Module 7 Adverse Driving Conditions Collision Avoidance Seatbelts Motorcycle Safety Distracted Driving

Changing a Tire  Mod 7 requires that you change a tire.  The procedure is on the assignment page  Also can find that info in your owners manual  You need to change the tire in front of an adult who will sign off that you did, indeed, change a tire

Impact Cards  Group One:  What are the procedures to be used when the wheels on one side of the car or other drop off the pavement edge?  What is meant by avoiding or minimizing impact?  Group Two:  What should be done if/when you are involved in a collision?  What is meant by the “FORCE OF IMPACT?”  Group Three:  What can we conclude about force of impact and the chance of death, injury & damages?

Impact Cards  Group Four  What is the collision with the greatest potential danger? Why?  What are the basic escape actions open to a driver when a crash is imminent?  Group Five  What effect does the angle of impact have on the force of impact? Give examples  What are some things traffic and highway engineers have done to help reduce the force of impact in collisions?  Group Six  If there is a collision imminent, what should drivers and passengers do?  What is meant by the statement, “In every crash, there are really 3 collisions?

Distracted Driving  Cell Phones  Washington State Law: Hands Free ONLY  No cell phones under IDL restrictions  Texting  Washington State Law: ILLEGAL  Music  No laws against listening to music  Some communities have “Noise Ordinances”

MADD’s The First Second.1 The front bumper and grill collapse.2 The hood crumbles – rising and striking the windshield – as the wheels lift of the ground. The bumper wraps around the object struck. Any loose items continue forward at full speed. Legs, knees and ankles may snap..3 The steering wheel in older cars will disintegrate and the column aims at the drivers chest. (in newer cars, the airbag will save you).4 The front 2 feet of the car are wrecked, but the back is still going 35 mph. Your body is still moving at 55 mph if you weren’t wearing a seatbelt..5 The driver is impaled by the steering column and blood rushes into the lungs (if no airbag).6 The driver’s feet have been ripped from their shoes. The car frame buckles in the middle. The driver’s head smashed into the windshield as the rear tires return to the ground..7 Hinges rip loose. Doors fly open and the seats may break from the frame. Any loose items will strike the driver from behind..8 Nothing matters by now. The driver is dead (without airbags or seatbelts) ???HOW MIGHT THIS CHANGE WITH A SEATBELT AND AIRBAGS???

Avoiding Collisions  Threshold Braking  Evasive Action Steering (bump to bump)  Evasive Action + Threshold Braking  Thrust Acceleration

Imminent Crashes 1)Look for SAFE place to bail out Won’t cause injury to youWon’t cause injury to you Won’t cause injury to othersWon’t cause injury to others Hopefully will avoid damage to your car or other propertyHopefully will avoid damage to your car or other property 2)If no safe place to bail out... Turn car to create an angle (“glancing blow”)Turn car to create an angle (“glancing blow”) Decrease the “force of impact”Decrease the “force of impact” 3)SLOW DOWN as much as possible Decrease the “force of impactDecrease the “force of impact 4)Aim for something soft  Shrub, yard, bushes, etc

Seatbelts  Lap Belts  Design  How to wear correctly  Shoulder Belts  Design  How to wear correctly  Passive Restraints  Design  How to wear correctly

Seatbelt Laws  What is the seatbelt law in Washington state ?  There must be a seatbelt for each person in the vehicle  Children under the age of 3 must be in an approved car seat  Children under 4’8” or 80 lbs must be in a booster seat  All people in a vehicle must wear a seat belt

Limited Visibility  Keep Windows (glass) clean  Headlight Use  Low Beams  Beams hit road at 100’ to 150’  May Illuminate from 300’ to 500’  Load affects distance  Maximum Safe Speed mph  High Beams  Beams hit road at 300’ to 500’  May illuminate from 500’ to 1800’  Load affects distance  Maximum Safe Speed mph  Adjustments for Problems Caused by Limited Visibility  SLOW DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Low Beams unless no oncoming traffic or can see the tail lights of the vehicle in front of you

Night Driving  Maintain Visibility  Driver ability to watch is reduced  Letting Others See Your Vehicle  Headlight Use Rules  ½ hour after sunset until ½ before sunrise  Lowbeams – minimum of 300 feet following distance  Highbeams – must dim within 500 feet of oncoming vehicles  Parking Light Usage  Illegal to drive with just your parking lights on  Glare Recovery  Limits your ability to see for a short amount of time – try to avoid glare  Dashboard Lighting  Set at lowest light level where you can clearly read your dashboard  Adverse Weather Conditions  May limit your visibility (rain, snow, wind)

Limited Visibility Special Conditions  Sun Glare  Dusk, Twilight  Fog  Rain  Snow  Overnight temperature below freezing  Loading the car

Special Driving Conditions  Extended Cold (below freezing)  Vehicle Maintenance  Precautions  Hot Weather (100+ degrees)  Vehicle Maintenance  High Winds  Precautions

Driving Conditions  Extended Cold  How does it impact driving?  How can you compensate for it?  Hot Weather  How does it impact driving?  How can you compensate for it?  Strong Winds  How does it impact driving?  How can you compensate for it?

Collision Avoidance  Space/Area Management  Control areas around your car  Look for open/closed space areas  Act on speed and position changes  When prevention fails, loss control becomes a priority  Threshold Braking  Evasive Steering  Trust Acceleration  Maintain Vehicle Balance  Balance loss causes traction loss  Simultaneous steering, braking and/or acceleration upsets vehicle balance  Traction loss compounds crash results

Traction Loss Causes  Locking the Brakes  Hydroplaning  Snow – Ice  Speed  Little/No Tread on Tires

Traction Loss – Rear Wheel  HOW TO RECOGNIZE: The back of your car will move around the side or you will suddenly be facing a direction you do not want to go  WHAT TO DO:  Release the accelerator  DO NOT BRAKE  Steer into the skid (aim are where you wanted to go)  Accelerate slightly to regain traction control

Traction Loss: Front Wheel  HOW TO RECOGNIZE: You cannot steer your car (even when you try turning the wheel  WHAT TO DO:  Release the gas pedal  Steer towards intended direction of car (continue to try until you regain control of your car)  Brake slightly to regain traction control

New Vehicle Technology aids avoidance techniques  Antilock Brakes (ABS)  Youtube – Safe Braking with ABS  Traction Control Design  Suspension Control Design

Vehicle Balance  Vehicle imbalance can cause loss of control of the car.  Braking causes vehicle to shift forward (weight on the front tires – braking difficulties) (weight on the front tires – braking difficulties)  Accelerating causes vehicle to shift backwards (weight on back tires – steering difficulties) (weight on back tires – steering difficulties)  Going around a corner too hard (weight on the outside two wheels – causes both steering and braking difficulties)

Vehicle Malfunctions  Accelerator Failure  Recognizing the Problem:  Pedal will remain down even when you release it  Car will continue to speed up even after you release the accelerator  Procedures:  Try to release the accelerator pedal  Shift to “NEUTRAL”  MSH, brake to a stop

Vehicle Malfunctions  Brake Failure  Recognizing the Problem:  Pedal “soft” to the touch  Can’t slow down  Procedures:  Pump the brakes  Use “emergency” brake  Down shift

Vehicle Malfunctions  Engine Stalls While Moving  Recognizing Problem:  Engine cuts out  May have problems steering/braking  Engine electronics may not work  Procedures:  Shift into “NEUTRAL”  Try to restart engine  DO NOT TURN KEY OFF  MSH, brake to a stop

Vehicle Malfunctions  Tire Blow Out  Recognizing the Problem:  Wobbly feeling  Car “pulls” to the side (slightly or hard)  Procedures:  Get a firm grip on the wheel  MSH, brake to a stop in a safe area  Change your tire or call for assistance