Chapter 1 Notes

1.1 Driver's License: A Privilege

What does your license means to you?

· Your license means that:
o You have passed a written and driving test on the rules
and regulations of the road.
o You have been given the responsibility of driving a
motor vehicle and that you understand how to operate a motor
vehicle.
o You must take your responsibilities seriously. You are
responsible for all of your acts when you are behind the wheel
of an automobile. Being a negligent driver may cause you the
loss, suspension, or revocation of your driver's license.

What does your license mean to others?

· Your license tells other drivers that:
o You have the information and the skills to handle and operate a
motor vehicle.
o You know and understand the rules and regulations of the
roadways.
o You value the fact that the State of California gave you the
privilege to drive.

Note:
Be aware that the other users of the roadways are subjected to your driving
habits and behavior.
· If you are, or act, as a negligent or irresponsible driver, death or injury may come
to others.

Operating A Motor Vehicle Is A Serious Responsibility

It is important to focus and think clearly when you are driving because lives are at stake. Be in
the right mind and be aware of what you are doing at all times. Make good judgments when
you drive.

The Motor Vehicle Is A Weapon

The car that you drive could cause serious damage to you and those that are around your
vehicle. Remember that even at low speeds of 1-35 MPH, you can seriously hurt or even kill a
person or an animal
Automobile Areas Dangerous As A loaded Gun

Distracted drivers can cause serious injuries and death on the roadways. If your eyes and
attention are on the road and your surroundings, you are in a position to react in time to avoid
an accident.

Factors that can cause danger to the driver and others:

· Drunk driving
· Cell phones and texting
· Driving tired
· Speed
· Vehicle malfunction
· Bad weather and road conditions

https://youtu.be/6Hcfph_g3JE

Parking Responsibility

· Always set your emergency brake when parking your vehicle. This will give
added security that your car will not roll away.
o If your vehicle has an automatic transmission, make sure that you set
the gear in the park position.
o Standard transmission (stick shift) cars are parked in either first gear or
reverse, depending if you are on a flat surface, uphill, or downhill position.

· All types of vehicles should follow the same rules when parking on a hill.

Uphill, Against the Curb

· Turn the vehicle's front wheels to the left so that the back of the front-right
tire rests against the curb.
· Be sure to set use your emergency brake before you exit your car.

Downhill
· Turn the vehicle's wheels to the right so that the front of the tire is up against
the curb.

1.2 Obeying the Laws

Laws and regulations are in place for the sole purpose of safety. A driver must obey the rules
of the road in order keep themselves and other drivers safe on the roadways. Follow and pay
attention to all traffic signs and signals when operating a motor vehicle.

Why Stop Completely at STOP Signs?

A STOP sign and Red lights are traffic control devices that tell a driver that they must stop
their vehicle. STOP signs are implemented to control the traffic flow and to keep drivers from
having a collision. A stop sign means that you must completely stop behind the limit line,
crosswalk, and intersection. Choosing to stop completely could mean the difference between
life and death.

What Does "YIELD" Mean?

This sign means "to give way." The driver at a YIELD sign:
· Shall give way to oncoming traffic.
· Shall let other drivers, pedestrians, and bicycles have
the right-of-way
· May need to stop at a YIELD sign until it is clear to
pull out into traffic

Common Courtesy Is A Key to Safety

Being courteous can help avoid accidents and keep traffic moving in an orderly fashion.

· Always drive with a good attitude toward other drivers.

· Never insist on taking the right-of-way.

Drivers are faced with multiple decisions while driving a motor vehicle that can cause stress
and tension. When drivers are courteous to one another it will reduce this stress. For example:
Give other drivers the right-of-way or allow them space when they are trying to change lanes.

Treat Other Drivers the Way You Want To Be Treated

Do something nice and it is done back to you. This is true on roadways as well. For example:
 · Give space in your lane for merging traffic, move over and let faster
drivers pass, give drivers that are signaling a lane change a way in, etc.
· Do not honk in anger, scream, cut off others, tailgate, or flash your
headlights because you would not want another driver to do this to you.

The Roadway Is Shared By ALL Drivers

Safely sharing the roadway with other drivers and pedestrians is essential for avoiding collisions.
· Always be aware of your surroundings and watch out for other drivers.
· If you are blocking traffic by going too slow, safely allow them pass.
· Never assume other drivers will give you the right-of-way

https://youtu.be/lDoLfdsyhLg
https://youtu.be/4F4Lw78f0I0

1.3 Importance of Driver's Education

The main purpose of driver education is to help you learn the skills, knowledge and attitudes
needed for greater safety as an operator of an automobile and as a pedestrian.
· Driver's Education teaches students:
o The rules and regulations of California roadways.
o How to handle and operate a motor vehicle
o To develop their skills in preparation to become a
confident and safe driver.
· Driver's education and behind the wheel training:
o Gives students the information and skills to drive an
automobile and prevent crashes. Trains drivers how to
handle hazardous situations that arise while operating a
motor vehicle.

· Driver's education reduces the possibility of costly, injurious and

sometime deadly crashes. It also reduces a family's auto and home
insurance costs.

Text Messaging (SB 28/Simitian)

This new law makes it an infraction to write, send, or read text-based communication on an
electronic wireless communication device, such as a cell phone, while driving.

https://youtu.be/cTfzJPoZdyI

1.5 Smoke-Free Cars

On January 1, 2008, a law went into effect, which bans smoking in cars when there are
children younger than 18 present. Those caught violating the law will face up to a $100 fine.

California is the third state to ban smoking in cars carrying minors but the first with a policy that
protects all children under 18.

California residents are supportive of this new law. More than 90 percent of Californians, including
those who are smokers, supported the law to ban smoking in cars when children are present.
(California Tobacco Survey 2005)

The law was created to protect children who are particularly vulnerable to the dangerous effects of
secondhand smoke. According to the Journal of Exposure Analysis and Environmental
Epidemiology, the air quality in a car where someone is smoking can reach nearly 10 times over the
hazardous levels set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. This level of air
pollution in the vehicle caused by smoke from a cigarette is so severe that breathing it is dangerous
for anyone.

Children are still developing physically and physiologically. Children tend to breathe quicker than
adults and as a result, children exposed to secondhand smoke run a greater risk of damaging health
effects.
 · Children who breathe secondhand smoke on a regular basis are at a
higher risk for middle ear infections.
· Exposure to secondhand smoke can cause asthma in children.
· Babies and children younger than age 6 who are exposed to
secondhand smoke regularly are more likely to get respiratory track
infections, such as pneumonia and bronchitis.

On January 26, 2006, the California Air Resources Board declared secondhand smoke a "toxic air
contaminant" putting it in the same category as car exhaust and asbestos.

1.6 History of the Automobile

The automobile has been around for a little more than 125 years!

Development of the Automobile - Where it all began

In the 1880's, Karl Benz installed a small motor on a tricycle and the automobile was born. In
1896, Frank and Charles Duryea built the first American motorcar in Springfield
Massachusetts. They manufactured the first of 13 of these gas-powered inventions.

Sociological Changes Caused by the Automobile

The turn of the century (1900's)

In 1896, Buffalo New York was the first major city to pave all of its streets. At the turn of the
century, 8,000 automobiles were on the road. General Motors incorporated in 1908. The first
mile of rural highway was paved. Since more than 40 percent of the work force was involved in
farming, rural roads were important links. The first gas station opened in St Louis Missouri at
the turn of the century. Speedometers were installed on Oldsmobile automobiles. In 1903
Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company. Five years later he introduced the Model T.
The 1900's

By 1915, 2.3 million automobiles were registered in the United States. About half of those
were Ford's Model T. Model T's were affordable, easy to service, and available in any color
you wanted as long as that color was black. In 1910, Barney Oldfield set a new speed
recorded with a Blitzen-Benz at Daytona Beach Florida, at more than 131 miles an hour. The
first Indianapolis 500 race was held in 1911. The Lincoln Highway, the nation's first
coast-to-coast highway, was marked between New York and San Francisco. Carl Fisher
spearheaded the effort. He wasn't the first to have this dream but he figured out how to
organize and fund the project. Wisconsin was the first state to assign numbers and letters to
roads and highways.

Insurance for automobiles is born

In Westfield Massachusetts, an enterprising mechanic built his own car and then insured it for
$1,000 worth of liability. His premium was $7.50.

The Roaring Twenties

The federal government began a program to pave the way coast to coast. The first highway to
connect the coasts was completed in 1927. Americans start "hitting" the road, traveling to
National Parks, and making camping an American pastime. The new roads bring a complete
transformation to the entire country.

The Automobile and the Future

The automobile is one of the most important possessions that we own. It gives freedom,
education, and financial means. It has changed the entire way this nation looks. It has given
us millions of miles of highways to transport our goods. The automobile may change in design,
but it is here to stay. The sky is the limit to where we will go with the automobile. We have
developed vehicles that run on electricity and solar power in our pursuit of a new source of
power. Gasoline emits too much pollution and we are in dire need of a new less harmful
solution that is as affordable as Ford's Model T was to consumers back in the 1920's.

We will see in the future new inventive ideas that will lead us into the new millennium and
beyond. No doubt that these ideas will continue to change the way we think, act and respond.
They may even change the way we live.

Dr. Horatio Jackson, with his chauffeur and dog, was the first person to cross the country in an
automobile. It took 65 days to make their journey.

Test
Chapter 1

1. Courtesy makes chaos out of order.

False

2. Smoking inside a vehicle when a person younger than 18 years of age

is present is:

Illegal at all times

3. Which of the following is true about other drivers?

Never assume other drivers will give you the right-of-way

4. The main purpose of driver education is to help the students learn the skills,
knowledge and attitudes needed for driving safely on the road.

False

5. You are driving slowly in the fast lane of a freeway and there is traffic
behind you in your lane. The driver behind you wishes to drive faster. You
should:

Change lanes to the right when safe to do so

6. If you are a minor and your cell phone rings while you are driving, you
should:

Let the call go to voice mail

7.

When parking on a hill, all types of vehicles should follow the same rules.

True
8. The law prohibits anyone under the age of 18 from using any type of
wireless device while driving, except in an emergency situation.

True

9. A stop sign is a traffic control device that tells a driver that they must stop
their vehicle.

True

10. Collisions can happen more often

when:

One vehicle is traveling faster or slower than the flow of traffic

11. Driving is a right given to all

Americans.

False

12. What should you do at an intersection with a flashing red signal

light?

Stop before entering, then proceed when safe