I drive Safely VA
Speed influences crashes in five basic ways:
It increases the distance a vehicle travels from the time a driver detects an emergency until the driver reacts. It increases the distance needed to stop a vehicle once an emergency is perceived. Crash severity increases. Higher crash speeds reduce the effect of vehicles' restraint systems and roadway safety features to protect occupants. Traction and maneuverability are reduced.
Among those killed, teenage drivers have the highest death rates per miles driven among all age groups, followed by elderly drivers, and young adult males.
yes
An adequate visual field of view means you are able to see objects in the periphery.
yes
As your speed increases you will cover more distance-which will decrease the time it takes you to perceive, react, and brake when necessary.
yes
Fines can range between $100 and $500. It is also illegal to share disabled placards. Only the individual that qualifies can use the placard. This offense is punishable by a fine up to $500. Any of the above mentioned offenses are labeled as Class II Misdemeanors. To report inappropriate or fraudulent use of placards or plates, please call 1-866-266-6474.
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Glare recovery refers to the ability to see in the presence of oncoming headlights, at night, or in the presence of sun glare in daytime. Glare introduces stray light into the eye; it also reduces the contrast of important safety targets.
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If you are traveling 40 mph, in three seconds you will travel 180 feet. At 60 mph, the distance increases to 270 feet. At speeds of more than 50 mph, it also is important to identify an alternate path into which you can steer if the path is suddenly blocked. Your stopping distance may be greater than the distance you can see ahead.
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If you weigh 100 pounds, are traveling at 30 mph, and hit a stationary object, the force of impact is 3000 pounds (mass multiplied by acceleration).
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In 2008 there were 5,811,000 traffic collisions reported. These collisions cost the national economy over $230 billion as they relate to property damage, medical costs, insurance premiums, and lost time at work.
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In 2008, the majority of people killed or injured in crashes were drivers (57%), followed by passengers (22%), and motorcycle riders (16%).
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In the past, drivers were taught to place their hands at the 10 and 2 o'clock or 9 and 3 o'clock positions. However, today more flexible positions are encouraged.
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Position the seat so that your chest is 10 to 12 inches from the hub of the steering wheel.
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Recognize how your driving environment changes each time you get behind the wheel - weather, road conditions, your vehicle, and other drivers are unpredictable.
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Remember Virginia will not issue a license to individuals who have a physical or mental impairment which makes it unsafe for them to drive.
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Safe driving requires sound judgment, reasoning and concentration.
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The energy of motion will change in proportion to the square of its change in speed. What does this mean? If you travel 40 mph, given the same braking power, it will require four times the stopping distance that it would take if you travel 20 mph. If you travel 60 mph, it will require nine times the stopping distance you would need going 20 mph.
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The force of impact increases if the object you hit is moving toward your vehicle.
yes
The kinetic energy of a vehicle is the extra energy it has gained as a result of its motion.
yes
Traveling at 25 mph, 30 seconds ahead is about two and one half blocks. At 30 mph, 30 seconds ahead is close to two blocks.
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about one out of every ten drivers is involved in a crash each year.
yes
blood-alcohol concentration (BAC)
yes
f for any reason you are mentally incompetent, even as a temporary condition, it is illegal to drive.
yes
A 12-ounce can of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, and a cocktail with 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits all contain the same amount of alcohol.
yes
Driving without a License Driving without a license is prohibited in Virginia. Any person violating this law is charged with a Class 2 misdemeanor, with subsequent offenses classified as Class 1 misdemeanors (§46.2-301.1). Multiple offenses may also result in vehicle impoundment (§46.2-301.1).
yes
Failure to carry insurance is a criminal offense. The penalties include fines, loss of license plates, and loss of your driver's license.
yes
In the U.S., each year approximately 3 million people are injured and around 40,000 people are killed in traffic collisions.
yes
On average in the U.S., one friend, parent, or family member dies every 48 minutes in alcohol-related crashes.
yes
On dry pavement, with good visibility, allow at least a 3-second interval between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead. This rule works well for speeds up to 50 mph; however, the faster you travel, the more distance you cover while bringing the vehicle to a stop.
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The biggest benefit of slowing down to manage gravity, friction, inertia, and kinetic energy is the reduction in the final "killer" force - the force of impact.
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The laws of nature are physical forces that are with you whenever you drive. These forces include gravity, friction, inertia, kinetic energy, and the force of impact.
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These forces' influence will vary depending on vehicle weight, speed, and direction. Operate your vehicle to compensate for these powerful natural forces.
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Three Point Violations High-occupancy vehicle lanes (HOV) penalties. The first offense results in a fine of $50-$125, second offense within 5 years is a fine of $250, third offense within 5 years is a fine of $500, and fourth or subsequent offense within 5 years is a fine of $1,000.
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What you are able to see without obstruction is called your "line-of-sight."
yes
What you are able to see without obstruction is called your "line-of-sight." The best condition for visual search is when your line-of-sight around all sides of your vehicle is not obstructed.
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When you become a resident of Virginia, you have 30 days to obtain a Virginia title and registration for your vehicle, and 60 days to obtain a Virginia driver's license.
yes
With the lower 8 and 4 o'clock hand position, you can smoothly turn the steering wheel nearly 160 degrees in either direction without crossing your arms.
yes
You are among the approximately 199 million licensed drivers in the United States.
yes
You must use your vehicle's headlights between sunset and sunrise as well as at any other time in which your visibility is less than 500 feet (§46.2-1030).
yes
Minimum Age Requirements:
16 years, 3 months, if you have held a valid driver education learner permit for 9 months and have successfully completed a DMV-approved driver education course Provide proof of identity and date of birth from the current acceptable ID list Successfully complete a written knowledge test based on the information contained in the Virginia Driver Manual Successfully pass a standard vision screening test Successfully pass a roadway skill test with a DMV driver examiner in a vehicle provided by the applicant If less than 18 years of age, have an appropriate family member sign the financial responsibility agreement portion of the application
Motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death for people
3 to 33
You should search a minimum of__________seconds ahead of your vehicle to avoid obstacles in your path.
30
New hand positions are encouraged on the steering wheel such as __________.
8 and 4
The__________becomes critical if you are in a situation where you may be struck from the rear.
?
Good driver vision includes:
Contrast sensitivity Substantial visual field of view Glare recovery
To manage space to the rear:
Maintain a steady speed Communicate your intention to stop or slow by tapping your brakes Prior to slowing, check your rear-view mirror for vehicles behind you
To obtain an ID card, an applicant must:
Provide two proofs of identity Provide one proof of residency Provide proof of legal presence
Consider the probability of a dangerous event developing. Consider the consequences of your decision. Prepare to take action to manage the situation.
Risk assessment
_________is the temporary removal of your privilege to drive.
Suspension
Determine a safe speed to travel based on:
Traffic density and the rate of flow The design and condition of the roadway How far ahead you can see
When driving at night and you encounter curves, what do you have to remember?
Your headlights point straight ahead, not into the curve.
Determine a safe speed to travel based on ____________.
all the above
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists accidental death
as the fifth leading cause of death in the United States.
Conduct a mental list related to the condition of each driving element. If your list has unfavorable factors in one or more categories, your
crash probability is at an elevated level
A __________ headlight lens can cut the amount of light it emits by 90%.
dirty
Stiffness in the neck can make it difficult for drivers to______.
look behind to check the blind spot
Traveling faster than the speed limit increases both the risk and the __________ of a crash.
severity
Injury and death associated with traffic-related crashes are
two of our largest societal problems.
About 90% of the information required for safe driving relates to vision.
yes
Driving under the influence (DUI)
yes
Four Point Violations Failure to obey a traffic signal (3 years)
yes
In 2008, 37,261 people lost their lives and 2,346,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes (NHTSA).
yes
f you "over-drive" your headlights, and you see an obstacle in your path, you will not be able to stop before you hit that obstacle.
yes
n 2008, persons 20-24 years old had the highest fatality rate. For all age groups, the fatality rate is higher for males.
yes
Virginia requires the following minimum coverage:
Bodily injury/death of one person $25,000 Bodily injury/death of two or more persons $50,000 Property damage $20,000 (§46.2-473)
Your license may be suspended or revoked for a variety of reasons. Read below for a list of just a few of them:
Driving under the influence of alcohol or another substance Driving recklessly Leaving the scene of a collision Failing to satisfy a citation or appear in court Refusing to take a chemical test Displaying a canceled, altered, or fictitious license Nonpayment of jail fees (SB 603)
________associated with traffic-related crashes is one of our largest societal problems.
Injury and death
Push/pull steering from lower hand positions has at least five major advantages over past hand placement methods:
It is less fatiguing because it allows a more normal position for your arms. The 8 and 4 o'clock hand position is a lower, more restful position. The driver's arms stay close to the body and allow the body to be in a more upright and stable position. You are more likely to keep both hands on the steering wheel allowing the muscles of the chest, back and shoulders to do most of the work. Push/pull steering eliminates hand over hand and crossing the arms while steering. The hand over hand steering is a much harder procedure and it requires greater muscle strength. Injuries to arms, hands, face, and eyes can be reduced or prevented during a collision when a driver-side air bag deploys.
Driving a motor vehicle involves the conduct of skilled and properly timed actions under varying road and traffic conditions based on decisions that depend on:
Learned Information Realistic Perceptions Sound Judgments
Stopping distances involve three factors:
Perception distance Reaction distance Braking distance
nter the curve slower than the posted speed if:
Road conditions are slippery or if surface traction is less than ideal. You are entering a blind curve that you cannot see around. Your vehicle is tall and has substantial weight that is loaded high.
_________, the roadway, and your vehicle are all categories associated with risk that you should assess before you get behind the wheel.
The driver
If you drive an SUV or RV, you need to be worried about clearance when driving __________. Correct: in parking garages
in parking garages
The scientific definition is the amount of work that is needed to accelerate a body of a known weight from zero to a given speed.
kinetic energy
The following are clues that you are not looking far enough ahead when you drive:
ou make frequent, quick stops. In traffic, you often find yourself boxed in a slow moving lane - this indicates you have not spotted problems ahead well enough in advance to avoid them.
Adjust your vehicle __________to help prevent a dangerous event from occurring or to minimize the consequences of an unavoidable crash.
position or speed
Our natural tendency is to concentrate on what is going on ahead of where we are going, so you need to check your mirrors__________.
whenever you change speed or position
At an uncontrolled intersection, if another vehicle is in the lane you want to enter, they have the right-of-way.
yes
Contrast sensitivity is the capacity to sharply see the difference between two similarly colored objects.
yes
Use your low-beam headlights in fog, snow, or rain. The water droplets in rain and the flakes in snow will reflect the light of your high-beam headlights back into your eyes and make an already poor visibility situation even worse.
yes
Vision begins to decline around age 15.
yes
When you decide to execute a maneuver, you will need a control zone of approximately 12 to 15 seconds.
yes
the three elements of the highway system - the driver, the roadway, and the vehicle.
yes
you will still require a "control zone" of about 12-15 seconds ahead to safely execute your maneuver.
yes
Evaluate weather conditions, the condition of your vehicle and other risk factors, including_________, every time you drive.
your own well-being
he top 12 causes of fatal crashes.
1. Failing to maintain lane position. 2. Speeding. This is not just exceeding the speed limit; it is also categorized as driving too fast for conditions. 3. Driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs, and other medication. 4. Failing to yield the right-of-way. 5. Inattention, which includes distractions such as talking, eating, text messaging, etc. 6. Operating the vehicle in an erratic, reckless, careless, or negligent manner. 7. Failing to obey traffic signs or signals. This category includes a driver not signaling the intention to turn or change lanes, a common communication error. 8. Improper driving technique. 9. Making an improper turn. 10. Driving when drowsy, sleepy, fatigued, ill, or after experiencing a blackout. 11. Vision obscured. This may occur due to poor visibility conditions such as rain, snow, glare, or driving into bright lights. Vision obstruction also occurs when your vision is blocked by trees, buildings, or other vehicles. 12. Driving the wrong way on a one-way street.
The following are steps for using the 3-Second Rule:
1. Pick out a fixed checkpoint along the road ahead: a road sign, light post, or other fixed object. As soon as the rear of the vehicle ahead of you passes the fixed checkpoint, start counting, "One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand." When the front of your car reaches the fixed checkpoint, stop counting. You are following too closely if you reach the fixed checkpoint before you finish counting three seconds.
Speed influences crashes in four basic ways:
It increases the distance a vehicle travels from the time a driver detects an emergency until the driver reacts. It increases the distance needed to stop a vehicle once an emergency is perceived. Crash severity increases by the square of the speed; for example, when speed increases from 40 to 60 mph, speed goes up 50 percent while the energy released in a crash more than doubles. Higher crash speeds reduce the ability of vehicles, restraint systems, and roadway hardware such as guardrails, barriers, and impact attenuators to protect occupants.
Every vehicle operated on your state roadways must be covered by _________ insurance through a company that is authorized to do business in your state.
Liability
Other benefits of using low scanning techniques include:
Looking at the ground beside a moving vehicle helps you to more accurately judge its speed. Predicting another vehicle is about to change direction by checking the position of another vehicle's tires. Locating potholes and sudden changes in road surface conditions that might affect your traction and/or path of travel. Noticing shadows on the roadway might indicate a hidden vehicle ahead of a truck you want to pass.
Use the following techniques to help manage the space behind your vehicle:
Maintain a smooth, steady speed. Do not slow down or stop without communicating to the driver behind you. Communicate your intention to stop or slow by tapping your brakes. Prior to slowing, check your rear-view mirror for vehicles behind you.
When you must turn the wheel more than 160 degrees, a preferred technique is called push/pull or push/pull/feed steering:
One hand pushes the steering wheel up in the direction you want to turn. Meanwhile, the other hand slides up toward 12 o'clock and then pulls down. The hand you first used to push then slides down to make further adjustments as necessary. To return to your original path, simply reverse the process or let the wheel slide through the fingers.
Stopping distances involve three factors:
Perception distance - This is the distance your vehicle travels from the time you visually see a hazard with your eyes to the time your brain registers it and triggers a response. Reaction distance - This is the distance traveled from the time your brain issues an instruction to the time your body carries out the instruction. Braking distance - This will vary depending on the speed at which you are traveling and the conditions of the roadway.
Create a following distance greater than 3 seconds when:
Traction and visibility are reduced. A driver behind you is trying to pass. Following a large truck or vehicle with limited rear vision. Following a large vehicle that is blocking your view of the road ahead. Following motorcycles. Driving on a hill or incline. You are distracted.
Determine a safe speed to travel based on:
Traffic density and the rate of flow. When you enter a congested traffic area, the space between vehicles is limited. Adjust your speed to open up space to maneuver. The design and condition of the roadway. If road traction and surface conditions are less than ideal, reduce your speed to maintain traction. How far ahead you can see. If you cannot see clearly or around obstacles, reduce your speed in the event you need to make an unexpected evasive maneuver.
veryday driving issues you may experience that elevate your risk include:
Traveling many miles per day in congested and low visibility traffic conditions. Exceeding the speed limit. Inattention and distraction. Driving when tired, sick, or medicated. Driving at night.Driving too fast for conditions.
To obtain a learner's permit or a driver's license, you must show:
Two proofs of identity (i.e. U.S. Birth Certificate or Passport) One proof of Virginia residency (i.e. payroll stub or bank statement) Proof of your social security number (SSN) Proof of legal presence (birth document issued by a U.S. state, jurisdiction or territory)
High speed increases the risk of collision because:
Vision is reduced. Traction and maneuverability are reduced. Momentum is increased and it takes the brakes longer to stop the vehicle. Force of impact is greater.
