Module 3: Topic 1

Laws of Nature

1. Gravity:
a. Gravity is the natural force that constantly pulls all things to the earth and affects an object’s
weight.
b. Center of Gravity is a point where the mass of the vehicle is concentrated and balanced.
c. The higher the center of gravity, the more unstable the vehicle becomes.
d. When a driver brakes, accelerates, or corners, the G forces are amplified.

2. Kinetic Energy:
a. Kinetic energy is the energy an object possesses due to its speed, or velocity (v) and its mass
(m) : KE = 0.5 ∙ m ∙ v2
b. The faster the object moves, the more energy it collects.
c. A heavier moving object will have more kinetic energy than a lighter object moving at the
same speed.
d. A vehicle’s kinetic energy can be overcome by brakes, friction, air resistance and gravity.

3. Momentum:
a. Momentum refers to the quantity of motion an object has, measured in kg ∙ m/s
b. Formula: p = m ∙ v. The more mass and more velocity an object has, the more momentum
c. Change in momentum is called impulse; the magnitude of impulse is based on the amount of
opposing force and the time span over which that force is applied.

4. Inertia: an object’s tendency to resist any change in its state of motion.

A Vehicle’s Slowing down or Stopping

Possible Accelerating or Cruising
States of Turning towards the Left
Turning towards the Right
Motion

5. When driving through a curve, inertia creates the sensation that you are being pulled toward the outside of
the curve. Why does this happen?

Because you are traveling in a straight line, and inertia wants to keep you going in a straight line
Type of Movement Definition Real Life Example
Braking too hard and
PITCH quickly
Weight shifts forward
Vehicle weight shifts
Accelerating too
Forward and Back
quickly
Weight shifts
backward
Taking a curve too
quickly.
ROLL
Sudden jerky steering
Vehicle weight shifts will throw the vehicle’s
side to side weight to the inside
tires of the direction
you steer

YAW Vehicle’s rear tires

lose traction and weight
shifts to one side Skid on a patch of ice
(rear tires slide)
“Fishtail”
 Module 3: Topic 2
Vision and Driving

1. How do you think your vision impacts your driving?

2. Visual Perception:
a. The eyeball’s ability to distinguish the number, shape, and color of an object.
b. Perception

3. Some key points on drivers and decision-making:

a. Drivers make decisions based on about 90% on what they see
b. Drivers make decisions based on about 10% of all on what they hear or feel
c. Drivers should search at least 20 seconds ahead in their path of travel to evaluate the situation
and make good decisions about speed, lane position, signs, signals, markings, and potential
hazards.
d. You need to know where to look. This takes practice! 1

4. Field of Vision: 2 2
***Three Parts
1. Focal Vision – Allows you to read/see details
2. Paracentral Vision - Allows you to maintain path of
travel
3. Peripheral Vision – Allows you to see motion and
color 3 3

5. Visual Acuity:
a. Visual acuity tests measure the level of detail your eyes can see, (individually, and together), in
optimal light conditions
b. Nearsighted: Able to see near things more clearly than distant ones
c. Farsighted: Able to see distant things more clearly than near ones

6. Hazards of Driving at Night:

Lack of light
drastically
People driving at
 vision, visual
wildlife become likely to be
acuity, depth
active intoxicated
perception and
color recognition

Inner and outer People driving at

sources of night are more
concentrated likely to be
light cause glare fatigued

1. What are some strategies for driving at night?

Darkness
Drive slower to allow more time to react
Use Focal and Paracentral Vision

Glare
Oncoming headlights: Avert your gaze to line painted on right side of road
Internal light: keep it dark in the vehicle when it’s dark outside
Sunbeams: keep windows, headlights, and signal lights clean inside and out

Animals
Use your high-beams on rural roads
Pay attention to animal crossing signs

People
Watch for erratic driving behaviors from other vehicles on the road
Stay away from drivers exhibiting signs of distraction, intoxication, or fatigue

8. What are some other factors that affect vision?

Glare, Fatigue, Drugs/Alcohol, Weather, Darkness, Speed, Inattention, Smoke
Age, Dirty Windshield, Poor Windshield Wipers, Poor night vision, Night Blindness
2. Speed Affects Vision:
a. Hazards that increase with increased speed
b. Drivers have less time to see and react
c. Minor steering movements cause exaggerated vehicle movements and weight shift
d. Speed distorts and reduces Peripheral vision up to 90%

3. How do you compensate for higher speeds?

a. Train your eyes to look farther ahead—you’re covering ground faster
b. Allow more space between your vehicle and others
c. Actively move your eyes from one side of the path of travel to the other to search for relevant
information and hazards

4. Depth Perception:
a. Need both eyes to perceive depth (3-D distance)
b. Allows you to judge gaps, speed, and distance of other vehicles and hazards in the traffic
environment
c. Essential when passing, approaching a vehicle or hazard; turning, merging, and crossing
intersections
d. To judge the distance between vehicles, look at where the tires contact the road, not the body of
the vehicle

Are these lines Parallel?

5. How can you improve your visual field?

a. Clean windows—inside and out
b. Clean vehicle’s outside lights and be sure they work
c. Inspect wiper blades for damage and effectiveness
d. Adjust mirrors properly
e. Keep sunglasses and windshield scraper in vehicle
f. Remove objects that interfere with vision
 Module 3: Topic 3
Vehicle Reference Points and
Establishing a Lane Position

1. Line-of-sight is the visible path of travel from your vehicle to the target area.
a. When something obstructs your LOS, you may need to adjust your speed and/or position until it is
clear again

1. Path-of-Travel is the series of continuous positions your vehicle will occupy while traveling toward your
target area

3. Target
a. Specific object located straight ahead in the center of your path of travel
b. Near visual field limit
c. Steer toward
d. Changes to whatever appears in the center of your path of travel

** Do not stare at or fixate your gaze on the target itself…

4. Target Area
a. Rather than focusing directly on the Target, continuously scan to the left and right of it (the Target
Area) for relevant information and potential hazards

5. Lane Positions:

Lane positions are

based upon an
average lane size
of 12-feet wide,
and a vehicle 6-
feet wide

Select the lane This Diagram

position that gives shows the three
you the best line of basic lane
sight and safest positions drives
path of travel can use
 Lane Position 1

Positioned in the center of

lane with an equal buffer
of space on either side

Lane Position 2

Allows for additional space to the right of

the vehicle. Used to prepare for a left
turn or when avoiding a problem to
the right of the vehicle.

Lane Position 3

Allows for additional space to the left of the

vehicle. Used to prepare for a right turn
or when avoiding a problem to the left of
the vehicle.
6. Footprint of the vehicle:
a. We need reference points because of the footprint of our vehicle.
a. This is the ground around the car that we cannot see!
b. The bigger the vehicle; the bigger the footprint.

In the figure above, the darker cars represent the size and areas
of pavement that the driver of the white car cannot see.

7. Reference Points:
a. A point on your vehicle that helps the driver determine where he/she is positioned on the road.

Lane Position 1
 Lane Position 2

Lane Position 3
 Front Limitation – Use the side view mirror

Rear Limitation – Use the back passenger window

 Vehicle Reference Points ANSWER KEY
Directions: Draw the standard reference points onto the vehicles below as requested.

1. Front Reference Point

Vehicle Reference Points ANSWER KEY

Directions: Draw the standard reference points onto the vehicles below as requested.

3. Right Side Reference Point 3-6 inches from the

2. Rear Reference Point right

4. Right Side Reference Point 3 feet from the right

5. Left Side Reference Point 3-6 inches from the left

 Module 3: Topic 4
Basic Maneuvering—Steering and Braking

1. Why do we use 8 and 4 for our hand position?

1. Puts the body in a natural position with relaxed

shoulders
2. Promotes balanced control of the steering wheel,
reducing excess motion
3. Improves stability by lowering the body’s center
of gravity
4. Prevents arm injury if the airbag deploys

2. Types of Steering

Type of Steering Diagram When it’s used

Hand to Hand or Push/Pull Slide: Most driving maneuvers
To TURN RIGHT
Left hand pushes up from 8 o’ clock
to 11 o’ clock
Right hand pulls down from
1 o’ clock to 4 o’ clock

Hand Over Hand Speeds under 15 MPH

Left Turn/left hand:
Left hand pulls down, then reaches up to
about the o’clock position and continues to
pull 11-12 down to the left

Left Turn/right hand:

Right Hand pushes up to about the 11
o’clock position
One Hand Steering when backing Backing straight back:
straight back. Right arm is being the front
passenger seat so you can turn
and see the entire view

One Hand Steering when Backing a Backing with a trailer:

Trailer Hold the bottom of the wheel

2. Acceleration: COVER the Accelerator

a. Used for a smooth transition from braking to accelerating
b. Allows the vehicle to coast which may speed up or slow down the vehicle
c. Permits the driver to be prepared for any needed acceleration

3. Acceleration Techniques:

Heel pivots foot from the brake pedal to

the accelerator
Progressive, Gently apply pressure to the accelerator
Smooth pedal to gradually increase speed to
Acceleration minimize backward pitch and maintain
vehicle balance

Typically used when passing or merging

into higher speed traffic
Thrust Greater pressure is applied to
Acceleration accelerator pedal to rapidly increase
speed without losing tire traction
4. Braking Techniques: 4 Types

Smooth Is a trait of a skilled driver

Saves gasoline, and wear and tear on the
Braking brake system and tires
Technique Use ball of your foot to press pedal

Braking Technique Key Points

Release the accelerator a. Most frequently used method to slow vehicle
speed
b. Gradually reduce pedal pressure to avoid abrupt
changes in speed
Controlled Braking a. Check the rearview mirror for vehicles coming up
quickly behind you
b. Release accelerator and gradually apply smooth,
steady pressure on the brake pedal
c. For a smooth stop, gently ease off the brake a few
seconds before stopping to reduce the vehicle’s
weight shift so the car does not pitch forward
then backward during the final phase of stopping
Threshold Braking in an Emergency a. Slows the vehicle as quickly as possible without
locking brakes or losing traction
b. Release accelerator while checking for traffic
behind you
c. Exert forceful pressure on the brake pedal; you
will feel the vehicle’s weight shift forward
d. If you feel the wheels beginning to slide, ease off
of the brake pedal so the tires can start rotating
again

Trail Braking a. Used for sharp turns

b. Occurs at the transition point where you slightly
reduce pressure on the brake pedal to allow the
vehicle to begin to regain speed before applying
the accelerator
5. Methods to Reduce Speed:
a. Use controlled braking prior to reaching the curve
b. Begin easing off brake, and trail brake with very light pressure
until halfway through the turn,
c. Accelerate out of the turn

6. SPEED LIMIT:
a. A speed limit is the maximum legal speed you can travel on a road under ideal conditions.
b. You may drive slower than the posted speed, but it is illegal to drive any faster.
c. By law, you must drive slower if conditions such as road construction or bad weather make the
posted speed unsafe.
d. It is illegal to use a radar detector in Virginia.

Type of Highway Zone Speed Limit

Interstate highways in certain rural areas 70 mph
Non-rural interstate highways, public roads not 55 mph
part of the interstate sys
Rural rustic roads 35 mph

School, business and residential zones (You are 25 mph

required to travel 25 mph in a school zone only
when indicated by sign or signal. Otherwise
maintain the posted speed.)

7. Stopping Distance: Three factors determine the distance that it takes to stop your vehicle:
a. Perception time: The time it takes you to recognize a hazard.
b. Reaction distance: The distance your vehicle travels between the time you recognize a problem and
the time you apply the brakes.
c. Braking distance: The distance your car travels after you apply the brakes.

8. Describe at least 10 situations that you must always stop your vehicle.
9. Antilock Braking System (ABS):
a. ABS allows maximum stopping force without locking up the brakes (skidding)
b. If standard brakes are applied too hard, the wheels "lock" or skid, and you lose steering control.

If steering control is lost, the vehicle skids in a straight

line wherever it is going

ABS is an anti-lock/anti-skid brake system that allows

the driver to steer during hard braking

Some things to know about the ABS system:

a. The ABS warning will come on when there is a problem with either the ABS brake system, normal brake
system, or the brake fluid is low in the master cylinder or the ABS brake system
b. To find out if a vehicle is equipped with ABS, turn on the ignition and check the instrument panel for
the ABS indicator light
c. The brake pedal will vibrate when engaged

TO PRACTICE USING ABS:

Keep your This

In a parking
foot firmly on computerized
lot, go 20-25
the brake pumping
mph and
even when action can
execute an
you feel the pump the
emergency
brake pulsate brakes up to
stop to
and/or hear 15 times per
engage ABS
noise second