Chapter 1 – You Are the Driver

1.1– You are Part of the System

The Highway Transportation System (HTS) – has 3 parts

  1. People – distracted, tired, ill, or impaired by alcohol
  2. Vehicles – cars, vans, small, trucks, buses, campers, farm vehicles, and construction equipment
  3. Roadways – HTS vary from dirt lanes to complex multilane expressways (be prepared for everything)

Regulating the HTS – obey traffic laws – it is a privilege to have a license.

  • If you do not obey the law, you will lose your license.
  • Ex. If you are downtown drag racing, going 90 in a 30 you will get in trouble. Once your license is taken away, it’s hard to get back.

1.2- Your Driving Task

**It takes 3 skills to be a good driver.

1. Social Skills – be a courteous driver

  1. Thank people with a wave
  2. Let them go first – wave
  3. Slow or speed up to allow them in

2. Physical Skills – Beginning drivers often need to concentrate heavily on the physical skills of driving

  • May take a while to acquire!

3. Mental Skills – Focus – good decision making skills

**It takes years to become a good driver and you need all 3 skills to master.

IPDE Process-You use will or at least you should use this every time you drive. Should be looking ahead of the car 12-15 seconds

  1. Identify – the hazards
  2. Want to identify all the important information in the ongoing driving scene
  3. Ex- Little boy in a yard with a ball
  1. Predict – what the hazard might do
  2. You need to predict when and where possible points of conflict will develop
  1. Decide – what are you going to do?
  2. Decide when, where, and how to communicate. If you are going to adjust speed, and or change position to avoid conflict
  3. There are 4 parts to decide
  4. Brake & steer right
  5. Brake & steer left
  6. Brake & hold wheel straight
  7. Accelerate
  1. Execute – Do what you decide!
  2. The right action(s) to prevent conflict

**Refer to the picture on pg. 7

Smith System- Turn to pg. 64, better description

  1. Aim high in steering-
  2. Look 12-15 seconds ahead of car
  3. Keep your eyes moving-
  4. Know what is going on 3600 around you, Need to be checking mirrors at a minimum of every block
  5. Get the big picture-
  6. Don’t have tunnel vision
  7. Ex. When driving downtown you need to be looking from sidewalk to sidewalk, paying attention to all 3 lanes of traffic, not just looking at the back of the car in front of you.
  8. Make sure others see you
  9. Honk horn, use signals, make eye contact with other drivers
  10. Leave yourself an “out”

Defensive Driving – Driving in a way that reduces conflicts

1.3 - Your Driving Responsibilities

Road Rage – don’t challenge an enraged driver & be extremely cautious at intersections

Collision or Accident – collision is a more accurate term than accident. Over the years the national driving record has steadily improved.

  • Collisions are still a problem with young drivers.

Causes of Collisions – Driving error is by far the most common cause of collisions. Frequent errors include:

  1. Breaking various laws
  2. What do you think the biggest cause is?
  3. Speeding
  4. Not slowing in adverse weather conditions
  5. Operating a defective vehicle
  6. What types of things do you think would make your vehicle defective?
  7. Bald tires, bad brakes, old wipers

**Look at chart on pg. 9-Driving in a car is the most dangerous way to travel.

**Look at chart on pg. 10- More young people die from vehicle collisions than

from any single other single cause.

Other serious driving errors are:

  • Following another vehicle too closely- If car in front of you slams on their brakes & you rear end them, it is still considered your fault.
  • Driving too fast for conditions
  • Not wearing safety belts
  • Driving after drinking or use of drugs
  • Driving while very tired- Can be almost as deadly as being intoxicated.

1.4 - You Driver’s License

3 Parts of a graduated license- pg. 11-12

  1. Learner’s permit stage
  2. Intermediate stage
  3. Full-privilege license stage

Organ Donor Program- Saves lives, but it is your choice if you decide to be.

Implied Consent Programs – agreeing to take an alcohol test upon request

  • If refuse, you lose license for 6 mos