Driver Safety and the Rules of the Road

Safe driving is the responsibility of all individuals who operate a vehicle on New Jersey roads. The rules of the road must be obeyed at all times and laws must be strictly followed. A motorist must ensure the safety of all passengers who are riding in his/ her vehicle and be mindful of the other motorists who share the road each day.

All occupants of passenger vehicles operated in NJ to wear a seat belt. The driver is responsible for all passengers under 18 years of age. Passengers, 18 and older are responsible for themselves. You can be stopped for not wearing seatbelts.

Exemptions: automobile made before July 1, 1966

Seatbelts save lives! They improve your chances of surviving a crash by 60%! It takes 3 seconds to put your seatbelt on properly! It keeps you from being thrown from a vehicle! Hitting a dashboard at 30mph is like falling from the top of a three-story building! It slows your body down with the vehicle.

Use both lap and shoulder belts. The lap belt goes under the abdomen and across the hips. The shoulder belt goes across the collar bone, away from the neck, and crosses over the breast bone. Never put more than one person in a belt.

Infant car seats will protect up to 20lbs. This car seat must be placed in the vehicle facing the rear. Convertible car seat will protect up to 40lbs. Can be faced forward after baby is heavier than 20 lbs.

Children up to 80lbs. Must ride in a safety or booster seat in the rear of the vehicle. Children under 8 years old and over 80 lbs. must be in a rear seat and use a seatbelt. $54 fine for non-compliance

Inflate at 200 mph. Must be combined with seatbelts.

Backup lights Light up when you are backing up. Brakes Test them by pumping them after you drive through a puddle ( disc and drum brakes.) Test them by applying steady pressure after you drive through a puddle ( ABS brakes.)

Light up (red) when you press the brakes. These lights are brighter than usual You can be pulled over if a break light is out

Headlights should be put on when visibility is decreased. If your windshield wipers are on, your lights must be on (examples: rain, snow, sleet). They are also used for drivers to notify each other.

The horn is used to warn drivers! It should not be overused.

Blowout: Tire exploding due to bumps, cuts, or bad treads Check tire pressure often All tires should be at the same pressure Saves gas usage Treads Never less than 1/16 th of an inch About the edge of a dime

Should be able to hear the clicking and see the flashing. 100 feet in advance. A motorist should always give a proper signal when turning, changing lanes, stopping or slowing down. If it is not working, use hand signals Right turn: Left hand up Left turn: Left hand straight out. Stop or slow: Left hand down.

Cracks can possibly spread to cause entire windshield to break Should be clean at all times. Dirty windows may cause decreased visibility YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TINT WINDSHIELDS AND FRONT SIDE WINDOWS!!!