Responsible Driving
Unit 1
Basic Vehicle
Control
Chapter 2
Administrative and
Traffic Laws
Motor vehicle related fatality occurs every 13 min.
Motor vehicle related injury occurs every 10 sec.
Collisions cost $200 billion
Traffic Laws Help promote the orderly flow of traffic
and prevent collisions.
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Administrative laws
Suspended
Revoke
Point System
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Administrative laws regulate drivers licensing,
vehicle registration, financial responsibility of
drivers and vehicle owners or minimum equipment
and vehicle standards.
Right of way rules, speed limits, and driver
condition laws.
How do you get your drivers license?
Pass Class, Pass tests (vision, Written Exam,
Road test),
- Pay Fees
- Hours with Parents (50 hours/10 at night)
- Have your permit for 9 months/GDL
- Review the GDL (worksheets)
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Getting a drivers license worksheet (DEM)
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Suspending: Temporarily taking your license
away for specified period of time.
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Usually suspended for 30-90 days but always less
than 365 days.
Ways your license can be suspended:
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On a point system
Traffic Violations in 3 years
Illegal transfer of alcohol
Violation of the GDL
http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/p
df_publications/dsd_dc19.pdf
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Take License away for a year or more.
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If your license gets revoked you must apply for
another drivers license.
Ways you can get your license revoked:
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DUI
Drag Racing/street racing
Leaving the scene of an accident
3 counts of reckless driving in 1 year.
Auto theft
Fleeing and eluding police
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System used to keep track of traffic violations
by individual drivers.
Each traffic violation costs a number of points
depending on its seriousness.
 The points that you accumulate on your drivers
record, affect your ability to keep your driver’s
license.
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Proves you own the vehicle .
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Name, Make, style, vin #,
State keeps a copy
Where is the safest place to keep your vehicle
registration?
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Financial responsibility is another aspect of
driving.
Pays some of the bills when you get into a
crash.
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Damages such as: death, injury, and property
damage.
What all does it cover?
Who is your agent?
Is it a state law?
Full liability? Car worth?
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Key Terms:
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Right-of-Way
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Right of one roadway user to go first or to cross
in front of another; right of way must be
yielded to other in many situations.
Never assume you have the right away
 Be patient, courteous and communicate well/be
defensive.
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To ANY emergency vehicle:
Example: ambulance that has its sirens on and flashing
 What should you do?
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 If going in the same direction, pull as far to right of the road
as you can. On the opposite/multi-lane move to right. Do not
block the intersection.
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Pedestrians who are blind carrying a white cane or
using a guide dog.
Pedestrians, especially those in crosswalks.
Yielding (2.1, 2.2, 2.3)
What would you do?
Ignition Switch
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Key Terms:
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Fixed Speed Limit
Advisory speed
Limit
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Set for a reason
Control the flow of traffic
Minimize the risk to all roadway users
Posted speed limits show the maximum speed
at perfect conditions.
Is the posted speed the safest?
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Visibility, time and space determine the speed at
which you can travel safely.
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The maximum of minimum speed that a
vehicle may be driven on a particular roadway.
1 MPH over and you can get a ticket, some
may get one for driving too slow.
Tips for new drivers (READ)
Fixed speeds do not Change
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A speed limit that interrupts normal driving
speed for a limited time and provides
guidelines for adjusting speed.
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Ex: Sharp Curves, exit ramps, bridges.
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Night time driving is more dangerous because
it is harder to see the road and any obstacles in
the dark.
In 2002, two out of every three drivers under 21
years old are involved in a fatal, single-vehicle
crash were killed at night.
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Always drive at a speed that is reasonable and
proper for existing conditions.
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Ability to manage visibility, time, space, weather,
traffic lights also play on the basic speed laws.
Safe speed is determined by the type and
condition of the road.
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The less time the driver has to spot dangerous
situations and take action
The greater the time and distance it takes to
change direction to stop a vehicle
The greater the chance the vehicle will skid or
roll over on a turn
The greater chances of a collision, personal
injuries, and property damage.
What would you do (pg. 32)
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Exceptions
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Weather conditions
Road Condition
Construction Zones
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Exceptions
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Weather Conditions
Road Conditions
Constructions Zones
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What are the different kinds of speed limits?
What are the basic speed limits?
In what circumstance would a posted speed
limit not be reasonable?
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Key Terms:
Illegal per se law
 Implied consent laws
 Aggressive driving
 Vehicular homicide
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In 2002, some 41 percent of 42,815 death occurred
in alcohol crashes.
One in every 122 licensed drivers (1.5 million) is
arrested for driving while under the influence of
alcohol, commonly called a DWI or DUI.
Illegal per se law: a rule making is unlawful for a
person to operate a motor vehicle w/a BAC about
what… (.08)
Implied consent law: drivers agreed that if stopped
for cause and charged with the offense of drinking
and driving, they will take a test for the presence
of alcohol.
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A high risk behavior that threatens the safety of
others, and its a moving traffic violation.
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Includes: Speeding, running red lights or stop signs,
tailgating, frequent and unsafe lane changes/not
staying the right lane to pass, and passing on the
shoulder during heavy traffic.
(Dealing with the unexpected)
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Vehicular homicide: Reckless driving causing the death
of another person, the driver or drivers involved may
be charged or convicted.
Reckless driving involves improper acts such as:
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Driving under the influence, going to sleep while driving,
speeding and failure to yield right-of-way.
Reckless driving endangers other drivers.
Three conditions must be present:
Driver must consciously and intentionally drive in a
dangerous manner.
 Driver knows that his or her actions place other people at
increased risk.
 The conditions-including time, place of occurrence,
weather, traffic volume and vehicle condition.
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Failure to pay full attention to driving is a
contributing factor in nearly 50% of the 6.3 million
collisions reported to the police in 2002 according
to the NHTSA.
Research conducted by the AAA revealed that
inattention is the primary cause of 25 percent of all
crashes involving 16 to 18 year old drivers.
Eatting, drinking, turning the radio, talking on the
cell phone, falling asleep or talking to other
passengers are just a few distractions.
7 States currently have banned the use of cell
phones while driving.
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What are the meanings of the terms implied
consent, aggressive driving, and vehicular
homicide?
What three conditions must exist before a
person can be arrested for reckless driving?
List three actions that can cause a driver to be
distracted.