Module 5

Defensive Driving Basics

- A sufficient understanding of the instruments/tools and controls at your disposal - The pre-drive procedures and adjustments to your drive - Basic driving techniques and maneuvers - Adequate space management

ALL PREPARATORY PROCEDURES TO TAKE BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE:

- Driver fitness check (am I fit to drive?) - Vehicle fitness check (is my car fit and SAFE for driving?) - Vehicle walkaround (are there any hazards around my vehicle) - Adjustments (are my mirrors and seat in the right position?) - Focus (am I distraction free?; follow the 4 tech procedures thing)

Moving Backwards

BEFORE MOVING FORWARD: Scan the road before moving backwards to find out if it's safe to go. HOW TO MOVE BACKWARDS: Body position (You don't need to change anything if your vehicle has a rearview camera) - Hold the steering wheel with your left hand - Put your right hand on the passenger seat - Turn your head backwards to see your rear driving path Automatic transmission cars AND manual transmission cars: Shift to Reverse You can back faster by using the accelerate pedal, BUT, releasing the brake pedal slowly to let the car slowly inch backwards by itself is BETTER and SAFER WHEN YOU START MOVING BACKWARDS

Moving Forward

BEFORE MOVING FORWARD: Scan the road before moving forward to find out if its safe to go. HOW TO START MOVING FORWARD: - For automatic transmission vehicles, shift the gear to Drive - For manual transmission vehicles, shift to First When you do this, your vehicle will automatically start moving very slowly, so KEEP THIS IN MIND. WHEN YOU START MOVING FORWARD, do so while using the systematic search method (a scanning method; more on it later)

Pre-start driving procedure: Before entry

Before entering your vehicle: - Driver fitness test (more like self-assessment) - Vehicle check - Vehicle walkaround

When to check your speed

Check your speed when: - Visibility is not perfect - There is poor traction - There are pedestrians present - Merging into a lane - Making a turn - Driving in increased congestion - Driving during long stretches of open road

Knobs

Climate Control: A set of knobs (and other mechanisms) that control the climate in the vehicle. Specifically, you can cool/heat it by setting the temperature, wind strength, and what vents are active. Sometimes, your defogger and defroster will be included in these controls. Defogger/defroster: Defrosts/defogs the vehicle (precipitation can build up) Audio control: This set of knobs controls the radio, sound, Bluetooth systems, and may contain slots for CDs & cassette tapes (in older vehicles, at least). The radio allows you to control your radio's channel, by controlling the AM & FM, and its volume. In poor weather conditions, updates on road closings will be on certain FM channels. Navigation Control: Some vehicles have a touch-screen navigation system (map and GPS). Be sure to turn off the option to ASK for feedback on your navigation control (if it actually has that feature)

Increase your following distance to 5 seconds IF:

Driving in bad weather Driving at night Driving behind trucks or motorcycles

Starting and putting your MANUAL TRANSMISSION vehicle in motion - Produce

Engage the parking brake (if not engaged): Depress the brake and make sure the vehicle is actually in park gear. Depress the brake pedal with your right foot and depress the clutch pedal all the way with your left foot Start the engine: - If your car has a "Start the engine" button, PRESS IT - If your car has a key ignition switch, insert and turn the key until you hear THREE CLICKS. After that, the engine turns on and you MUST release the key once that happens or the starter will be damaged. Scan your surroundings Release the parking brake Release the brake. Release the clutch WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY depressing the accelerator pedal. (like a seesaw)

Instrument panel

Provides information on everything relevant to operating your vehicle (like info about speed, fuel, and temperature); basically things about the immediate conditions of the car (like speed) and the overall condition and performance of the vehicle. These things always need to be checked whenever you are NOT scanning the road.

Space cushion

The area of space around the vehicle that is free of hazards, restrictions, and conflicts. Maintaining a space cushion, you can have room to move way from danger when needed INCLUDES THE SIDES AS WELL. Make sure you have a space cushion to the sides before turning, passing, merging, or changing lanes, BY CHECKING YOUR BLIND SPOTS ALWAYS BEFORE DOING THOSE THINGS

Dashboard

The interior part of the vehicle that spans the front of the passenger cabin in front of the driver and passenger. It contains most of the switches, gauges, and controls that a driver needs to safely operate the vehicle.

Passing

When you overtake (catch up with and pass) a vehicle in front of you

Making a turn

Where you make turns: Intersections Sharp curves Parking lots Rules: - Always signal 100+ ft before you turn - Look for pedestrians and cross traffic before you turn - Left turns are dangerous and so yield to oncoming traffic before you turn left. Watch out for motorcyclists - When going through a turn or curve, slow down before turning the steering wheel. Then, proceed and turn with that speed. Speed up after you reach the apex.

Pre-start driving procedure: Before starting the engine - Seat Adjustments

- Make sure that your seat is pulled FAR ENOUGH FORWARD so that you can PUSH ON THE PEDALS WHILE STILL HAVING A SLIGHT BEND IN YOUR KNEES - Adjust the backrest so that when you are holding the steering wheel, your shoulders touch it and your elbows are in a comfortable position MAKE THE ANGLE OF THE SEAT AROUND 100-110 degrees - The center of the headrest must be higher than your ears (to avoid whiplash, which is a neck injury caused by the very rapid jerking movement of one's neck back and forth) - Make the seat as high as possible (and comfortable) so you have a complete, unrestricted view of what's in front of you - Make sure your bottom is as close as possible to the backrest

Illegal parking areas:

- On crosswalks - On sidewalks - In bicycle lanes - In intersections - On bridges - On overpasses - In tunnels - In front of driveways - By yellow painted curbs - In NO PARKING zones - A disabled parking lot, if you don't have a disabled parking permit - On the roadway side of another vehicle (double parking) - On highway pavement not marked for parking DO NOT PARK WITHIN: - 15 ft of a fire hydrant - 20 ft of an intersection - 20 ft of the entrance to a fire, ambulance, or rescue station - 30 ft of a rural mailbox on a state highway (8 a.m. to 6 p.m.) - 30 ft of any flashing signal, stop sign, or traffic signal

Passing reminders

- Only pass when it's safe and legal - Always drive at a safe speed at or below the speed limit - Maintain a safe following distance from the vehicle ahead at all times - Make sure there is a safe gap in traffic before you change lanes - Return to your lane ONLY when you can see the TIRES of the vehicle you passed in the REARVIEW mirror - Pass only ONE vehicle at a time! - Pass using the left lane, unless you HAVE to use the right (to avoid something like a car with its hazard lights n)

When its ILLEGAL to pass:

- When "DO NOT PASS" or "NO PASSING ZONE" signs are present - When the vehicle you want to pass is driving AT or ABOVE the speed limit - When you have to cross a double solid yellow center line, or a center line that's solid on your side and broken on the other - When you can't see 500 ft ahead (pass when you see ENOUGH OF THE ROAD that you can JUDGE that you can change lanes and return safely) - Within 100 ft of a bridge, tunnel, railroad crossing, or intersection - When a school bus ahead of you is stopped with warning lights flashing or STOP sign extended - When a vehicle has stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross the road

Changing Lanes: How to

1. Turn on your turn signal 2. Look out your window, check mirrors, and look over your shoulder to check your blind spot 3. Smoothly steer into a SAFE gap in your target line. Adjust your speed to establish a good space cushion 4. Deactivate your turn signal

Securing (stopping) the vehicle

Activate the parking brake Put the vehicle in park Turn off the engine Take out the key (if your car uses a key to ignite the engine) Unfasten your seatbelt (obviously) Ensure all lights are off Hide valuables Leave the vehicle Lock the vehicle

Braking

All braking must be done gradually and gently (Except when something sudden happens, where hard braking must be used) Always be wary of your surroundings (and where you and they might be in the futrue) to predict when you might need to brake Cover braking: Keeping your foot over hte brake pedal but not pressin down. Shortens your REACTION TIME. Use this in parking lots of areas with a lot of traffic, where unexpected things might happen ABS: Anti-lock braking system. Prevents the wheels form locking during braking, which makes them slide and scrape the ground. Most modern vehicles have this. If you don't have ABS, hard braking might cause skidding. Squeeze braking, aka threshhold braking: A braking technique where you brake and apply pressure until just before they lock. Then you release, and do it again. Repeat, and repeat until you habe come to a stop. ABS is basically automated squeeze braking!!!

Door locks

Allow you to control whether or not your car doors are locked. Automatic locks: Locks that can be activated/deactivated from the driver's side or from a keyless entry remote. Some doors might even lock automatically when you start driving. Manual locks: Locks next to the door handle. You have to manually press it to lock/unlock the door it controls.

Blind spot

An area that the driver can't see without turning around. (You also can't see it in ANY of the mirrors)

Finding the right parking space

Ask yourself: - Will my vehicle fit in? - Will I able to adjust easily? - Will I have enough space to leave once I've parked there? If the answer is NO to any of these questions, find another parking space

Pedals

Automatic cars have 2 pedals (accelerator and brake). Manual cars have 3 pedals. (AUTOMATIC VS MANUAL CARS????) Accelerator (aka Gas pedal): Far-right pedal. Pressing down on it increases the speed of your vehicle (gee, who thought?) Brake: To the left of the accelerator. Engages the brakes on your vehicle. Clutch: Left-most pedal. Allows the driver to have more control over the engine's connection with the wheels.

Starting and putting your AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION vehicle in motion - Produce

Engage the parking brake (if not engaged): Depress the brake and make sure the vehicle is actually in park gear. Start the engine: - If your car has a "Start the engine" button, PRESS IT - If your car has a key ignition switch, insert and turn the key until you hear THREE CLICKS. After that, the engine turns on and you MUST release the key once that happens or the starter will be damaged. Put your right foot on the brake pedal and release the parking brake Shift into Drive (forward motion)/Reverse (backward motion) <-- These are types of GEARS in your vehicle Scan your surroundings and GO when its ALL CLEAR

Hand positions on wheel:

Grip the wheel at the 9 and 3 o'clock position. DON'T PUT IT IN THE 10 and 2 o'clock position! When your arms get tired and you don't need to do any precise movements, you can rest your hands at the 6 o'clock position. When backing up, palm the wheel at the 12 o'clock position

Buttons

Hazard light: Makes all your signal lights blink repeatedly to indicate that THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR VEHICLE. Use this after you've parked somewhere, OR if (last resort) if you are STUCK in the middle of the road. Never use it while driving (only while pulled over) Whats the point, if ur pulled over (people are already gonna avoid you, so...)

Dash lights

Lights on the instrument panel

Good acceleration techniques

Look at hte overall/average speed of the rest of the traffic and try to match that speed, changing it graudally and smoothly when needed (it must be predictable; ther drivers should be confused/go out of their way to avoid potential danger from your accleration habits) Also, going too slow is bad. It forces those behin you to brake/swerve to pass you, and you might be mistaken for yieliding intstead of actually drving.

How to find out your following distance

Look for a STATIONARY OBJECT that the vehicle in front of you passes by. Then, start counting the seconds it takes for YOU to reach and pass it. Slow down if its not 4 seconds (at least in Florida!)

Pre-start driving procedure: Before entry - Driver fitness check

Make sure you are: - Awake and alert - Emotionally stable and calm - Physically abled to drive - Free of potential distractions

ALL DASH LIGHTS

NEVER IGNORE A WARNING LIGHT. Lights on the left: Glow Plug Warning Light: Glow plugs are things that heat up the motor in diesel-powered vehicles. If this warning light is on, wait until its off to start the engine (given that the engine hasn't been started yet). If the engine is already on, and the light turns on, it means the glow plugs might be worn out and need a replacement - Symbol: Some loops ABS Warning Light: Warns you that your ABS system (Anti-lock braking system) might not be working properly. Take your car to a mechanic ASAP. - Symbol: The words "ABS" around a circle that is in parentheses Brake Warning Light: Warns you that your brake fluid pressure is critically low. Carefully pull over ASAP. A pumping of the brakes to build up fluid pressure to brake may be required. Call a mechanic before you drive again. - Symbol: An exclamation mark in a circle which is around parentheses Windshield Wiper Fluid Warning: The windshield wiping fluid is becoming empty and you should fill it up whenever it's convenient. - Symbol: A windshield and a windshield wiper Tire pressure warning light: Low tire pressure, meaning 1+ tires could be flat. Pull over carefully ASAP. If no tires are flat, go to the nearest location where you can get your tires refilled - Symbol: Exclamation mark in something that looks like a horseshoe (no cap) Low fuel warning light: Pull over at the nearest gas station and refill your tank. Don't take any chances. - Symbol: Fuel dispenser Forward collision warning indicator: Lets you know of impending danger (danger that's just about to happen) The Forward Collision Warning System/FCW, uses cameras and/or radar and/or lasers to scan the road in front of you. Its purpose is to prevent crashes by alerting the driver (via the light) or even by stopping automatically (in better FCW systems) - Symbol: A car from the behind Lights on the right: Battery warning light: Low battery. If you are already driving and this light pops up, you can continue safely but it would be BETTER to stop and recharge the battery ASAP. Now, if the battery light is on and you haven't started the vehicle yet, and it WONT START, you will need to recharge it before you start the vehicle. - Symbol: A battery Engine check light & Oil Pressure Warning Light: The engine/oil pressure is in bad shape and needs a mechanic immediately before you drive again (you may or may not be able to get to a mechanic with the condition of your vehicle), SO pull over and call a mechanic - Engine check light symbol: An engine that has the words "CHECK" in it - Oil pressure warning light symbol: Oil dripping out of some sort of oil-filling-tool Airbag indicator light: Airbags are bags that fill up via heated nitrogen gas whenever a sudden/unexpected increase or decrease in momentum happens. The light warns that there might be a malfunction in the airbag system. You can still drive your vehicle normally. However, take your car to a mechanic ASAP because during a crash, you will have very little protection - Symbol: An inflated airbag protecting someone Seatbelt warning light: SOMEONE AIN'T WEARING THEIR SEATBELT RIGHT. It has to go across your hip and across your body over the collar bone - Symbol: Someone with their seatbelt on Engine temperature warning light: Engine is too hot. Pull over and let the engine cool down. Check your radiator's fluid level to determine whether additional coolant is needed. Look at your vehicle owner's manual before you drive - Symbol: Temperature icon Lights in the middle: Light bulb failure light: Some light bulbs are not working properly. Inspect all light bulbs and replace any ones that are malfunctioning with new ones. - Symbol: A light bulb Turn signal indicator: Tells you that your turn signals are on. If you aren't making a turn, turn them off so that you don't confuse drivers behind you. - Symbol: Either a left arrow or a right arrow symbol will be lit Parking light indicator: Tells you that your respective parking light indicator is on. If you don't actually want them on, turn em off. - Symbol: Two lights horizontally next to other which are flashing High beam headlight indicator: Tells you that your high beams are on. If you don't want them to be on, turn em off. - Symbol: A light flashing Hazard light indicator: Tells you that your hazard lights are on. Only use these lights is you are experiencing a roadside emergency. DONT USE EM IN THE RAIN. - Symbol: A hazard symbol (exclamation mark in a triangle) Daytime running lights (DRL) indicator: Daytime Running Lights are an automatic system that turns on while you are driving. The light being on just means that they are working correctly. - Symbol: A light that is flashing. The "flash" is a series of dots. Low beam headlight indicator: Tells you your low beams are on. - Symbol: A light that is flashing diagonally Fog light indicator: Tells you that your fog lights are on. - Symbol: A light that is flashing, and the flash loots kinda like a hashtag (a line intersecting 3 parallel others)

Eye movements

Now, although mirrors reduce the blind spots, they don't completely eliminate them. Therefore, you must scan with your eyes while driving to identify hazards and dangers, especially in your blind spots. When you change lanes or make turns (or anything that might lead to a collision with something in your blind spot), MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO VEHICLES IN YOUR BLIND SPOTS (because you would be driving right into your blind spot) by simply turning your shoulder to LOOOOOOOOK

Pre-start driving procedure: Before starting the engine - Mirror Adjustments

Rearview mirror: Adjust the mirror so that the CENTER reflects STRAIGHT BACK BEHIND your vehicle (you should be able to see what's behind you clearly) Side mirrors: Vertically adjust them until the horizon is in the CENTER of the mirror. Then, lean as much as you can (WITHOUT APPLYING STRAIN ON YOURSELF) near the mirror and move it horizontally till the side of your car CAN'T be seen. THEN, move it BACK until the side of your car is SLIGHTLY VISIBLE. Do this for the other side mirror.

Things to pay attention to when parking regarding ability to park:

Signs and notices, which might include specific parking times, and any special requirements to park (like a fee)

Following distance

Space cushion between your vehicle and the vehicle directly ahead of you In Florida, it has to be at least 4 seconds

Dashboard Gauges

Speedometer: Tells you the current speed of your vehicle in MPH. Refer to this indicator to determine if you are driving safely, and legally. - Position: Far left Fuel Gauge: Shows the current level of fuel in your vehicle. Refer to it to make sure you don't run out of gas. - Position: Left Temperature gauge: Shows the engine's current temperature. If the engine is too hot, the vehicle isn't working properly. - Position: Right Tachometer: Shows the working speed of your engine. Measured in revolutions per minute (RPM) - Position: Far right Gear indicator: Tells you what gear your car is in - Position: Absolute bottom Odometer: Tells you how far the car has traveled in its lifetime - Position: bottom

Vehicle levers

Turn signals: Indicates what direction you plan on turning. USE THEM. Headlights: Turns on headlights. Could be a button sometimes. Check drivers manual. Gear Selector: Lets you control what gear your vehicle is in. Cruise control: Allows you to select a speed that your vehicle will travel at when you aren't braking/accelerating. (controls "passive" driving speed) Parking Brake: (could be a brake) Keeps the vehicle motionless when it is parked. USE THIS WHEN PARKED ON SLOPES Windshield wipers: They clean your windshields. To "clean windshield", pull the lever towards you. To change speeds, do a "lift/depress movement" Tilt steering wheel: Used to tilt the steering wheel up or down. Some wheels can be tilted vertically AND horizontally.

Pedal Control

USE ONLY YOUR RIGHT FOOT FOR THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATE PEDALS. Use the FRONT HALF of your foot to press on the pedals and more from pedal to pedal by PIVOTING your foot, keeping your ankle in the SAME POSITION, and your HEEL ON THE FLOOR. PRESS GRADUALLY. DON'T STOMP.

Pre-start driving procedure: Before entry - Vehicle walkaround

Walk around and inspect the BACK of your vehicle to check for any hazards that you might backwardly drive into

Pre-start driving procedure: Before entry - Vehicle check

Walk around your vehicle and inspect the tires (for inflation and tread depth, specifically), the windows and mirrors (LATER you must adjust mirrors if needed), all the lights (turn them all on to test if they work), and abnormalities

Changing Lanes: Things to consider

When changing lanes think about the different factors that differ between your lane and the one you want to switch to: - Traffic speed and volume - Visibility around curves - Distance from oncoming traffic, bike lanes, and sidewalks - Lane use restrictions - Exits and entrances - What's coming up - What's behind you

Passing on a road with traffic going in different directions

You must return to your lane before coming within 200 ft of any vehicle traveling in the opposite direction PASSING ON SUCH A ROAD IS VERY DANGEROUS. If you're nervous, DON'T DO IT. Step 1: Scan the road ahead. Make sure it's safe and legal and that there is NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC Step 2: Activate your turn signal at least 100 ft before you change lanes Step 3: Move your vehicle into the desired lane of passing Step 4: Drive in the passing lane to advance. There should be a space cushion on the original lane available for you to return to Step 5: Activate your turn signal again to show that you are going to return to the original lane Step 6: Return to the original lane after you advanced to a comfortable space cushion between you and the vehicle on the original lane