Driver's Ed Notes Version 2

1. Vision and Awareness

1. IPDE Process

   • Identify, Predict, Decide, Execute.

   • When scanning, look far ahead, close to the vehicle, and side-to-side, especially at intersections.

   • Ask yourself: Is it legal? Is it safe? Is it necessary?

2. Key Definitions

   • Targeting: Focusing vision where you want to go. The car tends to follow your eyes.

   • Line of Sight (LOS): The area you can clearly see in any direction. Ensure it is clear before any maneuver.

   • Path of Travel (POT): The area your vehicle will move through. Clearing the POT is the most critical part of a maneuver.

   • Void Area: The area immediately around the car body that cannot be seen from the driver's seat.

   • Peripheral Vision: Essential for detecting dangers from the sides.

   • Walkaround: A safety check of the car and the surrounding area before approaching.

1. Scanning Habits

   • Scan $15$ seconds ahead and look back to the range of $3$-$5$ seconds.

   • Sudden braking/swerving usually indicates the driver did not scan far enough ahead.

   • Before crossing intersections or crosswalks, check: Left, Center, Right, Center, Left.

2. Pre-Drive and Fundamentals

1. Pre-Drive Process

   • Shut and lock all doors.

   • Place the key in the ignition.

   • Adjust the seat before the mirrors (mirror alignment depends on seating position).

   • Adjust the head restraint to be behind your head, not your neck.

   • Adjust mirrors to see none of your own car.

     •   Safety Restraints

   • Seat belts should be worn over the shoulder and across the lap.

   • If a passenger is under $16$, the driver gets the ticket. If they are $16$ or older, the passenger gets the ticket.

1. Steering and Control

   • Keep hands on the outside of the wheel with thumbs relaxed and outside.

   • Avoid grabbing the wheel from the inside.

   • No shuffle steering.

   • Always keep your foot on the brake when shifting in or out of Park or Neutral.

2. Braking

   • Check your rearview mirror every time you apply the brakes.

   • If brakes fail: Pump the pedal.

   • Gradual stopping helps you maintain control of traffic from behind.

3. Basic Maneuvers

1. SMOG (Signal, Mirrors, Over the Shoulder, Go)

   • Use SMOG for every lateral move (turns, lane changes, merging, pulling to/from curbs).

   • Signal at least $100$ feet before moving to communicate intent early.

   • Over the shoulder check means "Chin to Shoulder."

2. Turns

   • Slow down before the turn.

   • Maintain speed in the middle of the turn.

   • Accelerate out only after the LOS to the target area is visible.

3. Lane Changes

   • Primary reasons: LOS is blocked or POT is blocked.

   • Ensure your POT is open with a gap of at least $4$ seconds between vehicles.

4. Backing

   • Backing Left: Turn the wheel Right.

   • Backing Right: Turn the wheel Left.

   • Check all directions when turning the vehicle around (Turnabouts).

4. Intersections and Right of Way

1. Rules of Priority

   • 1st: First vehicle to arrive.

   • 2nd: Vehicle to the right.

   • 3rd: Left-turning vehicles go last.

2. Uncontrolled Intersections

   • No signs or signals; slow down and yield to traffic already in the intersection.

3. Traffic Circles

   • Always travel to the right, even when making a left turn.

4. Traffic Signals

   • Red Light: Full legal stop. You can turn right on red (or left onto a one-way) unless signed otherwise, provided you stop and scan first.

   • Flashing Red: Treat as a stop sign.

   • Green Light: Means go, but scan the intersection first. It is not a guarantee of safety.

   • Stale Green: A light that has been green for a while and is likely to change.

   • Yellow Light: Make every reasonable effort to stop without entering the intersection.

5. Point of No Return: The point where you can no longer safely stop if the light turns yellow.

6. General Rules

   • Stop at Lines, Not Signs: Stop behind the stop line, then crosswalk, then road edge.

   • If you can’t see: Creep forward while covering the brake and scanning.

   • Never enter an intersection unless you can pass all the way through.

   • You may only drive $300$ feet in a two-way turn lane before turning.

5. Road Signs and Markings

1. Colors and Meanings

   • Regulatory: Black and White or Red, Black, and White (Stop, Yield, Speed Limit).

   • Warning: Yellow or Orange. Indicates hazards ahead.

   • Construction: Orange; traffic fines double in these zones.

   • Yield Signs: Red and White triangle. Slow down and give the right of way.

2. Railroad Crossings: Use both eyes and ears.

3. Road Lines

   • Solid Yellow: No passing permitted.

   • Broken Yellow: Passing is allowed when safe.

6. Laws, Fines, and Impairment

1. DUI and BAC Limits

   • Minors: $0.02\%$ BAC or higher is an arrestable DUI.

   • Adults: $0.08\%$ BAC or higher is an arrestable DUI (can be arrested for less if impaired).

   • Alcohol-related offenses stay on your record for life.

   • Alcohol affects judgment first, then coordination.

2. Implied Consent Law

   • By accepting a license, you agree to a breath or blood test if an officer has reasonable grounds.

   • Refusal to take the test results in a $1$-year license suspension, regardless of guilt.

3. DUI Consequences

   • Probationary license issued for $5$ years.

   • License suspended/revoked for $90$ days to $1$ year.

   • Ignition interlock license may be required for up to $10$ years.

4. Distracted Driving

   • Known as "Inattentional Blindness."

   • Washington texting law fine: $\$124$.

7. Sharing the Road and Safety

1. Trucks and Space Management

   • Increase following distance. Tailgating causes loss of the total traffic picture.

   • Maintain a Zone Management strategy (space cushion).

2. Emergency Vehicles

   • Do not follow within $500$ feet.

   • If they are stopped with equipment activated, move over a lane or slow down significantly.

3. Buses and Slow Vehicles

   • Transit Buses: Yield if they signal to pull back into traffic.

   • School Buses: Stop for red flashing lights; slow for yellow flashing lights.

   • Slow Moving Vehicles: If traveling at $25$ mph or less, they must have an orange and red triangle sign. If $5$ or more cars are behind them, they must pull over.

4. Bicycles

   • They have a legal right to the road and lanes.

   • Pass with at least $3$ feet of distance.

   • At night: Must have a white front light (visible $500$ feet) and red rear light (visible $600$ feet).

   • Bicycles and pedestrians have the right of way at all intersections and crosswalks (marked or unmarked).

8. Environmental and Technical Factors

1. Night Driving and Lights

   • Law: Headlights on from $1/2$ hour after sunset to $1/2$ hour before sunrise.

   • Dim high beams within $500$ feet of oncoming cars or $300$ feet of vehicles being followed.

   • If a driver doesn’t dim their lights: Look toward the shoulder.

2. Reduced Traction

   • Hydroplaning: Tires lose contact with the road (most common starting at $35$ mph on wet roads). Decrease speed gradually; do not use cruise control.

   • Deep Water: Apply light brake pressure while driving through.

   • Skidding: Keep wheels pointed toward your path of travel.

3. Curves: Reduce speed before entering the curve; the sharper the curve, the slower you go.

4. Parking Distances

   • From Driveway: $5$ feet.

   • From Fire Hydrant: $15$ feet.

   • From Intersection/Traffic Control: $30$ feet.

   • Max distance from curb: $12$ inches.

   • Do not park on bridges or freeway shoulders (except emergencies).

5. Equipment and Collisions

   • Tire Tread: Minimum depth is $2/32"$.

   • Airbags: If a collision occurs and they don’t deploy, exit the vehicle immediately and stay away from airbag locations.

   • Collisions: Avoid by steering, braking, or accelerating. File a report within $4$ days if there is $\$1000$+ damage, injury, or death.

   • Minimum Liability Insurance: $\$10,000$ property, $\$25,000$ one person injury, $\$50,000$ multiple person injury.

Parking Distances & Regulations 12 inches distance from curb to be legally parked 16 years age under which it is illegal to leave a child in a parked vehicle with the motor running 5 feet no parking from a driveway 15 feet no parking from a fire hydrant 20 feet no parking from a crosswalk at an intersection 20 feet no parking from a fire station driveway 30 feet no parking from a stop sign or traffic light 50 feet no parking from a railroad crossing 75 feet no parking from a fire station on the opposite side NO PARKING in an intersection, on a crosswalk/sidewalk, in a construction area if blocking traffic, bridge/overpass, tunnel/underpass, wrong side of the street, in disabled parking if you don’t have a placard/plate, on road side of a parked vehicle (double parking), railroad tracks, shoulder of a freeway (unless an emergency), no parking signs, and no parking within 50 feet of a train crossing. Minimum Distances 0 – No passing in 2-way left turn lanes and (danger zones). Do not pass where a vehicle is likely to enter or cross the road, such as intersections, railroad crossings and shopping center entrances. 1/3 mile – distance needed to pass with oncoming traffic at 55mph 15 seconds (1/3 mile) – clear sight in front of you to pass on hills/curves 150 feet – average length headlights provide safe vision, low beam 200 feet – before an approaching vehicle, a pass must be completed 200 feet – before/after a stationary emergency vehicle with siren or flashing lights – no speeding/improper passing 200 feet – minimum distance it takes to stop at 30 mph 300 feet average length headlights provide safe vision, high beam 300 feet behind vehicle you must dim headlights 300 feet you are allowed to drive in a two-way left turn lane 400 feet – minimum distance it takes to stop at 50 mph 400 feet – distance lit by headlights 500 feet – must dim headlights for an oncoming vehicle. Sunset to Sunrise – turn on headlights by at least ½ hour after sunset and ½ hour before sunrise. Numbers to know .02% B.A.C. legally intoxicated D.U.I. under age 21 More than 0.00 nanograms per milliliter of blood of THC/marijuana under age 21 .08% B.A.C. legally intoxicated D.U.I. over age 21 More than 5.00 nanograms per milliliter of blood of THC/marijuana over age 21 5 days seller must report sale of vehicle to Dept. of Licensing 6 years validity of a driver’s license 10 days you must report change of address or name for driver’s license 15 days buyer of vehicle must transfer title and registration 20 mph maximum speed in school zones 25 mph maximum speed in cities, towns and on ocean beaches 50 mph maximum speed on county roads 60 mph maximum speed on state highways 60 mph maximum speed on interstate freeways (urban area) 70 mph maximum speed on interstate freeways (rural)