StreetSafe Driving Academy

Transcription

1 StreetSafe Driving Academy Session 3 On the Road

2 4 Keys to Smart Driving S.E.A.N. Strategic thinking Expecting other drivers to make mistakes Appropriate scanning Not getting emotional

3 Visual Fields æ 90% of the information you need to control a vehicle comes from what you see æ Every action behind the wheel is based on hand-eye or foot-eye co-ordination æ Factors that affect your vision: Glare Time of day dusk and dawn are hardest for eyes to adapt Low light conditions night, fog, tunnels Car features tinted glass, blind spots Physical condition - fatigue

4 Visual Fields æ Assured clear distance: be able to stop in the distance you can clearly see ahead æ Strategy for visual scanning Look to the horizon higher visual field allows largest view, more time to react Continually shift focus: Side to side Far and near Back (rear view mirror) and forth Circular visual check: To the horizon Rear view mirror Speedometer Back to horizon

5 Scanning Strategy Look for things that indicate a need to slow down or stop: æ Brake lights from other cars æ Curves æ Hills æ Traffic signals æ Signs æ Obstructions æ Construction zones æ Traffic entering from another road æ Pedestrians

6 Types of Visual Fields and Barriers æ Forward center of lane and to the horizon æ Peripheral use side mirrors, instincts are often correct æ Rear use mirror, adjust if necessary æ Barriers to visual field: Trucks/large vehicles Medians Bushes/trees æ Adjust your position to minimize barriers æ Be aware of other drivers visual fields and blind spots adjust your position accordingly

7 Limiting Visual Distractions Internal: æ All items stowed, not loose, in car floor of back seat or trunk are best æ No décor on rear view mirror æ No papers in visor æ Minimize gadgets æ Keep car clean æ Minimal number of passengers External: æ Keep eyes on intended path of travel æ Keep car in good condition æ Know directions and trip agenda beforehand

8 Creating and Maintaining an Escape Plan æ Use all mirrors to get a sense of what is going on around you Every second the situation changes æ Constant need to form new plans Look for clues about how the road/board will change: Obstructions present or potential Read signs and signals Road surface Weather

9 Creating a Space Cushion æ Space cushion = the space between your vehicle and the vehicles around you æ Create a space cushion on ALL sides of your vehicle *4-second rule*

10 Driver s need extra space cushion when v v v v v v v v Driving on slippery roads Driving in any inclement weather Driving at high speeds Stopping on a hill Following bicyclists or motorcyclists Following behind large vehicles Following buses of all types & taxis When the driver behind you wants to pass

11 Space Cushion on the Sides æ Allows enough room to react if other vehicles move toward your lane Avoid driving alongside other vehicles on multi-lane highways Keep space between you and parked vehicles Make room for vehicles entering on freeways Keep space between you and oncoming vehicles

12 Strategies for the Urban Driving Environment æ Don t block entrances to a road from other roads or garages æ Never enter an intersection unless you can clear it before the light turns red æ Assume parked cars will move æ Assume pedestrians will step into the street æ Plan ahead when lanes are obstructed æ Map out where you want to go ahead of time

13 Strategies for Rural Driving Environments Curves: æ Look around the bend, concentrate on inside edge æ Brake before the curve, accelerate coming out æ Round a curve from the furthest possible point, cross as straight as possible æ Anytime visibility decreases (blind hills and curves) slow down and cover the brake

14 Strategies for Rural Driving Environments No Shoulder: æ If an outside wheel drops off the road, don t panic -Ease off gas do not hard brake or jerk wheel -Make sure both outside wheels are off shoulder first -Slowly guide the car back to the lane of travel Dealing with Deer æ If you see one deer, there are likely to be more since deer often move in groups æ When you see a deer in your path, brake firmly do not veer into other lane

15 Strategies for Sharing the Road æ Always use common courtesy take the high road æ It s not worth getting upset what do you have to gain? æ Don t tailgate æ Let tailgaters pass æ Signal early and often æ Don t stay in the left lane æ Be respectful æ Use horn only when necessary

16 Motorcycles Motorcyclists are 16x as likely as car occupants to die in a crash - give them plenty of space When you hear a motorcycle approach, maintain your position until it passes According to the law you must allow a motorcycle the use of a full lane

17 Remember these tips when sharing the road with a motorcycle 1. Most motorcycle/automobile crashes occur because the automobile driver didn t see the motorcycle 2. Obstacles that may seem minor to a automobile driver can be deadly to a motorcyclist (wet surfaces, gravel, wind, uneven road surface, draft) 3. Allow at least a 4 second following distance, even larger when road or weather conditions are bad

18 Bicyclists Bicyclists have the same rights, privileges, and responsibilities as motorists Bicyclists are not easily seen in traffic Be alert and take extra caution when approaching bicyclists

19 Bicyclists Hand Signals

20 Special Circumstances Trains Never assume the track is clear As you approach look for clues: Slow down Roll down window Listen Look in distance for lights Feel for vibration *Not all railroads have gates or lights*

21 Railroad Crossings æ Always look left, right, and left again as you approach the railroad crossing æ Never drive onto a railroad track until you are sure you can drive ALL the way across æ If you get trapped on a railroad crossing and a train is approaching, leave the car as fast as possible and get as far away from the tracks as possible

22 Work Zones æ The PA Vehicle Code permits fines to be doubled for speeding, reckless driving and tailgating when committed in work zones

23 æ Work zones are identified by: 1. Signs 2. Flashing lights and panels 3. Flags 4. Cones æ Drivers must turn on headlights when driving through a work zone æ Drivers must yield the right-of-way to workers and construction vehicles in work zones

24 Safety tips for driving through a work zone ü Recognize the work zone early ü Obey all personnel, flashing lights, signs, and flags ü Slow down immediately - expect to come to a complete stop ü Stay alert at all times ü Maintain a safe driving distance between

25 SCHOOL BUSES 1. When a school bus is getting ready to stop, its YELLOW lights will begin to flash prepare to stop 2. When a school bus stops and has RED lights flashing along with its stop arm extended you MUST stop at least 10 feet away from the bus 3. You may not start to drive until the red lights are not flashing, the stop arm has been withdrawn, and all children have reach a safe place

26 School Bus Exception æ If you are driving on a separate or the opposite side of a divided highway, you do not have to stop æ Separate or divided highways = roads that are divided by physical barriers such as guard rails, concrete barriers, and non-mountable curbs

27 Emergency Vehicles æ Have sirens and flashing lights (red, blue or a combination of both) æ When you hear or see an emergency vehicle, pull over to your right, stop until the vehicle passes æ Always stay out of the intersection æ If you are traveling in the opposite direction from an approaching emergency vehicle, you must stop until the vehicles passes æ Types of Emergency Vehicles Police cars Ambulances Fire trucks River rescue organizations Blood delivery vehicles

28 Funeral Processions æ æ æ If you see a funeral procession, yield to the vehicles that are part of the procession Vehicles are allowed through red lights and stop signs if lead vehicle came to complete stop Vehicles in the funeral procession should have: 1. Hazard lights blinking 2. Headlights on 3. A flag or other insignia to designate them as part of the procession

29 Pedestrians æ Look for pedestrians in front of stopped cars æ Yield to pedestrians at intersections or crosswalks æ Before backing up always check for pedestrians æ Reduce speed around children æ Be patient with the elderly æ Do not stop in a crosswalk æ Expect pedestrians in school zones, residential areas and shopping plazas

30 Road Rage Anger and aggression hinder good judgment Angry drivers are not in control and make unwise unsafe decisions Never take your anger out on someone on the road Even if they cut you off If something happens with another driver do NOT retaliate

31 What Classifies as Road Rage? æ Obscene gestures æ Yelling names æ Screaming æ Tailgating æ Cutting off a driver æ Forcing another off the roadway

32 How to Handle Road Rage Situations æ If a driver challenges you; do not challenge back æ If a driver wants to pass you; let him or her pass æ If a driver is tailgating you; move to another lane if possible æ Avoid eye contact with an aggressive driver æ Don t use your vehicle s horn æ Try not to let someone else with road rage get the best of you æ If you truly feel threatened call the police æ Don t get out of your car

33 Primary Causes of Crashes æ Teens: Inexperience Speed Distractions æ Adults Distractions Speed æ National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study found that: Nearly 80% of crashes and 65% of near crashes involved some type of driver inattention within 3 seconds of the crash or near crash

34 Primary Causes of Crashes The most common distraction? CELL PHONES and HANDS FREE PHONES æ Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that drivers of all ages are 4x as likely to be involved in an crash when using a cell phone æ University of Utah study found that experienced drivers using cell phones behind the wheel are more dangerous than drivers under the influence

35 Cell Phones æ Drivers on a cell phone were 5.36 times more likely to have a crash vs. non-cell phone users When on a cell phone: braking reaction time 9% acceleration rate after braking by 19% æ University of Utah Study specifics: In tests done on driving simulators, year olds (on cells) reacted to brake lights in front of them as slowly as year olds (not on cells) Drivers of any age talking on cell phones were: 18% slower to hit the brakes 17% slower to regain speed they lost after they braked

36 Texting and Driving æ Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety found texting #1 distraction among teen drivers æ 37% teens cited texting as extremely or very distracting æ Why is texting even worse than talking on a cell? Hands are only marginally on wheel Texting requires looking down from time to time Requires more concentration to spell words out vs. speaking them æ 30 States and Washington DC have banned texting while driving

37 Texting and Driving Commercial æ Videos available in on-site classroom presentation only.

38 Texting and Driving Commercial æ Videos available in on-site classroom presentation only.

39 Distracted Driving Drinking from open container 1x Cell phones - dialing 3x Cell phones listening/talking 1.3x Reaching for a moving object 9x Insect in vehicle 6x Drowsiness 4x Looking at an external object 3.7x Reading 3x Applying makeup 3x Inserting/retrieving CD 2x *Frequency of distraction must be considered in addition to increase in probability

40 Tips to Avoid Distractions While Driving æ Keep cell phone away æ Do not drive while fatigued 67,000 teens are in a crash each year according to NHTSA æ Eat, drink, change CD, etc. when car is stopped at a light or in a parking space æ Minimize number of passengers 1 additional passenger doubles chance of a crash 2 or more passengers increases chance of a crash 5 times æ Avoid stressful or emotional conversations while driving

41 Distractions Outside Car Most commonly cited as causes of crashes: æ Other car crashes æ Animals æ Police/emergency personnel activities æ Construction æ Recognizing people

42 Using appropriate scanning to avoid outside distractions: æ Keep eyes moving æ Far ahead and to the horizon æ Side to side - like windshield wipers æ Look behind and to the sides - circular visual check

43 Traction æ Only points of contact between your car and the road are the size of a hand under each tire = contact patches æ Traction depends on friction between the road surface and the vehicle s tires æ Without traction a driver is unable to steer, brake or speed up æ When there is loss of traction, a car will skid, hydroplane and lose control

44 Traction Depends On: 1. Condition of tires - inflation, tread 2. Vertical force placed on tire 3. Condition/type of road surface 4. Speed the vehicle is traveling 5. Amount of turning force

45 How to Maintain Traction: 1. Keep tires in good condition: check inflation and tread monthly 2. Drive appropriate speed for road conditions 3. Avoid fast starts, stops and turns 4. Avoid potholes and other objects on the road 5. Don t overload your vehicle

46 Traction can also be affected by: æ Ice æ Snow æ Water æ Oil æ Mud æ Loose gravel æ Sand æ Wet leaves æ Paint æ Tar

47 Getting the Feel of the Car æ Cars communicate to the driver through: Ride Handling æ Ride: Vertical motion of wheels as they rise and fall over road surface æ Handling: Car s ability to remain in control when cornering or braking

48 Laws of Motion æ An object at rest remains at rest Unless you apply force to it æ An object in motion continues moving in a straight line at constant speed Unless you apply force to it to change its direction, speed or both

49 Types of Steering æ Neutral: Driver aims wheel at a certain point, car arrives at that point æ Under steering: Driver aims wheel at a specific point but car goes too far to the left - front wheels have less traction than rear æ Over steering: Driver aims wheel at a specific point but car goes too far to the right - rear wheels have less traction than front æ Result of over or under steering: Fishtailing

50 Overcoming Under and Over steering Under steering æ Take foot off gas to transfer weight from rear to front tires æ If braking is necessary, use extreme caution in order to prevent car from going into an over steer Over steering æ Turn front wheels to outside of turn - in direction rear wheels are attempting to move æ Apply gas carefully to regain control of rear wheels - too much gas can spin car in opposite direction

51 SPEED What is a safe speed? There is no single speed that is safe at all times, it depends on: 1. Posted speed limits 2. Road conditions 3. Weather 4. Traffic flow 5. Condition of vehicle s tires and brakes 6. Weight and size of vehicle

52 Posted Speed Limits æ Indicate what the maximum driving speed is in order to drive safely æ Use assured clear distance rule æ As long as I am going the speed limit, I am driving safely - true or false?

53 Speed & Stopping Distances æ The faster a car goes, the longer distance is needed to stop æ For every doubling of a car s speed 4 times as much distance is needed to bring a vehicle to a stop æ Speed too high for conditions is the primary cause of 1/3 of all car crashes

54 How Long Does it Take a Car to Stop? mph Dry (ft.) Wet (ft.) Snow (ft.) Ice (ft.)

55 How Far Am I Traveling at Different Speeds? mph Distance Feet/Second

56 Curves and Cornering 3 types of corners æ Constant radius would become a circle or square if allowed to continue æ Increasing radius initial sharp angle then gradually straightens out æ Decreasing radius turn angle becomes increasingly sharp as you continue through it

57 Cornering Techniques æ To maintain traction in a turn, put as little steering force as possible on the car æ How? Straighten out the corner Find the biggest radius possible as you go through the turn Identify the apex = point at which road begins to turn

58 Steps for Safely Taking a Curve æ æ æ æ æ Start from outside edge of the curve Move to the inside intersect the apex Move to the outside to exit the corner Always brake before the curve, accelerate out of the curve If you enter a curve too fast or too sharply, the rear of the car may swing out. If this happens: Ease off gas Do not brake Rear wheels will align again

59 Tips for Safe Parking Always park in a safe place: æ Close to entrance æ In a well lit space æ Around other cars æ Away from shrubs and bushes æ Ground level if possible æ Lock doors æ Always put emergency brake on

60 Types of Parking 1. Perpendicular 2. Parallel 3. Curbside 4. No curb 5. At an angle 6. Uphill 7. Downhill

61 Perpendicular Parking æ While approaching space, keep watch for brake lights of other vehicles æ Watch for pedestrians, shopping carts, etc. æ Do not park between large vehicles limits visibility æ Signal before entering space æ Backing into the space is preferable æ If pulling into space, enter as far from the opposite side of road as possible æ Do not swing car wide at last moment, other cars may be attempting to go around you start wide to begin with

62 Parallel Parking æ Signal early æ Approach space as straight as possible æ Keep about 2 feet of space between you and the car in front of the intended parking space æ Line up evenly with car in front æ Back up straight until your front seat is even with rear wheel of vehicle in front of intended space

63 Parallel Parking (continued) æ Give wheel a complete turn (wheel can go no further) to right æ Give car gas, reversing until you can see front right headlight of car behind intended space æ Unwind wheel to the left æ Give car gas, continue reversing æ When car is parallel to curb, pull forward straight to center car in space æ Intended position 12 inches or less from curb

64 Tips for Parallel Parking æ Don t just rely on mirrors æ Physically turn, right hand over back of passenger seat while reversing æ Be aware of front-end swing into traffic while reversing æ Avoid tapping another bumper æ When finished parking, make sure wheels are straight æ Always signal and look over shoulder (toward traffic) when exiting space æ When turning wheel no gas æ When giving gas hold wheel steady æ Use same principle when correcting position within space æ Look in mirror and over shoulder before opening door to exit

65 Other Parking Situations æ If you must park on a roadway: park in direction traffic is moving put flashers on give room for passing vehicles make sure your car can be seen at least 500 ft. away from both directions æ Parking up hill with a curb leave steering wheel turned left æ Parking down hill with a curb leave steering wheel turned right æ No curb, parking uphill or downhill: pull as far off road as possible steering wheel turned right

66 Insurance Why is it important? æ Because collisions happen æ Insurance helps cover medical and car repair costs æ Protects against economic disaster if there is property damage and/or injuries to other people

67 How Does Insurance Work? æ The insured (you) pay a premium to the insurance company for protection against major financial loss due to a crash æ Most premiums are less than the cost of an insurance claim æ Insurance companies group people together by criteria: Age Gender Type and age of car Miles driven Driving record Area of residence Marital status

68 How Does Insurance Work? æ Insurers estimate likelihood and cost of claims based on accumulated data æ Determine average amount of premium members of the group need to pay to cover cost of predicted number of collisions æ All policies carry a deductible æ Deductibles: money you pay up front before the insurance company pays the remaining medical or car repair costs æ The higher the deductible the lower the premium

69 æ Male teens æ Female teens The Most Expensive Drivers to Insure æ What your parents can expect when they add you to their policy: Premium spike % A ticket or crash can cause premiums to triple or the policy to be dropped æ How can you help your parents keep their premiums down? Keep you grades up - insurers see you as a better future risk Note: statistically, straight A students aren t much safer than C students in the first few years as a new driver It (almost) goes without saying: Be a safe, smart driver - avoid speeding and crashes

70 Types of Insurance Coverage What do they pay for? æ Comprehensive: damage to your car not caused by a crash (theft, vandalism, etc.) æ Collision: damage to your car when you are at fault in an a collision æ Uninsured/underinsured: your medical bills if you are injured in a crash caused by someone who has insufficient or no insurance coverage

71 Types of Insurance Coverage (Continued) æ Medical: medical cost if you or your passengers are injured in a crash usually specified limits æ Property damage: damage to other people s property in a crash for which you are responsible æ Bodily injury: other people s medical costs in a crash that you caused (covers cost of litigation if you are sued)

72 What to do if you are in a crash æ æ Stop immediately, pull off to the side of the road if possible It is illegal to leave the scene of a crash æ Call 911 æ æ æ Turn off the ignition of all cars to prevent potential fire or run away vehicles Aid the injured do not move an injured person unless there is danger of fire or further injury If there are no serious injuries, exchange the following information with the owner of the other car. Driver s: Name Address Phone License plate number Insurance company name and policy number Driver s license information

73 What to do if you are in a crash (continued) æ Take notes to help you remember what happened include names and addresses of passengers, where they were sitting in the car, stated injuries æ Get names, addresses and phone numbers of any witnesses æ Give accurate and honest information to police æ Do not argue with the other driver or passengers æ Call your insurance company when you return home to report the crash

74 What happens to my insurance if I am in a crash? After you pay the deductible can be $250 - $1,000, it depends on several things: æ Who was at fault? æ Extent of damage or injuries æ Most likely, your premium will increase æ Sometimes your policy will be dropped æ Remember the insurance goes with the vehicle NOT the driver æ Think twice about loaning your car to your friends

75 What happens if I get a speeding ticket or other moving violation? æ Insurance companies study speeding in relation to crash probability æ According to the IIHS and Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI): Crash rates more than double for drivers who get 2 or more speeding tickets æ Depending on the severity of the violation: Points will be assigned to your license Insurance premiums will increase Your policy may be dropped Is it worth it?