DRIVING TECHNIQUES

N EW J ERSEY ’ S S EAT B ELT L AW Requires the motorist, front-seat passengers and children under 18 years old to be belted. A police officer can stop a motorist solely for violation of the seat belt law. Under secondary law, all back seat occupants, 18 years of age and older, are required to buckle up.

SEATBELT LAW ( CONTINUED ) Non –compliance is a primary offense Front seat only Passenger under 18 – driver responsible Passenger self responsible $54 fine – no points

SEATBELTS INCREASES CHANCES OF SURVIVAL 3-4 TIMES.

I NFANT C AR S EATS Traffic accidents are a leading killer of children. Infant car seat: Will protect a baby up to 20 pounds and 26 inches Must be placed in the vehicle facing the rear

C ONVERTIBLE C AR S EAT A larger seat that can be used for an infant or toddler of up to 40 pounds and 40 inches in height The seat can be adjusted to a reclining position and placed in the vehicle facing backwards for a baby. When the baby weighs at least 17 pounds and can sit up well without help, the seat can be adjusted to an upright position and placed facing forward

C HILD R ESTRAINT L AW Children up to age 8 or a weight of 80 pounds must ride in a federally approved safety or booster seat in the rear of the vehicle and use a seat belt. If there is no rear seat, the child must be properly belted in the front seat and make sure the seat is as far back from the dashboard as possible.

Never place a rear-facing infant safety seat in the front seat of a vehicle with a front passenger-side air bag. Failure to comply with this law could mean a $54 fine and court costs

COLLISIONS Head on crashes are the worst One car =‘s the speed you were traveling Two cars =‘s the speed of both cars combined

SEATBELT SYSTEM Lap belt – over hips (stops lateral, outward, upward movement)

 Shoulder strap- over shoulder (stops forward movement)

 Head rest – back of head (whiplash –backward)

AIRBAGS Secondary system (forward movement) Sensors

BLIND SPOTS Areas you can’t see behind vehicle when looking in mirrors A.) Reduce them by adjust your mirrors properly Rearview mirror- back window Sideview mirrors- the tip of the driver side front door handle is lower right of mirror

SPEED AND BRAKE CONTROL Slow, gradual pressure Accelerator (gas pedal) – right foot Brake – right foot Clutch- left foot

Automatic transmission – shifts gears by itself Standard transmission- push clutch to shift gears

TURNING Hand position – 9 & 3 o’clock HAND OVER HAND (Road test) Straighten out- HAND OVER HAND (Road Test) Controlled Slippage

DRIVING IN REVERSE Hand position: Left hand: 12 o’clock Right hand: 3 o’clock or seat back Turn the wheels the way you want to go To drive straight in reverse a motorist’s head and body should be turned to the right until he/she can see clearly through the back window of the vehicle without the use of mirrors..

B RAKING FACTORS Speed Condition and type of tires Road conditions Brake conditions Weather and visibility conditions Driver reaction time Weight of vehicle Stopping distance at 60mph on dry road is 300ft

H OW TO TEST ANTI - LOCK BRAKES (ABS) The brakes can be tested by applying steady pressure to the brake pedal. A motorist should never pump a ABS or shake the wheel when braking.

Reaction distance – how far the car travels until you step on the brake. Ex. 20mph = 22 feet 30mph = 33 feet 40mph = 44 feet (3 second rule: looking ahead-following distance, space cushion)

H AND SIGNALS & DIRECTIONALS Signals used 100 feet in advance Left – straight out Right – arm bent at elbow and pointed up Stop or slow down – arm bent at elbow and pointed down All use a signal when turning, changing lanes and stopping/slowing down.

TURNING AROUND No major roads (40 mph or more) 1. Put directional on 2. Check blind spot 3. Then proceed

K TURN OR 3 POINT TURN Narrow roads 1. Signal to the right and pull all the way to the right. 2. Signal left. 3. Use your mirrors and glance over your left shoulder to check for traffic.

4. Begin driving forward, turning your wheels until your car is perpendicular to the roadway, stop before you hit the curb. 5. Once fully stopped, put your car in reverse, look out the left and right window, checking for traffic.

6. Begin backing up turning your wheels to the right. 7. Come to a complete stop before hitting the curb. Your car should be at a 45 ◦ angle. 8. Signal left, put your car in drive and check for traffic before continuing your drive.

U-TURNS Wider roads 1. Get into the left turn lane, signal left. 2. Wait for traffic to clear. 3. Turn into the first lane it’s safe to enter.

PARKING ON A HILL A.) When parking facing downhill, turn your front wheels towards the curb or right shoulder. This will keep the vehicle from rolling into traffic if the brakes become disengaged.

B.) Turn the steering wheel to the left so the wheels are turned towards the road if you are facing uphill with a curb. The tires will catch the curb if it rolls backward.

C.) When facing uphill without a curb, turn the wheels sharply to the right. If the vehicle rolls, it will go off the road rather than into traffic.

D.) When parking on a hill: Always set the parking brake and move the gear selector into park. Turn off the engine and remove the key. Check for traffic before opening the door and remember to lock your vehicle.

PARALLEL PARKING – MOST COMMON TYPE OF PARKING ON CITY STREETS Must be within 6 inches of the curb. No double parking. Directions: 1. Select a space 5-6 feet longer than your vehicle. 2. During maneuver, align your car with the vehicle in front of the space leaving a two foot gap.

3. Check over left and right shoulder to be sure space is clear before backing up. 4. Flash brake lights and signal right turn. 5. Put vehicle in reverse. 6. Start backing up slowly, turning wheel to the right and stop 2 to 3 feet away from the curb looking over your right shoulder.

7. Aim for the right rear corner of the space. 8. Control the speed of the car with the foot brake. 9. Continue backing up until the back of your front door is lined up with the rear bumper of the car next to you. 10. Begin turning the wheel away from the curb as you continue backing up into the space.

11. Once into the space begin to straighten the wheel. 12. Continue to back up slowly looking out the back window. 13. When the vehicle is parallel to the curb, straighten your wheels and stop before you hit the car behind you.

14. Slowly pull forward and center your vehicle. 15. You car should be 6 inches from the curb when you are parked.

DRIVE THROUGH WATER Pump brakes to dry them out.

S NOW AND I CE State law requires a motorist to remove snow or ice from a vehicle before driving it. Any person who violates this law is subject to fines of $25 to $75, regardless of whether any snow or ice is dislodged from vehicle.

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