Drivers Ed

Before you can get your Driver's License

  • You must have your instruction permit for at least six months

  • Complete 50 hours of practice

  • At least 10 hours at night

  • Keep a practice log

  • Must be at least 16 years old

  • You must pass an approved driver education course

You must pass a vision, knowledge and skill test

Purpose of the Highway Transportation System

  • Safe, Efficient, and Convenient Movement oF People and Goods from Place to Place

Nature of the Driving Task

  • Driving is a Social Task

  • Driving is a person sharing the roadway and maneuvering a vehicle through other traffic under varying road and environmental conditions

  • Mental and visual skills are critical to your driving task

  • Drivers must interact well with others using the Highway Transportation System

IPDE

  • Stands for Identify, Predict, Decide, Execute

  • Identify: Locate potential hazards around you

  • Predict: Foresee what will probably happen in a driving situation

  • Decide: Decide what to do to avoid the hazard

  • Execute: Do what you decided to do

IDL Laws in Washington

  • No driving between 1-5am for the first year unless you have a 25YO

  • adult driver with you

  • For the first 6 months, no passengers under 20 who aren't immediate family

  • For the second 6 months, up to 3 passengers under 20 who aren't immediate family

The 3 Parts of the Highway Transportation System

  • People

  • Vehicles

  • Roadways

A young driver's mistakes are most often caused by what?

  • Inexperience

When can you operate a motor vehicle with a permit?

  • When supervised by a licensed driver with at least 5 years of driving experience who is seated in the front passenger seat

Traffic laws are made primarily to do what?

  • Keep order and safety on the highways

What does "driving is a social task" mean?

  • Drivers must interact with other people. We drive in the company of others, sharing the roadway and navigating through traffic

What is the hardest part of the HTS to control?

  • Other drivers

What are some examples of other vehicles you will encounter while using the HTS?

  • Cars, trucks, motorcyclists, bicycles

Path of Travel (POT)

  • The area your vehicle will be traveling in or through during any maneuver

Line of Sight (LOS)

  • The area you can clearly see in any direction

Targeting

  • Where you focus your vision while driving

  • Focus where you want the car to go

  • Look 12-15 seconds ahead to evaluate your POT

  • Avoid staring at obstacles

Before performing any action, ask yourself:

  • Is it legal?

  • Are there any laws that govern the action?

  • Are there any road markings or signs that control it?

  • Is it safe?

  • Is my Path of Travel clear?

  • Will it stay clear?

  • Is it necessary?

  • Do I need to perform this action to get where I'm going?

  • Do I need to perform this action to stay safe?

The Void Area

  • The area around your car that you can't see with your eyes or your mirrors because of the car body

Putting the car in gear

  • Release the parking brake last

Controlling the Vehicle

  • If you have ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), push and hold your brakes

  • If you don't have ABS, you must use "Threshold
    Braking"

  • Brake as hard as you can before losing traction

  • The quickest way to slow a vehicle without loss of traction

Braking

  • If your brakes fail, pump your brakes

Steering

  • Keep your hands on the outside of the wheel

  • Avoid grabbing the wheel from the inside

  • Keep your thumbs relaxed and outside the wheel

How should you hold the steering wheel when driving

  • At 9 & 3 or 8 & 4. Your hands shoul be outside the wheel with the thumbs relaxed

When should you release the parking brake

  • After starting the engine and shifting into the proper gear

What are the three questions you should ask yourself before performing any maneuver while driving

  • Is it legal? Is it safe? Is it necessary?

What does ABS stand for

  • Anti-lock Braking System

What is threshold braking

  • If you do not have ABS, it's the quickest way to stop without losing traction i involves pushing the brakes as hard as possible without traction loss

If a passenger is 15 and not wearing a seatbelt, who gots the ticket

  • The driver of the car gets the ticket

How close must you park to the side of the road?

  • You must park within 12 inches of the side of the road

What is Scanning?

  • Checking far ahead of you, checking near, and checking side to side

Signal

  • At least 100 feet before you're going to move.

The main reason to change lane position

  • Your LOS is blocked

  • Your POT is blocked

LP 1

  • In the center of your lane
    You'll use it most of the time when driving

LP 2

  • To the left in your lane, but still inside your lane

  • You'll use this when preparing for a left turn or lane change

  • To avoid vehicles (like bikes), debris, or parked cars on your right

  • Or to see around a big vehicle in front of you

LP 3

  • To the right in your lane but still inside your lane

  • Move to this position before a turn or lane change right

  • Or to stay away from a big vehicle on your left

  • Approaching the crest of a hill

LP 4

  • Going into the oncoming lane

  • Use to avoid large obstructions on the right, such as garbage trucks or construction areas

  • Clear your POT first

LP 5

  • Pulling off the road on your right

  • Use to avoid large obstructions on your left, such as wide loads or construction

  • Or in emergencies. In these positions, your car partially leaves your lane. You must SMOG for these

Where do you check when scanning

  • Far ahead of you, near to you, and side to side. Especially check when you are approaching an intersection

How far before a turn should you signal

  • 100 feet

How should you control your speed during the three parts of a turn

  • Slow down before the turn, maintain speed in the turn, accelerate out of the turn. You should only begin accelerating after your POT is clear

What is the reason for an 'Over the shoulder check' during SMOG

  • To check your blind spot - the area behind you that you can't see with our mirrors

What should you use in order to gauge when to start your turn or that you are close enough to a curb when parking

  • Reference points

Where should you be looking when backing

  • Out the back window, with quick glances forward and in the mirrors

Which direction do you steer to make the tail end of your vehicle go owards the driver's side

  • Steer the top of the wheel in the direction you want the tail of the car to go; in this case toward the driver's side

Stop Signs

• A LEGAL stop requires you to stop behind:

  • Stop line

  • Crosswalk if no stop line

  • Edge of road if no lines

School Zones

  • Placed within 1 block of a school

  • You must slow to the listed speed when the circumstances on the sign are met

  • Unless otherwise posted, the speed limit in a school zone is 20

Common Speed Limits

  • City or town street such as in a neighborhood)

  • 25 MPH

  • County road such as in rural areas

  • 50 MPH

  • State highway or freeway

  • 60 MPH

Flashing Red Lights

  • A flashing red light is just like a stop sign

  • Stop then proceed with caution

What colors are regulatory signs and what do they mean?

  • Black and white or red, black, and white. They mean something you must or must not do

What colors are warning signs and what do they mean?

  • Yellow or orange. They mean there is a hazard that requires your attention, and you may have to slow down

What colors are guide signs and what do they mean?

  • Blue, green, or brown. They tell you locations, including what street you are on and what landmarks or services are nearby

What is a stale green light?

  • A light that has been green for a while and could change to yellow soon

What does an unprotected left light look like? What must you do?

  • It is a green circle or flashing yellow arrow. It means you must yield to others, specifically oncoming traffic and including pedestrians. Wait outside of the intersection with your wheels pointed straight

What's the difference between white and yellow lane dividers?

  • White dividers separate lanes going the same direction, while yellow separate lanes going opposite directions

When can you not make a right turn at a red light?

  • When there is a sign saying that you cannot, or it is not safe to do so

What is an uncontrolled intersection? What is a controlled?

  • An uncontrolled intersection has no signs or signals. A controlled intersection has signs, signals, or both

Do NOT park

  • More than 12" from the side of the road

  • In a no parking zone

  • In a disabled parking spot unless you have a disabled parking permit

  • On the wrong side of the road

  • On the shoulder of the freeway unless it is an emergency

  • 5' of a driveway

  • 15' of a fire hydrant

  • 20' of a crosswalk or pedestrian safety zone

  • 30' of an intersection or traffic control device

  • 50' of a railroad crossing

  • 20' of a fire station on the same side, 75' on the opposite side

Peripheral Vision

  • The ability to see objects outside the direct line of vision that are moving; this is very important when identifying dangers from both sides

If you don't think you can control your emotions, should you drive?

  • No

When drivers are emotionally upset, they

  • Are less likely to consider the rights of other drivers

Which aspect of driving is the most affected by our attitudes?

  • Decision making

Passing

  • You may only pass on a two-lane, two-way road with a broken yellow or no line

  • Passing is illegal within 100 feet of an intersection

Passing a School Bus

  • Red flashing lights and an extended stop arm indicate that the bus has stopped and that children are getting on or off

  • You must stop

  • Wait until the red flashing lights are turned off

  • The stop arm is withdrawn

  • The bus begins moving before you start driving again

Emergency Vehicles

  • If an emergency vehicle does have lights or siren activated

  • Do not follow within 500' of an emergency vehicle

  • If an emergency vehicle is stopped on the side of the road and has emergency equipment activated

  • You must move a lane over and if you cannot, slow down!

What lane position should you be in at the top of a hill and why?

  • You should be in lane position 3 near the top of a hill because you can not see very far

When is a vehicle considered slow-moving and what must be displayed on it?

  • A slow-moving vehicle travels at less than 25 MPH, and it must have an orange and red triangular sign on the back

What decides how slow you go on a curve and when do you slow?

  • The sharpness of the curve decides how slow you should go. Slow before the curve

When can you pass other vehicles by entering the oncoming lane?

  • Only on a two-lane, two-way road with a broken yellow or no line

What does a 'No Passing' sign look like?

  • It is a yellow pennant with "No Passing" written on it

What should you do if the vehicle you are passing speeds up?

  • Slow down and pull back into the lane behind the car

When can you pass a stopped school bus?

  • If it is stopped but does not have its red lights flashing or sign out

  • If it does have its red lights flashing or sign out, but there are at least three lanes, and you are going in the opposite direction

If you are a slow-moving vehicle, when must you pull over to allow other vehicles to pass?

  • You must pull over if there are 5 or more vehicles slowed behind you and it is safe to do so

Being Tailgated

  • The most serious loss to a tailgater is their ability to see the full traffic picture

  • Gradual stopping will give you the best chance of controlling traffic to the rear

You are merging onto the freeway. What should you do?

  • Find a gap in traffic and be ready to merge in

Another lane is merging with yours. What should you do?

  • Watch for other drivers entering the freeway. Move out of the way by adjusting speed or changing lanes

Can you ever go in reverse on the freeway, on on-ramps, or on off-ramps?

  • No

When can you park on the side of the freeway

  • In an emergency

What is Inattentional blindness also known as?

  • Distracted Driving

Why is peripheral vision most important?

  • To see danger from the sides

What human fault contributes to collisions the most?

  • Wrong attitude

Legal Intoxication

  • Minors = .02% BAC

  • Adults = .08% BAC

  • A Drivers License may be suspended with a BAC above the legal limit after being arrested

  • It is illegal to either drink or posses open containers of alcohol in the passenger compartment of a vehicle

DUI Consequences

  • A probationary license issued for 5 years

  • Dul conviction may stay on your driving record for LIFE!

  • An Ignition Interlock License allows a driver to operate a motor vehicle when their license is suspended or revoked

  • If convicted of a first DUl, you can have your license suspended for at least 90 days, receive a fine up to $ 5,000.00 and a jail sentence between 1 and_365 days

Effects of Alcohol/Drugs on Drivers

  • The effects begin as soon as the alcohol reaches the brain

  • Alcohol affects everyone differently - factors such as gender, height, weight, and physiological differences will influence how you are affected by alcohol

  • Alcohol is a depressant and will affect you accordingly at some point

  • Even small amounts affect your driving ability

  • Usually without awareness

  • Your judgment will be affected before your coordination!

  • It begins to affect you as soon as it gets to your brain

  • Your liver cleans alcohol out of your system.
    It can handle one drink at a time

  • It takes about 1 hour per drink

  • 80% is absorbed through the intestines

  • 90% of alcohol is metabolized through the liver, which metabolizes approximately 1 drink per hour

  • A 12-ounce bottle of beer has the same amount of alcohol as a standard shot of 80 proof liquor (either straight or in a mixed drink) or 5 ounces of wine

  • 40% of drivers involved in fatal crashes had been drinking

Effects of drugs on drivers

  • If under 21 you can be arrested for a THC level of more than .00 nano grams per milliliter of blood

  • After alcohol, marijuana is the most detected drug from arrests and fatality collisions

  • Marijuana has been shown to impair driving for up to 5 hours

Headlights

  • Headlights must be on between a half hour after sunset, and stay on until a half hour before sunrise or whenever visibility is reduced

  • others can see you better when you have your headlights on during the day

  • Dim your high beams when within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle or
    300 feet when following

  • Dim lights when
    Approaching an oncoming car (500 feet)

  • Following a car (300 feet)

  • When approaching a vehicle that does not dim its high beams - look to the shoulder or change your lane position

Reduced Traction

  • When its raining or the roadway is wet, most tires will have good traction up to about 35 mph

  • If your car starts hydroplaning, you should gradually ease off the accelerator, and look for lane position