Chapter 2 Administrative and Traffic Laws Unit 1 Chapter 2 Administrative and Traffic Laws

Lesson 1 - Administrative Laws Administrative Laws establish the procedures for issuing and removing people’s driver’s licenses, for registering a vehicle and for securing a title which proves ownership of the vehicle

Driver’s License Pass written test (laws, signs, signals, rules) Pass vision test 6 hours behind the wheel drivers education Pass road test Follow GDL restrictions When you obtain a drivers license you will be asked if you want to be an organ donor.

Suspending and Revoking Licenses, The Point System and Violations State can suspend your license for a specified period of time State can revoke, or take away, your license for a year or more Based on point system, which assigns each driver points for violations (the worse the violation the more points) In New Jersey, your license can be suspended when you receive 12 to 14 points Each year you go without any violations for points, 3 points are removed from your license

Title, Registration and Insurance Shows proof of ownership Make, style and vehicle identification number (Vin #) and engine number of the vehicle Registration: Shows who is responsible for the vehicle Keep registration in the vehicle Insurance: Liability, uninsured motorist and PIP insurance is mandatory in New Jersey Insurance card should be kept in vehicle

Lesson 2 –Right-of-Way Rules Right-of-Way – the right to proceed first Uniform Vehicle Code – vehicle laws recommended by a national committee When should you give right-of-way: Emergency vehicles that has its sirens on and lights flashing (move to the right side of the road) Pedestrians (especially those in crosswalks) Drivers on the left yield right-of-way to drivers on the right

Minimizing Your Risks Never assume that other others will yield to you even if you have the right-of-way Stay alert Realize that others may not obey pavement markings, traffic signs and traffic signals Make yourself as visible as possible Identify an escape route in case something goes wrong Yield to any vehicle that is already in the lane you want to move in to

Lesson 3 – Speed Limits Speed limits are set and posted to protect all drivers Posted speed limits do not tell you how fast to drive, they tell you that you can not safely go faster than the posted speed – Maximum speed at which you can drive under normal weather conditions Basic speed limits mean you can not drive at speeds faster or slower than conditions safely permit no matter what the posted speed limit is

Fixed Speed Limit – Maximum or minimum speed that a vehicle may be driven on a particular roadway Advisory Speed Limit – Advises drivers to interrupt their normal driving speed for a limited time (warning sign before a sharp curve or exit ramp)

What Are Basic Speed Laws Basic Speed Law – Always drive at a speed that is reasonable and proper for existing conditions Slow down in: Bad weather Bad road conditions Reduced visibility Traffic At night

The higher the speed: The less time the driver has to spot dangerous situations and take action The greater the time and distance it takes to change direction or stop a vehicle The greater the chance the vehicle will skid or roll over on a turn The greater the chance of a collision, personal injuries and property damage

Being Pulled Over What should you do if you are pulled over by the police? Pull the car over to the side of the road or into a parking lot when it is safe to do so Turn the engine, and your radio off Remove sunglasses (be able to make eye contact with the officer) Stay calm Remain in your vehicle, keeping your hands visible Produce requested documents quickly and efficiently Be courteous. Do not argue, insult or touch the officer Do not lie, cry or make excuses Never try to bribe the officer. Bribery is illegal

Lesson 4 – Driver-Condition Laws Factors which affect your ability to drive safely: Your physical state Fatigue Illness Injury Under the influence of alcohol or drugs Your mental and emotional state Emotions - Angry or upset The affects of alcohol or drugs on your brain

Driving While Impaired One out of every 122 licensed drivers (1.5 million) is arrested for driving while under the influence of alcohol (DWI) In 2002, 41% of 42,815 deaths occurred in alcohol-related crashes Between 10% and 22% of drivers involved in crashes test positive for drug use

Illegal Per Se Law – Makes it unlawful for a person to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) above a certain level For drivers in NJ over age 21 the BAC limit is .08% For drivers in NJ under age 21 the BAC limit is .01% Implied Consent Laws – When receiving a license, drivers agree that if stopped for cause and charged with the offense of drinking and driving, they will take a test for the presence of alcohol

If you refuse to take a breathalyzer test when asked to do so, your license will suspended, you will be fined and will be charged with a DWI

Aggressive Driving – "Road Rage" A high risk behavior that threatens the safety of others and it’s a moving traffic violation Speeding Running red lights or stop signs Tailgating Frequent and unsafe lane changes Passing on the shoulder Aggressive drivers have low regard for other people They use their vehicles to express their personal anger and frustration without regard for others

Reckless Driving Driving is considered reckless when three conditions exist: Driver must consciously and intentionally drive in a dangerous manner Driver knows their actions place other people at increased risk The conditions – including time and place of occurrence, weather, traffic volume and vehicle and driver condition – make the increased risk obvious and serious Whenever reckless driving causes the death of another person, the drivers involved may be charged and convicted of vehicular homicide

Inattention and Distractions Inattention is the leading cause of motor vehicle crashes Nearly 50% of the 6.3 million collisions reported to the police in 2002 were due to failure to pay full attention (NHTSA) Young drivers are frequently guilty of inattention – primary cause of 25% of all crashes involving 16 to 18 year old drivers (AAA) Eating and drinking Playing with the radio or Ipod Talking /texting on cell phone (primary traffic offense in NJ) Falling asleep Talking to others in the car