Drivers ed unit 9

In general, you'll need to turn to back out of a driveway or parking spot. Turn the wheel in the direction you want the back of the car to go. This will be the same direction you'd turn the wheel if you were entering the road by driving forward.

Before backing up, activate the appropriate turn signal and make sure your car will be able to clear all obstacles. While the back of your car will move in the direction you turn the steering wheel, the front of the car will swing out in the opposite direction. As a result, your car will end up oriented in the correct direction for moving forward. To maintain control as you turn while backing up, grip the steering wheel with both hands if you can do so without compromising your view through your rear window. Be sure you continue to scan the road. Proceed slowly and be prepared to stop if necessary. In general, you will need to back up when exiting a parking space, alley, or driveway. Remember that you must yield to pedestrians on the sidewalk and vehicles on the roadway before entering the road from one of these areas. In a tight parking lot or other situation where it is difficult to back up, ask a passenger to get out of the car and guide you if possible. This person can let you know when you have cleared all obstacles and when it is safe to begin turning. Always look for parking spaces that can be entered and exited without backing up. You can often avoid having to back up by carefully evaluating the parking situation and planning accordingly.

The essential information you need to know to control your car is described in the previous two units. By knowing how to use these skills and when to combine them, you'll be able to safely perform any maneuver the situation calls for.

Before you get on the road, you must practice basic maneuvers such as backing up, changing lanes, turning, and parking in a controlled driving environment. Even in ideal conditions, these maneuvers are difficult enough—and on the road, the situations you'll encounter will almost never be ideal!

Every time you perform a maneuver, you must first make sure it can be performed safely and then signal your intention to perform it. For every maneuver, you must:

Evaluate the road. Scan the road ahead of you and check your mirrors and blind spots to determine what maneuver you should perform. Make sure the maneuver is not prohibited by any signs, signals, or road markings. Prepare to act. Signal appropriately and double-check to make sure the road ahead of you, to your sides, and behind you is safe. Execute the maneuver. Look where you want to go and use the appropriate vehicle controls to perform the maneuver.

You can pull over only if you're in the lane closest to the side of the road. Once you are in the proper lane, you should:

Identify a safe and legal position to stop or park Check your mirrors and blind spots, as well as the road ahead, to make sure it's safe to move over Activate the appropriate turn signal. If you must pass through an intersection before stopping, wait to begin signaling until you've entered the intersection Flash your brake lights and begin to reduce your speed. Double-check the road for potential hazards Steer gently towards the curb. When you stop, your car should be parallel with the side of the road. Depress the brake pedal fully to stop your car. Deactivate your turn signal If you are parking, engage the parking brake and follow the procedure to shut down your car.

To back up:

Make sure your right foot is on the brake pedal. Shift the transmission to Reverse gear. Release the parking brake. Put your left hand on the steering wheel and your right hand on the passenger headrest. Look over your right shoulder through the rear window. Make sure it is safe to proceed. Slowly lift your foot from the brake pedal. Glance around your car as you begin to move backwards to make sure it is safe to proceed. To maintain control of your car, back up no faster than five mph. When you take your foot from the brake pedal, the backwards roll of the vehicle may be sufficient to guide your car onto the road. Use the accelerator only if it is necessary.

Once you're on the road, be sure to select a safe lane position.

Remember that, in general, you should drive in the center of the lane (Lane Position 1) so that you'll have more options available to you if you need to make an evasive maneuver. Adjust your position when necessary to accommodate other road users or to prepare for a situation on the road ahead. As you drive, look down the road towards the position you'll be reaching in about 20 or 30 seconds. Watch for obvious hazards and identify an alternative path in case you need to avoid a sudden threat.

You must learn to adjust your speed and following distance so that you can safely bring your car to a stop.

Stopping your car exactly where you want it can be tricky. Plan to stop before you reach your destination so you have room to make adjustments if necessary. After flashing your brake lights, remove your foot from the accelerator and depress the brake pedal firmly. As you approach the place where you want to stop, ease your foot from the brake pedal gradually. Always maintain a following distance of at least three seconds between you and any vehicle ahead of you. Increase your following distance in poor weather, lighting, or roadway conditions. You must maintain a sufficient following distance so that you'll be able to stop in time if the car in front of you has to stop abruptly, or if the car behind you approaches too quickly and you need someplace to go. If there is a car ahead of you, leave at least half a car length in front of your car when you stop. You should be far enough from the car ahead that you can see the bottom of its rear tires touching the ground. By maintaining this distance, you are more protected if the car ahead of you needs to maneuver in reverse or starts to roll backwards, and you will have enough space to change lanes if necessary. At this distance, you will also be less exposed to exhaust coming from the other car.

the most crucial component

While cars have been improved in countless ways to make driving safer for you and others on the road, the basic mechanics of driving remain the same. You use a car's accelerator and brakes (and transmission system) to increase and decrease its speed, and you use its steering wheel to turn it in the direction you want it to go. The component that allows your car to execute complicated maneuvers is not a sophisticated computer system or a piece of some advanced technology—it is your brain!