driver's education notes

7/29/2019 Driver's Education Notes

1/22

Wheels in Motion: Section 1 1/13/2013 11:53:00 AM

TX Driver & Traffic Safety Act

All driving safety courses must last 6 hours. If fraudlen sig = tampering with a gov. document.

Drivers Safety Course def: A course of instruc intended to improve knowledge perception and

attitude.

Crashes:

3 million people in crashes each yr. 300k injured >40k fatal 1 city at a time, every year.

Employee death >130k $ for employer

Cost of crashes = 150 billion $ every year.

OVERVIEW:

Crash causes:

Driving at unsafe speed, faster, slower too fast fro conditions Failure to yield Driving under the influence Disregarding signals Following too close

Top 2 fatal causes:

Too fast for conditions Under the influence.

Costs of Driving:

Manslaughter. Both drivers were contributorily negligent. Lane of traffic, blocked from vision = expect the worst. Going through a yellow light.

Emotions and driving:

Maintain a mature attiutde Identify troublesome situations


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Plan ahead Expect mistakes from others Dont drive when you are upset. Dont drive when are you depressed. Train yourself to use safe procedures.

Physical conditions effect driving, too.

Signs of fatigue:o Sleepinesso Loss of memoryo Distraction, autopilot, loss of focus

What to do:o 1. Pull over legally and safely stop and park.o 2. Sleep, rest.

What can happen in one second:o In four seconds, pass an entire football field.

Difference between sleepy and fatigued.o Tiredness, day dreaming, loss of attention.

Driving while fatigued:

Drowsy driving crashes:o Late at night, or late afternoon.

Causeso Not enough sleepo Between midnight and 6amo Late afternoono Drive several hours during day/yearo Several hours without taking a breako Taking medso Sleep disordero alcohol

Typicallyo Young drivers, men 16-29

Warning signso Cant keep head upo Yawn


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o Rub eyeso Drift off roado Drift to other laneo Miss signs or exito Your thoughts wander.

Short term remedieso Pull over, let someone else drive, or sleep/rest.o Drink caffeine for short term difference.

Remedies/prevention:o Plan aheado Dont drink and driveo Limit night driving.

Internal distractions:

Stress, Sleepiness, fatigue, impatience, anger, and other emotionsare distracting.

External distractions:

Illegal to have video display visible from drivers seat.

Inside the car: (can become bad habits)o

Outside the car:o

Identify habits.. identify good & keep, work on bad ones.

Just one alcohol drink slows reflexes. Other drugs, and even over the

counter cough syrup.

Consequences of driving under the influence:

Young people call parents.Drivers Age:

Younger drivers crash 4 times more than older drivers. Reasons:


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o 1.o 2.o 3. Time of driving = lateo 4. Alcohol/under the influence

Older: More likely to be fatal because of frailty. Bad:

o Lose ability to see wello Reaction timeo Decrease in physical abilitiy.

Good:o Experience

Changes:o Adjust speedo Avoid night drivingo Having help with attentiono Avoid inclement weather and congested times

Ability to react and make good decisions

Emotions attitudes Sleepy Influence of drugs or alcohol

Procedures:

Maintaining car or truckConstant attention to details and assessment:

Right frame of mind Weather


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Wheels In Motion Section 2 1/13/2013 11:53:00 AM

Wheels in Motion: Section 2:

Merging:o Prepare:

Identify a gap to merge Increase speed until reaching that gap, dont slow. Keep cushion of space around car, look around for large

spaces, use mirrors, turn head quickly, then change

lanes.

Crossing:o a neighborhood block = enough spaceo 1 full block on city streeto Against the law to enter intersection if there is not enough

space to get completely across.

Passing:o Using oncoming traffic lane:

Oncoming car is far enough away, doesnt seem tomoving. Safe.

If you can see it is moving, DO NOT PASS. NOT SAFE:

If view is blocked by hill or curve If oncoming car appears to be moving.

Avoid passing at intersections, railroad crossings, andcommercial intersections.

Dangerous and illegal to make passes on right. UNLESS: car ahead signals a left turn.

Exiting:o Missing or nearly missing an exit = dangerous, last minute

decision.

o Change lanes one at a time.o Exit at safe speed.

Not too fast, so as not to lose control. Not too slow, to block traffic.


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Intersections:

Controlled by signs or signals. OBEY THEM Not controlled

o Yield to cars already at the intersection. (Y to car on R)o Yield to cars on roads with more lanes.o T-intersections: Y to driver on through street.o Access road and exit. Yield to exiting cars.

NEVER ASSUME someone will give you the right of way.Lane Markings/Types:

White lines: traffic is generally moving the same direction.o Dotted, can cross.o Solid, cannot cross.

Yellow Lines:Traffic is moving in two directionso Broken Yellow Line:o Solid & Broken: Person on side with solid line cannot pass,

broken can pass with caution.

o 2 Solid Yellow Lines: neither can pass in either direction.Lane Types:

2 lanes: R = slower, L = fast & passing. 3 or more: stay in center. HOV lanes Bike Lanes, solid white line and sign. Never enter unless making a

right turn.

Cross Walks Guide dogs People with canes

Making Turns:

RIGHT:o Look Left Right Left, then turn.

LEFT: on red ( both streets are one-way) U-TURN

o DONT IF:


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one way street, in front of fire station, sign.Red Light = Red Light

Green Light: Dont go unless intersection is clear.

Yellow Light: Slow, then stop.Stop Sign:

1. Painted crosswalk = stop before. 2. Painted stop bar = wide white, stop before it. 3. Neither cross walk or stop bar = stop for optimal visibility.

o First stop fully, then creep forward for visibility.28x of doing something correctly to change a habit.

Prohibition signs, simply mean no. no parking no entering.

Speed limit signs.

Illegal to drive actual speed limit if weather is inclement. School Zones = ~ 15-20 mph. When school buses flash yellow lights, about to stop. Red lights flash, MUST STOP. Cannot procede until

o 1. Bus resumeso 2. Bus driver signalso 3. Bus lights stop flashing.

Slow in residential areas ~ 30mphDiamond:

Warning signs = generally diamond shapedROUND:

Railroad crossing. Person hit once every 2 hours. Trains create optical illusions, moving slower than they are. 50 mph = 1.5 mile to stop. RULES:

o Always assume a train is comingo Never drive around lowered gateo Never race a train


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o Never drive onto crossing unless room to crosso Watch for a second traino Dont walk, cycle or ride on or near tracks.o Cross only at designated crossingso Stay off bridges and out o tunnelso If you stall, get out immediately and call for help.o Almost half happen at crossings without gates or

flashing lights.

Blue, brown or green:

Guide signsEmergency vehicles.

All drivers must yield right of way to any emergency vehicle. Pull right and stop until it has passed.

o Do not stop in intersection.o Continue through intersection then stop.

How to approach:o Two or more lanes:

Vacate lane closes to emergency situation. OR 20 mph below posted speed limit OR 5mph if speed

limit is less than 25.

Organ/tissue donation:

Littering:

Keep a trash bag in the car. of roadside litter is from back of pickup. 2,000$ = repeat offenders


9/22


Wheels in Motion: Section 3

How well can you see? How well can you stop?

FOGmost dangerous of all driving hazards.What to do: DONT DRIVE

Slow, use low beams. Use Right edge of road as a guide. If too thick, signal and pull over into protected area. Turn on

emergency flashers.

NEVER stop in the middle of the roadway.RAIN/SNOW/ICE:

1. Rain:

Layer of dirt, water build up. Eventually wash away. Limited visibility Decreased Traction Hydroplaning

In space no bigger than size 9 shoe, hydroplaning occurs.

Each tread on ground 1/50th of a second

o Causes: 1. Speed 2. Tread Depth: more worn tires = more likely 3. Water Depth

o What to do:o Front wheel drive with ABD and traction Control:o Front wheel drive without o Rear wheel drive with :

Look for open spaceo Rear wheel drive without

Look for open space, ease off accelerator. Dont use cruise control in rain. TREAD CHECK:

o Upside down penny, if Lincolns hair is hidden = good to go. Wet Road: slow to 1/3 of what you would normally drive.

2. ICE:


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Not always visible, sometimes only looks wet. Slow down to a crawl. Bridges, overpasses, shady areas = first to freeze, last to thaw. Curve slow BEFORE.

3. SNOW: Creates icy condition, deceptive. Seven tips

o 1. Prepare in advance Clean windows and lights Check titties Check wipers and lights

o 2. Be extra careful Drive slower

o 3. Drive in tracks Dried tacks have better trax

o 4. Give advance notice Sig early

o 5. Be alert peds

o 6. Low-beamso 7. Ease in to curves

Avoid sudden stops and maneuvers

Darkness: (driving at night) is a hazard

Field of vision is less. Objects not as sharp Colors less easily distinguished **highbeams

drivers ability to react and stop at night:

harder time seeing, delayed responses

city/rural/freeway


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City:

look ahead two blocks, look side to side. Watch tail lights, and cars ahead of them. Signal well in advance

Rural:

Slow moving farm equipment, hard to see around. Often narrow, less space between oncoming cars Winding curves Vegetation can block view. Never pass on curve or hill. Soft or no shoulder. Speed limits change. Animals and people are close.

Freeway:

Speed limits high. Few places to exit. Space Cushion keep it around your car. In perfect conditions, keep 3 seconds between you and car

ahead of you. = Proper Distance

Add 1 second for any condition that is less than perfect. Add 2 seconds if rain or snow. If someone enters this cushion, ease food off of accelerator.

Q1: How well can I see?

Q2: How well can I stop?

Dont follow vehicles too closely. Scan the road 1-2 blocks ahead (side to side) Be in tune to warning signals, tail lights and turning sigs.

Laws of Motion:

Centrifugal Force:o Offset:

1. Slow down 2. Turn Tight


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Inertial Force: Gravity: hills & acceleration Friction, specifically traction.

o Hydroplaning, zero traction. At about 35mph.

o Skidding = front or rear traction loss. Determine front or rear.

Steering control = loss of front. Set eyes on where you wanna go. Foot off

of gas, and step brakes.

Fishtailing or rear car movement = rear If rear moves right, steer into movement

aka steer right.

NO BRAKES.o Gravel or dirt road.o Best traction = dry asphalt or concrete.

Kinetic Energy Momentum

o Stopping distance: kinetic energy and momentum. KE into crushing materials. Speed weight mass, can only control speed. Lower speed = smaller momentum.

Space

Harder to see = less time Faster speed = less stopping distance. 20 mph = 60 ft.

Acceleration, deceleration

Takes longer to acc and dec at higher speeds.Racing = class B misdemeanor.

Can get a ticket for simply watching.What we see:

What registers in our brain = what we expect to see. OR, physically blocked from our view.


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o BLIND SPOT Many distractions:

o Mental and physically distracting: food, tinted windows. Four seconds.. at 60 mph, travel more than a football field.

Mental Resources = A PIE, takes away from primary driving task.

Cars Speed Primary Driving Task Lane Change Other Wipers

Young drivers = food or radio

Olders = outside distractions.

Distracted drivers = More likely to crash into something or someone infront

of them.

Peripheral vision = misleading.

Technique to expand view into blind spot. Set side mirrors out 15 degrees.

Position side mirror to where you see side of car when your head is in line

with left window. Then, find centerpoint of car, then adjust right side mirror

until you can barely see the side of your car.

Reaction to emergencies:

Reaction test #1: emergency lane changeo Bump bump bump only steering (no brakes or accel)o 3&9, turn right and turn left. (one lane all in one sec)

Reaction test #2: emergency stopo Relationship between speed and braking distance.o Two choices: 1. brake, 2. emergency lane change

Reaction test #3: Visual Target Testo What to do in skid, pull out of a spin.


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o DISTANT VISUAL TARGET = helps recover earlier.o Full spin, same thing

Backing Up: Honk horn, check, etc.

Senses:

Corrective Lenses, fined & have license revoked or suspended. Sounds Headsets or earplugs Smell, engine, radiator Feeling = steering wheel and brakes.


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Perception:o Well see what we expect to see.o Pedestrian or motorcycle, bicycle.

Car/Motorcycle Crashes: 1/3 say simply did not see Assume drivers do not see you.

Patricia Fisk crossing intersection, pedestrian.

3 of every 4 adults were pedestrians for at least 10 minutes in thepast forty days.

Stats:

7 of 10 ped fatalities = urban 6/10 = at night. 9/10= normal weather conditions

Canes, wheelchairs, disabled peds.

Ped precautions:

Use crosswalks Watch for drivers crossing red lights Be alert to hidden objects Walk against the flow of traffic Do not walk along road after drinking.

Ped and bicycle center, us dept of transportation

Walkability checklist:

1. Did you have room to walk? 2. Was it easy to cross streets? 3. Did drivers behave well? 4. Was it easy to follow the safety rules? 5. Was your walk pleasant?

Cyclists 21x more likely to die.

4x more likely to be injured.


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Motorcyclists so vulnerable:

Big trucks easier to seeCommon situations involving motorcycle incidents.

Pulls out infront of a motorcycle going straight Cyclist in blind spot of vehicle.

In more than 25% of cases, cycle and car going same direction.

Cyclist could swerve infront of another car due to obstacle. Weather conditions, make cyclists swerve. Windy could push cyclist across lane

Big rigs & 18 wheelers:

What to-do:o 1/8 traffic fatalities involve big trucks.o Multiple blind spots around trucks.o If you cant see driver, they cant see you.

Construction area:

Slow downQ: How well can I see?Q: How well can I stop?

Space cushion. FRONT:

o All conditions perf = 3 sec, proper distanceo Add 1 sec for condish.o Add 2 sec for weath (rain or snow)

BACKo Not only front. (3 tips for tailgater)

1. Drop back 2. Warn with brakes 3. Get away

SIDE:o Avoid blind spot (of others)o Avoid lingering side by side


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o Allow space between self and oncoming traffico Allow space for cars to enter (highway)o Allow space at exitso Allow space between self and parked carso Allow space between self and cyclists

If being tailgated add four sec instead of three.

Allow more space:

Trailer Following a cyclists Rainy or slippery roads Driver behind wants to pass Following a large truck Following a bus, school bus, or a truck carrying flammable

materials.

Know number and speed of cars around you.

Road surface.

Slow down at curves

Slow down around peds

Being prepared:

Plan a trip across town. Think about traffic, weather, road work Unfamiliar areas

o Mapo Routeo Memorize streets

ABS = Anti-lock Brake System


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Emergency Situations:

Dead Battery: Connections: Positive to positive, Negative to negative due to

battery current.

Steps:o 1. Start car with live battery first.o 2. Start car with dead battery.o 3. Undo Negative cables.o 4. Undo Positive cables.o NOTE: Dont let ends of cables touch.

Before you turn car off, drive it to an automotive facility to checkbattery.

Car in water:

Not sink immediately:o Go through window.

Car submerged:o Find an air-pocket near the roof.o Roll down your window or kick out the rear window.o DONT PANIC, should have several minutes.

Carbon Monoxide:

Byproduct of vehicles combustion. Deadly

Tires on soft shoulder:

Common reason for cars to roll, when driver jerks back towards theroad.

Steps:o 1. Slow downo 2. Gently press brakeo 3. Hold wheel firmly so car straddles the street and shoulder.o 4. Ease back onto road.


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Imminent crash? Take the path of least resistance:

Avoid people. Aim for front or rear tires. Avoid head-on collisions. Turn the wheel RIGHT. Left pulls you into

oncoming traffic.

Hit softest object in sight.See about to be rear-ended:

Prepare to hit brakes Head touching back of seat. Tap brakes Apply brakes

About to be hit from side.

Hold firmly to steering wheel. Either brake or accelerate to avoid being hit directly in passenger

area.

Seat belts:

1984: Mandatory, only 14% of people used safety belts. 1994: 58% 1998: 69% 2002: 80%

Not restrained: Like a ragdoll.

3 of 4 people thrown from car are killed. Chance of survival are 25% greater 12,144 saved, 21,311 couldve been saved.

Myths:

1. Traps in car: Fire or water related. of 1% of crashes. 2. Most happen within 25 miles of a victims home.

Child safety seats:

Infant seat, rear facing. Base Convertible seat. (rear- and forward-facing) Combination seat. (forward-facing only) High-back booster, used with lap shoulder belt.


20/22

Booster seat, 7-8 year old.Motorcyclists:

Helmets, 21 or older and has safety course completion Covered by health insurance plan that covers motorcycle crash


21/22



Project Yield: Youth Informing Every Living Driver

Top five driving risks: (5)o 1. Inexperience Killso 2. Avoid Risky maneuverso 3. Dont overcrowd the caro 4. Dont drive under the influenceo 5. Use extra caution at night.

Self-made movie.Driving under the influence in teens & adults:

Ms. Monague, lost her daughter friend driving.o Two forces against her body: Seatbelt 1-2 inches into her

chest, suffocated.

o #1 killer of youth is car crashes, #1 is alcohol, #2 is speed.o Judge ordered driver to pay restitution

Mike Avila, lost his mother other driver was under the influence.o Came clear across the highway, almost head-on.o Mother was in the back seat without her seatbelt.

Questions: Judge ordered:

o Drivers had to pay restitution. Alcohol affects people different ways:

o 16 vs 50 year old.o Teenagers are much more affected because of developing

organs.

o With same BAC, teens lack experience as drivers, lackexperience as a drinker, usually teens drive at night, youths

take more risks.

MUCH more likely to have fatal crash.o Livers only process alcohol at a given rate.

Average size judgment impairment at how many drinks?o .02 = beginning losses.o .04 = 100% impairment.


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Intoxication, very subjective:o .08 BACo Loss of normal mental and physical faculties because of

alcohol or drugs.

Blood or breath test can be required.o Death or serious injury, blood tests required.

Alcohol content of drinks:o 1 oz shot of 80 proof whiskey versus 1 beer, beer has more.o Wine coolers have even more. 50% more than shot.o BEER: 80% of people who get DWIs were drinking beer.

Marijuana, no scientific measure = loss of normal/physical faculties.o Could be prescription drugs, doesnt have to be illegal.

Deaths more likely to occur in rural areas than urban. Usuallybecause of high speed.

Legalities more lenient in past:o BASIC: Fines, jail time, loss of license.o PROBATION: no drinking, PO, not going in places where

alcohol is served.

o Open container laws.o ALR, person can lose license for failing test.o ACL, penalty just for refusing a test.o If death has occurred, civil suit could occur as well.o Penalties more stringent than firsto Child under 15, additional penalties.

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