Driver's Ed | Chapter 8 | Options and Choices
5 basic driving situation options....
Braking Accelerating Steering Signaling (Combos of first 4)
To recognize and react to a problem takes _____
Time
When you signal other drivers...
They can make their own adjustments to allow you to make these lane changes.
Adequate space margins allow a safe and appropriate amount of space to the front, sides, and back of the vehicle.
True mate
Making informed assumptions is an essential ability related to determining options. (T/F)
True mate
What choices are made AS you start driving?
Adjusting speed, selecting safe travel path and communicate with others (more difficult)
If vehicle isn't equipped with automatic daytime running lights...
Drive with low beam headlights on...
The areas of roadway large enough to allow you the space, time and visibility you need for safe movement at any time.
Margins of safety
Provide a little extra space for when...
Pass driveways or intersections blocked from view by shrubbery, embankments or buildings
The area directly in front and to the rear of your vehicle that will likely cause you to crash when a potential hazard becomes a real hazard.
Potential Immediate Crash Zone
What happens if you don't make assumptions?
Takes longer to come to conclusions or decisions while driving.
What is a safe speed to drive affected by?
The distance you can see ahead along path of travel
3 most common highway conditions that require speed adjustment.
Visibility, traction and space
Consider the questions to help you determine good path of travel....
Which path best enhances visibility? Which path provides the clearest space to the sides? Which path provides the smoothest flow of traffic?
First concern of good timing are objects in your _____
4 to 8 second Response Zone
What does selecting a safe travel path depend on?
A great extend on margins you can see to either side
Good timing may involve what? How to maintain it?
Adjusting vehicle speed. Adjust path of travel, speed or both.
What are the certain actions you can take as a driver?
Assess, interpret and evaluate all information. Forecast potentials for hazards that may affect you.
If the road on which you are traveling has a posted recommended speed of 25 mph...
Assume it's max safe speed for this part of road
As a driver who looks ahead, you often must make _________ as to what other vehicles might do.
Assumptions
Events that you think might happen are...
Assumptions
What to avoid when you are busy with a maneuver.
Avoid spending time on any actions not part of the maneuver.
The path with the smoothest traffic flow typically provides the ____
Best space visibility
Always try to position vehicle so you have the _______ for the situation.
Best view
Five basic locations for a car in each lane....
Center of lane (normal and most safe) One-half car width to right of lane for right turns One-half car width to left of lane for left turns Straddle lane line to left (change lanes to left) Straddle lane line to right (change lanes to right)
A ___________ is the selection between two or more possible options.
Choice
What must you do if an object moves into your 4 to 8 second path of travel?
Choose how much to decrease or increase speed and whether any adjustment to your space margin to either side is needed. Decision depends on ability to judge when and where other objects may enter path of travel.
Every drivers should allow a _________ to stop if necessary, because stopping takes a certain amount of time
Clear distance
As you drive you must constantly deal with objects and vehicles ____ to your intended path of travel.
Close
When determining you options, you make ___________ of the information you have.
Comparisons
You also make comparisons between _________ and your _______.
Current situation; Previous experiences
What are assumptions used for?
Determining available options and making final choice on option that will make good things happen.
If giving meaning to in the traffic situation is not accurate or realistic, the selection of the best option will be...
Difficult and will make driving mistake
Time conditions can be more _____ at one time than another.
Favorable
3 Guidelines for maintaining adequate space margins
Following distance Space behind Space to sides
The safe amount of time you should allow when following another vehicle or when being followed.
Following interval
What are the steps to respond to a driving event?
Give meaning on importance of scene Determine options and make a choice Use little time to translate into action
When you miss a turn...
Go to the next intersection and turn there
Empty trucks require ______ stopping distance and empty vehicles has _____ traction.
Greater; Less
Many collision caused by ______ happen because drivers don't pay attention to the right thing at the right time and respond too late or not at all.
Inattention
Leave an ___ space margin for people or objects you cannot see.
Increased
Risk means the chance of __________
Injury, damage or loss
Tips of effective time management that begins before getting behind wheel.
Make effort to understand and learn to judge time and speed factors Plan route in advance and allow yourself plenty of time to reach destination Get traffic info from radio or other sources to help plan best travel route
What are brakes designed to control?
Max weight of unit therefore brakes lock up more readily when trailer is empty or lightly loaded. Causes skidding and loss of control.
Determining options is a _______ _____ that involves thinking through the meaning that results from searching
Mental Link
What to do if left lane is available and free of traffic? What to do if left lane is not available?
Move over 1 car width as you approach area of reduced visibility Move at least One-half car width or as close to the center of the roadway as possible
Tips of downgrades...
Never exceed max safe speed Check rearview mirror for following traffic Pick lane with traffic traveling at same speed as you Use brakes periodically to control speed
Driving choices must be made _______, ________ and usually ______
Quickly; Real time; Without anyone's help
Looking ahead far gives you a big cushion of __________ and ______ and an opportunity to gently adjust speed or position vehicle to handle a threatening situation
Reaction time; Distance
Avoid meeting fast-moving vehicles in areas of _______
Reduced visibility
What helps you be safe when maneuvering?
Time them, use turn signals in time, time turning smoothly and gradually, give drivers adequate time to react
____ is most important for situations involving multiple moving objects.
Timing
Avoid passing a big truck where there may be strong crosswinds (T/F)
True
Driver must have an idea of how much time it takes to turn, change lanes and complete most maneuvers. (T/F)
True
Driving with low-beam headlights or running light on during daytime allows others to see you more rapidly. (T/F)
True
Going with the flow of traffic is a good idea in most situations. The path where all vehicles are moving at a reasonable speed for existing conditions provides the smoothest flow of traffic. (T/F)
True
Good timing allows you to deal with each object separately. (T/F)
True
Never exceed maximum tire pressure recommended for your vehicle (T/F)
True
One of the most-used driving techniques is steering. (T/F)
True
Pick the best possible roadway and traffic conditions for what you want to do. (T/F)
True
Selecting a path of travel is a continual process of deciding which options are best. (T/F)
True
The distance or margins of time you maintain between yourself and other vehicles on the road are important for safety purposes. (T/F)
True
The most important skill of good driving is positioning the vehicle so that you can see others and others can see you. (T/F)
True
When any driving crisis occurs, the driver has limited time to interpret and react to it. (T/F)
True
You won't be able to anticipate every problem you encounter as a driver. (T/F)
True
If you are faced with two dangerous situations...
Try to give the most room to the one with the greatest consequences and chance of happening
Where you identify objects/conditions that may require a response or continuous attention. The area which you can see ahead and safely control vehicle.
Visual Control Zone
__________ is a safe distance you can see ahead.
Visual lead
Why is a limited-access highway more safe and more energy efficient?
You will have fewer stops, starts, curves and hills and able to maintain a steady speed for longer periods of time.
Two general rules of Speed and Visibility
- You should always be able to stop within the distance you can see ahead - Fog, rain, or other conditions that impede your visibility require you to slow down Additional: Slow down at night when you change to low beams of headlights since you can't see as far ahead with low beams as you can with high beams.
Where is the Potential Immediate Crash Zone?
0 to 4 seconds ahead of you.
What 3 basic questions you ask yourself when evaluating a situation and selecting the best option?
1. What is happening? 2. What's gonna happen next? 3. What can I do to increase chances of safety?
The minimum following interval you should maintain under ideal conditions is...
3 seconds
At a speed of 55 mph how many feet do you need to stop before...
300 ft or so
When following large vehicles or motorcycles, allow a ___ following distance,
5 to 6 second
Aggressive driving causes more than what percent of all motor-vehicle crashes?
50%
It is best to have a space of at least ______ on both sides
8 ft
Where is the Response Zone?
8 to 12 seconds ahead of you
Dirty headlights limit visibility. Road grime on headlights can reduce illumination as much as _____
90%
When you are in a long line of cars...
Change lanes or adjust speed then get out
What example makes you manage time and space?
During lane changes since it takes you a few seconds of time and a certain amount of roadway distance to make the lane change.
If been realistic in giving meaning to the situation, the best option for the situation will be...
Easy to identify and select
Before you can successfully respond to a driving event you must...?
Have adequate visibility and mastery of skills to sense and search.
The total time needed for a human being to determine his or her options and choose one in ________.
Human-Perception Time
What are the 4 components of total time and space to complete controlling action?
Human-Perception Time/Space Human-Reaction Time/Space Vehicle-Reaction Time/Space Vehicle-braking, -steering, -accelerating, or -signaling time/space
When you double your speed...
It takes 4 times the distance to stop vehicle; Vehicle will have 4 times destructive power in a crash
As a driver you always need _____ to react, and during the time you react, your vehicle is moving forward in space.
Lead time
If you must stop suddenly...
MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO SIGNAL
The best way to avoid collisions is to ______________
Maintain adequate space all around your vehicle
On packed snow, reduces traction, you should reduce speed by...
One-half or more
Potential choices in a driving situation are...
Options
You must have what to complete the driving task?
Physical skills and necessary space and time
Increasing space margins by increase following distance to more than 4 (3?) seconds in any of these situations.
Poor weather or road conditions Night driving High speed driving Too close followed driver behind you Vision of road is impaired by large vehicle in front of you
The zone where you begin to respond to what you perceive.
Response Zone
What choices are made BEFORE you start driving?
Selecting route for travel (less difficult)
What happens after you make a choice?
Set of mental instructions to body Perception time ends and reaction time begins Action starts and reaction time ends and vehicle-reaction time begins
In fog and rain, you should...
Slow down
Tips of adjusting speed on curves...
Slow down to safe speed BEFORE enter the curve Braking in curve is dangerous because you can lock wheels and cause a skid. Never exceed the posted speed limit for a curve.
When a vehicle is tailgating you should...
Slow gradually and move to the right side of the lane or roadway
An adequate amount of space between your vehicle and another.
Space Margin
Controlling space behind you is more difficult than controlling following distance.
TRUE
Always try to maintain a safe margin between your vehicle and what you can see on the road ahead. (T/F)
True
An awareness of how much time and space it actually takes for you and your vehicle to react is an important aspect of responsible driving. (T/F)
True
At speeds above 30 mph, it takes less time (distance) to steer around obstacle than to stop for it. (T/F)
True
By adjusting speed, you can maneuver around the parked car after encountering the oncoming vehicle. (T/F)
True
Controlling a vehicle takes a certain amount of time after an option is selected. (T/F)
True
Distance to your sides should be great enough to provide for errors in judgement and an escape path or way out. (T/F)
True
The time it takes a vehicle to respond is known as ________
Vehicle-reaction time.
What will the space margin depend on?
Where you are going and what you intend to do
If you are stopped at an intersection on a side street and attempting to cross a busy 30 foot wide street...
You need 6 to 8 seconds to cross this street.
For the fullest understanding of your options...
Your searching process must be complete and accurate
If you take a curve too fast...
Your tires lose traction with road and may cause vehicle to veer off road and roll over.
Wet roads can ____ stopping distance
double
On a wet road, you should reduce your speed by...
1/3
Where is the Visual Control Zone?
12 to 20 seconds ahead of you
Search roadway and off-road areas ______ seconds ahead for info that can help you plan for a safe path of travel.
20 to 30
What are options based on?
Driver's knowledge, experiences and skills
What happens if you make correct choices?
Reduce risk of unsafe events and increase chance that you will remain safe.
If road is icy...
Reduce your speed to crawl and stop driving ASAP
A safe space margin is a _________.
Space cushion
Making good choices allows you to successfully manage ________, _________, __________ and _____
Space; Time: Visibility; To drive safely
Driving too fast is a major cause of crashes, injuries and fatalities. (T/F)
True
Turn steering wheel gradually in direction of lane change and use a gradual steering recovery to straighten vehicle when there. (T/F)
True
You should try to have at least one car width of space to one side of your car. (T/F)
True
You will constantly have to adjust your speed. (T/F)
True
You should maintain a minimum 4 second following distance behind other vehicles.
True? Maybe 3 actually
It's a good idea to slow down on downgrades because as you go downhill...
Vehicle speed increases
Must adjust your speed to suit what?
Visibility (weather conditions), road (hills and curves), and amount of traffic
5 margins that involve both time and space that are important to intended path of travel (distant to closest)
Visual lead margin Visual control zone margin Response zone Following interval Potential immediate crash zone
The size of the space margin will vary with that?
Weather, Highway and Traffic Conditions
