Student Guide

UNIT 1: Introduction

Review

Review topics covered in Unit One:

Unit 1. Introduction
1.1

The IDS Course

1.1.1 Course goals
1.1.2 Course structure
1.1.3 Student navigation
1.1.4 Student records
1.1.5 Additional resources

Before interacting with others on the roadway, you will need to know the rules, practice your skills,
demonstrate safe techniques and be mentally and physically prepared to drive.
The mid-term and a final exam each consist of 100 questions long and you must receive a score of
80% or higher on each exam to pass. A database will track your progress and when you pass the
course you will be issued a certificate of completion.
Keep a record of your student ID and password, after exiting, you will need it to re-enter the course.
Utilize all of the additional course resources to make your experience rewarding.

1.2

Why Driver Education is Necessary

1.2.1 Driving is a privilege
1.2.2 Legal obligations
1.2.3 Other responsibilities
1.2.4 Courtesy
1.2.5 Avoiding collisions

Driver education is more than just learning how to operate the controls of your vehicle. A successful
driver education program helps drivers develop knowledge and performance skills to drive safely.
Driving is a privilege, not a right.
Drivers have financial and legal requirements plus a responsibility to drive only when physically and
mentally capable of controlling the vehicle and making safe decisions.
Every driver is personally responsible for their own actions, their vehicle, cargo and the well being of
their passengers.
If you directly or indirectly cause a collision, you have the potential of being legally and financially
responsible, as well as liable for the damage or injuries associated with that collision. When you drive,
follow safe driving practices to lower your risk of causing or being in a collision. Remember how serious
your legal and financial obligations are every time you get behind the wheel.
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As you enter the driving world, keep in mind that driver education cannot teach you everything you
need to learn to become a skillful driver. Risk perception and performance skills are developed over
time.

1.3

Surviving Driving
1.3.1 The HTS
1.3.2 Risk
1.3.3 Risk for novice drivers
1.3.4 Confidence and experience
1.3.5 GDL

Every time you drive you will be sharing the roadway and interacting with different vehicles and drivers
that have assorted levels of knowledge and performance skills.
Risk is the chance of collision, injury, or loss. In the driving world, risk is constantly present.
As a driver, there are things you can do to reduce your risk. Learn how to assess your risk by becoming
aware of your entire driving environment and developing the habit of predicting hazards that may
appear in your path of travel and developing a plan to reduce risk.
Assess your risk
Be aware of the roadway and off-road environment. Scan well ahead, to the sides and behind.
Assess the big picture and keep your eyes moving.
Predict the chances of a conflict occurring. Anticipate the actions of others. What is the
probability that a dangerous event will occur?
Be prepared to manage situations.
Manage risk

Have a plan.
Position yourself with an "out", should you need it.
Obey all traffic controls.
Exercise the right-of-way rules.
Drive defensively.
Do not drive where you cannot see. If your vision is blocked,
reduce speed and reposition your vehicle so you can see well
ahead and around your vehicle, don't forget to look behind.
See and be seen. Communicate your presence to other road
users by always driving with your daytime running lights or
low-beam headlights. Remember, if you can't see them, they
probably can't see you.
Look where you want your vehicle to go.
Avoid distractions.
Avoid sudden steering and braking movements.
Never tailgate.
Be a considerate driver.
Keep your vehicle in good mechanical condition.
Practice "what if" scenarios before they occur in real life.
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The Risk for New Drivers

16 year old drivers have a crash rate 2.6 times higher than 18 year old drivers. Statistically, it is
proven that the most dangerous, high risk years of your driving career are the first years. This is the
time when you are developing experience and the HTS is not designed to compensate for trial and
error.
The most common risk behaviors for novice drivers include:

Having a low perception of the risks involved in driving.

Driving too fast for conditions.
Looking away from the path of travel.
Driving through a curve too fast.
Failure to search through intersections resulting in being hit by cross traffic.
Pulling in front of cross traffic at intersections.
Too much or too little steering input for the speed being traveled.
Failure to maintain a visual lead.
Failure to maintain an adequate following distance.
Willfully taking the right-of-way when not warranted.
Failure to manage inattention and distraction.

The fact is that, 20 percent of drivers do not know all the rules of the road and 90 percent of all crashes
are due to driver error.
Over-confidence can work against you and so can a lack of confidence. If you are not comfortable with
your skill level, the density of traffic or the conditions in which you are driving, dont drive. Practice
your driving skills in a low speed, safe environment (i.e. on a Sunday morning or in a residential area).
Gain experience before sharing the HTS with other drivers. If conditions are not ideal for visibility and
control, delay your drive until they improve.
Graduated driver licensing laws are designed for novice drivers to gain experience incrementally, or in
stages.
Stage 1: Learners permit: This stage allows new drivers to practice basic driving skills accompanied
by and under the supervision of an experienced, licensed driver over 21 years of age. Eligibility often
includes parents permission, minimum age requirement, successful completion of a driver education
course and state driver knowledge exam. States also require behind-the-wheel training. Reference your
state laws for details on your local requirements.
Stage 2: Intermediate or probationary license: This stage allows the new driver more freedom,
with specific restrictions designed for safety. To qualify for this phase, drivers typically are required to
successfully complete the last phase, pass the state in-car evaluation and have at least 50 hours of
supervised driving practice with an adult.
Stage 3: Full license: The full license provides for unrestricted driving privileges. It typically is issued
upon completion of the first two stages. Requirements include meeting the state requirements for age
and licensing examinations.
GDL laws also include limiting the number of passengers in the vehicle and restrictions on driving late
at night. Reference your state laws to obtain your licensing requirements.
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1.4

The Laws You Can Not Break

1.4.1 Gravity
1.4.2 Friction
1.4.3 Kinetic energy
1.4.4 Inertia
1.4.5 Force of impact

When you drive you will encounter all kinds of drivers, interact with many types of vehicles and travel
through an assortment of terrain and weather conditions. With all of this to deal with, there are some
other "laws of nature" that will always be present - these are the laws you can not change.
The laws of physics are with you whenever you drive. These natural laws constantly effect your
vehicles operation and will vary depending on vehicle; weight, speed and direction. Operate your
vehicle to compensate for these natural forces, or laws of nature.
Gravity pulls objects, including pulling your vehicle downhill, towards the center of the earth. The
effects of gravity pulling on your vehicle get stronger when you travel up or down a hill. As you go
uphill, your vehicle needs more power to maintain speed and requires less distance to stop. As you
travel downhill, your vehicle needs less power to reach the bottom and your stopping distance
increases.
The center of gravity on an object is the point where all of the weight is evenly balanced. Taller
vehicles, trucks and SUVs have a higher center of gravity than most cars. As a driver, this is important
to recognize because the higher the center of gravity, the higher the risk of rollover, especially at high
speeds or when maneuvering through tight turns and curves.
Friction is the force that stops motion. When two objects come in contact with each other, resistance
is created. The friction between your tires and the roadway allows to you to change direction and stop.
Without friction we wouldnt be able to walk or drive. Everything would just slip, slide, and never stop!
If you have no tread on your tires or the road is slippery, traction is reduced and you can lose both the
control of your direction and your ability to stop quickly. If your tires lose contact with the surface of
the road completely, there is virtually no friction available to counteract the motion and associated
speed you are traveling.
You need the friction created by your tires and the road surface to control your speed and direction.
Kinetic Energy is the energy an object has while it is moving, or the energy of motion. The faster the
object is traveling, the more energy of motion it possesses. When you drive, you will need to adjust
your speed well ahead of the time to stop. The amount of time you will need to stop or counteract the
energy of motion will increase with speed and/or weight of the vehicle.
The heavier your vehicle, the more energy of motion it will have to continue going in the direction it is
traveling. If your vehicles weight doubles, so will its energy of motion. What does this mean? If your
vehicle is loaded with cargo and passengers and is twice as heavy as usual, it will take twice as long to
stop.
The faster you travel, the more energy of motion your vehicle will have. The energy of motion will
change in proportion to the square of its change in speed. If you travel 40 miles per hour, given the
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same braking power, it will require four times the stopping distance that it would take if you travel 20
miles per hour. If you travel 60 miles per hour, it will require nine times the stopping distance you
would need going 20 miles per hour.
Inertia is the law of nature that means objects in motion tend to keep in motion until they are stopped
by another object or force. If an object is in motion it will stay in motion with the same speed and in
the same direction unless some type of external force acts upon it. The faster you go the more inertia
or outward pushing force.
Why is this important when you drive? When driving straight and approaching a curve, your vehicle
(object in motion) wants to continue straight even though you may turn the wheel/tires in the direction
of the curve. Negotiating the curve depends on the amount of friction/traction available at any given
speed. That is why it's critical to slow prior to curves so that inertia does not reduce your available
traction or grip.
Force of Impact is the force of an object colliding with another object. Factors that affect the force of
impact include the objects weight, speed and distance traveled after initial contact.
Why is this important? If you hit something with your vehicle, the force of impact is a huge factor
relative to the amount of damage incurred by the vehicle and its occupants.
The force of impact increases if the object you hit is moving towards your vehicle. This is the reason
you need to avoid head-on collisions at all costs.

1.5

Your License
1.5.1 Requirements
1.5.2 Prepare yourself for the exam
1.5.3 Prepare your vehicle for the exam
1.5.4 Your state laws
1.5.5 Insurance

Requirements
State requirements that you need to follow include:

Procedures for driver licensing.

Documentation necessary to obtain a driver license.
Requirements for vehicle registration.
Requirements for vehicle safety features.
Financial responsibility.
Insurance requirements.

You will also need to locate the closest state Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) Office. The DMV office
is where you will schedule an appointment for your driver license in-vehicle examination.
Go online to your states Secretary of State Website to locate a DMV office in your local area.

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Prepare Yourself for the Exam

This exam is one of the most important set of exams you will take in your lifetime. Your state will
require you to pass a vision test, a knowledge test and demonstrate your performance skills in the
vehicle. Contact your local DMV for details about how to arrange for the examinations.
Preparation for the knowledge test is similar to studying for an examination in school. Study the
material found in your state driver license manual. When you think you are ready to pass the test, take
sample tests to see how you score. Identify your weaknesses based on your score and review the areas
you missed.
If there is anything that you do not understand, or need clarification about, contact a professional
driver instructor for assistance.
Prepare for the in-vehicle exam by practicing the maneuvers recommended in the state driver manual.
Practice smooth, controlled movements including difficult parking and evasive maneuvers.
Review the rules-of-the-road until they are fixed in your memory. It will be very important for you to
know when to yield the right-of-way and communicate your intentions to maneuver with your lights
and signals. You will also need to demonstrate the ability to scan, search, make sound judgments and
execute your maneuvers without interrupting the traffic flow.
Do not go the DMV expecting to pass the examination if you have not studied and are not prepared.
Learn the materials because you will need to know and use this information for as long as you drive.
Bring the necessary paperwork with you when you go to the DMV. Do not be late. Be rested and
focused. You might have to wait for a while so do not arrive on an empty stomach.
Prepare Your Vehicle for the Drive Test
If you will be using your vehicle for the in-vehicle examination, it will have to be ready to pass the test
as well.

Ensure the vehicle passes all state requirements for the installation of safety equipment.

Ensure the vehicle is in good operating condition. Check the tire pressure, brakes, pedals, lights,
horn and fluids.

Clean the vehicle inside and out, especially the windows. Remove any loose objects and
distractions.

Check your fuel gauge.

If your state requires proof of a passed emissions test, registration and insurance, be sure to bring
those documents with you.
Make a list and get everything together the day before your test.

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Your State Laws

Each state has its own administrative laws, and there are several common to all states:

Your license is a privilege. It can be granted by the state and taken away. The courts or state
officials may revoke, or suspend a driver license for many reasons.

Traffic convictions are rated depending on how severe the violation is. This rating system is
commonly known as the "point system" and states keep track of each driver's record. The
number of points you accumulate is serious and can become extremely expensive when you
include ticket fines, court and/or traffic school costs, not to mention the increase in insurance
premiums.

A license can be suspended by the state. Suspension is the removal of the license and all
driving privileges for a year. The license and driving privilege is returned to the operator after
the year expires.

A license can also be revoked. If the state revokes your license, you will loose your driving
privilege for at least a year after which time, depending on the offense, you will have to reapply
for the license.

If a driver is found driving when their license is suspended or revoked, it is a serious offense,
often resulting in a mandatory jail sentence.

Always carry your license, proof of insurance and the vehicles registration tags in or on the vehicle
when you drive. Carry them where you can locate them without hesitation if you get stopped by a law
enforcement officer. If you loose any of these documents, replace them before getting behind the
wheel.
Reference your state motor vehicle code for the fines and penalties associated with driving violations.
Insurance
Do not consider driving unless you are covered by an automotive insurance policy. In most states you
will be required to have one or more types of insurance before purchasing a vehicle.
Automotive insurance is complicated and can be quite expensive for the novice driver. Shop around and
budget for insurance. It is a cost that potentially can equal or exceed your car payment.
Liability insurance
Liability insurance is proof of your ability to pay if you are at fault, or liable for a collision. The policy is
in place to pay for the costs associated with injuries or property damage resulting from a collision.
Liability insurance protects you and anyone that has permission to operate your vehicle. If you own a
vehicle and someone else drives it, they must have your permission or your insurance will not cover
them.
Liability insurance has two categories bodily injury and property damage. Bodily injury liability
insurance is designed to cover costs associated with injuries, death, court costs, legal fees and lost
wages related to damage you inflict on another person. Property damage liability insurance is designed
to cover costs associated with damage to the property of other people.
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If your insurance does not cover the entire amount of these costs, you can be sued and be held
personally liable.
Collision insurance
Collision insurance pays for damages if you are at fault or if you are involved in a collision with a driver
who is not insured.
Comprehensive insurance
Comprehensive insurance covers damage to your vehicle when it is damaged for reasons other than a
collision, such as fire, theft or natural disasters.
No-fault insurance
Many states offer no-fault insurance that pays for costs associated with your collision related injury, no
matter who is at fault for the collision.
Premium and deductible
A premium is a set amount of money, collected incrementally (usually every six months) to pay for
your insurance policy. The deductible is a fixed amount you agree to pay when you file an insurance
claim. Usually, the higher the deductible cost, the lower the premium. Premiums are established based
on our age, driving record, annual mileage, location, and gender.

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