Chapter 1
You Are The Driver
Drive Right Textbook
• Main risk in driving:
– Having a conflict that results in an accident
• A driver is responsible for:
– Him/herself
– Passengers in the car
– Other drivers/passengers in other cars
Highway Transportation System
• Made up of people, vehicles, and roadways
• Purpose  move people and cargo from once
place to another in a safe, efficient manner
• Most important part  drivers who operate
vehicles in a low-risk manner & obey laws
Highway Transportation System
• Most complex transportation system
• Safe driver is responsible for everyone on the
roadway
• Courts decide if drivers are guilty or innocent
after violating the laws
• Driving task
– Includes social, physical, and mental skills and
actions required to drive
• Defensive driver
– Drive in a way that reduces conflicts
• Implied Consent
– By getting your license and
driving behind the wheel,
you agree to take an alcohol
test if requested
– If you refuse, you will
lose your license
• A breakdown in the HTS occurs when any part of
the system does not work well
– Ex: traffic, collisions, poor weather conditions
• Driver Error is the most common cause of
collisions
– Ex: speeding, tailgating, texting while driving
• Traffic collisions usually have more than 1 cause
– Ex: a car skids because of a slippery road and hits a
tree
• Traffic collisions are the most common cause of
death for young people
IPDE Process
• Definition: process of seeing, thinking, and
responding
• I: Identify – important information in the ongoing
driving scene
• P: Predict – when and where possible points of
conflict will develop
• D: Decide – when, where, and how to
communicate, adjust speed, and change position
to avoid conflict
• E: Execute – the right action to prevent conflict
Chapter 2
Signs, Signals, and
Roadway Markings
Drive Right Textbook
Purpose of Traffic Signs
• Regulate  regulatory sign
– Controls traffic
– Ex: stop sign
• Warn  warning sign
– Alerts you to possible hazards and road
conditions
• Guide  guide sign
– Gives directions
– Ex: interstate sign
Colors
• Red: stop, yield,
prohibited
• Orange: construction
• Blue: motorist service
• Brown: cultural interest
•
•
•
•
Yellow: warning
White: regulatory
Black: regulatory
Green: guide
SHAPES
•
•
•
•
Octagon: stop
Triangle: yield
Pentagon: school
Diamond: warning
• Vertical rectangle:
regulatory
• Horizontal
rectangle: guide
• Round: railroad
crossing
• Pennant: no passing
Stop Sign
• Red, octagon
• Always come to a full
stop before stop line
• Yield
– Allow others to use the intersection before you do
• Right of way
– Accept the privilege of immediate use of the road
4 Way Stop
1. Driver who stopped first
– Proceeds first
2. If cars stop at the same time
– Driver on left should yield to driver on the right
3. If stopped across at the intersection
– Driver going straight should go first
– Driver turning left should wait
Other Signs
• Yield Sign
– Always slow or stop and give
the right of way to traffic
• Speed Limit Signs
– Basic Speed Law: may not drive faster than is safe
for existing conditions, regardless of posted speed
• Warning Signs
– Yellow, diamond
• School Signs
– Pentagon
Traffic Lights
• Green
– Proceed if intersection is clear
• Yellow
– Make the effort to stop safely
• Red
– Come to a complete stop before intersection
• What should you do if the light turns green
and pedestrians are crossing the intersection?
• Flashing Red Light
– Will never turn green!
– Stop and proceed if there are no cars or
pedestrians
• Curb painted yellow
– You may not park alongside the curb
Roadway Markings
• Yellow Lines: separate 2 way traffic
– Broken line: may pass when no traffic is coming
from the opposite direction
– Solid line: passing is not allowed
• White Lines: separate lanes of traffic traveling
in the same direction
– Broken line: may switch between lanes
– Solid line: cannot switch between lanes
Rumble Strips
• Short sections of corrugated roadways
• Alert drivers through noise the tires make
when driving over them
• Located…
- Before tolls
- Side of highways
Chapter 3
Basic Vehicle Control
Drive Right Textbook
• Speedometer
–Tells you the speed you are traveling
• Odometer
–Indicates the total number of miles the
vehicle has driven
• Fuel Gauge
–Shows the amount of fuel in the tank
• Temperature Light or Gauge
–Warns you when the coolant in the
engine is too hot
• Safety Belt Light
– Reminds you to fasten your seat belt before moving
• Turn Signal Indicators
– Tell you the direction you have signaled to turn
• High Beam Indicators
– This light glows when the high-beam lights are on
• Inside and Outside Rearview Mirrors
– Inside: shows the view from the rear
window
– Outside: shows the view from the left and
right rear of your vehicle
– Blind Spot Areas: the area to the left and
right the driver cannot see when looking
through the outside windows
• Hazard Flasher Control
– Both front and rear turn signal lights flash at
the same time
• Horn
– Located on the steering wheel
• P = Park
Gears
– Locks the transmission
– Only can remove key
when vehicle is in park
• R = Reverse
– Backing up
• N = Neutral
– Wheels can roll without
engine power
• D = Drive
– Moving forward
Outside Checks
• Walk around your vehicle and look for objects
in the path you intend to take
• Check tires to see they are properly inflated
• Notice what direction your tires are pointed
• Make sure windshield is clear
– Remove any snow/ice that may have accumulated
Hand Steering Positions
• Hands should be kept
at 9 and 3 o’clock or 8
and 4 o’clock to avoid
injury from airbag
Putting Vehicle in Motion
• Press on brake
• Move gear to DRIVE
• Release the brake
• Check for traffic
• Use signals to move away
from the curb if parked
• If all is clear, press the
accelerator
Chapter 4
Managing Risk with the IPDE
Process
Drive Right Textbook
Risks
• Driver
• Vehicle
• Roadway
Identify
Predict
• Open and closed zones
• Actions of other users
• Specific clues
• Speed
• Other users
• Direction
• Roadway conditions
• Control
• Traffic controls
• Point of conflict
Decide
• Change or
maintain speed
Execute
• Control speed
• Steer
• Change direction
• Communicate
• Communicate
• Combine actions
Smith System
• Helps drivers develop good seeing habits
– Aim high in steering
– Get the big picture
– Keep your eyes moving
• Highway hypnosis
– Leave yourself an “out”
– Make sure they see you
Zone
Locations
Zones of Roadway
• Space around the vehicle in the drivers sight
• Open Zone
– Space where you can drive without a restriction
• Closed Zone
– Space not open to you because of a restrict in
your intended path of travel
Searching Ranges
• Target Area Range
– Search this area to detect early any
conditions that might affect your
intended path of travel
• 12-15 Second Range
– Identify changes in your line of sight
to make decisions about controlling
your path of travel
• 4-6 Second Range
– Get the final update of how you are controlling your
intended path of travel
Orderly Visual Search Pattern
• Look ahead at your target area
• Evaluate the zones in the 12-15 second range
• Glance in the rearview mirrors and check rear
zones
• Evaluate your 4-6 second range before
entering that space
• Check speedometer and gauges
• REPEAT!
Where to look?
• Field of Vision
– Area you can see
around you
• Central Vision
– Area you can see
sharply
• Peripheral Vision
– Area to the left and right
• Aim High in Steering
– Look 12-15 seconds ahead
What to look for?
• Change from multilane to single lane
• Change in width of lane
• Roadway surface
• Roadside hazards
What to Predict?
• Path: where other drivers may go
• Action: what actions other drivers will take
• Space: what type of space zones are around you
• Point of Conflict: where two paths may cross
• Minimize the Hazard
– Reduce the possibility
of conflict
• Separate the Hazard
– Dealing with one hazard
at a time
• Compromise Space
– When hazards cannot be
avoided, give as much space
to the greater hazard