Drivers Ed Chapter 9

Passive restraint device

A device that works automatically, such as an airbag

Active restraint device

A device you must engage, such as a safety belt

Traction

A form of friction created from tires, makes it possible for your vehicle to grip the road so you can control speed and directions

Pitch

A tilting motion from front to back

Intertia

An object in rest stays in rest and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by a non-zero net force; an object's tendency to resist change in motion

exhaust pipe

aka tailpipe

deceleration lane

an added lane where it's safe to slow your vehicle without blocking the vehicles behind you

hole in traffic

an empty space between traffic clusters

interchanges

are places where drivers can cross over or under traffic as well as enter or leave the freeway

spur

branch going into a city

Vehicle balance

Is the distribution of a vehicles weight on its tires as they contact the ground (only time it's in perfect balance is when it's not moving)

Gravity

Is the force that pulls all things to earth

Reaction time

Once you identify a hazard, the length of the time you take to apply the brake

Energy of motion

Or kinetic energy (1/2mv(squared)), it changes in proportion to the weight of the vehicle (the more a vehicle weighs, the greater its energy of motion)

Total stopping distance

The distance your car travels from the time you first perceive a hazard until you reach a full stop

Perception distance

The distance your vehicle travels during your perception time

Braking distance

The distance your vehicle travels from the time you apply the brakes until you stop

Reaction distance

The distance your vehicle travels while you react

Friction

The force that acts between materials as they move past each other

Force of impact

The force with which a moving object hits another object

Tread

The grooved surface of a tire, provides the traction for starting, stoping, and gripping the road

Perception time

The length of time it takes you to identify a hazard, predict a conflict, and decide to break

Center of gravity

The point around which an object's weight is evenly distributed

Momentum

The tendency of an object to stay in motion, or the interview of an object in motion

Blowout

When all of the air escapes from a tire at once

velocitation

hours of driving at freeway speeds can fool you into thinking your vehicle is moving slower than it is, causing you to drive to fast unknowingly

air pocket

if your vehicle is totally submerged underwater, some air will be trapped for a brief time toward the highest point of the vehicle creating ____

skid

in extreme reduced-traction situations, your tires may lose all or part of their grip on the road. This can happen on any surface while you are braking, acceleration, or steering

head-on collision

in which the front ends of two vehicles collide -- produces the greatest force of impact of any collision

side-impact collision

in which the front of one vehicle hits the side of another

ramp meter

is a set of traffic signals--red and green only--to control traffic flow onto the highway

poilcy

is a written contract between you-- the insured--and the insurance company

deductible

is the amount you agree to pay towards the repair or replacement of your vehicle

merging area

is the space in a travel lane of the highway that is parallel to the acceleration lane, where you will be joining the traffic flow

rear-end collision

is which the front of one vehicle hits the end of another

overdriving headlights

means driving at a speed that makes your stopping distance longer than the distance lighted by your headlights.

brake fade

occurs after continuous hard breaking, when brakes overheat, they can lose effectiveness

blowout

occurs when a tire loses air pressure suddenly; might occur if the tire hits an object on the roadway or a pothole

rocking

often you can move your vehicle out of deep snow, mud, or sand by driving forward a little then back a little. By repeating this sequence you can work your way out

fishtail

a skid situation in which a vehicle's rear end tends to slip out

compact spare

a spare tie that is temporary; drive on it only as necessary under the manufacture's conditions for use

premium

a specified amount of money for coverage over a specified period of time

liability insurance

covers other when you are at fault in collision

heltway

or loop around the city

grade

or slope

entrance ramp

provides access to the highway and the opportunity to search for a merge area

acceleration lane

provides an area where you can speed up in order to match the speed of the traffic flow you're entering

collision insurance

provides coverage to pay the costs of repair or replacement of your vehicle, minus the deductible

exit ramp

the ramp leading off the highway

common speed

the speed used by most drivers

non-controlled access

this means that expressways could have traffic lights, intersections, and driveways where traffic is able to enter or leave the expressway

controlled braking

to reduce your speed as quickly as possible while maintaining steering control of your vehicle, is a technique of applying your brakes to slow or stop quickly without locking your wheels

reversible lanes

traffic lanes where traffic can travel in either direction depending on certain conditions

hydroplaning

when a tire loses road contact by rising up on top of water and no longer has contact with the road

forward vision

when headlights fail, when the hood flies up, or even when your windshield gets splashed with dirt, your driving view is obstructed

high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes

which allow drivers to pay a fee in order to drive in an HOV lane with only one person in the vehicle

controlled access

which mean that vehicle can enter and leave only at designated interchanges

grade elevation

which means that bridges and tunnels are used to direct traffic over or under other travel lanes

financial responsibility law

which require you to prove that you can pay for damages you cause that result in death, injury, or property damage

highway hypnosis

you can be lulled into an inattentive drowsy state

understeer situation

your car does not turn as fast as you want it to turn. The front wheels slide straight ahead. In this situation, your front wheels do not have enough traction for your vehicle to turn as it should

oversteer situation

your rear end slides out, a skid situation in which a vehicle's rear tends to slip out