Drivers Ed Chapters 9-13

Low-speed Vehicles

(LSVs) include all four-wheeled vehicles (except trucks) with top speeds between 20 and 25 mph. These include golf carts and neighborhood electric NEHs are growing in popularity, as they require no trips to the gas station, have no emissions, and have lower maintenance requirements. ▪️When you encounter an LSV, be aware of its low power and lack of protection. ▪️Be prepared to adjust your speed and position to avoid conflict.

Passive Restraint Deivce

A device that works automatically, such as an air bag.

Fresh Green Light

A light that has just turned green.

Adverse weather Conditions

A motorcyclist has limited protection from the weather. ▪️Heavy winds can affect a rider's balance. ▪️Any time that weather conditions reduce your visibility or traction, be aware that the conditions are much worse for the rider. ▪️Riders who are not wearing proper gear can quickly become chilled and distracted.

Turning Right

A motorcyclist turning right is entitled to the entire lane for a new path of travel. ▪️Multiple right-turning lanes can create a hazard because some drivers move to a different lane during the turn. Watch for riders who are making right turns, too, and stay within your lane.

Energy of Motion

A moving object also has kinetic energy, that changes in proportion to the weight of the vehicle.

Lane position

A passenger vehicle occupies about six feet of a lane, but a motorcycle occupies only three feet. ▪️Respect the rider's need and legal right to use their full lane. Never share the lane.

Road Conditions

A rider can quickly lose traction when the road is covered with oil, wet leaves, sand, gravel, or snow. ▪️Search for riders who may be riding in these conditions and increase your following distance.

Moped

A small, two-wheeled vehicle that can be driven with either a motor or pedals. ▪️Mopeds have maximum speeds of only 20 to 35 mph. Small and maneuverable, they can surprise motorists. Always signal well in advance before making a turn or lane change.

Pitch

A tilting motion from front to back. ▪️Where does the weight shift occur when braking? ▪️Where does the weight shift when accelerating?

Tractor Trailer

A truck that has a powerful tractor pulling a separate trailer. ▪️The tractor includes the engine and driver's cab. ▪️The most common tractor trailer is the semi-trailer, which has one trailer.

Stability

A vehicle with a center of gravity that is close to the ground is more stable and less likely to roll over than one with a high center of gravity.

Speed

A vehicle's momentum is proportional to its speed and weight. ▪️Any reduction in speed will reduce the damage inflicted.

Intersections

Are places where roadways meet or cross. ▪️Two roadways cross in a + or X pattern. ▪️Others roads meet to form a T. ▪️One road divides or two roads join together to form a Y. ▪️Roadways come together in a circle.

Rain

As rain first hits the road, it mixes with dust and oil on the road. This mix can make the road very slippery, until more rain washes the mixture away. Any amount of rain will reduce the traction needed to start, stop, and steer the vehicle.

Pedestrian Responsibilities

Be responsible for your own safety as a pedestrian. ▪️Make yourself visible. ▪️Walk on sidewalks, or walk so you are facing traffic. ▪️Use crosswalks and obey traffic signals. ▪️Watch for oncoming traffic every time you cross a street. ▪️Do not walk into traffic lanes from between parked vehicles.

Gap

Before entering a street after stopping, you must search and judge a large sufficient gap in traffic. 1. Is the distance between two vehicles. 2. Will you have time to enter or pass through traffic safely? The size of a gap that you need depends on the maneuver you pan to make and the speed of oncoming traffic. ▪️Does it take more time to turn left, right, or pass through traffic.

Exiting a Parked Car

Bicyclists and moped riders are easily hidden in your blind spots. Before opening your door, check your rear zones for bicyclists. Then open your doors carefully, and check for riders again.

Ice on Bridges

Bridge roadways tend to freeze before other roadway surfaces. Cold air circulates above and below the roadway on bridges and overpasses.

Business Districts

Business districts typically have heavy traffic and many pedestrians. Both drivers and pedestrians are subjected to many distractions.

Backing Out

Check for mopeds and cyclists all around you when backing out of a driveway, parking space, or side street that has line-of-sight restrictions.

Liability Insurance

Covers others when you are at fault in a collision. It provides compensation to the third party involved.

Active Rail Road Crossings

Crossings that are controlled with electric signals. Identify the signs, signals, and markings at this active railroad crossing.

Right of Way

Describes the privilege of having immediate use of a certain part of a roadway. ▪️You have the right of way only when other drivers give it to you. ▪️It is not something you can take. ▪️Laws determine who must yield. ▪️Yield when you want others to go first. ▪️Yield to prevent a collision. ▪️Yield to be courteous.

Turnining

Do not make a quick right turn in front of a bicycle or moped; the rider may not have enough time or space to avoid you. ▪️If you don't have space to pass and safely turn right, slow down and let the cyclist pass through the intersection before you.

Passing

Do not pass a bicycle if oncoming traffic is near. ▪️When it is safe to pass, leave at least one half lane between your vehicle and the bicycle.

Driving around a Sharp Curve

Driving too fast in a curve can cause you to lose control. The standard warning sign may not indicate exactly how sharp the curve is. The warning sign might not have an advisory speed sign.

Financial Responsibility Law

Every state has a financial responsibility law, which requires you to prove that you can pay for damages you cause that result in death, injury, or property damage.

Scooter

Generally smaller and less performance-oriented than motorcycles, although some are as large as a mid-size ▪️Most scooters require no shifting of gears. Operators of motorcycles and scooters have the same rights and responsibilities as those of other motor vehicles. ▪️They are expected to obey all traffic laws and rules of the roads.

Uncontrolled Intersection

Has no signs or signals to regulate traffic. ▪️Most are located in areas of light traffic.

Controlled Intersection

Has traffic signs or signals to determine the right of way. You will need to apply your skills for searching and gap selection as you approach and enter controlled intersections.

Time Between Impact and Stopping

How quickly a vehicle stops affects the force of the impact. ▪️Which has the greater force of impact: a truck hitting a stone wall or a truck hitting a patch of bushes? ▪️How do traffic engineers help reduce the force of impact when building roadways?

Unprotected Left Turn

If a signal-controlled intersection does not have a left-turn light, you must make an unprotected left turn. ▪️You must yield to oncoming traffic.

Stalling on railroad tracks

If a train is approaching in either direction, abandon the vehicle immediately. Get away from the tracks as far as you can. Running toward the train helps you avoid injury from any flying debris. If a train is not approaching, you can try to restart the vehicle. If you cannot restart the engine, have passengers leave the vehicle, put the car in NEUTRAL and push it off the tracks.

Insurance

If you are involved in a collision, you may find that the largest expense of owning a vehicle is paying for damages you cause.

Exhaust Pipe

If you are stuck in snow with your engine running, make sure your exhaust pipe, or tailpipe, is not blocked.

Identify Restrictions

If you have a line-of-sight restriction, reduce speed and adjust your lane position. Watch for path-of-travel restrictions.

Compact Spare

If your spare tire is a temporary, drive on it only as necessary under the manufacturer's conditions for use. Many spare tires are called "50-50" tires. This means that the vehicle should not be driven over 50mph or more than 50 miles.

Total steering Failure

If your steering fails completely, immediately use your horn and hazard flashers to communicate. • Do not use the accelerator. • Braking could cause the vehicle to skid. • Hold the parking brake release and use a quick, on-off action. • Power-steering failure requires you to exert more effort to steer.

Air Pocket

If your vehicle is totally submerged underwater, some air will be trapped for a brief time toward the highest point of the vehicle creating an air pocket. During nighttime conditions, the location of the air pocket will tell you in which direction to swim to reach the surface. Try to get a full breath or two of air while locating a window or door that is facing up. Open the window or door and leave your vehicle.

Skid

In extreme reduced-traction situations, your tires may lose all or part of their grip on the road. Can happen on any surface while you are braking, accelerating, or steering.

Head-on Collision

In which the front ends of two vehicles collide—produces the greatest force of impact of any collision. Serious injuries or death are more likely to occur in this type of collision than in any other. If you are threatened with a head-on collision: • brake hard without locking the wheels • blow the horn and flash the headlights • steer right toward the shoulder

Delayed Green Light

Indicates that one side of an intersection has a green light while the light for the oncoming traffic remains red. The opticon camera above this traffic light permits emergency vehicles such as fire trucks to change red lights to green so they can move through traffic quickly.

Active Restraint Device

Is a device you must engage, such as a safety belt.

Policy

Is a written contract between you—the insured—and the insurance company. It includes the terms and conditions of insurance coverage.

Stale Green Light

Is alight that has been green for a long time. ▪️If a light remains green after you first identify it, be prepared to slow.

Vehicle Balance

Is the distribution of a vehicle's weight on its tires as they contact the ground.

Friction

Is the force that acts between materials as they move past each other.

Gravity

Is the force that pulls all things to earth.

Point of No Return

Is the point beyond which you can no longer stop safely without entering the intersection. 2 seconds ahead: Every intersection has a point of no return. The distance from the intersection depends upon the speed you are going. ▪️The faster you are going, the greater the distance.

Momentum

Is the tendency of an object to stay in motion, or the inertia of an object in motion. The amount of momentum depends upon the object's weight and speed.

Balance and Steering

Maneuvers that can shift weight to different areas of the vehicle causes changes to the vehicle's balance. Imagine three axes crossing at the center of gravity. Your vehicle may rotate around these axes in three ways: 1. Pitch 2. Roll 3. Yaw

Overdriving Headlights

Means driving at a speed that makes your stopping distance longer than the distance lighted by your headlights. Make sure you do not overdrive your headlights, especially in bad weather or on a slick road.

Reduced Visability

Most collisions with pedestrians occur at night. ▪️When a roadway is poorly lit, it can be a challenge to see a pedestrian, especially one wearing dark clothes. ▪️Watch for pedestrians walking along or across the roadway.

Searching at Intersections

Most collisions with two-wheeled vehicles occur at intersections. A blinking turn signal is not an absolute guarantee that the rider is turning. A rider's turn signal may not cancel automatically. ▪️Look for indications that the rider plans to turn, such as reducing speed, searching the intersection, changing position within a lane, and looking to the left and right.

Acceleration and Braking

Motorcycles and scooters are capable of amazing acceleration, which can help them avoid potential hazards, but can also get them into trouble. Motorcycles have separate brakes for the front and rear wheels. Most of the stopping power is in the front brake. Locking the front or rear brake can result in loss of control. ▪️A skillful rider with good traction and good tires may be able to stop more quickly than a car driver. An inexperienced rider can lose control.

Intersections are Complex

Nearly half of all reported crashes and a quarter of all fatal injuries occur at intersections.

Vehicle in Deep Water

Never attempt to drive through deep water on the roadway. If your vehicle goes into deep water: 1. Open the window that is the farthest from the water. Power windows might short circuit in water, so open these windows immediately, before the water level rises. 2. Unfasten your safety belt. 3. Check your passengers and have them unfasten their safety belts. 4. Exit promptly through the open window. If the windows will not open, attempt to exit through a door. Do not panic if the door is slow to open. Pressure will equalize as water enters your vehicle and then you can open the door.

Inertia

Objects that are at rest tend to stay at rest and objects that are moving tend to keep moving.

Blowout

Occurs when a tire loses air pressure suddenly. A blowout might occur when ▪️a tire hits an object on the roadway or a pothole ▪️the driver fails to maintain proper tire pressure Older and badly worn tires are more likely to blow out.

Pedestrians

Of all roadway users, pedestrians are the most vulnerable. In the United States, collisions injured an average of one pedestrian every eight minutes and kill one pedestrian every 108 minutes.

Rocking

Often you can move your vehicle out of deep snow, mud, or sand by driving forward a little and then back a little. By repeating this sequence, you can work your way out. This technique is called rocking a vehicle.

Reaction Time

Once you identify a hazard, the length of time you take to apply the brake. ▪️An alert driver's reaction time is about three fourths of a second.

Cross Walk

Pedestrians have the right of way when crossing within a crosswalk. Some crosswalks are controlled by signals. However, signals may not give pedestrians enough time to clear the crosswalk. ▪️Drivers must yield until the crosswalk is clear, even if your light is green.

Protected Pedestrians

Pedestrians may cross a road anywhere. Use the IPDE Process and always be ready to yield to pedestrians. Be particularly alert in the following situations.

Collision Insurance

Provides coverage to pay the costs of repair or replacement of your vehicle, minus the deductible.

Braking Failure

Rarely happens but if it does, it is important that you stay calm. 1. Pump the foot brake pedal. 2. Downshift to a lower gear. 3. Apply the parking brake. 4. Search for a safe place to steer toward. 5. As a last resort, rub the wheels against a curb to reduce speed.

Emergency Vehicles

Respond to fires, medical emergencies, rescues, and incidents involving hazardous materials. ▪️The driver of an emergency vehicle may disregard traffic signs, speed limits, and the direction of traffic and parking. ▪️Emergency vehicles require immediate action. ▪️When an emergency vehicle approaches from any direction, you must yield the right of way. ▪️Avoid gawking or rubbernecking, which adds to congestion and potential conflicts.

Protective Gear

Riders on scooters and motorcycles are fully exposed to the environment. Riders can reduce or prevent injuries by using what. Protective gear has two purposes: comfort and protection. ▪️Uncomfortable protective gear can create distractions. ▪️Inferior gear can reduce protection. Helmets are key to saving lives. Helmets also reduce the noise of the wind and help prevent fatigue. Other protective gear includes ▪️goggles or a face shield—to protect vision ▪️gloves—to protect hands, increase handlebar grip, and reduce fatigue ▪️over-the-ankle boots—to protect and support feet and ankles ▪️sturdy jacket and pants—to protect against the weather and flying objects

Sharing the Road with Trucks

Service trucks, pickup trucks, and delivery trucks are usually light or medium-weight. Heavy trucks include dump trucks and tractor trailers.

Safety Stop

Should provide you a clear line of sight. After you have stopped, search 90 degrees to your left and right before continuing.

Roundabouts

Some intersections are designed as circles called roundabouts, also called traffic circles or rotaries. Roundabouts do not have traffic signals. ▪️All vehicles move around a circular pathway in the same direction. Drivers entering the circle are required to yield to circulating traffic. Why are roundabouts safer and more efficient than intersections with traffic signals?

Wind

Strong winds can reduce your vehicle control and push lightweight vehicles out of the lane or even off the road. Keep a balanced grip on the steering wheel and be ready to make steering corrections for crosswinds. Sometimes a passing truck can produce a strong blast of wind.

Deductible

The amount you agree to pay towards the repair or replacement of your vehicle.

Total Stopping Distance

The distance your car travels from the time you first perceive a hazard until you reach a full stop. ▪️You should always be able to stop withheld the distance you can see ahead. ▪️It will take you almost 300 feet, or the length of a football field, to stop if you are traveling at 65mph.

Perception Distance

The distance your vehicle travels during your perception time. ▪️What factors can affect your perception time? ▪️How can you improve your perception time?

Braking Distance

The distance your vehicle travels from the time you apply the brake until you stop. ▪️What natural law affects your braking distance? ▪️Is the proportional to the square of your speed. ▪️If you were traveling at 40 mph, your barking distance would be four times longer than if you were traveling at 20 mph.

Reaction Distance

The distance your vehicle travels while your react.

Emergency Swerving

The driver in this traffic has been driving too fast for traffic conditions and too close to the car ahead. He must swerve sharply. When the object is farther away, swerve less sharply. The swerve is less sharp at a greater distance. Remember that at 40 mph or faster, you can swerve safely to the right in a shorter distance than you would need to brake to a stop. The faster a driver travels and the shorter the distance to an obstacle, the less time the driver will have to respond.

Force of Impact

The force with which a moving object hits another object. Three factors determine the force of impact: 1. Speed 2. Weight 3. Time between initial impact and stopping

Tread

The grooved surface of a tire. Provides the traction for starting, stopping, and gripping the road. Supports prevent skids and hydroplaning.

Weight

The heavier a vehicle, the more damage it will cause in a collision. ▪️A vehicle weighing twice as much as another vehicle will hit a solid object twice as hard.

Perception Time

The length of time it takes you to identify a hazard, predict a conflict, and decide to brake. Time for alert drivers is about three fourths of a second.

Center of Gravity

The point around which an object's weight is evenly distributed. ▪️Is the balance point. ▪️But the weight of a car is not evenly distributed. ▪️does the front end with the engine weigh more than the back end?

Crossbuck

The sign before the tracks at a railroad crossing.

Grade

The slope of a road surface.

Passive Rail Road Crossing

This is a crossing without active warning devices that contains passive warning devices such as a crossbuck, yield or stop sign.

Tire failure

Tires wear more quickly due to: • poor maintenance • abrupt braking • sharp steering • bumps • potholes • poor roadway surfaces • unbalanced wheels and poor alignment • underinflation and overinflation

Side-impact Collision

To avoid or lessen the effect of a side-impact-collision— in which the front of one vehicle hits the side of another— brake or accelerate quickly. Blow the horn to alert the other driver, change lanes, or swerve into the space vacated by the entering vehicle.

Controlled Braking

To reduce your speed as quickly as possible while maintaining steering control of your vehicle. Controlled braking is a technique of applying your brakes without locking your wheels. 1. With your heel on the floor, let the ball of your foot press your brake pedal hard enough to slow your vehicle rapidly without locking your wheels. 2. If your wheels lock and your vehicle skids, ease up on your brake pedal just enough to let your wheels start rolling. 3. Keep using this squeeze-relax-squeeze process until you stop. Using just the right amount of pressure is the hardest part in controlled braking situations. To overcome this problem, most new vehicles are equipped with an antilock braking system (ABS).

Turning Left

Turning left in front of an oncoming rider is a major cause of rider fatalities. When you need to turn left, search your left, front, and right zones carefully. Commit to your left turn only after you are sure you have sufficient time. When two lanes are reserved for left turns, stay within your lane as you make your turn. ▪️A motorcyclist in the left-turn lane next to you will need an entire lane to negotiate the left turn.

Joining Traffic

Turning right or left into lanes of other traffic is joining traffic. ▪️Accelerate to the speed of the through traffic without interfering with the flow of traffic. ▪️The faster traffic is moving, the larger your gap must be. ▪️To turn right into traffic, you need a larger gap than you do to cross traffic. ▪️Turning right and accelerating to 30 mph takes about six seconds.

Engine Failure

Usually you have very little warning that your engine is going to sputter or stop. The vehicle can still be steered with a stalled engine. If your engine stops suddenly: 1. Shift to NEUTRAL when the engine first sputters or stops. 2. Begin moving out of traffic with your hazard flashers on. Do not brake. 3. Try to restart the engine while you are moving. If the engine starts, shift into a forward gear and proceed. If it does not start, move onto the shoulder or to the curb, if possible. Steering will be harder when power is lost by engine failure. If your engine fails, turn on the hazard flashers, move safely off the roadway, and raise the hood. If you have a cell phone, call for help. Be sure to stay away from any traffic.

Weather Conditions

Wet and icy roads are especially dangerous for cyclists.

Hydroplanning

When a tire loses road contact by rising up on top of water and no longer has contact with the road occurs. Is caused by a combination of standing water, speed, and tire condition.

Fishtail

When a vehicle's rear end slips out.

Alleys and Driveways

When approaching a sidewalk from an alley or driveway, expect pedestrians to appear from either direction. ▪️When your line of sight is restricted, make two stops.

Brake Fade

When brakes overheat, they can lose effectiveness. This condition, occurs after continuous hard braking. To regain full braking ability, stop the vehicle and let the brakes cool. Driving through water can temporarily reduce your brakes' effectiveness. To dry your brakes: • Gently brake with your left foot as you drive through and leave the water. • Friction will help generate heat to dry your brakes. • Test them after leaving the water to be sure they work normally.

Residential Areas

When driving in residential areas, reduce speed and use a lane position with the best visibility. Crosswalks on residential streets are not typically marked.

Forward Vision

When headlights fail, the hood flies up, or when your windshield gets splashed with dirt, your driving view, or forward vision, is obstructed. Turn on your windshield wipers promptly to regain your forward vision if your windshield gets splashed. Check your rear zone. If your headlights flicker, use your right turn signal and move to the right shoulder of the road. You can activate the dimmer switch, parking lights, and hazard flashers, as some circuits might still work. Check fuses or fuse clips.

Responsibilities of Cyclists

When riding a bicycle or moped, ▪️obey all traffic laws ▪️ride in a straight line and in the same direction as other traffic ▪️search intersections, driveways, and parked cars for hazards ▪️use hand signals to indicate turns and stops ▪️always wear a helmet, light-colored clothing, and reflective tape ▪️never wear headphones

Overheated Engine

When the temperature light or gauge is lit: 1. Turn off the air conditioner and turn on the heater. 2. During stops, shift to NEUTRAL and press the accelerator gently. 3. If the temperature light stays on or if the gauge points to hot, move to a safe place. 4. Stop, turn off the engine. Do not add water to the radiator until the engine has cooled.

Traction

When tires roll over the surface of the road. Makes your vehicle grip the road so you can control speed and direction.

Riding in Groups

When two or more motorcyclists travel together, they should ride in an offset position. ▪️Riding in an offset position gives each rider adequate space for visibility and maneuvering. ▪️Don't be tempted to share the lane with a group of riders, even if there appears to be room.

Identifying an Intersection

When you are approaching an intersection, look for: ▪️Traffic lights and crossing traffic ▪️A stationary object in the target area ▪️street lights and signs ▪️roadway markings, such as stop ahead ▪️Stopping or turning traffic ▪️pedestrians ▪️rows of fences and mailboxes ▪️power lines crossing over the street

Oversteer Situation

When you brake hard, turn the wheel, and feel your rear end sliding out.

TRUCKS, BUSES, AND EMERGENCY AND SPECIALIZED VEHICLES

When you share the roadway with larger vehicles, you must understand and respect their needs. It may be easy to see trucks and buses, but they present greater risks than smaller vehicles.

Fog

When your headlights shine into fog, light is reflected back by water particles in the air, making it harder for you to see. If you use high-beam headlights, your ability to see is reduced even further.

Rear-end Collision

You are at greater risk for a rear-end collision—in which the front of one vehicle hits the rear of another—at an intersection. If you are threatened with a rear-end collision: 1. Tap your brakes as you are slowing. 2. Look for an open front zone. 3. If a collision is unavoidable, release your brakes just before the collision occurs. 4. Brake immediately after the collision to avoid sliding into another traffic lane. These actions you can help you avoid being hit from behind. • Check your rearview mirror. • Maintain a 3-second following distance. • Stop so that you see the tires of the vehicle ahead.

Premium

You buy insurance from a company by paying a specified amount of money for coverage over a specified period of time.

Protected Left Turns

You can make a protected left turn when a left-turn signal lets you turn left while oncoming traffic is stopped. ▪️A left-turn signal may be a green light or arrow.

Understeer Situation

Your car is not turning as quickly as you want it to turn. The front wheels are sliding straight ahead, which means your front wheels do not have enough traction for your vehicle to turn as it should.

Collision

• changing speed or direction to lessen the impact • steering for something "soft" such as bushes or an open field • avoiding trees and parked vehicles

No Zone

▪️Drivers of heavy trucks have very large blind spots— areas around the truck where your car can disappear from their view. ▪️These blind spots are called the no zone. The no zone includes areas at the side, rear, and front. ▪️The front no zone can extend more than 20 feet. Truck drivers have four large blind spots. If you are in a truck's no zone, the driver cannot see you. If you can't see the truck driver in the truck's mirror, the truck driver can't see you. The right-side blind spot is the most dangerous because trucks make wide right turns.

Driver Responsibilities

▪️Give bicycle and moped riders extra space whenever possible. ▪️Respect their need when they use a whole lane. ▪️Avoid using your horn, which can startle riders and cause them to lose control. ▪️Allow extra time for them to pass through intersections. ▪️Use low-beam headlights at night when mopeds and bicycles are nearby. ▪️Some cities and towns have lanes that are reserved for bicycles. Never park or drive in a marked bicycle lane.

Carrying Passengers

▪️Passengers can affect a rider's control. ▪️At low speeds, the operator may have difficulty with balance and control. ▪️The weight of the passenger will increase the distance needed for acceleration and stopping.

Jaywalk

▪️Some pedestrians are careless and take chances. ▪️Some pedestrians jaywalk, or disregard traffic rules and signals. ▪️Nearly half of all pedestrian fatalities involve the use of alcohol by the driver or pedestrian.

Riding a Two-wheeled Vehicle

▪️Understanding the special needs of scooter and motorcycle riders will help you predict their behavior. ▪️Maintaining balance and traction on a two-wheeled vehicle requires the skillful use of the controls and body position. Motorcycles are less stable at low speeds than at higher speeds. Higher speeds, however, reduce maneuverability. What high-risk behavior is this motorcyclist doing?