
1. Hold the steering wheel firmly
2. Gradually slow down and keep the vehicle straight
3. Take your foot off the gas / do not use brakes
4. Coast to a stop / pull-off roadway
If a vehicle’s wheels drift onto the shoulder of a road, do not try to turn back on the pavement right away. If the vehicle runs off the pavement, slow down, regain control, and turn slowly onto the road.
If your car stops working or breaks down while driving, make a safe attempt to get off the road, when safe to do so.
No matter how careful a motorist is, emergencies do arise. A motorist may not always be able to avoid a collision. Steer towards objects that give rather than those that do not.
New Jersey law requires motorists to notify the police of accidents where there is injury, death, vehicle or property damage. When damage to property is more than $500, a police report should be filed.
If your brakes stop working, shift to a lower gear and pump your brake pedal fast and hard several times. If that does not work, you can use your emergency brake.
During heavy traffic or emergency, a police officer may direct traffic. Their orders must be followed.
When stopped behind a truck at a red light you should stop so you are not in the trucker driver’s blind spot or no-zone. You should be able to see the truck driver in their side-view mirror.
Large trucks and buses have several limitations which include visibility, stopping distance, and maneuverability. In bad weather conditions, a truck needs 25% longer to stop.
Traffic signs, lights, and pavement markings are called traffic-controlled devices.
The order of colors on a traffic light from top to bottom is red, yellow, and green.
A green arrow means proceed as shown by the direction. A red arrow means you must stop.
When approaching a yellow light, you should stop if you can do so safely.
A flashing red light means stop. It has the same meaning as a stop sign. A flashing yellow light means slow down. It has the same meaning as a yield sign.
Traffic signs are divided into 3 basic categories: warning (diamond-shaped + black-yellow), guiding, and regulatory.
Double solid yellow lines separate traffic going in opposite directions and you may not cross over them.
Passing the car in front of you is legal when the center line is dashed, broken, or separated.
