Chapter 2

ability to discern detail, identify and recognize what is being seen. Visual acuity is important for reading road signs and identifying hazards.

your ability to correctly perceive the distances of objects in relation to your own position. Depth perception is important when passing, approaching a vehicle and when turning.

Stopping too short of limit lines or inside the intersection. Turning too wide or too short. Being unable to maintain a constant speed. Being unable to follow other vehicles at a distance appropriate for driving conditions.

is to see what is going on to the sides of you or "looking out of the corner of your eye." will still be areas to the sides and rear of your vehicle that cannot be seen. These areas are referred to as "blind spots". Using your rear view mirror will not eliminate all blind spots, so when changing lanes you need to check for vehicles in your blind spot by turning your head and looking into the lane you want to enter.

ability to see well in low light levels. Lights appear blurry and can "spread out" on the windshield causing a sheen that is difficult to see through. This makes it hard to perceive the distance and position of the light source.

inability to distinguish the differences between certain colors. The most common type is red-green color-blindness, where red and green are seen as the same color. Drivers with color vision difficulties may pose a hazard to themselves and other users of the roadway. For instance, the controlled lighting system is based on a color system; Red: Stop, Green: Go, Yellow: yield; without being able to distinguish different colors you will be unable to tell when you should stop or go.

How well and sharp you hear is important for safe driving. Your hearing can: Warn you of danger such as the presence of vehicles in your blind spots, Allow you to respond to Someone honking their horn, Emergency vehicle sirens, Bells at railroad crossings Alert you to the impending engine or other mechanical failures.

A hearing impairment that causes the inability to hear low to medium (softer) decibel sounds or sounds of certain frequencies.

A hearing impairment that results in the inability of the person to hear, even the loudest of sounds. The person hears NO sound at all

A person can compensate for a hearing impairment and improve his or her ability to drive safely by seeing a doctor and having a hearing aid fitted to amplify sounds. A person with a hearing impairment or total deafness can also compensate by learning to rely more on vision, such as increasing the degree to which they visually scan their environment.

To hear properly while driving a vehicle you should: Keep the volume of your vehicle's audio system low, Keep at least one window open so you can better hear outside noises, A person must not wear a headset or earplugs that cover both ears while driving.

Fatigue, Illness, Deformities, Steadiness, muscular conditions, carbon monoxide poisining

involves learning the concepts and skills to become a safe driver through driver education and training and to eventually apply what you have learned to actual driving situations. You have to be motivated to have a safe driving attitude.

involves being mentally prepared for different traffic conditions and the possessing the necessary knowledge and skills to react to these situations. Being ready results in being completely focused on the task at hand.

Young drivers often develop habits that are hard to break, therefore while you are a student you will need to pay close attention to detail. Students are in the learning stages of driving and it is important to develop good driving habits.You should constantly monitor yourself while you are driving to identify poor driving habits and attitudes. Young drivers: Overestimate their capabilities Rate certain traffic situations as less risky than do mid-age and older drivers Tend to underestimate the danger in high-risk situations and to overestimate the danger in low- to medium risk driving situations.

Emotional Tension: Driving when you have emotional tension for whatever reason is not a good idea. Others on the road can easily irritate you and cause you to drive irrationally. You might make choices that you wouldn't normally make in a more calm condition. These choices may be putting others in your vehicle and others on the roadway in an unsafe situation. Safe driving requires all your concentration. If you are preoccupied with your emotions, you will not be able to focus on the task of driving safely. Therefore, you should not drive if you are under severe tension or emotionally distressed. The best thing for you to do is to NOT drive. Pull the vehicle over and let someone else drive, or wait until you have calmed down.

Environmental conditions both inside and outside your vehicle can also affect your ability to concentrate, be courteous, and drive safely. Allow yourself to breathe and focus. Examples of environmental factors: Roadconditions/constructions Traffic Unfamiliar routes Loud music Doing other things while driving

Some drivers mimic the same traits of family members. For example, a father is a lead foot, or has erratic driving practices, speeds in and out of slow traffic, and drives unsafely. His son grows up and takes after his father and also drives unsafely, thinking it is okay because "dad does it." Some parents pass on emotional disorders that affect their child's driving abilities.

Some drivers enter the roadway thinking that they are "the best driver on the road." This overconfidence can lead to rising tempers and is better left behind. People who are egotistical feel like they own the road and do not consider the rights of other drivers. The heart of egotism is disrespect for other drivers on the road. Drivers who are egotistic tend to engage in speeding, risk taking, unsafe rapid starts and aggressive behavior. Egotistical drivers do not make room for merging vehicles do not yield the right- of-way, do not let other drivers pass, follow emergency vehicles too closely or failing to yield to them, and cut off other drivers by merging too quickly or too slowly.

Not paying attention to the driving task and the environment around you and your vehicle will cause an accident. If you are distracted by psychological or situational factors, even for just a split second, you will not be able to react to hazards as quickly and it could result in a serious accident. Use all of your proper driving practices. Look ahead and down the roadway. Keep focused on the driving task.

Exhibition of speed is illegal. Never race cars from a stop or exhibit irrational driving behavior. Do not try to show off your vehicle by racing, "peeling out," over-steering, speeding, etc. Driving behavior such as these create an unsafe driving environment for others on the road. It also violates the rules and regulations of the road.

In 2007, the California Department of Motor Vehicles put into effect increased penalties for street racers. Confinement in state prison or county jail for not less than 30 days nor more than 6 months. Or by a fine of not less than $220.00 (reckless driving) or $500 (speed contest) but not more than $1000.