Driver Safety and Rules of the Road Matt Silvesti

Passive Safety Devices Provide an appropriate level of protection for vehicle occupants during and after a collision 1. Air Bags 2. Seat Belts 3. Structure of Vehicle

The NJ Seatbelt LAW Who is Responsible for this Law…. Motorist : for all passengers under 18 years of age. Passengers 18 years of age and over: responsible for themselves. Police may pull over vehicle solely for violation of seatbelt law. Motorists with GDL permits or provisional licenses must use seat belts. Additionally, they must require all passengers seated anywhere in the vehicle to use seat belts.

The NJ Seatbelt LAW Requires: all front-seat occupants of passenger vehicles to wear a seat belt.

Did you Know?? Seatbelts can save a life and improve a motorists chances of surviving a crash by 60%!!!! Chances of surviving a collision are three to four times better if he/she is wearing both a seatbelt and a shoulder strap Takes seconds to fasten a seatbelt!

How can seatbelts help? 1. Keep motorists and passengers from being thrown from the vehicle in a collision. =less severe injury If a vehicle hits something, the vehicle stops, but the person keeps going at the same speed that the vehicle was moving. Hitting the dashboard or windshield at 30 mph is like falling from the top of a three-story building.

How can seatbelts help? Cont.. 2. Slow a body down with the vehicle 3. Keep motorist from sliding on seat during sudden stops and turns. 4. Keeps motorist in position so he/she can control vehicle!

Car Seats Traffic Accidents are the leading killer of children!

Types: Many INFANT Car seat :will protect a baby up to 20 pounds and 26 inches Must be placed in the vehicle facing the rear when infant less than 17 pounds. After 17pounds and can sit up, seat can be adjusted to upright pos. an facing forward. CAR SEATS I am so happy my mommy put me in my car seat!

Car Seats TODDLER Convertible car seat: a larger seat that can be used for infant/toddler up to 40 pounds and 40 inches in height. Better to be safe than sorry.

Car Seats Use Back seat * with infant and no back seat?? Move front seat as far back as possible Buckle child in appropriate restraint for weight NEVER place rear-facing infant safety seat in front seat with front passenger- side air bag.

Child Restraint Law Children up to 8 years or a weight of 80 pounds must ride in a federally approved safety or booster seat in rear seat of vehicle. Children under age 8 and over 80 pounds must be in a rear seat and use a seatbelt. Failure to comply = $54 fine and court costs

Air Bags Could seriously injury or kill children who are sitting in the front seat. Children 12 and under should always ride in back seat! 1995-NHTSA allowed cutoff switches in pickup trucks, sports cars, and autos with no backseats allowed repair shops to install switches in vehicles with appropriate needs.

Air Bags front air bags saved lives of 5,303 front seat riders Inflate at speeds up to 200 mph to protect adults In a front-end collision. An average sized adult who is correctly belted is not likely to come in contact with air bag until fully inflated

How do I know if my car has an airbag?? Look at: Steering wheel and dashboard panel “Air Bag” “SRS” Supplemental Restraint System “SIR” Supplemental Inflatable Restraint

Car Condition Brakes 1. A motorist should be able to break smoothly and quickly 2. Conventional Disc and drum breaks a motorist should pump them gently after driving through water to test and dry them out 3. If you are driving 20mph it should take a driver 25ft to stop.

Anti Lock Break System 5. Motorist should never pump breaks or jerk steering wheel when breaking Test breaks by applying steady pressure Soft surfaces (loose gravel/snow), ABS system may lengthen stopping distance Slippery conditions, motorist should keep safe distance from vehicle in front and maintain a speed consistent with the road conditions.

HORN 6. A horn should not be overused_, but a motorist should check it often to make sure it works

Tires 7. When should a motorist check the tires? If a motorist feels or hears any unusual thumping while driving, he/she should check the tires. Tire pressure should be checked often, especially when tires are cold. 8. What can cause a tire blowout? Bumps, cuts or bad tread can cause blowouts.

Tires 9. Where can you look to determine the proper tire pressure for your vehicle? What can properly inflated tires do for you? A motorist should check the owner’s manual to determine proper tire pressure or should ask for advice at a service station. Properly inflated tires save money in fuel consumption.

SNOW/ICE 10. Snow/Ice-What is the State law require?? State law (N.J.S.A 39:4-77.1) requires a motorist to remove snow or ice from a vehicle before driving it. If snow or ice dislodges from a moving vehicle, it could strike another vehicle or pedestrian, causing injury or property damage.

Before getting into a car… 11. Before getting into a car to drive, you need to look _behind_____ it and in front_ of it. Why? 1. There are blind spots once a motorist is behind the wheel. Children may be there. 2. There also may be bottles, cans, bicycles or other things that cannot be seen from the motorists seat

Starting a Parked Car 12. While starting a parked car you should also keep in mind 1. All windows should be clean and nothing should block a motorist’s vision. 2. The seat must be adjusted so a motorist can reach all pedals and controls easily. (For most motorists, the seat may be adjusted so he/she is sitting an arm’s length from steering wheel). 3. Inside and outside rearview mirrors should be adjusted.

Starting a Parked Car… 4. Seat belts and shoulder harnesses should be fastened so that they are firm and comfortable. 5. The vehicle should be in park or neutral gear and the parking brake should be set. 6. Doors should be locked.

Posture 13. A motorist should keep___good____posture while driving. the seat should be adjusted so that the motorist can reach the foot pedals easily. The motorist should be comfortable behind the wheel. He/she should not have to strain to reach the gear shift levers, turn signals or dashboard controls. A motorist is properly positioned when he/she can see clearly and can glance to the rear.

Visual Information? 14. What percentage is all information necessary for safe driving is visual information. 95% A motorist should have an eye checkup every two years. As a motorist ages, visual clarity declines and peripheral vision becomes less distinct. For example, a 60-year-old perceives light about a third as well as a 20-year-old.

BLIND SPOTS

15. What are blind spot? What can help reduce these blind spots? -Blind Spots are areas where a motorist cannot see behind his/her vehicle (on both sides) through the mirror. -A motorist can check this by turning his/her head. BLIND SPOTS

ADJUSTING MIRRORS

Adjusting Mirror The outside mirror should be adjusted so that the motorist can see the tip of the driver-side front door handle in the lower right of the mirror. This will allow the motorist to see part of the lanes of traffic to the left and rear of the vehicle.

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