Road

Time to time, half a million of Malaysians died because of road accidents and the highest cases of road accidents are caused by the drivers’ behaviour, equipment failure and the road conditions and infrastructure. Because of the road accidents many people have lose their family member or close friend. Besides, the road accidents also may effected to government when they have to repair for the broken infrastructure that caused by the accident like lamp stand, road divider, cleaning people blood from the road, and many more.

It also will give a traffic jam for a while to all drivers. According to Road Transport department research (2002)Accident casualty and deaths by vehicles for Malaysia 2000-2006, the number of road accidents increased to 400 cases and it decreased in 2006 that was only about 600 cases (21,600 cases) had been reported. The first thing that contributes to the reason for the road accidents that happen in Malaysia is the drivers’ behaviour. Humans are always do mistake and not careful. When a problem or unwanted thing happens, they tend to blame somebody or something else for what they have done.

Most people that get an accident believe the other party involved could have done something different to avoid the accident. According to The Royal Malaysian Police, PDRM (2006) report saying that 90% of accidents happen from this reason. Moreover they also mentioned that speeding also has caused quite a number of accidents. Actually, until recently many drivers, especially male driver took the chance of night time in driving in federation and state roads. PDRM, (2006) reported the faster speed of a vehicle, the greater the risk of an accident.

Speeding, even if the vehicle going five miles per hour over, in the wrong place at the wrong time, it can bring death to somebody. Speeding is also based on the traffic on an area, road conditions, weather and lighting. When driver speeding, they had to risk their lives when had to alert about what condition will they face. Despite all major highways have speed trap, it still cannot prevent drivers to speed and get into trouble, such an accident. In addition, careless driver are another drivers’ behaviour that caused the road accidents.

This factor is the highest factors that drivers get involved in road accidents. Some drivers not only speeding but also drive recklessly, breaking road rules, does not have their vehicle license and beating traffic lights. Moreover, drivers either man or women cannot prevent to be careless driver. The main cause that driver become un careful while driving on roads are talking on a cell phone, eating, falling asleep, tiredness, driving under the influence of alcohol and so on. Because of the small mistake can caused a big problem to others who using the road o involved in the accidents.

However, the most important cause of an accident is aggressive driver behaviour and selfish attitudes. From e-how, described, safe standards are manufactured for modern cars by engineer to minimize the effect of accident. The aggressive driver behaviour and selfish attitudes are the most impossible thing to change. The examples of aggressive driver behaviour and selfish attitudes are aggressive tailgating, failure to signal, and failure to use the right way side. Aggressive tailgating happen when you follow in front of other vehicle too close.

With two vehicle drive too close in high speed, there will be a huge accident if unexpected thing happen on the road, such as animal crossing the road and required front vehicle stop immediately or evade from being crush into the animal. Furthermore, failure to signal when taking left or right road at the corner of the road. When this happen, other vehicle does not know which way you want to go either left or right. Especially heavy vehicles, they do not see where you want to turn if you does not turn on the signal light from your vehicle.

There also a lot of problem happen if driver do not use the right way side, it will make other driver mad. When they angry, they will flash light at the back of your vehicle, because of you drive to slow also in wrong way side of the road. Other example is every festive season, like Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Aidilftri ,Deepavali, Christmas including New Years, Malaysians especially, always excited of going back to their village or better known as ‘balik kampung’. With the excited feeling of going back to their home towns, we can see many of them and their family trying their best to reach home quickly as they can.

Thus they will become selfish and does not care about their safety. Some of them will take express bus to arrive at their home to avoid driving a car at night. But they will be unlucky if they get selfish and careless driver bus attitudes that always take the wrong side of the road which should not used by heavy vehicle just want to reach the destination early. The most the endanger transportation is heavy vehicle like bus and lorry because they are big and easy to smash small vehicle.

Other than that, many selfish motorcyclists who did not followed traffic rules and fastened safety helmets properly. Another factor that listed as one of the causes of road accident is equipment failure of a vehicle. From smartmotorist. com, it state that the most important types of equipment failure are loss of brkes, tire blow outs or tread separation, and suspension failure. Thus, with all exception of the recent rash of Firestone light-truck tire failures, calculated the totals that less than 5% of all motorvehicle accidents have reported equipment failure accounts.

All drivers should drive with perfect car condition. So, before drive any vehicle, they have to do some conformation. They need to check their vehicle to make sure if it safe to drive or not. As example, they must check the condition of water, brake, battery and lamp always be in good condition. There are some drivers that never take care of this problem. They feel it is a small matter to think about the problem and can do it later at any time. They do not care about the safety factor of their car.

Such as they do not change the worn out tires, when it was worn out, the vehicle absolutely cannot grasp tightly the road surface perfectly. So, it will be more dangerous if in rainy day situation, it because the stranglehold between tires and road surface will be more weak than sunny day condition. There are so clear that worn out tires can caused the accident easily. Besides, there are many people cannot accept a fact that almost nine million vehicle in this country involved in road accident because the using of illegal equipment which gain the worst level.

The amount of that vehicle is about 80 percent from the 11 million of the vehicle in our country. The president of Persatuan Pemilik kenderaan Bermotor Malaysia (MOVA), Ahmad Zaki Arifin said that more than half from the driver in our country face the risk to involved in accident and death about this behaviour. Although, the other reason that caused the accident is the road conditions and infrastructure. Usually, the road will become danger in rainy day. It will make the road become more slippery for the vehicle to handle.

In addition, many potholes could endanger motorist (Road Transport Department, 2002). It because, deep hole can make motorist cannot control their vehicle and will cause the accident. It become worst if it involved with the motorcyclist. The un flat surface of road also can make a nightmare for road user. It because, the road user cannot see the hole while driving. Most accidents that involved pothole problem happen during night time, because at that time many driver could not recognize the hole when they driving.

Other than that, insufficient and improper of street light, also caused the accident. Usually, The street lights are hard to find in village area. So, the authorities should take care the village area too. In some place, the street light cannot be used by people because the street light is already broken and not repaired by authorities. In other case, the insufficient of traffic light also lead us to road accident, interstate highways remain safest road because their flow of traffic is in one direction and complete with traffic light.

Many case of accident caused by insufficient of traffic light such as there are no traffic light at one road that always full with vehicle and the effect is it will produce a huge traffic jam. It will become worst when some drivers do not think about other road user and drive in high speed when taking a corner or change to the other side of road. However, roadway identifications sign also play the role to make the road safe for road user. It useful to inform road user to locate and know the road condition, such as the location of landslide, school location, hospital and many more.

If the driver was informed properly the accident will not happen easily. It is possible that motorcyclist also need specific lane for them. They should be separate from other ‘big’ user like car, lorry, bus and other type of transport that bigger than motorcycle. It will make them more safe and secure from unwanted accident. In conclusion, driver behaviour and the equipment failure of a vehicle, as well as the road conditions and infrastructure seem to be causes of road accidents in Malaysia.

To reduce the total amount of road accident, first thing that should we do are change our attitude. In addition, we also need to be alert about our vehicle condition and always check them. The rate of road accident in our country today has become a nightmare for all of us. So, the authorities may need to do a drastic step to overcome this worst problem. They need to use their power to serve the best road conditions and infrastructure for us. We need to realize that our live is most valuable thing. ‘Drive safety and safe our soul’.

Why walk walking as a perfect form of exercise. There are definite benefits of walking to both your physical and mental wellness. the original zero-emission transport We all know the environment could do with a helping hand, and by swapping your car for your feet you’ll be doing just that. Walking, as well as being one of the cheapest ways of getting around, is also the smartest for our planet. You won’t leave a carbon footprint, just your own. did you know? If we all swapped one car journey a week for walking instead, car traffic levels would reduce by at least 10%;

We all know we need to reduce our CO2 emissions. By changing some of our travel behaviour, we all have the power to contribute and act on climate change; Local shops are easy to reach on foot and using them helps to support local business and save food miles; Less busy roads will give us safer and quieter streets – who knows, we may even see more children playing outside just like we used to. It’s free! There’s no special skill, training, or equipment needed – all you need is the right footwear Walking is free. Walking doesn’t involve bulky and expensive vehicles or dangerous fuel.

Walking doesn’t produce excess carbon dioxide or fumes or cause noise pollution Walking is a more efficient use of space: 20 times as many people can move in the same space by walking as in a car Walking and public transport are perfect partners. If we all swapped one car journey a week for walking instead, car traffic levels would reduce by at least 10%. If every car driver in the UK left their car at home once a month and walked for 20 minutes instead, we could save up to 320,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, the same amount produced by 50,000 homes.

Car users regularly suffer up to three times as much pollution as pedestrians because they are sitting in traffic in the line of exhaust fumes from the car in front. Walking also has indirect environmental benefits. The more we walk, the more we take an interest in our surroundings. The more people use parks, green spaces, attractive urban public spaces and the countryside, the more likely it is that money will be spent to preserve, maintain and improve them. Walking helps create better and more prosperous places to live People on foot are likely to spend more at local shops and businesses.

More people out walking on the streets helps deter crime and makes places feel safer. Before industrialisation took place there were some alternatives such as riding animals, horse drawn carriages and water transport, but walking must have been by far the most substantial transport mode. The Roman roads of 2000 years ago were predominantly used by pedestrians. Conflicts between pedestrians and wheeled traffic did occur, however, especially in urban areas. For example Hass-Klau (1990) mentions that Julius Caesar banned chariots from the streets in Rome between sunrise and sunset to offer space to the pedestrian.

Since the nineteenth century the development of railway and highway systems have led to dramatic changes in travel behaviour towards motorised transport modes. In addition, the bicycle became available as a possible substitute for the pedestrian. Why Not Walk? We’re all good at thinking of reasons why not to get more active, but there are many more reasons why we should. Regular walking improves your general health and reduces your risk of heart disease, some cancers, and Type 2 diabetes. It’s also a great way to lose weight, improve your fitness and your mental health and wellbeing.

Read more about the benefits of walking. For those who still aren’t convinced, here are some answers to the most common excuses! “I don’t have the time. ” Walking is by far the easiest exercise to fit into a busy lifestyle since you can do it anywhere at a time that suits you. Every minute you spend walking is quality time, rather than sweating on a packed bus or train or fuming in a traffic jam. You’ll still have to make a little effort to find time, but remember active people live longer and have a healthier old age – so think of your walking time as a good investment. “I don’t know any good places to walk. Sometimes main roads don’t feel pleasant and safe for walkers. But there are plenty of quieter streets, parks, watersides and green spaces even in busy urban areas if you know where to look for them. Read more about finding good places to walk and free walking routes for beginners. “I don’t feel safe on the streets. ” It’s understandable that people are concerned for their personal safety and security – but it’s a great shame if this stops you enjoying the benefits of walking. If you can, walk with a companion, or read our advice on staying safe. Also, the more people walk, the safer the streets will be. I don’t have anyone to walk with. ” Why not ask your family, friends and colleagues if they’re interested in walking with you? Or try an organised programme or led walk. Read more about walking in a group. Where people walk Walking is a common movement in urban transport, as nearly everyone is a pedestrian for part of their trips, but walking as a means of transport is often overlooked walking should not be neglected in these countries as it also is important in connection with other modes. for example, walking from the parking place to the final destination; biking to the railway station, etc.

When you become a driver you are part of the “system”. This “system” is the Highway Transportation System (HTS) 3 parts to the HTS: 1- People 2- Vehicles – all types 3- Roadways The goal of the HTS is to move people and cargo from one place to another in a safe, efficient, and economical manner. How is the HTS regulated? By local, state, and federal government agencies. The federal government established the National Highway Safety Act. All agencies enforce the following guidelines set forth in this act. 1- Vehicle code – the laws that have been passed – Assure that these laws are obeyed 3- Motor vehicle departments set the rules to assure that driver and vehicle standards are met 4- Rules for the courts to go by for guilty or innocent 5- Engineers plan, build, and maintain roadways The driving task This involves all of the social, physical and mental skills required to drive. You MUST develop habits to perform these tasks with low-risks results. Habits you MUST develop: 1- Using knowledge and visual skills 2- Obey all traffic laws 3- Judging time and space – Anticipating how your car will react under normal and emergency situations SOCIAL SKILLS – You must be able to drive while interacting with other people – Courtesy and cooperation make low-risk driving possible PHYSICAL SKILLS You need to practice and develop the skills needed to drive, until they become a habit. MENTAL SKILLS Decision-making is a mental skill you need to develop in order to be a safe, low-risk driver. Developing the IPDE System into your driving. I – identify important information in the oncoming scene. P – predict when and where possible points of conflict will develop.

https://phdessay.com/compare-contrast-driving-winter-driving-summer/

D – decide when, where, and how to communicate, adjust speed, and/or change position to avoid conflict. E – execute the right action to prevent conflict. There are two other systems that can help you in the IPDE system: 1- The Smith System – helps develop seeing habits 2- The Zone Control System – helps you manage the space around your car. You need to develop the system approach to become a defensive driver. This will help you lower your risks and keep you and others from dangerous situations. Your Driving Responsibilities DRIVING IS A PRIVILEGE – NOT A RIGHT

The privilege is based on the assumption that you will be a responsible traffic citizen and obey the traffic laws. ATTITUDE Your attitude toward driving as well as life affects your willingness to develop the habits needed to be a safe driver. ROAD RAGE What is it and what causes it?? Breakdowns in the HTS. These occur when any part of the HTS does not work well. Collision – occurs when a vehicle has a problem and hits another object. Which is more correct? Collision or Accident? An accident is something that happens by chance… a collision is something that has a predictable cause. The most common cause for a collision is…

DRIVER ERROR (P. 9) Causes of deaths: A major cause of vehicle deaths is… LACK OF EXPERENCE Social and Economical Loss Collisions cause social and economical loss by: – property damages (p10) – time away from work or school – medical fees – insurance premiums Your financial responsibilities. – vehicle related costs: fuel, maintaince, and insurance. – Any damage that you cause while driving. Your environmental responsibilities. – air and water pollution – chemical spills – land pollution What you need to do: 1- maintain your vehicle – buy fuel efficient vehicles 3- use fuel efficient driving practices 4- recycle materials you can 5- car pool or use public transportation when you can 6- work with the government to encourage use of energy-efficient driving DRIVERS LICENSE Most of the time young make mistakes from inexperience. 41% of young people killed in collisions died in single car collisions. GETTING YOUR LICENSE IN SC The Graduated Licensing System 1- Permit – can drive with an adult licensed driver – must have permit for 6 months (180 days) must log at least 40 hours of driving at night 2- Intermediate (restricted) – must have had a permit for 180 days and completed a driver’s education course – can drive from dawn ‘til dusk by yourself – drive at night with a licensed adult – limited number of passengers – must not get into a collision or have any violation for 180 days. Violators turn the clock back to zero. – Repeated violations could land you in traffic school. 3- Full License – unrestricted driving – as related to time of day you can drive alone.

Organ Donor Program You may indicate on your license that you wish to be an organ donor. IMPLIED CONSENT PROGRAM (LAW) When you sign your license in SC you give an officer the right to test your blood alcohol content (BAC). If you refuse the test you will lose your driving privilege. WHY DO YOU TAKE A DRIVER’S EDUCATION COURSE??? Chapter 2 Signs, Signals, and Roadway Markings Traffic Signs There are three types 1- Regulatory – control traffic flow 2- Warning – alerts of a possible hazard or road condition 3- Guide – give direction Stop Signs This is the only red, octagon sign we have.

You must come to a COMPLETE(full) stop at this sign. Four-way stops – rules you need to follow 1- The first one stopped gets to go first 2- If 2 cars get there at the same time, the car on the right gets to go first 3- If 2 cars get there together and are across from each other, the car traveling straight goes first 4- If 3 or 4 cars get there together, one needs to enter the intersection to show intent, but with caution 5- ALWAYS CHECK THE INTERSECTION BEFORE ENTERING IT Yield Signs This is the upside down triangle – red and white

You must allow others in the intersection or approaching the intersection to go first before you. This is called giving the right of way. Right of way is given, not taken. p. 2 Speed Limit Signs These are white, mostly rectangles, with black writing. They indicate what the safest maximum speed for that roadway in IDEAL conditions. Basic Speed Laws state that when conditions are not IDEAL you must not travel faster than what is safe for the conditions. Advisory Speed Limits are set for certain sections of the roadway. Once you have cleared that section you may resume the posted speed limit.

Warning Signs These are yellow signs that warn you of upcoming conditions in the roadway. Most are diamond shaped with black symbols. School Signs indicate where school zones and crossings are. They are shaped like a house (pentagon). No Passing Signs are placed before where the roadway begins to narrow. Construction Signs indicate where construction zones are. They are orange signs with black symbols and letters. Railroad Signs – There are two types of railroad signs; a yellow circle with a black “X” and two “R”s also black and a white cross with black railroad crossing letters.

The yellow sign indicates you are approaching a railroad crossing and the white “X” indicates where the railroad tracks begin. p. 3 Guide Signs These signs mark routes, intersections, service areas, and other points of interest. Route signs are local, state, U. S. and interstate markers. US = white shield on a black sign with black #s State = white square with black #s and letters Interstate = red and blue shield with white letters and #s Even #s = east and west Odd #s = north and south 3 numbered route that begins with an odd # goes into a city 3 numbered route that begins with an even # goes round a city (beltway) Other guide signs are: Green = give information on destinations and distances Blue = roadway service information (hospital “H”) Brown = recreation areas and points of interest TRAFFIC SIGNALS Include traffic lights, arrows, flashing signals, lane signals, and pedestrian signals. Traffic lights are red, green, and yellow. Red = stop Green = proceed through the intersection if it is clear to do so. Yellow = slow and stop if you can do so safely. Right turn on red and left turn on red. When can you do it. p. 4 Flashing signals: Red – treat it as a stop sign

Yellow – treat it as a yield sign Arrows tell you the direction in which your lane must travel. Green = proceed if it is clear to do so Yellow = yield and stop if possible Red = Stop only in that direction Lane Signals – these lights will switch the direction of traffic in a certain lane to control the need for traffic flow. Pedestrian Signals – allow walkers to cross at an intersection safely. “walk” “don’t walk” When a police officer is standing in the intersection, their directions overrule any signal. Roadway markings These are yellow or white lines as well as arrows, stop lines and crossings.

Broken Yellow Line = separates two-way traffic and you may pass when it is clear to do so. Solid Yellow Lines = separate two-way traffic and you are not allowed to pass. Shared Turn Lanes = you may enter and wait until it is clear before you turn left across traffic. Broken White Line = separates traffic traveling the same direction. You may pass if it is clear to do so. Solid White Line = indicates the right side of the road and should not be crossed. White Arrows = indicate which direction you are allowed to travel in that particular lane. Rumble Strips — Lane Reflectors – Yellow Curb Markings Chapter 3 Basic Vehicle Controls

INSTRUMENT PANEL Speedometer – tells you how fast you are going Tachometer – tells you how many revolutions your engine makes in one minute Odometer – tells you how far your car has traveled in its lifetime Fuel Gauge – tells you how much gas is in your gas tank Temperature gauge or light – warns you when the coolant in your engine is too hot Oil pressure warning light or gauge – warns you when the oil is not circulating at the proper pressure Alternator warning light or gauge – tells you there is a problem with your electrical system, the alternator is not generating enough electricity to keep the engine running

Brake system warning light – tells you 1st that your parking brake is engaged and 2nd that there is a problem in your braking system Antilock braking system light – tells you that your ABS is working properly Safety belt light – reminds you to fasten your safety belt Air bag warning light – tells you that your air bags are working properly Turn signal indicators – tells you which direction that you have indicated you are going to turn. Most are small green arrows. High beam indicator – tells you that your high beam head lights are on, blue light. VEHICLE CONTROLS Steering wheel – controls the direction of the front wheels.

Turn right to go right and turn left to go left. Steering wheel adjustment lever – can tilt the wheel up and down Selector lever – lets you put the car in a gear. Either on the steering column or in the center console. Gear shift lever – lets you put a manual transmission car into a gear. Ignition Starter switch – you start the engine by putting the key into the ignition switch. Page 42 – picture or positions Cruise control – lets you set and maintain a certain speed. Parking brake – keeps the car in place when it is parked. Locations? Clutch pedal – is in a manual transmission car, is located to the left of the foot brake and s pushed down (in) to change gears. Foot brake pedal – push the pedal down to slow and stop the car. Also makes the brake light on the back of your car light up. Accelerator pedal – Located to the right of the brake pedal, push it down to get the car to go faster, release the pedal to get the car to slow down. SAFETY, COMMUNICATION & COMFORT DEVICES Safety belts – always wear you seat belt when your car is in motion. It will help protect you from injury in a collision. Head restraints – padded devices that help prevent head injuries in collisions. Inside and outside rearview mirrors – these mirrors help you see what is behind your car ithout turning around and looking. Blind spots are the areas that your mirrors do not show you. Horn – located on the steering wheel. Hazard flasher control – located on the steering wheel or control panel. Turns on both sets of turn signals when engaged. Windshield wipers and washers – one switch for both usually, it turns on your wipers and squirts water onto your windshield to clean off the dirt. Light switch – controls the headlights, taillights, side marker lights, instrument panel, license plate and dome light. Hood release lever – located on the left side under the instrument panel, pull to release he hood, then go out and open by releasing the front latch. Heater, air conditioner, and defroster – heating and air conditioner warm and cool the car passenger area and the defroster keeps the windows clear of moisture. Sun visors – located above the windshield, pull down to block the sun. Seat adjustment lever – usually at eh lower front or left side of the seat. GETTING READY TO DRIVE Outside Checks 1- Walk around the car looking for obstructions and spills. 2- Glance at the tires. 3- Where are the front wheels pointed. 4- Make sure that the windows are clean and clear. Lights also. – Check back window ledge for sight obstructions. 6- Look inside for any unwanted passengers. Getting into the car 1- Have your keys ready, especially if you enter from the road side. 2- Walk around the front of your car and back to the door facing traffic. 3- Get in quickly, lock the doors and put the key in the ignation. Inside Checks 1- Lock the doors 2- Adjust your seat and steering wheel so that you are about 10 inches from the wheel 3- Your hands should be able to reach the steering wheel with your elbows slightly bent and you should be able to reach the pedals with your knees slightly bent. – Your head restraint should be adjusted to hit the middle of your head. 5- Adjust your rear view mirror and side mirrors 6- Fasten seat belts. DRIVING AN AUTOMATIC VEHICLE Gear selector lever positions: P = park – transmission is locked in this position. R = reverse – used for backing up (backup lights) N = neutral – allows the wheels to roll without engine power D = drive – moves your car forward (overdrive) Low (L1, L2 or 1,2) = allow you to put more power to the wheels at lower speeds Starting the Engine 1- make sure that the parking brake is set 2- gear selector is in park – don’t press the accelerator (fuel injection) 4- Turn the key to ON and then START. Release the key when the engine starts 5- Check your gauges, lights and fuel level CHAPTER 4 Managing Risks with the IPDE Process The IPDE Process Every driver uses some kind of process to help them drive. Those who don’t, have a higher risk of collisions. The IPDE process helps reduce these risks. Risk can cause collisions. Factors that contribute to this risk are the driver, the vehicle, the roadway and the environment. Driver-contributed factors: – adjusting the radio – being angry or upset – blurred vision grooming – driving while drinking – cell phones If you are doing one or more of these and the driver you meet is doing one or more of these then you are increasing your risk. You can control what you do but you can’t be sure about what the other driver is doing. Vehicle-contributed factors: – bald tires – bad brakes – dirty windshield – broken or burnt out headlights – worn out wiper blades Roadway and environment-contributed factors: – bright sun – construction – dark shadows – snow or ice – sharp curves

Good drivers make an effort to lower these risks if at all possible. Taking care of your vehicle and practicing a process, such as the IPDE, you can lessen your risks while you drive. The IPDE process depends of your ability to see and analyze traffic situations correctly. The driving task is mostly a thinking task. When you are not thinking about your task of driving you increase your risk of a collision. By using the IPDE process you can develop the habits that allow you to drive more effectively while thinking of other things. The four parts of the IPDE, identify, predict, decide and execute.

The IPDE process can be enhanced with the aid of The Smith System: – Aim High – Get the big picture – Keep your eyes moving – Leave yourself a way out – Make sure they can see you As well as the Zone Control System: – See a zone change – Check other zones – Create time and space by getting the best speed control, lane position, and communication Identify – you must know when to look, where to look, how to look and what to look for. The sooner you can learn to identify the correct things the more time you will have to react.

The Zone Control System aids you in this. You have six zones around your car, each zone is about the width of a lane and extend as far as the driver can see. (pic. 65) An open zone is a space you can drive without a restriction to your line of sight or your intended path of travel. Your target area is the section of the road that is the center of your intended path. Far out there, up the road. A closed zone would be an area that your car can not go into without conflict. Book example is a red traffic light. You have to react to the light. The sooner you identify the closed zones the more time you have to respond.

You should develop searching habits in three ranges: 1- your target area range – as far as you can see 2- 12-15 second range – 12 to 15 sec. in front of you 3- 4-6 second range – where your car will be in 4-6 seconds How to develop an Orderly Visual Search Pattern: steps on page 67 Your Field of Vision affects how you search. Most people have a field of vision which covers about 90 degrees to each side or 180 degrees total. Central Vision is what you are focusing on, it’s about 10 degrees. Peripheral Vision is the rest of your field of vision that is not in focus.

When you are scanning the scene you need to Aim High in Steering. This means to look down the road, into your target area, and not just in front of your car. You also need to keep your eyes moving, this helps you scan the scene. If you put all of these scanning methods together you will Get the Big Picture. What do you need to look for? Look for open zones – you want to look for things that could cause the open zone to close. Look for other users – look for anyone who could affect your path of travel. Ground viewing – look at the vehicle approaching for clues that they will come into your path.

Look for roadway features and conditions – intersections, hills, curves, width of the road (multilane to single lane, change in width of lane, surface & hazards) Look for traffic controls – know where controls are located at different times and places. Predict – once you have identified, you need to predict how the hazard might affect your path of travel. How you go through the predicting process will help determine how the hazard may affect you. Learning how to look at a situation is important. You must identify all possible hazards to determine what each one may do. Knowledge of driving laws and this class will help you predict.

You know what the driver is supposed to do and how they are supposed to react to certain traffic situations. You must however make yourself prepare ahead of time for situations that could occur. Play the head games at times. The main thing that makes you a better predictor is EXPERENCE. You can’t get it if you don’t experience it. The two things that you must be able to predict are the actions of other vehicle users and the way your car is going to react in situations. When predicting the actions of others you need to look at their path of travel, the actions they may make, do I have an open zone? , and where might the point of conflict be?

Predicting the reactions of your vehicle is the easiest of this process. You should know what condition your car is in, how are the tires, how soon can I stop, etc. Decide – Once you have identified and predicted what may happen, you now need to decide what you need to do. Maintain, swerve, brake, speed up, or just communicate with my lights or horn. You may decide to change your speed. You can avoid conflicts by maintaining, slowing down, or speeding up. To make a change in direction you need to look at your zones. Try to leave yourself a way out or cushion so you are able to move into that area without conflict.

You may also avoid conflict by changing you position in your lane. You may need to be centered, slightly left or slightly right in your lane. If you decide that all you need to do is communicate with the other driver you may do this by your lights, horn, car position or eye contact. You want to try to minimize your number of hazards by separating the hazards. Sometimes you are going to have to pick the hazard that will possibly do the least amount of damage. This is compromising space. Give way to the big truck swerving into your lane. Execute- Once you make your decision you need to execute it. Remember, DON”T second guess yourself.

The three areas that you have execution control over are speed control, steering, and communication. The hardest thing when driving is how so I handle multiple conflicts that occur? Being able to use the IPDE process effectively takes practice and time. You are not as good at using it today as you will be next week. You will learn how to use the IPDE process selectively. This means that you start one process and something else will come up that makes you begin the process all over again. Remember this: You used the IPDE Process getting to this class today and you will use it again going to every class you take today.

Chapter 5 Natural Laws and Car Control In this chapter you will learn about gravity and energy of motion, friction and traction, stopping distance and controlling the force of impact. Gravity – Gravity is the force that pulls you to the earth. Going up and down hills in a car you can feel the pull of gravity. You need to be able to adjust your driving to accommodate for this pull. The point at which your car’s weight is evenly distributed is called the center of gravity. The lower the center of gravity, the better the handling of the car. Energy of Motion – Energy of motion is called kinetic energy.

What you must understand about this energy is the way it will affect your driving. The faster your vehicle is moving, the more energy you have, the heavier it weighs, the more energy of motion it has. Two important facts to know” 1- Your energy of motion doubles when the weight doubles 2- Your energy of motion increases by the square when your speed increases by a certain amount. ( speed doubles – energy quadruples) If your energy of motion increases your stopping distance will also go up that amount. Friction and Traction Friction is the force that keeps your tires from sliding on the road.

Traction makes it possible for your vehicle to grip the road for you to change speed and direction. The grooved surface of the tire is called the tread. This tread cuts through the water on the road allowing your tire to grip the road. As the amount of tread decreases, the amount of traction also decreases. If the tire tread gets worn almost completely off (bald tire) the possibility of a blowout becomes great. A blowout is when the tire loses all pressure at once. The way your tire is inflated also determines how much of the tire tread is touching the road. An under inflated tire causes the tread to gap in the middle.

An over inflated tire causes the tire tread to only touch in the middle (like a balloon) Things that could reduce the traction you have are: 1- bad tires 2- bad shocks 3- faulty steering system 4- road surfaces Checking for traction while you are driving can be done but must be done carefully. – check rear zone – brake gently for response – if you don’t slow down reduce speed Driving on curves can be very tricky. The energy of motion tries to keep your car in a straight line but the traction from the tires pulls you around the curve. Driving around curves: – Speed – reduce your speed to avoid skids 2- Sharpness – the sharper the curve the more traction you will need to go around it. 3- Banked – most curves are banked, this helps prevent your car from wanting to stay in a straight line. 4- Load – The heaver the load or weight of your vehicle the more friction it is going to take to get through the curve. Stopping Distance Total Stopping Distance – the distance your car travels while you are making a stop. Total stopping distance is made up of three parts: 1- perception distance 2- reaction distance 3- braking distance Look at the chart on page 98.

To estimate the distance you need to stop you can use the four second rule. – pick a spot in the road, a sign or driveway – When the car in front of you reaches that point begin counting, one-thousand one, one-thousand two… – If your car gets to that same point after you reach one-thousand four you have enough space to stop if you need to. Factors that affect you’re stopping distance: – Speed – the higher the speed the longer the distance – Car condition – worn out tires, etc need more distance – Surface – rain, snow, ice, dirt, leaves & gravel increase the distance Driver ability – if distracted or impaired you increase the distance – ABS – helps when stopping while turning – Hills – up or down hills shortens or lengthens the distance – Loads – the weight of your vehicle, heavier takes longer. Force of Impact The force at which a moving object hits another object is force of impact. Force of impact is determined by: 1- Speed 2- Weight 3- Distance between impact and stopping Safety Belts When you are in a collision, three collisions actually take place. First the car hits an object and stops.

Second, you hit the inside of the car or a restraining device (seat belt) Third, your body organs slam against your skeleton or each other. There are two types of restraining devices: 1- restraining devices – seat belts 2- passive restraining devices – air bags (automatic) Air Bags Air bags deploy automatically. They are there to protect your life. When an air bag deploys it comes out at a speed over 200 mph. Air bags are designed to work with the seat belts. Just relying on the air bag will not save your life. To avoid the air bag injuring your arms or shoulders you need to keep your hands about 9 and 3 or a little below.

You don’t want to sit too close to the air bag, @ 10 away is good. Tilt your steering wheel to deploy the bag at your chest and not your face. Of course, child seats need to be in the rear seat or facing away from the air bags. Some air bags now have a feature that senses the weight of the person in the seat and will deploy in two stages. Some vehicles have switches for you to turn the passenger air bag off. Other protective devices in vehicles today: n Automatic seat belts n Front and rear crush areas n Energy absorbing bumpers n Side door beams n Reinforced windshields Energy absorbing steering wheel and column n Padded dash n Child seats built in n Head restraints Chapter 6 Performing Basic Vehicle Maneuvers STEERING Straight forward: hands should be at a comfortable spot, look ahead and avoid looking at your feet and hands. You need to pay attention to what is approaching you. Try to avoid over or under-steering: over-steering is when you make too sharp of a turn and you weave from side to side; under-steering is when you don’t turn the wheel enough to keep it on its intended path. When you are trying to back a straight line (driving test skill) you need to: – keep the brake pressed and put the car in reverse 2- turn your body to the right, put your right arm over the back of the passenger seat and look out of the back window. 3- Place your left hand at 12 o’clock on the steering wheel 4- Release your pressure on the brake enough to get moving 5- Adjust your position by turning the wheel in the direction that you wish to go 6- Keep you foot over the brake (covering) and take quick glances to the front and sides checking for traffic. When you wish to stop keep looking out of the back window until you have come to a complete stop. SIGNALING

Make it a habit to signal your intent every time you plan to turn or stop. You must use your turn signals when you are making a left or right turn, changing lanes, & pulling over to the side of the road. Make sure that you know the hand signals for when you are driving. Left arm out and angled up = right turn Left arm out and pointing straight out = left turn Left arm out and angled down = braking You need to remember to signal early but not too early. CHANGING LANES You must be able to make the lane change smoothly and safely each and every time. Try to get the steering down. You don’t want to over or understeer. Steps for a lane change: – Check traffic in front and to the side in which you are going to move into 2- Signal your intent and check your blind spot 3- Increase your speed slightly as you steer into the next lane; if it is clear to do so 4- Cancel your signal, if it did not do so automatically, and adjust your speed and steering. MAKING TURNS AND TURNABOUTS Two methods for steering your car: 1- Hand over hand 2- Push – pull Left and Right Hand Turns You should make a turn only after you have checked traffic. 1- Look for pedestrians and oncoming vehicles; check your rear zone for cars getting ready to pass you. – Plan well in advance. Put yourself in the correct lane well before the turn. 3- Obey all traffic signals and controls plus roadway markings. When turning left you MUST yield to oncoming traffic. Procedures for turning: (page 114) 1- Get in the proper lane 2- Brake early and get to the proper speed 3- Do a visual search 4- Before the crosswalk you should be at about 10 mph 5- Turning right you need to check left then right and begin your turn when your front bumper reaches the curve of the curb line. 6- For a left turn check left then right and then left again.

Begin your turn when your front bumper gets to the center of the intersection. 7- As you begin your turn check your blind spot and turn into the first lane you come to. When you are backing to your left you want to look more over your left shoulder to where you are trying to back. If backing right you want to look over your right shoulder. You will use hand over hand steering and do the visual search before you begin the maneuver. Turnabouts Precautions when you are planning to do a turnabout: •Be sure that local laws permit it •Need at least 500 feet of visibility Don’t do on hills or curves or within 200 feet of an intersection •Should not be done where high-speed traffic or any traffic would be •Check all zones while doing the turnabout U-Turn Select your spot and signal right to move over and stop. When the way is clear, turn on your left signal and move into the lane Check your front and left rear zones and your blind spot. Turn the wheel hard left and move through the turn until you have completely turned around. Driveway turnabouts Backing into on the right Pull in on the left Pull in on the right Which of these is the safest? Three point turnabout (driving test skill)

Check your zones, signal right and pull to the curb (or side of road) and stop Signal left, turn the wheel hard left and pull across the road as far as you can Signal right, put the car in reverse, turn the wheel hard right and back as far as you need to back Signal left, put the car in Drive, turn the wheel hard right and pull forward finishing the turnabout. Parking When you are trying to park you need to have speed control, steering control and accurate judgment. Before parking you need to find a space big enough for your car to get into. Avoid end spaces or beside large trucks or poorly parked vehicles.

You need to learn some reference points for parking. You will be exposed to standard reference points, these are for a typical vehicle and driver, and you will learn your personal reference points, ones that you like to use. Angle parking: This parking is done diagonally to the curb. Mostly in shopping center parking lots. 1- Check for peds. Position your car about 6 feet from the parked cars. Signal right and begin braking. 2- Check your right blind spot and continue braking. 3- Move forward until you can see the middle of the space without obstructions. Turn your wheels hard right and ease into the space. – Straighten your wheels when you are in the center of the space and pull forward as far into the space as you can. Perpendicular parking: This parking is when your car is at a right angle to the curb. 1- Set up about 8 feet from the line of parked cars or as far over as you can. Signal right, check your blind spot, and begin braking. 2- Check traffic to the rear and continue braking. 3- Turn hard right when your front bumper passes the back bumper of the car to the left of the parking space. Slowly enter the space and check your rear right to make sure that you have missed the car. – Straighten the wheels when you are centered in the space and pull forward. Leaving both of these spaces (angle and perpendicular) 1- Ease straight back with your foot covering the brake. 2- When your front bumper is even with the rear bumper of the car to your left turn hard right. 3- Back into the nearest lane and straighten your wheels. Put the car in drive and pull away. Parallel parking (driving test skill) This is parking your car parallel to the curb. Select your space that is 5 – 6 feet longer than your car. 1- While approaching the space, signal right and brake.

Stop with your car 2-3 feet away from the car on the right and your back bumper even with the back bumper of the car to the right. Put the car into reverse and check traffic. Turn the wheel hard right and ease into the space. 2- When the back of your seat is even with the back bumper of the car to the right straighten the wheels. Ease straight back into the space. 3- When your front bumper is even with the rear bumper of the car to your right turn the wheels hard left. Ease back looking out of your rear window. 4- When your car is parallel to the curb straighten the wheels and stop.

Pull forward and center your car in the space. Put the car in park. My cues when we do this in the car: Wheels – hard right, straight, hard left Reference points – back bumpers even, rear of seat even with bumper, front bumper even with the rear bumper, don’t hit the barrier. Parking on hills: Up hill with a curb – turn the wheels left, ease back to touch the curb, engage parking brake, put car in park, turn the car off. Up hill without a curb, Downhill with or without a curb – turn the wheels to the right, ease until you touch the curb (if there is a curb), engage the parking brake, turn the car off.

Chapter 7 Negotiating Intersections Searching the Intersection When you are approaching any intersection there are things that you need to look for. The main cause of collisions in intersections is the driver’s failure to identity a safe path of travel. Clue you need to look for: Signs and lights Roadway markings Crossing traffic Park car on the cross street Turning traffic Rows of fences and mailboxes Traffic stopping Power lines Most intersections are + or X, but some are Y or T When you are approaching an intersection you need to check your front zones to make sure that your path of travel in open.

Look for anything that may cause your path to close and cause you to change your plans. The closer you get to the intersection the more you need to search your side zones for obstructions. Scan and focus on what may cause you a problem, don’t just keep your eyes in constant motion. Once you approach your point of no return you need to continue through the intersection but still scan your zones. Your point of no return is the point at which you can no longer make a safe stop outside of the intersection. Sometimes when you get close to the intersection your path of travel closes causing you to need to change lanes.

Do this at an intersection only if there is no other option. You are not allowed to legally change lanes within the intersection. If your decision at the intersection is to stop, for what ever reason, you now need to do the full 180 degree scan before you inter the intersection. Controlled Intersections A controlled intersection is one that has signs or lights that determine the right of way. With signs – The two signs that control an intersection are Stop and Yield. At a stop sign you MUST come to a complete stop and at a yield sign you need to slow down and give the right of way to any vehicle in the intersection.

At stop signs you need to begin your search of the intersection well back of the stop sign. As you approach you need to scan front, as well as 45 degrees to the right and left for anything that may interfere with your path of travel. Crossing Traffic with a blocked view• Search your front and rear zones, look for pedestrians and prepare to make your legal stop at the sign, ease up to the intersection and stop again, scan for obstructions and inter the intersection only when it is clear for you to go through the intersection without conflict. (7 sec gap) Joining traffic – right turns Go through the same checks as above. When you get stopped at the sign and can’t see, ease up until you can without going into the intersection and stop again. Look for a gap of at least 7 seconds. When you have a clear path make your turn and accelerate keeping the car about 4 feet from the side of the road. Joining traffic – left turns • Do your scans as with the other approaches. Stop at the sign and pull forward and stop again before entering the intersection. When the way is clear (7 sec gap) move forward and recheck your zones. Accelerate into the proper lane and adjust your steering.

Light Controlled Intersections When you are approaching an intersection controlled by lights you need to use your IPDE process to determine what the intersection will be like when you reach it. How may the lights change your path of travel? Stale Green Light – this Is a light that has been green for a while, expect It to change Fresh Green Light – this is a light that has Just turned green, you may still not have a safe path of travel. Check your intended path for obstacles. Yellow Light – this is a light that is telling you that the intersection is closing to your traffic lane.

If you have reached the “point of no return” you have to determine whether to proceed through or try to stop, hat can influence this decision? Red Light – at this light you MUST stop. You need to check your rear zones as you apply the brakes. An unprotected left turn is a left turn done at an intersection that does not have a left turn green arrow. You MUST be sure that you can complete the turn before beginning it Protected Left Turns At these turns you will have three things apparent 1- Left turn light, this is an entire light sequence (R,Y,G) to guide you at your left turn. – Green arrow – appears with the normal light system, when the arrow goes off you simply do not have a protected left turn. 3- Delayed green light – at these lights you light is green and the opposing traffic light is still red. Turning on Red Light Right on red means that you are allowed to make a right hand turn at a red light AFTER you have made a complete stop and have scanned the intersection. When it is safe to proceed you can make the turn. Left on red is allowed in most states when you are turning left from a one-way street onto a on-way street going to your left.

Some states allow this if you are in a left turn only lane (two way traffic) and are turning onto a one way street. A controlled railroad crossing has lights and/or a stop arm. You must come to a complete stop and stay until the lights have stopped flashing and the arm has come up. DO NOT EVER go around the stop arm to cross. Uncontrolled Intersections An uncontrolled intersection is one in which there are no traffic controls. As you approach one of these intersections you MUST expect . NEVER assume that the other driver will give you the right of way. You must really use your IPDE process as you approach these intersections.

It is best to treat these intersections as yield signs. There are also uncontrolled railroad crossings. Simply slow down, scanning the tracks for trains and do not cross if you see or hear one coming. Determining Right of Way Right of way describes the privilege of having immediate use of a certain part of the roadway. Right of way is GIVEN not taken. You may have to YIELD and allows others to go first in order to be safe. Judging Gaps A gap is the distance between two vehicles. When you are at an intersection you have to make sure that you can successfully get through the intersection. Chapter8 Sharing The Roadway

With Motorcycles: About 2000 people a year are killed on motorcycles. The primary reason is there are so many body parts not protected when riding a motorcycle. You MUST use the IPDE process when motorcycles are around. They can hide in spots, they spend longer times in your blind spots and many cyclist take more chances that car drivers do. ‘••••• • ‘•••• • ••- ••• • ‘ ‘ -i -•• ‘• -‘- ;••; •;• Problem areas in which you need to really look for motorcyclist: a vehicle turning left in front of a motorcycle a vehicle turning right at an intersection or into a driveway a motorcycle turning left inblindspots a tailgating motorcyclist one passing you on the right or left – meeting an oncoming motorcycle When you are going to pass a motorcycle you need to stay well back to avoid shocking the cyclist, use the entire lane to make the pass and wait until you can see them in your rearview mirror to move back over. It is just like passing a vehicle. With Bicycles, Mopeds and Motor Scooters: Bicyclist need to remember that when they are on the road they have the responsibility to follow ALL of the traffic laws just as the other vehicles do. They need to wear a helmet, know the rules for riding on roads as well as idewalks, and wear light colored clothing (especially at night), keep from wearing headphones, and keep their bike in good condition. When you encounter a bike you need to increase your scanning to avoid serious conflict. If you pass a bike you need to follow the same rules as passing a car. Remember that some bicyclist do not have great control over their bike and may swerve or fall into your path. Mopeds and scooters create the same types of problems as bikes do. They are low powered and very small. They are hard to see and the people riding them may not be able to handle them properly.

People on mopeds and scooters do not have to have a drivers license but they do have to follow the , just as bicyclist and drivers do. Pedestrians Pedestrians are the most vulnerable users of the HTS. It is the drivers responsibility to protect the pedestrians. Children and old people are at most risk. Children do not know about consequences and old people may not hear or see well. When you drive in an area with pedestrians you need to heighten you IPDE usage. Look for pedestrians in areas where you expect to see them. Playgrounds, sidewalks, residential areas, parks, and parking lots.

Sharing the roadway with emergency vehicles is a common thing in populated areas. You should yield the right of way to the emergency vehicles when they are traveling with their light and/or sirens on. Simply move to the right side of the road if you can and or to the lane as far to the right as possible. If you have to you can stop but make sure that you are as little a hazard as possible. With Trucks: The type of truck you need to really worry about when driving are the big semis (18 wheelers, tractor trailer, transfer). The main reason is that they are sooo big and can do a whole lot of damage to your car in a very little amount of time.

These larger trucks make wide right turns. When you are near one and they put on their right turn signal you have to make sure that you are not to their right because the trailer of the truck will turn into your lane when they turn. You need to avoid following these trucks because they have big blind spots which make you hard to see. If you can not see their face in the mirror, they can not see your car. Use caution when passing a truck. Because their blind spots are larger you have to make sure that they see you during your pass as well as before your pass.

When you meet a large truck on a two lane roadway you need to prepare for the after wave when they go by. The air that they push to the right and left will make your car jump of vibrate. Also on wet roads the trucks will throw up water that will cover your windshield. Simply grasp the steering wheel tightly and steer through the problem. Chapter 9 Driving in Urban Traffic Adjusting to Urban Traffic Two of the main factors that make urban driving difficult: 1- Traffic is more dense – there are more cars, buses, trucks and pedestrians per mile than on rural roads – City hazards are closer to you – more things are closer to your car than in the country. Mile per mile, city roads have the highest number and variety of hazards. It takes time to do the IPDE process and in cities you don’t have as much time to process the information as in the country. When you are on urban streets you have to pay attention and try to identify hazards as early as possible. Following Traffic on City Streets Space cushion refers to the space between your car and the car in front of you. If you have a good space cushion you have some advantages: 1- You can see further ahead and get the “big picture” – You can be seen better 3- You have more time to do the IPDE process 4- You are in better position to avoid the car in front of you if they stop suddenly. The 3-second following distance. When you are 3 seconds behind you have enough cushion to avoid most collisions in most normal driving situations. 1- Pick out a spot on the road ahead 2- When the car in front gets to that spot begin counting; 1001,1002,1003 3- If your car has not gotten to the spot by 1003 you have enough cushion to avoid a collision. If you reach the spot before you get to 1003, you need to back off a little.

The faster you are traveling the bigger your space cushion will be. Being Followed on City Streets A tailgater is a vehicle that is following you too closely. The main hazard of a tailgater is that if you have to do a sudden stop they will hit you in the rear. They think that they are saving time by going so fast and getting close to you. If you have a tailgater behind you, you need to increase your following distance so you will not have to react as quickly when a car in front of you makes a sudden stop or move. When you are meeting cars in the city you have to really look ahead for your front zone to close.

Oncoming drivers may cross the center line and block your path. Reasons that people cross the center line are: 1- driver impairment 2- poor judgment 3- poor visibility 4- reduced space 5- sudden moves for others 6- vehicle failure 7- turning car, buses or trucks 8- double parked vehicles Managing Space on Urban Streets Look ahead – try to see at least one block ahead but if you can see farther, look as far as you can but IDENTIFY possible problems. , When you are approaching a traffic light and you first see the light green you need to expect it to change.

If you see a green light but the crosswalk light is flashing “don’t walk” you need to anticipate that the light is getting ready to change. NEVER speed through an intersection trying to beat the light. Covering you brake means that you have taken your foot off of the accelerator pedal and have it in front of the brake pedal, but not pushing it down. You are anticipating that you are going to need to brake. This takes away your reaction distance/time if you need to brake suddenly. Riding your brake means that you have your foot on the brake pedal and you are pushing it down slightly.

Most people that two foot drive end up riding their brakes. On city streets that have parked cars on your right you need to anticipate that a car door may open when you get to it. To help avoid hitting the door you need to drive about the width of a car door away from parked cars. Chapter 10 Driving in Rural Areas Characteristics of Rural Traffic 82% of all of the roadway miles in the US are considered rural roads. When you approach a curve on a rural road with an advisory speed limit, you should be at that posted speed before you enter the curve.

Advisory speeds are posted to help keep cars from having a collision on a curve because they entered the curve at too great a speed to control the car. Speed kills on rural roads. Twice as many deaths occur on rural roads as opposed to urban roads. On rural roads in normal (ideal) conditions the 3 second rule for following is sufficient. If you are following another car using the 3 second rule and a car cuts in between you and the other car you need to reestablish your 3 second rule with the new car. The basic speed rule states that you should not drive faster than the road or traffic conditions allow you to.

It is more difficult to maintain control of your car at higher speeds. When you are driving on rural roads you are going to encounter slow moving vehicles, animals in the road and oncoming traffic that is close to you. Roadside hazards that you will come across are narrow shoulders, bridges, ditches, guardrails, and trees. You are not going to have as many tailgaters here because of the type of driving you are doing plus there are not as many cars on the road. In rural areas your speed is going to be faster so your IPDE process is affected. At higher speeds you decrease your time to make a decision using the process.

So the faster you are driving, the farther you need to look ahead so you can perform the IPDE process. When driving on these roads you may see mailboxes, reflectors on posts, or small utility lines. These are all clues that you are approaching a driveway. When you are driving in the mountains you are going to come to sections of the road that have sharper curves and steeper hills. When you are going down a steep hill you should NEVER shift your car into neutral. If you change gears you need to shift to a lower gear to avoid burning your brakes. Passing in rural areas is done generally on two lane/two way roads.

If you are passing another car you must make sure that you can complete the pass safely and before the passing area ends. When you think that you need to pass another car you need to think before you pass. One main question that you need to ask is, is it safe to pass here? When driving at night on rural roads you are going to encounter car light that pop up from around curves or hills. To avoid being temporarily blinded you need to look to the right side of the road, white line. Chapter 11 Driving on Expressways An expressway is defined as a roadway that has limited-access or controlled-access.

Driving on expressways is more dangerous because of the higher speeds and the number of cars. For this reason, collisions on expressways are generally more serious. Expressways have minimum speed limits posted. If you are going below this minimum speed then you are a hazard on the roadway. To drive effectively on expressways you must be willing to cooperate with other drivers. They also have multiple lanes which means that when you change lanes you need to do so one lane at a time. You are driving on an expressway and you need to exit; the ramp you need to get off on is totally Mocked by traffic, preventing you from getting over.

Wiat should you do? Go to the next exit and come back up the expressway. If you get onto the wrong entrance ramp you should go ahead and get on the expressway and travel to the next exit, get off and turn around. It is NEVER permissible to back up an entrance ramp. The entrance lane has three parts; the ramp, the acceleration lane and the merging lane. When you are coming down the ramp you need to check for a gap to merge into by looking over your left shoulder as well as into your left mirror. If you are entering an expressway on the entrance ramp and your way is blocked so that you can not merge onto the road you should avoid stopping.

Stopping on the ramp in the acceleration lane can cause a rear end collision. If you are driving in a group of car on an expressway you are driving in a “wolf pack”. You are driving in the center lane of the expressway and you keep getting passed on the right and left, you should move into the right lane to avoid being a hazard. Highway hypnosis happens when you get lulled into staring while driving. If you stare for long enough you will put yourself to sleep. If you are taking a long trip on expressway you need to plan ahead for food, fuel and rest This will make your trip more enjoyable and safe.

Nowadays people think rules is not something important in their life and they are not following the rules even they break the rules. For them, they can do whatever they wanted in this world because they think this world is belong to them. Their bad behaviors distract people from having a peaceful life. Addition, violence in this world getting increases and because of that, they cause a lot of trouble in mean time. There three main causes of breaking the rules and law. One of the main causes is selfishness. The selfish behavior exists because of desire. They do what they wanted. They think with their feet and not their mind.

Why I am saying like this? This is because they break the traffic light rules. For example, right now is a red light and we are supposes to stop the car wait for the next green light but because of selfish behavior. They break the rules and take their risk to do whatever they wanted. Because of this, it may create a disaster, an accident or perhaps, could kill someone because of this behavior. There is more, they drive in their own way or road. For example, this road is one way road but they turn it into two ways road. The impact of overcoming accident is heavy and it is totally a big disaster.

It not only could jam the highway but at the same time, they could kill hundreds of innocent people. “You intent to go into the right lane and then the traffic light ahead. But the vehicle in front of you has stopped right in front of you. And it’s a yellow box. Such selfish drivers do certainly spoil your day. ” (Yap 2010) Second main cause is lack of police and their behavior. In Malaysia, we are lack of policeman and there is a plenty of chances for them to break the rules. I would like to compare with the Singapore and American. In Singapore, their policeman work hard to protect the country and civilians.

In American, policeman salary is a big amount of dollars. Because of that, there are a lot of people wanted to be a policeman. But in Malaysia, policeman salary is too low and because of that, policemen do not work hard to protect the country and people. There is another reason, the reason is their behavior. Most of the policemen are lazy to do their work. This is because they need to repeat the same duty every day. But that is not the reason, some of them, they use the power to do bad thing. For example, spot-check on girls by male policeman. They take opportunity to do their pervert stuff on them. Motorcycles are meant to ferry only two people. Although the law is silent, police do not fancy arresting riders who break the law by placing a young rider in the front basket of the motorcycle. ” (Yap 2010) Third main cause is deregulation. In Malaysia, people are easy to break the rules because it is too loose. Besides that, governments do not take serious in this matter. In Malaysia, they just wanted to have the power in this country. Once they get it, they do not use the power to take care the country or even protect it. They use the power for their self and they do not even look at their people.

The country may be in a good place but the civil do not like the place with a lot of trouble and violations. At the same time, Malaysian government’s promises are not been fulfill. “According to a report on Thursday by online news portal MalaysiaKini, the MCMC chief operating officer, Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi, confirmed that the commission was behind the site blackout. ”It is being blocked because we found that some of the comments on the Web site were insensitive, bordering on incitement. ” (Lee 2008) In conclusion, government should take this matter seriously or citizen may lose trust on them and they could not live in a peaceful life.

Day by day, crimes getting increase and a lot of trouble going to be exist. Police should do something about it because it is getting worst. They should firm the rules so that people will obey and follow the rules in a right way. At the same time, they must get back the royalty and the trustworthy of citizen. The Malaysia is break into pieces and governments should fix it and get it into shape back before citizen take advantage. However, government brain should be wash and be like Dato’ Mahathir. They way he talks with the citizens love them, and handle the Malaysia is perfect.

Perfect enough to make Malaysia in a better way. As result, citizen may have a peaceful and a great time in Malaysia. At the same time, crimes getting decrease and Malaysia live in peace. “We live peacefully alongside one another, and we are very proud of it. You find Muslims, Christians of all denominations — Catholics, Protestants — we have a lot of Hindus, Buddhists. We also have a lot of people who don’t believe in anything but themselves or anyone but themselves, living harmoniously together. I think that is something the world can learn from. ” (Leslie Evans 2003)

The Makro environment is the context in which a business operates. This takes in various factors including those outside its control, for example, laws or standards. Each factor can have an effect on the business positive or negative and so companies make plans and strategies to try to anticipate these effects. If a company does not plan for Makro environment changes or ignores them, then it may miss opportunities to grow or losing business to a competitor. Successful managers need an all-round view of their environment for decision-making.

The Irish Rail uses PESTEL analysis to draw attention to each of the key external environmental factors. Political * Investing more in the railways by the Government would give environmental benefit but at the cost of the taxpayers money; * An introducing lower road tax for the newer cars make number of new cars owners increase; * Open access to rail infrastructure is available to other operator; * New Government may implement new international policies that may not necessary be advantageous for the Irish Rail;

Economica * More jobs means more commuting; * Business expansion means more business travel; * Investing in major project to reduce delays; * The absence of large, heavy industry, such as coal, iron, est. . for which it is ideally suited; Socio-Cultural * People are aware that there are more accidents on the Road * The Rail covers most parts of the country, it means that Irish Rail has an important relationship with the public. Rail has a major role to play in educating the public especially children about the dangers of the rail environment. * Persuading the public that rail travel is a real alternative to car use is vital Technological * Some railways need to be transform and adopted to rail freight * Rail is environmentally friendly and safely * Irish Rail has use advanced technology to reduces costs, running to time. Legal The Irish Rail as a large national employer needing skilled and committed staff * The Rail has to comply with a very wide range of legislation * Compliance with employment laws is particularly important. * Safety and health legislation affects almost all of Irish Rail’s activities. Environmental * Using the Railways is much more energy-efficient than travel by Road or Air. * Irish Rail takes its environmental responsibilities seriously e. g. buying the wood for the rail track which are properly managed and renewable.

There are numerous advantages of road transport in comparison to other modes of transport. 1. Less capital quality:- Road transport required much less capital investment as compared to other modes of transport such as railways and air transport. 2. Door to door services: – The outstanding advantage of road transport is that it provides door to door or warehouse to warehouse services. 8. Saving in packing cost: – As compared to other modes of transport, the process of packing in motor transport is less complicated. Goods transported by motor transport require less packing or no packing in several cases.

Flexible services:- Road transport has a great advantage over other modes of transport for its flexible services. Its routes and timings can be adjusted and changed to individual requirements without much inconvenience. 5. Suitable for short distance:- Delays in transit of gods on account of intermediate loading and handling are avoided. Goods can be loaded direct into a road vehicle and transported straight to their place of destination. Price skimming is a business technique which involves charging a high price for a product when it is released initially, and gradually lowering the price over time.

The goal of this practice is to ensure that the price matches consumer willingness to pay, generating profits for the company both over time and in the short term. nder some market conditions, the use of price skimming is a strategy to grab higher profits with a new or differentiated product. By charging high prices initially, a company can build a high-quality image for its product. Charging initial high prices allows the firm the luxury of reducing them when the threat of competition arrives. By contrast, a lower initial price would be difficult to increase without risking the loss of sales volume.

Introduction- Road Accident is collision between any vehicles (for example car, truck, motorcycle etsectra) or it can be with any pedestrian, animal or the hindrance placed in the middle of the road. The accident occurred could result in many injuries or damage to the property. There are various factors which come into account which can be the reason of accident that is design of the road, driver’s impairment and vehicle design which can cause serious and most dangerous types of accidents. This essay is based on the prevention of car accidents on the roads mainly on the streets of Dubai.

Defining the Problem- What is the Problem? – The provision of highways are resulting in convenience for the peoples but the main problem which is faced by the government of any country is that the more frequent road accidents which are happening on the highways which results in severe damage in form of man power or infrastructure and mainly it is happening in big cities like UAE or Dubai which are having large road transport. The problem is basically small which is to be handled very carefully by the government; they have taken many measures to stop these huge accidents.

Whenever a road accident takes place there is various types of damage which takes place which could be in the form of human beings which is also a victim, infrastructure which is damage to the government and other administration damages which occurs during accident. There is heavy cost to all above types of damages which has to be paid during accident which increase the complication if every day there will hundreds of accidents across the country which would directly affect the economy of the country such as UAE.

There is a cost which has to be paid by the victim’s family which cause great problem financially, the property is damaged due to the accident which also affect government financially indirectly. There is also some administration cost which will undergo due to the accident. Reason- The main reason behind the accidents which occur so frequently on the roads of UAE is that inattention which is given during driving a car. There would probably lesser amount of accidents if proper attention and rules are followed during traveling. There could be reason related to weather which lso come into effect into the reason behind accident which is of course a natural reason, the fog which causes less appearance of on coming vehicles could result in accidents. The other main reason which can cause massive accident is consumption of alcohol during driving. There are some stats related to the car accidents in UAE- * Mostly 92% men are responsible for the death occurred during accident and only 8% women are responsible. * Accidents at night made up 45% of the total fatalities. * Private vehicles cause 1164 accidents taking a toll of 167 lives. The average ratio of death due to accident in UAE was 1 in every 28 hours. Cause of Accidents- There are four factors which are responsible for these types of road car accidents which are- Equipment Failure- The failure of some equipment inside the machine working of a car resulting into serious car accident is known as Accident due to Equipment Failure. These could be of various types such as failing of break, bursting of tire, tread separations or the problem could occur in steering/suspension. Roadway Design- The accidents which occur due to the irregular design of roads are known as accidents due to Roadway Design.

It could occur through hazardous visibility which consists of merging lanes, livestock or pedestrian crossings, crests and troughs etc. The accident also occurs due to the irregular surface of the roads which causes imbalance of the vehicle and results into collision with another vehicle or infrastructure. Poor Roadway Maintenance- Poor roadway maintenance also contributes to some of the car accidents. There could be debris in the way of the road which could create problems for the traveler which is responsibility of local highway department, faded road sign and potholes could be another cause for the major road accident.

Driver Behavior- The main and foremost cause is driver’s behavior other than three causes discussed above which constitutes only 5% of the cause of the road accidents and 95% depends on this one. Various surveys has been done in which there is a study which comes out to be that only 5% driver’s committed their own mistake in the accident and a major of 80 % believe that the other driver should have done something to stop the accident to occur. Current Policy- There are various policies which has been started or being formed for the increasing road accidents on the roads of UAE.

There is an immediate need for the adoption of government’s policies which could change the face of the accidents in the positive manner. Recently there is a conference been held in Abu Dhabi which was 15th Road Safety conference of four continents under the patronage of the vice president and prime minister of United Arab of Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid AL Maktoum. This conference was mainly organized by National Transport Authority (NTA) and with collaboration with other groups such as GRPS, FERSI, TRB and many more.

This was the first road safety conference which will going to follow United Nation Assembly resolution A/64/L. 44/Rev1 on safety of roads. The aim to conduct this conference was to follow the path being adopted by the UN assembly resolution and to support the declaration being done in Moscow to improve the safety measures on road. This conference was great platform for the government to adopt the measures which are being adopted and technical methods which are better than their methods could be adopted and being implemented to construct a safe world to live in which is free from ant accident.

It was a great platform to debate for road safety issues and to discuss them and the measurement for the improvement of safety measures. There should be organization of future events and form a close relationship with transport institutions and the government authorities to work on the topic of road safety which can reduce the number of accidents which took place these days. The conclusion of this conference come out with the understanding that all the participants that is the countries or the nations which have participated in the conference will follow the guidance given by the United Nations on the road safety measures.

There should be implementation of the strategic plan such as “Zero Vision” which is famous in some countries in Europe which should be encouraged by the United Arab of Emirates government as well as the agency under which this project will go should handle it with care. Government’ s Reaction- The accidents which are taking place in the UAE region of Arab countries are getting out of the alarming situation so there is a need of taking protective measures by the government to enhance the education related to the safety adoption during driving to avoid the risk of accident.

There are various policies which have been introduced by the UAE government to ensure that there is less number of accidents in the country. There are various system introduced to control the accidents which takes place at the highway like introduction of fine system, black points and application like radars should be installed. So these systems should be discussed in detail to understand their uniqueness System of fine-

There is an introduction of fine in various countries for the breaking of traffic rules to control the ongoing accident on the highways or on the street but the fine system which is applied in the United Arab Emirates region is somehow little harsh from other countries because of the diversified atmosphere of that country and the large amount of vehicles running daily from one destination to other. There are more than hundreds of offences which are made under the rule which involves handsome amount of money which is to be given by the culprit if he/she found guilty of any one of them.

There are some examples which could be given to show you how strict is the government of UAE * Not wearing seat belt there is a fine of 100 AED * If there is some change found in the fundamental of engine without permit then a fine of 400 AED * Driving a vehicle which is creating lots of pollution then there is a fine of 300 AED * Driving without number plate then there is fine of 200 AED * Overloading can charge an individual with 200 AED Driving a vehicle which is not having a license from license authority could be charged with a toll of 200 AED. So above points describing fine are some of the fines which have described here very shortly instead they are having a big list of them. The system is introduced with a purpose of reducing the irrelevant trafficking and reduction of accidents which are taking place in the country at the faster rate. Radar System- Various countries are adopting high tech facilities to control the rate of accidents which is touching the sky.

There are technical gadgets which are available in the market which could detect the speed of a vehicle from few kilometers before which could help in controlling the speeds of the vehicle which is the main reason for the accidents. For example there is radar installed somewhere at the place on highway which used to keep track of the speed of ongoing vehicles and if found some vehicle is running at the speed which too high then the censors of radar will give the indication about it.

This system and other various measures which have been initialized by the government have reduced the rate of accidents which were taking place earlier. You will be shocked through the stats that death due to road accidents in Dubai has fallen short by 27 percent in the first nine months of the last year which are the figures being given by the Road and Transport Authority (RTA). There has been loads of effort being given by the UAE ministry of Interior in making the roads safer for the pedestrians and the motorists. Black Points-

This system is introduced basically in the UAE in which there are points given on the basis of breaking the rules or committing any mistakes during driving along with the fine being charged. These points collectively if crosses a standard limit which has been specified by the government could result into cancellation of the driving license or could be even worse than that by cancelling the license of the vehicle and taking the vehicle into their custody. So these were few measures which are being taken by the government of UAE at the superior level to prevail UAE as the Best Global cities in the world by 2015.

There is a signing of memorandum between Road and Transport Authority (RTA) and the ministry to involve road safety in the top agenda and to increase improving the driving standards and the safety measures which are being took by the people. Alternative Policy- The policies which are been introduced by the government or some of them which are in the line are discussed in the above topics but the help or the measures which an individual could take has its own preferences. There are some policies which could be added in the list of the safety rules can help hem a lot to somehow decrease the accidents being taking place at the highway or on the streets. There should be launching of nation wide campaigns which could help in providing information regarding the road safety measures being adopted and to make people aware of the rules which are being introduced in the rule books. There are around 11551 injuries and simultaneous deaths on the streets of Dubai and there are 17 deaths which took place weekly in Dubai which is quite shocking with the stats.

There are websites which conduct online test to test the knowledge of the road laws of the people which have another purpose also which is to make aware people about various laws and protective measures which they can take while driving. There should be formation of different associations which could take part in making the rules of road safety implemented in every part of the country and help the government in reducing the rate of accidents and which should provide various new invented measures which could be implemented and will be helpful in decreasing the rate of accidents, the government should take these type of ideas.

There is very sharp division on the speed breakers which are situated on the highways could be placed with the forewarning boards and properly colored which could be seen from a distance but the travelers feel that speed breakers are not necessary on the highways but the villagers which understands the necessity of the breakers for their safety from the fast running vehicles. So these ways we have seen the division of mentality. There should be jurisdictional restriction on speed limit of different types of vehicle which are running like anything on the roads or highways resulting into very bad accidents.

There should be some technically installment of the limit of speed which could be set accordingly to the traffic running at that place. The criteria of providing license should be made harsher which could only give chance to the perfect drivers which could provide a better chance of decreasing the accident rate. There should be various level of testing the driving of an individual which result in total inspection of the people that how much they know and is it safer to give them license to drive vehicle. The Non-Governing Organizations (NGOs) should come in front to put extra effort on the safety measures being introduced by the government.

There are mechanical failures which could occur in vehicle apart from it there are mainly driver’s fault which could result in severe massive accidents resulting into loss of many lives with them. Nowadays people are consuming alcohol and driving vehicle which could result into serious accident so the policy should be made to check the alcohol consumption which should not be found more than a standard level as set by the government. There are cops which are posted at some place on the highways to check for these types of faults with breath taking machines which indicates if there is overconsumption of alcohol.

Sometimes there are accidents which occur due to improper sign boards being placed on the roads. The proper planning of city could make a city free from accident which can be made by taking such types of protective measures such as sidewalks should be made to avoid walking on the roads which could decrease in the road hitting cases in the city, the crossing which is made should be made more uplifted to save pedestrian, there should be the facility for separate lanes for the two wheeler, three wheeler vehicles which can travel in only one row to avoid the risk of accidents.

The activities like talking on cell phone, listening to music while driving should be avoided by an individual by themselves which could seriously harm their lives and is termed as very dangerous. The government should walk through every rural and urban area to educate the people and launch campaign at very big level to involve as many people as it can so that more and more people are being introduced to the new technologies which are rapidly being involved in the traffic rules.

There should be collaboration which could be made with other countries to improve the conditions which is at present, more and more conferences should be organized within country to establish a base of road safety and there should be exchange of information and ideas between different people having different mindset which could help in building more ideas regarding safety of the people of the country. The road design is also sometimes responsible for the accidents which should be made properly.

In some researches it has been shown that proper design and maintenance, with well designed intersections, proper installation of traffic control devices could make significant improvement in the rates of accidents. There should be no mechanical default in the vehicle which is actually 5% of the accidents which take place but there should adequate measures which should be taken by individual like proper wearing of seatbelts, time to time service of the vehicle to avoid any risk during long run and other measures which should be taken by the drivers to drive safely on the highways which is the place of aving maximum risk of accident. The driver which is driving a car should be well educated enough to identify the roadside signboards to minimize human error so that risk of accident from human side decreases as low it can be. Conclusion- The car accidents are taking place at frequent rate in the country like United Arab of Emirate where number of highway are more which increases the rate of accident, the protective measure should be taken by an individual while driving a vehicle which has been introduced in above points.

There are various policies which are introduced by the government to decrease the alarming situation of the rate of accidents occurring in UAE. There are stats which are shocking about the deaths of the people occurred during the accidents, these can only be improved when there is an initialization from every person of the nation and if full support is achieved by the government of the country then there are chances to calm down the temperature of the rate of accident occurring at highway. Read more: http://www. businessteacher. org. uk/free-management-essays/road-accident. php#ixzz2OL0YNSNs