West Jessamine High SchoolDriver Education

Your Teen Wants to Drive. Are You Ready?

Getting Started

Graduated Driver Licensing System (GDL) – Three Stages

• Learner’s Permit• Provisional License

(Intermediate, Probationary)

• Full/Unrestricted License

Graduated Driver Licensing System (GDL): Learner’s Permit

• Requirements:– Minimum age (16)– Parental/Guardian Cosign if <18– Tests to be taken (vision & written)– Length of permit 1 year (renewable)180 days

before eligible for road test

• Limitations– Accompanied by adult (21+) licensed driver in front

passenger seat– No other front seat passengers– No driving midnight to 6 A.M. (without cause)– Zero alcohol tolerance (0.02 BAC)– Under 18 must complete 4 hour Graduate Licensing, high

school driver ed class, or an approved commercial driver training school class

Graduated Driver Licensing System (GDL): Learner’s Permit

Graduated Driver Licensing System (GDL): Road Test

The Examiner will inspect the vehicle and examine documents

Applicant will be scored on: stops, backing, turning the car around, stopping and starting on a hill, parallel parking, intersection approaches, clutch use (if so equipped), speed, turns, lane use, right-of-way use, and overall control

Any accident, traffic violation, or dangerous act may result in automatic failure, and the test will not be completed

A score of 80 out of a 100 is required

If you fail road test you may try 5 more times waiting 7 days between tests

Graduated Driver Licensing System (GDL)

• Sanctions:– License may be suspended

more than six points (under age 18)more than twelve points (18 +)

Note: KRS 186.470 allows a parent, or guardian, to file an “Affidavit for Withdrawal of Responsibility” with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet that removes him/her from responsibility for the named minor causing the minor’s license to be revoked.

Concerns Are Justified

• All Licensed Drivers –196,166,000 (increases about 2 mil/yr)

• All Drivers Involvement Rate in Fatal Crashes/100,000 Licensed Drivers – 21.86% (38, 477 crashes with 42,884 deaths)

• Aged 16-20 Drivers Involvement Rate in Fatal Crashes/100,000 Licensed Drivers – 63.36% (Male 87.24%, Female 38.06%) [2001 data]

• Percent of motor vehicle deaths for ages 16- 17 compared to all types of death in the age group - 43% (Male 40%, Female 49%) [2002 data]

• Teenagers drive less than all but the oldest people, but their number of crashes and crash deaths are disproportionately high. Based on crashes of all severities, the crash rate per mile driven for 16-19 years-olds is 4 times the risk for older drivers. Risk is highest at age 16. In fact, the crash rate per mile driven is twice as high for 16 year-olds as it is for 18-19 year-olds.

(FARS) Fatality Analysis Reporting System and (GES) General Estimates SystemInsurance Institute for Highway Safety Fatality Facts

2003 Motor Vehicle Crash Data

KY Drivers 16 – 19 years

• Make up 6% of all licensed drivers

• Are involved in 16% of all fatalities

• Are involved in 21% of all injury crashes

• Are involved in 20% of all property damage crashes

KY Traffic Collision Facts: 2004 Report

No Safety in Numbers 16-Year-Olds

More Likely to be Killed than Those Driving Alone– Carrying One Passenger 39%– Carrying Two Passengers Carrying 86%– Three or More Passengers 207%

Social EnvironmentParentsPeersCommunity/CultureMediaEnforcement

Driver CharacteristicsAge/Sex/MaturityPersonality/AttitudeKnowledge/ExperienceRisk Perception

Driving BehaviorHabitsImpairmentUnderstanding of driving processRisk taking

Driving EnvironmentRoad conditionsVolumeNight/DayPassengers

Risk: The Chance of

Injury, Damage, or LossGraduate License Program

Driver Education

How To Help

Driver’s Ed(or not) Is Only Part of the ProcessDoes your teen need driver’s education?

Driver’s ed provides technical information and basic driving skills. Classroom presentation provides the basic knowledge. BTW demonstrates the process.

Picking the best program.Does program have classroom and in-car instruction?Does program include risk management/defensive driving?Does the program provide actual 1 to 1 BTW training?Does classroom and in-car sessions follow a logical sequence from

basic vehicle-control principles to more sophisticated techniques?Do instructors evaluate and record the student's progress?Do BTW lessons follow pre-planned routes chosen for specific

instructional content?Do driving environments include residential streets, city traffic, rural

roads and expressways?

Driver’s Ed(or not) Is Only Part of the Process

If you choose Driver’s Ed interact with the driving instructor•Obtain the instructors’ evaluation•Determine what you can do to reinforce lessons•Ensure that teen’s needs are being met•Make your specific concerns known

Regardless of your decision to use driver’s education you must remain a part of your teen’s learning process!

Your teen spends much more time in the car with you than with a driving instructor. You are the most significant element in your teen’s formation of safe driving habits.

Studies show that it takes about 5 years to obtain the skill level of the “average” driver.

Support your teen through this period.

• 50 - 60 decisions/mile (@60mph 1 per sec)

• Decisions relate to adjusting time, space, and visibility within the limits of available traction for operating conditions (law, other users, road environment, risk)

• Experienced driver relies on driving habits

• A safe driving career requires driving habits that encompass proper attitude and proper skill

• To accomplish this, an individual must acknowledge risk, understand the driving process, and desire to constantly strive for improvement

Habit development– Know what to do

– Have a desire to do it

– Demonstrate that you can do it

– Overcome resistance to change

– Understand correct, or incorrect, performance

– Practice correctly at least 25 times

– Ability to perform correctly without conscious thought

Constantly remind!

Teach Don’t Preach

Teaching TipsTake the Task Seriously

• Schedule sessions as you would any important activity• Avoid talking on a cell phone, or any other activity that

suggests you are not fully involvedCommunicate Clearly

• Don't give too much instruction at once• Avoid talking about matters unrelated to driving• Praise correct performance• Stop often, every 10 to 20 minutes, to review

performance. Don't critique while driving.• If a mistake is dangerous or critical, pull over

immediately. Keep track of the smaller mistakes and discuss them when reviewing performance.

Teaching TipsCommunicate Clearly(continued)

• Stay calm, avoid screaming or gasping. Keep a sense of humor• Say RIGHT for the direction and CORRECT for an affirmative

response/ Identify other cars by COLOR not make and model• After insuring a maneuver is safe to perform, give clear

instructions, with sufficient time to respond • Have the novice driver evaluate their performance at the end of

each session. Listen, listen, and listen some moreDevelop A Game Plan

• Progress from basic vehicle control to complex maneuvers• Keep the sessions short but frequent. Start with sessions of 15 to

20 minutes and work up to an hour or more.• If driver shows signs of fear or extreme stress, quit for the day.• Provide two or three practice trials on a new maneuver and then

allow it without direction• Once the driver has more experience, maximize the opportunities

for driving

Help Form Safe Habits

Vehicle impacts solid object at 35mph, it begins to crush and slow down (transfer of energy).

Each inch of crush dissipates about 1 mph of energy. Body continues forward at 35 mph (inertia).

Vehicle stops in 1/10 sec., body impacts 1/50 sec later, body stops in 1/100 sec.

Lazy Mirror View

Rear Mirror View

Right Side Mirror View

Left Side Mirror View

• Inside mirror – frames rear window-viewing

possible without moving head

• Driver’s side mirror – tilt head 3-5 inches toward

left shoulder, adjust so that left rear corner of vehicle visible in right side of mirror

• Passenger’s side mirror– adjust similarly

• Know your blind spots!

Adjusting the mirrors

Properly Adjusted Mirrors

Push-Pull-Feed SteeringRecommended

• 9 & 3 Hand PositionBoth hands are on the wheel. While one hand pushes up or pulls down, the opposite hand slides up or down on the wheel.

Arms/wrists are clear of air bag, and offers good control of vehicle.

Poor Steering Techniques

One Hand Offers Limited Evasive Steering

“Hand Over Hand”

- Poses Danger in an Air Bag Detonation

-Restricts ability to counter steer

- Leaves driver off balance in an abrupt turn

Lateral Movement Process

Before moving left or right whether•turning, •changing lanes, •or pulling from the curb

An operator must ascertain that the intended path is available, the right of way clear, and communicate his movement to other users

Check intended path

Check rearview mirror

Activate turn indicator in direction of move

Check side mirror in direction of move

Head check in direction of the move

Make the LMP a habit

The Safe Driver

• A safe driver manages risk by adjusting time, space, and visibility within the limits of available traction.

Driving Process(SIPDE)• Search

– Look well ahead, scan (far to near)

• Identify– Roadway features & conditions, other users, traffic controls

• Predict– Effect on your intended path of travel

• Decide– Manage time, space, and visibility within the limits of traction

• Execute– Communicate intent. Accelerate, brake, or steer.

RearviewMirror

SideMirrow

3 - 4 sec Following Distance

Fringe Vision

CentralVision

3 - 4 sec Following Distance

SideMirror

4 - 8 sec Stop Zone

12 - 15 sec VCZ

20 -30 sec VSA

• 20 – 30 sec search (VSA)• 12 – 15 sec path of travel (VCZ)• 4 – 8 sec immediate path (Stop Zone)• 3 - 4 sec following distance• Mirrors (rear interval) [10x minute] • Head checks [ any lateral movement]• Speedometer [1x a minute]

Visual Habits

20 sec VSA at:

35 mph = 1022 ft (0.2 mile)

55 mph = 1773 ft (0.3 mile)

65 mph = 1898 ft (0.4 mile)

Aggressive Visual Search

Aim highGet the big pictureKeep your eyes movingLook for an out

IntersectionsMaster the ability to correctly estimate the interval needed to enter or cross a traffic flow.

1 sec, 2 sec, etc

Entering an Expressway

AMBULANCE

AMBULANCE

AMBULANCE

AMBULANCE

1

2

3

4

1. Directly identify gap or vehicle following gap

2. Transfer visual to rear/side mirror

2a. Begin accelerating to highway speed

3. Head check of blind spot (fast glance)

3a. Check intended path

3b. Accelerate into gap - if there is a problem, DO NOT STOP ON RAMP, go into emergency strip

4. Adjust speed to highway limits; establish interval

Approaching Merge Ramps• Be aware of approaching

merge ramps.

• Immediately scan rear & side to assess if move to left is possible

• If possible move out of the right hand lane to avoid a closing conflict.

• If impossible to move left be prepared to adjust speed to accommodate merging vehicles

Reduced Visibility• Reduced visibility from any source

requires a reduction in speed• The Kentucky’s basic speed law requires

you to operate at a speed reasonable and prudent for conditions

• Operating at a speed at which you are unable to stop within the range of your visibility is illegal!

Reduced Traction• Reduced traction from any source

requires a reduction in speed• The Kentucky’s basic speed law requires

you to operate at a speed reasonable and prudent for conditions

• Operating at a speed at which you are unable to adequately maneuver within existing conditions is illegal!

Skid Control

Steer and look in the direction you

want to go!

Stay off the brake

Off Road Recovery• Ease off accelerator and Stay Off the Brake• Hold steering wheel firmly• Gently turn steering wheel toward road• When left front tire gets on pavement gently steer back

The ABS Difference

Steady application of brake pressure

Don’t jerk the steering wheel

Keeping Fit to Drive

• Fatigue– Normal– Emotional– Illness related

• Emotions• Illness• Drugs

– Non-prescription

– Prescription– Illegal or Illicit

Driving Process

Search

Identify

Predict

Decide

Execute

vs

Common Mistakes of New Drivers

Common Mistakes• Fail to adjust seat, mirrors properly• Weave in the driving lane• Fixate vision too close to the front of the vehicle• Fail to keep a safe distance around the car• Grip the steering wheel too tightly making it difficult to

steer correctly• Turn entire upper body to check a blind spot• Drive too fast through intersections, on curves or for

current weather and road conditions• Have difficulty avoiding or anticipating mistakes and

bad driving of others• Confusion regarding signs, signals, markings & right

of way rules

Common Mistakes

• Have difficulty judging the time and distance needed to complete a maneuver

• Slow down when changing lanes, or when merging into traffic

• Fail to look both ways before moving forward on a green light

• Fail to appreciate the importance of developing sound driving habits

• Once the novice driver has had several lessons, they may feel they know it all.

If Stopped by Police• Stop in a safe location• Stay Calm• Remain in the car/ keep hands visible• Produce documents requested• Be courteous; do not insult/ touch officer• Do not argue, become emotional, make excuses• Never offer the officer anything not requested