PREPARING TO DRIVE

Air Bags and Seat Belts

Airbags and seat belts are designed to be used together. Adjust the seat to give a slight bend in the knees and elbows. Sit as high as possible. Sit all the way back into the seat with your hips and back against the seat back. Adjust headrest so head is in middle of cushion. All occupants are required to have their seat belts on. Sit at least 10-12 inches from the steering wheel. This will provide the best protection in the event the air bag deploys.

HEADLIGHTS ON! Increase your visibility to others. Turn on your headlights during the day if your vehicle is not equipped with daytime running lights. MIRROR ADJUSTMENTS

Inside

Adjust inside mirror for maximum view out the rear window. If it is necessary to move your head to get a clear, full view, the mirror is not adjusted correctly.

Outside

Adjust outside mirrors to show a slight amount of the side of your vehicle

For information about enhanced outside mirror settings that eliminate typical blind spots, ask your teen about the Blind Zone and Glare Recovery Elimination setting demonstrated in driver education. Another effective tool for blind areas are mirrors to help increase side view angles such as the SmartView Mirrors attached to your side view mirrors. They too, will help eliminate blind areas.
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Enhanced Mirrors

Printed by the Vermont Department of Education Office of Driver & Traffic Safety Education

Modern vehicles require very little steering to turn. This affects how we use the steering wheel. Most of us learned to steer using the hand-over-hand method because we needed to turn the wheel many times to turn the vehicle. Modern vehicles require much less steering to turn; for normal turns, pull- push (described below) works best. Air bags affect where we should sit and also how we use the steering wheel. Look at the steering wheel as though it were a clock. Place the hands at 9 oclock and 3 oclock, or slightly lower to 8 and 4. This provides the desired balanced hand position and possibility of turning the wheel too much resulting in 9 position, or worse, having to deal with a dangerous offreduces the 3 loss of lane road recovery.

STEERING CONTROL PRACTICE

Pull-Push Steering

Use pull-push steering for most turning maneuvers. It begins with your hands in the 8 and 4 position.. Pull down with one hand and push up with the other. This results in smooth steering and reduces the potential for too much steering, which can lead to loss of control. Keep the hands and thumbs on the outside of the wheel.

One-Hand Steering

Used for backing maneuvers that do not require full left or right turns, or when operating information, safety, or comfort controls.

Hand-Over-Hand Steering
Use hand-over-hand steering when steering movement is critical such as when parking. When used, use quick movements on entry to the maneuver, smooth slow movement when returning the wheel.

Adjust Wheel Tilt

If you have an adjustable steering wheel, tilt it down so that the top of the wheel is no higher than the top of the shoulders.

Printed by the Vermont Department of Education Office of Driver & Traffic Safety Education

BRAKING
OBJECTIVE
Stop the vehicle smoothly and safely under all conditions All driving environments

DRIVING ENVIRONMENT GOOD HABITS for CONTROLLED BRAKING

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Check rearview mirror Stabilize foot on the floor Place left foot on dead pedal or floorboard for balance Use forces of the ankle and foot, not the leg Squeeze brake, smooth, consistent pressure, curl toes

6. Release pressure smoothly, avoid forward pitch action on the vehicle

COMMON ERRORS
Fails to check rear zone for following vehicles Uses leg force for braking Squeezes and releases the brake while braking Hard braking Insufficient braking Maintains hard brake pressure until stopped

BRAKING METHODS
CONTROLLED BRAKING
Used to control vehicle speed and balance through smooth and consistent application of pressure (squeeze action) to the brake pedal. Benefits: Nice smooth, non-jerky stops.

THRESHOLD BRAKING
Used to provide maximized traction. Keep the heel on the floor, apply steady pressure just short of lockup, the point at which the wheels stop turning. Benefits: Keeps the vehicle balanced while in a turn and provides more traction for steering.
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Printed by the Vermont Department of Education Office of Driver & Traffic Safety Education

TRAIL BRAKING
Used at the end of controlled or threshold braking when turning at an intersection or in a curve. As you enter the turn, ease off the brake and maintain slight braking pressure until transition peg is reached, then accelerate. Benefits: Helps maintain vehicle balance and traction control when entering a turn without stopping.

Accelerate out of the turn

Ease off brakes as you enter the curve, by using trail braking until way through the turn

Use controlled or threshold braking prior to reaching the curve.

Yield
To good driving habits

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Printed by the Vermont Department of Education Office of Driver & Traffic Safety Education

REDUCED VISION AND TRACTION CONDITIONS

Dawn and Dusk: Drive with low beam. Be alert to changing low light conditions that could hide hazards. Be alert to animals on the roadway. You need at least 4 seconds to stop. If you cant see beyond your vehicles headlights during this range, slow down. Switch to low beam when approaching a vehicle. If the other driver fails to switch to low beam, slow and move to lane position 3; glance to the right edge of the road until the vehicle passes.

NIGHT DRIVING

FOG Always use low beam. High beam will create less visibility. Slow down and increase your following time from other vehicles. Be prepared to pull off the road in a safe area.
Low traction conditions such as gravel and washboards always increase braking distance. First rule it to slow down. Hold the wheel firmly and reduce speed.

GRAVEL

WET ROADWAYS
Reduce speed to improve traction. Use the tire tracks of the vehicle ahead.

Tires that are bald or under-inflated can lose

their grip quickly. Hydroplaning occurs when water causes your tires to lose contact with the road; it can occur at any speed.

SNOW
Use gentle acceleration, steering and braking. If you start to lose traction, release the accelerator and start again. Ensure tires have good tread. If you use studded tires, put them on all four wheels. Occurs quickly! At low speed, squeeze brakes lightly to check traction. Make slow, smooth maneuvers. The best practice for all these conditions is to

ICE

SLOW DOWN AND INCREASE FOLLOWING TIME Printed by the Vermont Department of Education Office of Driver & Traffic Safety Education