Vehicle Operations

according to F.S. 316.237, how far do vehicle headlights illuminate

450 feet with the high beams and 150 feet with the low beams

F.S. 316.126(3) en route to an emergency

any authorized emergency vehicle, when en route to meet an existing emergency, shall warn all other vehicular traffic along the emergency route by an audible signal, siren, exhaust whistle, or other adequate device or by a visible signal by the use of displayed blue or red lights. while en route to such emergency, the emergency vehicle shall otherwise proceed in a manner consistent with the laws regulating vehicular traffic upon the highways of this state

appropriate location for roadblocks vs. inappropriate location for roadblocks

areas that provide a clear view of the roadblock from both sides and highways, streets, or roads vs. locations over the crest of a hill or in, on, or around a curve

loss of visual cues

at night, it is easy to lose these, which are available during the day. this lowers the ability to judge distance and the speed of oncoming traffic

officers should drive

at or below the posted speed limit so they can observe and respond appropriately to the environment

the two general forces that act upon a vehicle as it turns a corner

centripetal force and centrifugal force

what laws are adapted and applied to vehicle operations

Newton's Laws of Motion

causes of a skid

a driver follows a vehicle too closely, does not pay attention and then slams on the brakes OR a driver turns too quickly and brakes improperly to slow down

power slide

a driver over-accelerates, and the tires spin: the wheels are not locked, but the driver has lost traction.

two-second rule

a minimum safe following distance for all vehicles and provides space and time for the driver to react to potential hazards. always use a fixed object

Scott v. Harris (2007)

a police officer's attempt to terminate a dangerous high speed car chase that threatens the lives of innocent bystanders does not violate the 4th Amendment, even when it places the fleeing motorist at risk of serious injury or death

the majority of law enforcement vehicle crashes

a result of backing into a fixed object

decreasing radius

a turn that gets tighter during the turn

increasing radius

a turn that gets wider during the turn

constant radius

a turn that remains the same throughout

color vision

ability to distinguish colors

depth perception

ability to judge distance and perceive space to determine how far away an object is

peripheral vision

ability to see above, below, and to the sides. a person who is in a stationary vehicle and who has good peripheral vision can see about 180 degrees from side to side

night vision

ability to see clearly in darkness

causes of a power slide

accelerating to much on a turn or a slick surface

directional stability

affects the degree of pitch, roll, and yaw that a vehicle experiences

which side of the lane should officers offset their vehicle to when driving in emergency mode?

always offset you vehicle to the left of the available roadway within your lane; this makes your vehicle more visible to the vehicles you are following as well as those approaching from the opposite direction

pursuit

an active attempt by an officer, driving an authorized emergency vehicle (with emergency equipment activated), to apprehend occupants of a moving vehicle if the offender increases vehicle speed, takes other evasive actions, or refuses to stop in an apparent attempt to avoid apprehension

anti-lock braking system (ABS)

an enhancement to the conventional breaking system and is standard equipment on late model vehicles. this electronically monitors and controls each of the wheels during braking to keep them from locking

wheel tracking

an occurrence that causes the rear wheels to follow a tighter path than the path the front wheels traveled in a turn. when trying to avoid a fixed object, an officer must steer the front of the vehicle wide of the object to prevent the rear wheels from striking it.

Brower v. Inyo County (1989)

certain pursuit tactics might result in a claim of a constitutional violation as a seizure by deadly force. U.S.S.C. stated that deadly force should not be used to apprehend citizens for minor offenses such as traffic violation. roadblocks must be positioned so the violator has sufficient time to stop. if the officers take affirmative steps to halt or force the flee individual to stop, the officers are responsible for the results and their actions become seizures under the 4th Amendment

vehicle inspection

checking the proper fluid levels, electrical wiring, belts, hoses, and tires

if two or more vehicle tires roll from a paved surface onto an unpaved surface

decelerate and steer as straight as distance allows, after reducing speed, firmly grip the wheel and steer smoothly and steadily back onto the roadway

when driving and feel the car doing something unusual

determine whether it is a safety concern by applying the brake pedal to verify that the brakes work, check the steering, and look for smoke or signs of an engine fire

proper acceleration

done in a smooth, straight line using steady pressure

in reverse, the vehicle should be

driven slowly to compensate for an increase in weight transfer and a decrease in the driver's field of vision

why is driving at night more hazardous?

drivers have the perception/false confidence that they can drive as fast at night as they can during the day, this combined with reduced visibility creates a more hazardous driving environment

fluid levels to be checked

engine oil, brake fluid, coolant reservoir, transmission fluid, power steering, windshield washer fluid

F.S. 316.271(6) emergency vehicle equipment

every authorized emergency vehicle shall be equipped with a siren, whistle, or bell capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than 500 feet and of a type approved by the department, but such siren, whistle, or bell shall not be used except when the vehicle is operated in response to an emergency call or in the immediate pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law, in which event the driver of the vehicle shall sound the siren, whistle, or bell when reasonable necessary to warn pedestrians and other drivers of the approach thereof

when in pursuit, which distance rule should you use?

four-second rule

drive tires

front tires on a front-wheel drive vehicle or rear ties on a rear-wheel drive vehicle

incipient skid

happens just before the tires lose traction during braking. the tires lock, causing loss of steering control and a skid

steering

has a direct relationship on vehicle dynamics, vehicle handling, and traction control

if you cannot avoid hitting a fixed object or an oncoming vehicle

hit the object with the side of the vehicle rather than head-on, glancing off the object or vehicle

common characteristics of tire-deflation devices

hollow spikes that puncture a vehicle's tire and allow air to be released, causing the tire to deflate; track or mat base; some form of officer deployment

the recommended tire pressure can be found

in the doorjamb

before driving through an intersection in emergency mode

it is recommended that you make eye contact with other drivers

shuffle steering

keep both hands on the wheel, never crossing the 12 or 6 positions. the right hand stays on the right side of the wheel and the left hand stays on the left side of the wheel

reaction distance at night

lack of light increases the time required to initially observe a hazard

City of Pinellas Park v. Brown (1990)

law enforcement has a duty to protect the public when choosing to continue a pursuit. any police decision to start or continue a pursuit is subject to court review under the doctrine of negligence, not just as a use of force under the 4th Amendment

driving in reverse requires

less steering input to produce a larger change in direction

eye-targeting/optical driving

looking in the desired direction of travel to avoid an obstacle and steering in that direction

during hours of darkness

more than half of all fatal crashes occur

pitch

occurs during acceleration or braking and causes the transfer of a vehicle's weight from front to rear or rear to front

incipient spin

occurs just before the drive tires lose traction during acceleration

roll

occurs when turning and causes the vehicle's weight to shift from side to side

County of Sacramento v. Lewis (1998)

officers may be liable if their actions during a pursuit or emergency response were sufficient to "shock the conscience" of the court. the court distinguished between mere carelessness or negligence, deliberate indifference, and the intent to cause harm. to "shock the conscience", the officer must have intended to cause harm to the violator without justification for the use of deadly force

several factors that may influence driving performance at night

overdriving of vehicle headlights, reaction distance, field of vision, loss of visual cues, gear, and emergency lights

F.S. 316.072(5)(b) drivers operative in emergency mode may do the following

park or stand, irrespective of the provisions of this chapter; proceed past a red or stop signal, or stop sign but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation; exceed the maximum speed limits so long as the driver does not endanger life or property; disregard regulations governing direction or movement or turning in specified directions so long as the driver does not endanger life or property

field of vision

peripheral vision decreases; less light narrows this

avoiding head-on collisions

reduce speed to increase the time to react; drive to the right to give the other vehicle more space, drive off the road in necessary

correction for an oversteer

remove the foot from the accelerator and/or brake, steer the car where desired (when the front tires have not lost traction), refrain from applying the brakes and if necessary, steer the car to a safe place and stop

correction for an understeer

remove the foot from the accelerator, maintain steering input but of not apply brakes, and if necessary, steer the car to a safe place and stop

cornering

requires entering an intersection safely and properly at normal driving speeds and making a 90 degree turn to the left or right

what are among the most dangerous driving situations for officers?

responding in emergency mode or pursuing a vehicle may cause officers to experience psychological and physiological effects

most law enforcement vehicles

rest on four, six-inch squares (known as the tire contact patch)

slide

results from loss of both rolling friction and traction. the wheels still rotate, but they do not control the vehicle's movement

skid

results when the wheels lock and do not turn while the vehicle is moving. both rolling friction and traction are lost. weight transfer and centrifugal force can also influence this.

the recommended hand placement for the steering wheel

right hand on 4 and left hand on 8. this provides quicker response, reduces fatigue and reduces injury if the air bag deploys

acuity

sharpness of vision

the ability to stop when backing

significantly lowered because the rear brakes are not as efficient as the front brakes

vision

supplies approximately 90-95% of incoming data to a driver

when you see fluid on the road

take corrective action by slowing down and trying to avoid driving over or through the hazard if possible

DeShaney v. Winnebago County Department of Social Services (1989)

the U.S.S.C. stated that an officer or agency has no duty to guarantee a person's safety unless a special relationship exists between the police and that person. this type of relationship exists between police and a person in custody. this means an officer who begins a pursuit generally has no duty to continue it; if the officer terminates a pursuit, they are not held liable if the violator continues to drive recklessly

rolling friction

the best traction, which is when the tires constantly rotate on the road surface without losing contact

apex

the center point of any curve

Graham v. Connor (1989)

the court will not second guess the judgements made by officers as long as they are objectively reasonable in the light of the totality of circumstances

radius

the distance from the center of a circle to the outside of the circle

F.S. 316.072(5)(a) emergency situations

the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle, when responding to an emergency call, when in the pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law, or when responding to a fire alarm, but not upon returning from a fire...may exercise the privileges set forth in this section, but subject to the conditions herein stated

proper braking technique

the driver presses the brake pedal with increasing pressure, to slow or to stop as quickly as possible

statue provisions do not relieve the law enforcement driver of what?

the duty to drive with due regard for safety of all persons, nor do they protect the driver from the consequences of his or her reckless disregard for the safety of others

centrifugal force

the force enacted on a vehicle moving in a curved path that acts outwardly away from the center of rotation

centripetal force

the force that is necessary to keep a vehicle moving in a curved path and is directed inward toward the center of rotation

the caster effect

the forward motion that causes a vehicle to straighten from a turn when releasing the steering wheel. this does not apply when driving in reverse

physiological effects of driving in emergency mode

the measurable changes to normal body functions, these include tunnel vision, selective hearing, increased heart rate, time distortion, and loss of spatial awareness or fine motor skills

overdriving of vehicle headlights

the most common night driving error, most important when driving in emergency code, high speed increases stopping distance and decreases reaction time

first sign of a grass fire

the odor of bitter smoke

how to recover from a skid or slide

the only way to recover is to regain traction 1. remove the foot from the gas pedal to stop accelerating 2. do not apply the brakes (this may lock the wheels and are it worse) 3. use counter-steering

Pursuit Immobilization Technique (PIT)

the purpose is to stop a violator's vehicle by using the police vehicle to apply force to either the rear right or left side of the violator's vehicle to end the pursuit.

traction

the result of the friction a vehicle's tires create on the road surface and determines control of a vehicle

immediately terminate the pursuit if

the risk to the public or the officer outweighs the benefit of apprehending the violator

understeer

the tendency of a vehicle to turn less sharply than the driver intends. causes include excessive speed, lack of traction on the steering tires, and improper braking in a turn or curve

oversteer

the tendency to steer into a sharper turn than the driver intends, sometimes with a loss of traction of the rear to the outside. causes include excessive speeds, loss of traction in rear tires, and excessive braking in a curve or turn

yaw

the transfer of a vehicle's weight causing an end-for-end motion resulting in the vehicle turning 180 degrees on a horizontal plane

roadblock

the use of vehicles, barricades, cones, or other objects to block traffic flow completely. the purpose is to demonstrate overwhelming police superiority and position so that the violator will stop and surrender. never use non-police equipment to block the roadway

center apexing technique

the vehicle is steered closest to the middle of the curve

early apexing technique

the vehicle is steered so it is closest to the inside of the curve before reaching the apex. this technique increases centrifugal force and can cause loss of control

late apexing technique

the vehicle is steered so it passes closest to the inside of the curve after reaching the apex. this technique decreases centrifugal force, reducing the potential for loss of control. in most cases, this is the best cornering or turning method because it allows the most room for driver error.

if the rear tire fails

the vehicle may lose traction and pull in an unpredictable direction

if the front tire fails

the vehicle may lose traction, difficulty steering, vibration in the steering wheel, and feel the vehicle pulling in the direction of the affected tire

ABS vs. non-ABS

they work alike under normal braking pressure, but when the brakes are applied forcefully, ABS is engaged and the brake pedal will pulse, which is a normal condition indicating that the vehicle is in ABS mode

emergency lights

this can increase the amount of glare encountered because the high intensity of this easily reflects off objects

glare

this comes from oncoming vehicles or other outside sources and can temporarily blind a driver. at night, human eyes adjust to the lack of light and use night vision. when the light suddenly changes, eyes need time to readjust.

the goal of a pursuit

to apprehend a fleeing violator

counter-steering

turn the vehicle's front tires in the direction you want to go

four-second rule

under poor road conditions, inclement weather, higher than normal rates of speed, emergency responses, traveling with other responding units, hazards, debris, etc. officers should follow this to determine a minimum safe following distance.

tires should be checked for

uneven wear that may result from improper balance or alignment, over inflation, or under inflation

steps for effective cornering

1. drive straight forward when approaching the turn 2. reach and maintain a speed of 35mph 3. be sure to operate turn signals before the turn 4. brake to a safe speed before entering the turn (complete braking while driving straight forward) 5. align the vehicle in the appropriate traffic lane outside the turn or corner 6. determine the apex or path of travel through the turn 7. to ensure steady weight transfer, maintain a constant speed while entering the turn 8. provide steering input and shuffle steer through the curve 9. look through the turn to observe and react to obstacles, hazards, and road conditions 10. begin accelerating while exiting the curve

proper technique for accelerating

1. position the foot properly; rest the right heel at the base of the accelerator 2. rest the ball of the right foot squarely on the accelerator pedal 3. with the ball of the right foot, apply pressure to the accelerator, pressing it down 4. apply smooth consistent pressure to the accelerator until the desired acceleration rate has been reached 5. apply proper pressure without losing traction and passing the point of incipient spin 6. release the pressure on the pedal as needed to control the loss of traction or decrease the acceleration rate

steps for effective backing

1. press the brake with the right foot while shifting the transmission into reverse 2. turn the upper body to the right, placing the right arm on the top of the upper portion of the passenger seat 3. look through the rear window and scan the area behind the vehicle 4. place the left hand in the 12 position and with upper body turned, release the break and slowly accelerate 5. back the vehicle while steering, using the left hand and a smooth motion 6. when driving in reverse, the use of mirrors is an option 7. except in an emergency, always back slowly

techniques for improving vision while driving at night

1. reduce speed and not look directly at the headlights of oncoming vehicles 2. looking off to the shoulder of the roadway to protect night vision while using the white line at the edge of the road for guidance 3. dimming the headlights for oncoming traffic to reduce glare and protect the night vision of other drivers 4. using low beams while driving in fog or smoke during the day or at night, which limits the amount of glare reflected back at the driver 5. reduce glare by controlling all interior lights

when practicing and demonstrating proper braking

1. rotate the right foot from the accelerator to the brake while leaving the heel on the floor 2. place the ball of the right foot 3. apply increasing pressure to the brake pedal 4. increase pressure on the brake pedal to stop the vehicle in the shortest distance

possible conclusions to a pursuit

1. the violator stops voluntarily, and the pursuit ends 2. the violator is stopped involuntarily, resulting in the violator's apprehension or death 3. the officer ends the pursuit without apprehending the violator, permitting the violator to escape, at least temporarily 4. the violator crashed 5. the officer crashes

what proportion of driving is done at night

1/3

F.S. 316.126(1) other vehicle's response to emergency vehicles

upon the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle, while en route to meet an existing emergency, the driver of every other vehicle shall, when such emergency vehicle is giving audible signals by siren, exhaust whistle, or other adequate device, or visible signals by the use of displayed blue or red lights, yield the right-of-way to the emergency vehicle and shall immediately proceed to a position parallel to, and as close as reasonable to the closest edge of the curb of the roadway, clear of any intersection and shall stop and remain in position until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed, unless otherwise directed by and law enforcement officer

PSI (pound per square inch)

used to measure tire pressure

F.S. 316.003(1) authorized emergency vehicles

vehicles of the fire department, police vehicles, and such ambulances and emergency vehicles of municipal departments, public service corporations operated by private corporations, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Health, and the Department of Transportation as are designated or authorized by their respective department or the chief of police of an incorporated city or any sheriff of any of the various counties