Driver Safety & the Rules of the Road CHAPTER THREE Driver Safety & the Rules of the Road

Seat Belt Law Primary Law; all occupants of passenger vehicles must wear a seat belt. Driver is responsible for all passengers under the age of 18. GDL- everyone in the car must wear a seatbelt.

D. Seatbelts improve your chances of surviving a crash by 60% Chances are 3 to 4 times better if you are wearing both a lap belt and shoulder strap. Only takes 3 seconds

How do Seatbelts Help? Keep passengers from being thrown from the vehicle in collision Slow down the body with the vehicle Keeps passengers from sliding during sudden turns and stops

Car Seats Must meet all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Never place a rear-facing infant safety seat in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger side air bag. Car seats for those up to 40 lbs., booster seats for those up to 60 lbs.

Child Restraint Law A child under 18 months of age must be properly buckled into a Federally approved car seat. Children up to age 8 or that weigh 80 lbs. must ride in an approved safety or booster seat in the rear of the vehicle Failure to comply could mean $54 fine and court costs.

Air Bags Designed to supplement safety belts in frontal crashes. Inflate at speeds of up to 200 MPH In all new cars as of 1999. FYI- Air bags aren’t effective if passenger is not buckled.

Car Condition Back-up lights- must be in working order. Brakes- 1. conventional disc & drum- pump so not to lock up. 2. Anti-lock braking system- don’t pump or jerk the wheel when you brake. Brake lights- replace when broken, why?

Headlights- make sure both are working Headlights- make sure both are working. Only use brights on dark roads with no other cars around. Horn- use as a form of communication, don’t overuse. Steering- Should not shimmy; there should not be to much play in the wheel. Tires- Check tires before you get in the car. Don’t drive on tires that have less then 1/16 inch of tread.

NJ law prohibits tinting on windshield and front side windows H. Turn Signals- you should be able to hear the clicking & see the flashing of the turn signal. I. Windshield- Make sure to keep clean, inside & out. Make sure windshield wipers are working. NJ law prohibits tinting on windshield and front side windows Snow/Ice Removal- NJ law requires motorists to remove all snow & ice from vehicle before driving.

Starting a Parked Car Pre-Start Routine: 1. adjust seat 2. adjust mirrors – reduce blind spots 3. put on seat belt 4. start car

Steering Place hands at 9 o’clock & 3 o’clock on wheel. Hand over Hand Turning. Vehicle should be kept in center of the lane its traveling in

Speed Control/Stopping Distances Overall you should start slowly and gradually speed up Chart on page 48. Stopping distances can depend on: 1. reaction time 2. weather, visibility and road condition 3. weight of vehicle 4. condition of brakes 5. condition of tires 6. speed

Braking Most common braking mistake among new drivers is slamming on the brake. Apply brakes gently with steady pressure.

Driving Signals Stop or slow down- hand and arm downward, palm facing to rear. Right turn- hand and arm upward. Left turn- Hand and arm straight out.

Automatic turn signals – cancel after making a turn. Turn signals must be given at least 100 feet before you turn.

Turning Guidelines Don’t make a last minute choice to turn. If you miss your turn don’t back up. Look around to make sure it is safe to turn. Always use turn signals.

Turning U-Turn: Right blinker-check traffic-left blinker- when clear move forward slowly while turning the steering wheel all the way to the left. K-Turn: Right Blinker-pull to right –check traffic-left blinker-when clear move forward slowly while turning all the way to the left-stop before curb- reverse, turning wheel all the way to the right- stop-put left blinker on and drive forward into your lane.

Driving In Reverse Make sure path is clear Turn the wheel in the direction you want the rear of the car to go. Front of car will go in opposite direction To Back Up Straight: 1. left hand at 12 o’clock 2. right arm on passenger seat 3. look over right shoulder

To Back Up while Turning: 1. Both hands on wheel 2. look over right shoulder 3. Hand over hand turning

Parking on a Hill Up-Hill with Curb: A. Turn wheels away from curb. Up-Hill without Curb: A. Turn wheels towards edge of the road. Down-Hill with Curb: A. Turn wheels toward curb Down-Hill without Curb: A. Turn wheel towards edge of road.

Parking Parallel see p. 53 Angle parking