Steps for driving
Your Driving responsibilities!
90% of all collisions could have been avoided if the driver had reacted 1 second later.
Learn how to
Save money ($$)
Avoid injuries
Avoid sudden death
How to avoid all of that
Don’t hit stuff
Don't let things hit you
Do not get distracted
Follow the laws
Don't be a turd or a jerk
Three risk factors that cause collisions?
-driver errors
-Roadway conditions
- vehicle condition
What risk factors can you control?
Driver errors
Most vehicle conditions
What is the primary cause of the higher collision rate among young drivers?
-Inexperience
Primary goal
Keep your parents happy
How to accomplish this
Stay in your lane
Slow down to 12 mph before making a left or right turn
Slow down early before you arrive at red lights or brake lights
Smooth movements with the gas pedal, brake pedal, and steering wheel
Intermediate Driver license (IDL) requirements
For the first 6 months you cannot drive with passengers under the age of 20 unless they are members of your immediate family.
For the next 6 months you may not carry more than 3 passengers who are under the age of 20 years old, who are not members of your immediate family.
For the first 12 months, you cannot drive between 1 a.m and 5 a.m. Unless you are with a licensed driver age 25 or older
Before you can get your immediate license, you must:
Be 16 years old
Have held in instructions permit for 6 months
Have completed 50 hours of driving practice
10 hours of those must be at night
Complete a traffic safety education course (driver’s ed)
Pass the Knowledge exam
Pass the skills exam
If you receive a ticket or cause a collision during the instruction permit stage
Your six months waiting period will be resetted
If you receive a ticket or cause a collision with an IDL
All IDL restrictions stay in place until age 18
If you receive a 2nd ticket or cause a collision with an IDL
6 month license suspension
If you receive a 3rd ticket or cause a collision with an IDL
License suspended until age 18
Speed Law and Pavement markings
Drive at a speed that is reasonable and prudent at all times, regardless of the posted limit
Unless otherwise posted, the maximum speed is:
20 mph in a school zone
25 mph on city town streets
50 mph on county roads
70 mph on rural freeways
60 mph on state highways
The white speed limit sign tells you the maximum speed allowed in ideal condition with dry pavement
The yellow speed limit signs tell you the recommended speed, usually in a curve
What conditions make it illegal to drive at the posted limit? Snow, Rain, Ice, Fog, Construction zones, specialty vehicle such as mopeds and oversize
Pavement markings
What color lines separate two-way traffic? Yellow line
What does a solid yellow line mean? No passing is allowed
What does a broken yellow line mean? Are allowed to pass
What color line separates one-way traffic? Double yellow lines
What does a solid white line mean? Separate traffic
What do broken white lines mean? Change lanes
What color are crosswalks and stop lines? White
What do double white lines mean? Lane change prohibited
Can you drive over the yellow barrier lines? No
Are you ever allowed to drive on or over a solid yellow line (single or double) that divides lanes? Yes, if you are leaving or entering the roadway from private
Are you ever allowed to drive on or over a solid single white line that divides lanes? Yes
Are you ever allowed to drive on or over a solid double white line that divides lanes? No
When approaching an intersection, how can you tell which lanes are “turn only” lanes? Look for white arrow road markings
Where to stop at intersections with a stop sign
A stop sign indicates that you must stop at the intersection, but does not tell you where to stop. You must stop before your front bumper crosses the
Stop line. If there isn’t one, stop at the edge of the crosswalk. If there isn’t one stop at the edge of the road.
What do various background colors on road signs mean?
White- Regulatory signs
Yellow-general warnings
Green- Directional guidance
Fluorescent yellow/green- Pedestrian crossing. School zone
Orange- Construction zone/ warning signs
Blue- services
Brown- Recreation and cultural interest
What is the color red used for?
Stop, yield and prohibition sign
How do you read the yellow diamond signs?
From the bottom up
Traffic signal signs
Red light: Stop
Flashing Red: Stop! Same as stop sign
Left red arrow: Stop, will be a green or yellow arrow
Right red arrow: Make a complete stop. Turn right
Yellow light: Clear the intersection
Flashing yellow: Proceed with caution
Flashing yellow arrow: Turn with caution in the direction indicated
Green light: Go when safe
Green arrow: You may only go in the direction indicated
What happens when the light goes out? Treat it like an all way stop
The light is green. When do you go?
When driving straight ahead on a green light, you must yield to: Yield to traffic clear intersection
When turning right on a green light, you must yield to: Yield to pedestrians and cyclist
When turning left on a green light (not an arrow), you must yield to: Oncoming traffic, pedestrian and cyclist
At a red light or red arrow, always stop: Behind the stop line.
The light is yellow. Should I stop or go?
Generally, if you are within 3 car lengths or closes, go
Vision and Driving
What visual activity must you have to get a license in most states? 20/40
What is the main purpose of central vision when driving? Target and gather info
What is fringe vision used for seeing? 30-36 degrees, path of travel
What is your peripheral vision used to detect? Color changes, motion
What happens to our vision as speed increases? It blurs
Why is depth perception necessary for driving? To gauge your position relative to other objects
What can you do to overcome depth perception problems? Increase your following distance
The Smith system- 5 things to always do as you drive
Aim High in steering
You should always search and scan about 12-15 seconds ahead
Drive into open space and not away from objects
Keep your eyes moving
Don’t stare
Remember that your central vision can only focus on one thing at a time
Scan intersection by looking to the left, right, and center as you approach
Get the big picture
Look at ALL of the possible hazards and predict what you’ll need to do to avoid them
Most collisions occur because drivers fail to see what is happening in time.
Leave yourself an out
You can do this by maintaining a space cushion
Remember to always stay about 4 seconds away from the car in front of you
5. Make sure others see you
Driving with your headlights reduces collisions by about 20%
Lightly tap your horn when you see white reverse lights on a parked car
Do not drive in the blind spot of other drivers
The Void Area
The void area is the space surrounding the vehicle that is hidden from the drivers view
It creates an optical illusion, which distorts the size of the vehicle
Drivers side: 3-4 ft
Problem: can’t see the lane lines
Front of the car 12-15 ft
Problem: makes you stop too far away
Right side 15-20 ft
Problem: too far away from parked cars
Rear of car 25-40 feet
Problem: Hard to see obstacles, small kids
Illusions and misperception
How long is the average car? 12-17feet
How wide is the average car? 6 feet
How wide is the average standard lane? 12 feet
How long is the standard lane line? 12 feet
How long is the standard space between lines? 30 feet
Lane changing procedures
Signal in the direction you are moving
Check you rear view mirror
Check your side view mirror
Look over your shoulder
Go (if safe), check your side view mirror
Always speed up during lane change
Commentary Driving
Commentary driving is basically talking while driving
Commentary driving is a method which has been shown to improve safety, road handling and smooth driving.
Sometimes getting over the embarrassment of talking out loud when nobody else is in the car is the hardest part of commentary driving.
You simply work on identifying all hazards, observations, plans and actions as you drive.
For example, if you were approaching a stop sign you could simply say, stop ahead or trap
Anytime you see a person walking down the sidewalk you would say, pedestrian
Commentary driving keeps drivers alert and aware.
Commentary driving terms
Stop ahead(trap) stopped traffic, slow moving traffic, brake lights, red lights, stop signs, etc.
intruder(thief) any vehicle or person who steals space within 3 car lengths of your car
pedestrian(bike) person walking or cyclist in or near your path
Good to go, after waiting for a red light, scan left, straight, and right before going.
On the right, a vehicle that threatens to turn right, into your path of travel
On the left, a vehicle that is or is waiting to turn left in front of you, crossing your path
Fresh/stale green, A light that has just turned green or one that may turn yellow soon
Go point, point beyond which you can no longer stop safely without entering the intersection
Tailgater, a driver following your car too closely
Speed check, when you see the speed limit sign, call out the limit and the speed you are traveling.
Natural laws and car control
Inertia is the tendency of an object in motion to keep moving in the same direction and at the same speed, unless acted on by another force
In your car, the brakes provide the force that stops the car from moving forward.
When your car is in motion and you use the brakes, your car slows but you keep moving forward. What stops you from hitting the dashboard & windshield? Seat belts and airbags
How does gravity affect your driving uphill?
Your car slows down
Less fuel needed
Takes longer to stop
A car in motion has energy, which changes in proportion to its speed and weight.
If you double your speed, your vehicle will have 4 times as much energy of motion and will need four times as much distance to stop.
Friction, Traction, Tires, and the Road
The road surface determines how much friction force is applied to your tires
Rough surfaces like newly paved road asphalt provides the most friction, while very smooth surfaces like ice provide very little friction
On the tire, the grooved surface is called thread and determines how much friction force is applied for starting, stopping, and turning.
Traction is the interaction of the friction forces between the tire and the road surface..
If you lose the ability to grip the road what are the three factors that reduce traction? Quality and thread of your tires, driving action, smooth or rough surfaces.
What 4 factors affect your traction in a curve?
Sharpness
Speed
Load and weight
Camber
If you are in a curve and lose traction, your car will continue in a straight line
Why does it take much longer to stop when traveling at higher speeds? The faster your speed, the more time it takes to perceive, react, and brake.
Reaction time and distance
Total stopping distance is determined by perception distance + reaction distance + braking distance
The time it takes for an alert driver to identify a hazard and decide to act is about ¾ of a second
Under ideal conditions, about how long in seconds is your stopping distance? 4 seconds
What are all of the factors that affect your braking distance?
Speed
Vehicle weight
Tires and break quality
Types of brakes
Road surface
Going uphill or downhill
Seat belts are your first defense in an emergency
Position the shoulder belt over your shoulder
Make sure the belt is not twisted
Lap belt should be worn low and snug across your hips
Stay at least 12 inches away from your airbag
80% of all crash deaths could be prevented if backseat passengers wore their seat belts
Pets should also be secured using a seat belt
Be sure to secure loose objects by putting them in a trunk, or securing them with belts
Driving test maneuvers
1. When backing, place your left hand at the top of the steering wheel. Move it in the direction you want back
the car
2. Anytime you are driving in reverse, place your foot on the brake, shift to "R", Do a 360 degree
Search and Yield to all pedestrian & vehicles
3. When driving backwards, you want to primarily go backwards
4. Tips for driving in reverse:
Try to stay within 18" of the curb
you must stay in your
stop for any approaching cars go slow, 1 mph or less
Try not to stare at the mirrors
5. Steps for Parallel Parking:
• Line up your
rear bumper to the target car.
• Turn your wheel to the right, then slowly move back until your car is about 30° away, straighten the wheel then drive back in a straight line until your rear tire is next to the curb line.
• Turn your wheel all the way to the left then go back until your front tire reaches the curb line.
6. For all parking maneuvers, you must be within 12 inches
the curb to be legally parked.
7. The main purpose of correctly turning your wheels when parking on a hill is so that if the vehicle begins to roll, it will roll to the curb and away from traffic
Use your turn signal any time you turn, change lanes, drive to the side of the road renter trafficRemember to also check your mirrors and blind spot
11. When turning, you must signal at least 100 feet before making your turn. Which is about 5 car lengths
12. For every turn, you must:
A: signal at least 100 feet before the turn.
B. Start slowing down, arrive at 12 mph just before beginning the turn
C. Scan the intersection before starting your turn
D: Land in the lane that is (closest) to the lane you came from.
Which lane do you land in?
15. Are you allowed to drive on the yellow lane lines a little bit when turning left? No
16. When driving on a road that is wide enough for two cars, you should always:
A: Keep close to the centerline
B: never drive in the middle
C: When approaching a right turn, use signal 1-2-3 and move to lane position 3
18. How far are you allowed to travel in a 2-way left turn lane? up to 300 feet
19. Is it legal to pass a slower moving vehicle in this lane? No
Right of Way - Who Must Yield?
Yield sign
Stop sign
Yield to a car
Left turning traffic must yield to right turning traffic
Yield to a car on the right if its a tie
1st in, 1st out
Yield to traffic clearing an intersection
Yield to traffic already in a roundabout
At a T intersection, yield to traffic on cross street
Yield when entering from alleys, driveways, or the side of the road
Yield to emergency vehicle with lights or sirens activated
Yield to municipal buses, when they reenter traffic
Yield when changing lanes or if your lane is ending
Yield when entering a free way
Yield when backing (driving in reverse)
Yield to trains
Yield to pedestrian in a marked or an unmarked crosswalk
Yield to blind people
Yield when turning right at a red light
Yield when driving around an obstruction in your lane
Yield to road construction vehicles and workers
Pedestrians must yield when not crossing at a cross walk
Right-turning traffic must yield to cyclists going
Cyclists must yield to pedestrians to sidewalks straight
Searching Intersections
List three clues that indicate you are approaching an intersections: Signs & Signals, Road Markings, Cross Traffic
What kind of line of sight restrictions block a driver’s vision at intersections?: Building, buses, large trucks, parked cars, trees & bushes, signs, billboards
What actions should you take when restrictions block a driver’s vision at an intersection? :Move to the best lane position, make more visual checks to be sure path is clear
Before entering a roundabout you must yield to traffic already in the circle, plus pedestrians and cyclists legally crossing. Inside the circle always drive to the Right (Counter-Clockwise)
A Common Road
What is meant by “Sharing the Roadway”? Drivers share the road with bikes, motorcycle, and pedestrians
Why are motorcyclists more vulnerable than other vehicles? Smaller, weigh less, no shell to protect car drivers often don't see them.
How can motorcyclists protect themselves? Good riding gear, except that drivers wont see them?
The most common collision between cars and motorcycles is when a car turns in front of a motorcycle.
Because motorcycles are smaller than other vehicles, drivers often misjudge their size and distance.
Motorcycles should be allowed a 4 second following distance just like other vehicles
It is true that cyclist share the same road and traffic rules< and have the same right
When passing a bicycle, what distance should there be between car and bike? At least 3 feet
Why should a driver check their blindspot before making a right turn? To check for cyclists going straight
What does being “doored” mean? Driver of a parked car open a door, hitting the bike
At night, how far should a bicycle's headlight be seen? 500 Feet their back reflector 600 feet?
How do large trucks make turns? Wide! (usually taking up more than one lane).
Why increase your following distance when following a large truck? So you can see better
Large blind spots in front, to the sides, and to the rear of a large truck are known as no zones