Chapter 5. Driving Safely Questions and Answers 100% Accurate

Chapter 5. Driving Safely Questions and Answers 100% Accurate The faster you drive, the greater the impact or striking power of your vehicle: • When you double the speed of a car, you increase its force of impact four times • When you triple the speed of a car, you increase its force of impact nine times Backing Up: Check behind your vehicle before you get in. Children and small objects cannot be seen from the driver's seat. Place your right arm on the backof the passenger seat and turn around so that you can look directly through the rear window. Do not depend on your rear-viewor side mirrors as you cannot see directly behind your vehicle. Don't completely rely on cameras/alarms; they don't always detect small children and animals. Back slowly; your vehicle is much harder to steer while you are backing. Whenever possible, use a person outside the vehicle to help you back up. If you're properly parked: When properly parked, the vehicle should be centered inside the space with no part of the vehicle extending out into the trafic lane It is against the law to park: On crosswalks On sidewalks In bicycle lanes In intersections On bridges On overpasses In tunnels In front of driveways By yellow painted curbs In NO PARKING or DISABLED PERMIT ONLY zones On the roadway side of another parked vehicle (double parking) On highway pavement not marked for parking Anywhere that blocks or creates a hazard for other vehicles Or within: ◆15 feet of a fire hydrant ◆20 feet of an intersection ◆20 feet of the entrance to a fire, ambulance, or rescue station ◆30 feet of a rural mail box on a state highway (8 am-6 pm) ◆30 feet of any flashing signal, stop sign, or trafic signal ◆50 feet of a railroad crossing. What's the safest speed? The safest speed is the one that allows you to have complete control of your vehicle and avoid collisions What does the speed limit refer to? Speed limits show the fastest speed you may drive under favorable conditions. You are responsible for adjusting your driving speed to the weather, roadway, and traffic conditions. For example, during a storm, you should drive slower than the posted speed limit. Which side should you drive on if you wish to drive slowly? When driving slower than the flow of traffic, keep right so others may safely pass However, driving too slowly is also against Florida law. You must not drive so slowly that you block or delay traffic moving at normal, safe speeds. You should drive with the flow of traffic, within the speed limit (true or false) True Perception Distance: How far your vehicle travels—in favorable weather conditions—from the time your eyes see a hazard until your brain recognizes it. Perception distance can be affected by mental and physical conditions, medication, as well as visibility and the hazard itself. The average perception time for an alert driver is 3⁄4 second to 1 second Reaction Distance: How far you will continue to travel after seeing the hazard until you physically hit the brakes. The average driver has a reaction time of 3⁄4 second to 1 second. At 50 MPH, this accounts for 55 feet traveled Braking Distance: How far your vehicle will travel—in favorable weather conditions— while you are braking. At 50 MPH, on dry pavement and with good brakes, it can take about 158 feet The faster you drive, the greater the impact or striking power of your vehicle • Doubling the speed means the braking distance and impact are 4 times greater • Tripling the speed means the braking distance and impact are 9 times greater (Stopping distance is equal to a football field) • Quadrupling the speed means the braking distance and impact are 16 times greater Total Stopping Distance: The total minimum distance your vehicle will travel— including perception distance, reaction distance, and braking distance—until you can bring your vehicle to a complete stop. At 50 MPH, you will travel a minimum of 268 feet...nearly the length of a football field To ensure you smooth stop: Check all mirrors and blind spots for traffic to the rear Release the accelerator to allow the vehicle to slow. Press the brake pedal to activate brake lights and use a steady pressure Making Turns: You must use vehicle directional signals or hand signals to show other drivers that you are turning Turn signals are also required by law when changing lanes or overtaking a vehicle You must give a turn signal for at least 100 feet BEFORE you make your turn It is against the law to use your directional signals to tell drivers behind you that they can pass Hand signals must be given from the lef side of the vehicle Steps for turning slowly: 1. Slow down to a safe turning speed 2. Move into the correct lane as you near the intersection. The correct lane for a right turn is the right-most lane 3. You must activate your turn signal at least 100 feet before making your turn. Allow time for drivers around you to see your signal before you move 4. Obey any NO TURN ON RED or STOP HERE signs 5. Yield to bicyclists when crossing a bike lane and to pedestrians who may be crossing your path 6. Stay in the proper lane during your turn. Yield the right-of-way to vehicles and bicycles coming from the opposite direction 7. Finish your turn in the proper lane. Turn right into the right lane of the roadway entered. A left turn may be completed in any lane lawfully available—or safe—for the desired direction of travel What should you do if you miss your turn? Never make last minute turns. If you reach an intersection where you wish to turn and are not in the proper lane, drive to the next intersection and then make the turn from the proper lane. How to make a three-point turn: 1. Move as far right as possible, check traffic, and signal a left turn. Turn the steering wheel sharply to the left and move forward slowly. Stop at the curb 2. Shift to reverse, turn your wheels sharply to the right, check traffic, and back your vehicle to the right curb 3. Shift the vehicle into drive and pull forward carefully Where are you NEVER allowed to make a three-point turn? Never make a three-point turn or a U-turn on a curve, a hill, the highway, or where there is a sign that prohibits U-turns What to do at an intersection: Many intersections are marked with stop lines to show where you must come toa complete stop. Always stop behind stop lines. Afer a complete stop, you must yield the right-of-way to all other trafic already in the intersection and to pedestrians. Move forward only when the road is clear. Vehicles proceed through the intersection in the order that they arrived at the intersection; the first vehicle to reach the intersection should move forward first. If vehicles arrive at approximately the same time, each driver must yield to the drivers on their right. Right-of-way: Rules tell you who goes first and who must wait in different conditions. The law says who must yield (give up)the right-of-way. Every driver, motorcyclist, moped rider, bicyclist, and pedestrian must do everything possible to avoid a crash Open-intersection rules: A vehicle is already in the intersection; You enter or cross a state highway from a secondary road; You enter a paved road from an unpaved road; or you plan to make a lef turn and a vehicle is approaching from the opposite direction Roundabouts: Roundabouts travel in a one-way counter-clockwise direction. Drivers entering the roundabout must yield to trafic already in the roundabout. If there is no trafic in the roundabout, you may enter without yielding. Do not change lanes in the roundabout. Do not stop in a roundabout. Signal before exiting the roundabout. Prior to entering or exiting the roundabout, drivers must yield to pedestrians in the crosswalks. Bicyclists may take the lane in the roundabout or use the sidewalk.