Understanding the Road Conditions, Protecting Yourself and Your Passengers, and Know How to Handle Emergencies Flashcards
When driving at night
Make sure you can stop in the distance lit by your headlights and use your high beam headlights when possible do not use high beam headlights in areas where they are illegal
Dim your lights to avoid
Blinding the driver of an oncoming vehicle with your high-beam headlights
If another vehicle’s lights are too bright
1) Do not look directly into the oncoming headlights
2) Look toward the right edge of your lane
3) Watch the oncoming vehicle out of the corner of the eye
4) Do not react to the other driver by keeping your high beam headlights on and making it harder to see
When it is raining at night
Use your low-beam headlights, and do not drive using only your parking lights
When you drive at night, remember:
1) Pedestrians and bicyclists are much harder to see at night, and stay alert
2) Motorcycles are also harder to see at night
3) Highway construction can take place at night and reduce your speed
4) When you leave a brightly lit place, drive slowly until your eyes adjust to the darkness
5) When a vehicle with one light drives toward you, drive as far to the right as possible
Sun Glare
1) Keep the inside and outside of your windshield clean
2) Make sure your windshield wipers are in good working order
3) Maintain enough space between your vehicle and the vehicles around you
4) Try to avoid driving during sunrise and sunset
Rain and snow can make the roads slippery
Your tires will not have the grip they need and drive more slowly than you would on a dry road
Adjust your speed for different conditions:
1) Wet road: go 5 to 10 mph slower
2) Packed snow: Reduce your speed by half
3) Ice: Slow to a crawl
Shade from trees or buildings can hide icy spots on cold, wet days, and these area
Freeze first and dry out last
Bridges and overpasses tend to
Freeze before the rest of the road, and they can hide icy spot
If it starts to rain on a hot day, the pavement can be
Very slippery for the first several minutes
Slow down at the first sign of
Rain, drizzle, or snow on the road, and turn on windshield wipers, low-income headlight, and defroster
In heavy rainstorm or snowstorm
You may not be able to see more than 100 feet in front of your vehicle
If you cannot see farther than 100 feet
It is not safe to drive faster than 30 mph
You may have to stop from time to time
To wipe mud or snow off your windshield, headlights, and taillights
Slow down when there is
A lot of water on the road
If you drive faster than 50 mph in heavy rain
Your tires can lose all contact with the road, and your vehicle will be riding on the water, called “hydroplaning.”
If your vehicle starts to hydroplane
Slow down gradually and do not use the brakes
Excessive water on the road may cause flooding
This can happen gradually or suddenly
It is essential to understand the dangers of water on the road, including:
1) Being swept off the road
2) Floating debris and unseen hazards
3) The road collapsing
4) Vehicle malfunction, for example, brake failure
If you have no other option but to drive through the flooded road
Drive slowly
When driving in high winds:
1) Reduce your speed
2) Maintain a firm hand position on the steering wheel
3) Be alert
4) Do not use cruise control
5) Be proactive
If you must drive in heavy fog or smoke
1) Drive slowly
2) Use your low-beam headlights
3) Never drive using only parking or fog lights
4) Increase your following distance
5) Avoid crossing lanes or passing traffic unless necessary
6) Listen for traffic you cannot see
If the fog becomes too thick to drive safely
Consider pulling off the road, activate your emergency flashers, and wait for conditions to improve
You never know what is on the other side of a steep hill or a sharp curve
Slow down so you can stop for hazards if you need to
If your view is blocked
Assume there is a vehicle on the other side and only pass the vehicle in front of you
If the hill or curve is at least one-third of a mile away
You need at least that much room to pass safely
To avoid tailgating
Following the vehicle in front of you too closely
Avoid unnecessary lane changes
Weaving in and out of freeway lanes
Law enforcement uses traffic breaks to:
1) Slow or stop traffic from removing hazards from the road
2) Respond to emergencies
3) Prevent collision in heavy fog or unusually heavy traffic
To be helpful for traffic breaks:
1) Turn on the emergency flasher to warn other drivers
2) Slowly decrease your speed to the same speed as the officer. Do not brake suddenly unless necessary to avoid a collision, and keep a safe distance from the patrol vehicle ahead of you
3) Do not try to drive past the patrol vehicle. Do not speed up until the officer turns off their emergency lights and traffic conditions allow you to return to average speed
You and your passengers must wear seat belts
You can get a ticket if you do not
Wearing the lap belt and shoulder harness of a seat belt will increase
Your chance of survival in most types of collision
Seatbelts and shoulder harnesses keep you in a better condition to
Control the vehicles and may also minimize serious injuries
It is essential to wear the seat belt correctly:
1) Wear the shoulder harness across your shoulder and chest, and do not wear the shoulder harness under your arm or behind your back
2) Wearing the harness the wrong way could cause serious internal injuries in a collision
3) Adjust the lap belt so that it is snug and lies low across the hips, and it might slide out of the belt in a crash could result in injury or death
4) If you are pregnant, wear the lap belt as low as possible under your abdomen and place the shoulder strap between your breasts and to the side of your abdomen’s bulge
Children under two years old
Secured in a rear-facing child passenger restraining system, and this applies unless the child weighs 40 pounds or more and is 3 feet 4 inches or taller
Children under eight years old or who are less than 4 feet 9 inches tall
Secured in federally approved child passenger restraining system in the rear seat
All rear seats are already occupied by
Children 7 years old or younger
Medical reasons prevent the child from
Riding in the back seat
Children who are eight years old or older or who are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall
May use an adequately secured, safely belt that meets the federal standard
Airbags are a valuable safely feature on many vehicles
They can help keep you safer than a seat belt alone
Ride at least 10 inches from the airbag cover
As long as you can maintain complete control of the vehicle
Contact your vehicle dealer or manufacturer
If you cannot safely sit 10 inches away from the airbag
Passengers should also sit at least 10 inches away from the
Passenger-side airbag
It is illegal to leave a child who is 6 years old or younger unattended in a vehicle
A child may be left under the supervision of a person who is at least 12 years old
It is dangerous and illegal to leave children or animals in a
Hot vehicle
This is true even if a window is left slightly open
Too much exposure to heat can lead to dehydration, heat stroke, and death
Basic Speed Law in California is:
Never drive faster than is safe for the current road conditions
Regardless of the posted speed limit, the speed should depend on:
1) The number of vehicles on the road
2) The speed of other vehicles on the road
3) The road surface
4) Bicyclists or pedestrians on or crossing the road
5) Weather
If one danger is greater than the other
Give more space to the most dangerous situation
Instead of driving between the vehicle and the bicyclist
Take one danger at a time and slow down and let the oncoming vehicle pass
When the vehicle has passed
Move to the left to allow plenty of space (at least 3 feet) to pass the bicyclist
If there is a steady flow of oncoming vehicles
Use as much of the left lane as you safely can to pass the bicyclist
Ice and packed snow on the road can cause your vehicle to
Skid and even more likely if driving too fast or going downhill
To prevent skidding on slippery surfaces
1) Drive slowly
2) Slow down as you approach curves and intersections
3) Avoid fast turns
4) Avoid quick stop
5) Leave enough space between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you
6) Shift to a low gear before going down a steep hill
7) Avoid areas like ice patches, wet leaves, oil, or deep puddles
If you do start to skid
1) Slowly remove your foot from the gas pedal/accelerator
2) Do not use the brakes
3) Turn the steering wheel in the direction of the skid
If you are skidding on a slippery surface and cannot control your vehicle
1) Find a way to stop the skid
2) Try to get a wheel on dry pavement or on the shoulder of the road
If your brake, get wet
1) Can dry them by lightly pressing the gas pedal/accelerator
2) Brake pedals at the same time
3) Only do this until the brakes dry
A locked wheel skid is usually caused by
Braking too hard when you are going too fast
To get out of the locked wheel skid
1) Remove your foot from the brake to unlock the wheels
2) Straighten the front wheels as the vehicle begins to straighten out
If your vehicle is not equipped with an anti-lock braking system (ABS)
Step on the brake gradually until you are at a safe speed
If you press the brake pedal and it sinks to the floor
Quickly pump the brakes by gently applying and releasing pressure on your brake pedal
As you are pumping the brakes
Downshift your vehicle into a lower or neutral gear to slow down, then try using your emergency or parking brake to stop
Follow these steps if your wheels drift off the pavement
1) Grip the steering wheel firmly
2) Remove the foot from the gas pedal/accelerator
3) Brake gently
4) Check for traffic behind you
5) Carefully steer back onto the pavement
Do not pull or turn your steering wheel with too much force
This may cause you to drive into oncoming traffic
Follow these steps if your gas pedal/accelerator becomes stuck
1) Shift to neutral
2) Apply the brakes
3) Keep your eyes on the road
4) Look for a way out of traffic
5) Honk your horn and turn the emergency flasher
6) Try to drive the car safely off the road
7) Stop and turn off the ignition
The most common causes of collisions are:
1) Drive distractions
2) Unsafe speed
3) Improper turns
4) Not following the right of way rules and stop signals and signs
5) Driving on the wrong side of the road
6) A vehicle traveling faster or slower than the flow of traffic
If you see a vehicle’s emergency flashers ahead
Slow down
There may be a collision or other road emergency
Pass carefully
Avoid driving near collisions
if possible
If you are in a collision
1) Failing to stop is called a “hit-and-run,” and punishment is severe if convicted it
2) Call 911 right away if anyone hurt
3) Move the vehicle out of traffic if no one is hurt, then call 911
4) Must make a report to law enforcement within 24 hr if anyone injured or killed
If you cannot find the owner after making a collision
1) Leave a note with your name, phone number, and address
2) Securely attach the note to the vehicle or property and report the collision to law enforcement
If you kill or injure an animal
Call the humane society or law enforcement and do not try to move an injured animal, and do not leave an injured animal to die
If you are in a collision, you must report it to DMV within ten days if
1) The collision caused more than $1000 in damage to property
2) Anyone was injured or killed and applied even if injuries were minor
You are your representative and must file a report on whether or not you caused the collision
This applies even if the collision happened on private property
Your driving privilege will be suspended for up to 4 years if you are in
Collision and do not have proper insurance coverage
If a vehicle stops working on the freeway
1) Safely pull over to the right shoulder
2) Exit on the right side so you are away from traffic if you must get out of the vehicle
3) Find assistance
4) Return the vehicle as soon as you can and get back to the right side, away from the traffic
5) Stay inside your vehicle with your seat belt on until help arrives
6) Use an emergency flasher at your discretion, and they can help other vehicles see at night and in different weather conditions
When there is a specific circumstance where it is safer to get out of your vehicle and stay away:
1) Not enough space on the shoulder
2) A guardrail
3) An area for you to safely stay away from the freeway lanes
If a vehicle stalls or stops working while it is blocking any part of a train track
Get out of the vehicle and notify law enforcement
If a train is approaching and warning lights are flashing:
1) Immediately exit your vehicle
2) Run at a 45-degrees angle away from the tracks toward the train
3) Call 911
4) You May only have 20 seconds to escape before the train gets there
If you do not see a train approaching and the warning lights are not flashing:
1) Exit the vehicle
2) Immediately dial the ENS number located on the railroad crossing posts or metal control box near the track
3) Provide the location crossing number (if posted) and road or highway that intersects the track
4) Call 911 at the end
Driving while using a handheld cell phone is
Unsafe and illegal
Drivers should only use a cell phone when necessary and in a hands-free mode when
You are in minor
To avoid distraction while using a cell phone when driving:
1) Do not answer your cell phone if it rings and let the call go to voicemail
2) Pull off the road if you must make a call
3) Have a passenger make the call if possible
4) Do not change the music on your cell phone
5) Only make calls to get help in an emergency
Do not use your cell phone
1) During hazardous conditions
2) To engage in distracting conversions
3) To text or email while driving unless using a speech-to-text feature
Leave the window partially open when you start the engine while driving
Never run the engine with your garage door closed
