chapter four starting steering and stopping this chapter is designed to prepare drivers to start the vehicle and accelerate safely use effective steering techniques back a vehicle safely de decelerate and stop a vehicle safely and exit a vehicle safely CH the pre-quiz after you start the engine you should a turn on the low beam headlights B check the instrument panel for warning lights C drive at a moderate speed for the first few minutes D all of the above correct answer is d all of the above question two with push pool steering a the left hand does not touch the steering wheel B the right hand does not touch the steering wheel C the left hand works as the left side of the wheel D neither hand crosses an imaginary line running left right across the middle of the wheel correct answer C question three as a driver you should look a 20 to 30 seconds ahead on an open road B 5 to 7 Seconds ahead when driving in the city C at the yellow line in the center of the Road D at the middle of the hood correct answer a 20 to 30 seconds ahead on an open road question four when driving in a parking lot driver should use blank acceleration a idle B light C Progressive D thrust great answer light question five driv drivers should use blank breaking when slowing the vehicle while preventing abrupt weight transfer a controlled squeeze B threshold C Trail d none of the above right answer a controlled [Music] squeeze information covered in this chapter specific steps should be used to start a vehicle successfully and safely hands and feet should be positioned correctly while driving proper steering technique increases control different levels of acceleration and deceleration are used for different situations caution should be used when vuum the vehicle when exitting a vehicle use the J Dutch reach to prevent injury to nearby bicycles sarting the engine breaking well is one of the most valuable skills a driver can develop how can you break smoothly lift your foot off the accelerator pedal early so you don't have to rush to move your foot to the brake pedal squeeze the brake pedal very smoothly before you can steer accelerate or break a vehicle you must first start it starting the car might seem simple but there are a number of steps to go through let's learn more about starting a vehicle in this video now we'll get back to the vehicle's basic controls the ignition is a good place to start it controls the supply of power to the car's electrical system in the off position it blocks the flow of electricity to the starter inserting the ignition key and turning it to the on position allows you to operate the electrical equipment and check the warning lights sometimes a special accessory position on the switch allows you to operate electrical equipment without fully turning the ignition on turning the key to the next position the start position causes the engine to start but wait before you do that you need to make sure the shift lever is in park the parking brake is on and your foot is on the brake pedal then turn the ignition key clockwise until you hear the starter turn when you hear the engine start release the key right away otherwise you could damage the starter in some Vehicles all you need to do is push a button to start the car when the engine starts keep your foot on the brake pedal and turn on the Low Beam lights if your vehicle is not equipped with daytime running lights then do a visual sweep of your gauges to make sure everything is working properly put your right foot on the brake pedal before starting the engine make sure the parking brake is on or set make sure the vehicle is in park how do you start the vehicle for a key based ignition turn the key clockwise to start the engine as soon as the engine starts release the key for push to start engines press and hold the button to start the engine as soon as the engine starts take your finger off the button what should you do after the vehicle is started let the engine idle run slowly in place for at least 10 SEC 10 to 15 seconds before you drive don't R the engine by pushing on the accelerator pedal check the instrument panel to be sure no warning lights are on or flashing turn on needed accessories including low beam headlights release parking brake and shift to drive drive at a moderate speed for the first few minutes so the engine INF fluids can warm up how do you start an electric vehicle an electric vehicle is one that is powered by electricity typically stored in batteries turning the power on usually prepares the vehicle for driving there is no separate engine to startall after turning on the vehicle's power select drive or reverse gear and smoothly drive away what is a hybrid vehicle a hybrid vehicle is a vehicle with both an electric motor and a fossil fuel powered engine how do you start a hybrid vehicle an electric motor and batteries may be able to handle the power for demands for the first few driving miles the gasoline engine may only run when greater power is needed do the steps describ above apply to all vehicles these steps apply to most vehicles but not all check the vehicles owners man steering the vehicle improper hand placement on the steering wheel can result in having less control why is that an issue it's an issue because you may have to make a quick steering maneuver in response to someone else's unsafe move it is the only way to change the direction of your vehicle how do you steer the vehicle you steer the vehicle by turning the top of the wheel to the left counterclockwise steers the vehicle to the left turning the top of the wheel to the right clockwise steers the vehicle to the right which way is left and which way is Right some people get it confused here's a small tip to help remember which direction is which hold up both hands with your index finger pointed straight up use your thumbs and extend out towards each other on your left hand your index finger and thumb will combin to form the letter L L is for left where should you place your hands use both hands when steering so that you have the most control one handed one-handed steering is appropriate only when backing up briefly adjusting dashboard controls shifting gears hands should be placed at 9:00 and 3:00 also known as the 9 and 3 position or 8:00 and 4:00 allow your arms to relax leaving a nice Bend in the [Music] elbows successful steering starts with having both hands on the wheel but there are several techniques you can use to turn the steering wheel let's learn more about steering a vehicle in this video before you start moving you'll need to know how to steer the vehicle basically the steering wheel controls which way the front tires are pointed which controls the vehicle's overall direction successful steering starts with the grip remember your hands will be at either the 9 and 3:00 position or the 8 and 4:00 position using a symmetrical grip most of the time you can steer with your hands in this position following the road changing lanes handling curves even swerving when you have to turns are something else for gentle turns you use Push Pull steering one hand pushes up while the other pulls down for sharper turns the hand overand technique is best in Handover hand steering to turn left you start with your hands between the 8 and 9:00 positions and turn the wheel with a series of cross arm movements both the Push Pull and hand overhand methods can provide continuous control but the push pull method tends to be less fatiguing and with both hands almost always on the wheel it helps the driver maintain control in the event of an emergency also since your hands are never placed directly between the airbag and your face there's less chance of injury to your face hands and arms in frontal crashes when the airbag inflates than with the hand overhand method you may want to try each method to determine which one works best for you now we're ready to move off the first step is to move the shift lever this lever controls the transmission which transmits power from the engine to the wheels some times it's on the steering column other times it's on a center console when the vehicle is parked the transmission will generally be in P for Park most cars will not start unless the transmission is in park or neutral d stands for Drive which allows the car to go forward and automatically shift up through the gears to allow the same engine speed to make the car go faster most of the time you'll just leave the transmission in drive but when driving on a steep downgrade moving mov the shift lever down one gear may help slow the car without having to ride the brakes constantly next is r no R does not stand for race it stands for reverse which makes the car go backward let's get going after you put the transmission and drive and the way is clear you're ready to move the control that regulates speed is the accelerator it regulates the flow of fuel to the engine controlling acceleration which is the rate at which the car speeds up be sure your foot is on the brake before shifting to drive in most Vehicles the lever won't budge unless the brake is applied after putting the vehicle in drive you release the parking brake check to make sure traffic is clear and then gently depress the accelerator pedal keep your heel on the floor and using your ankle as the Pivot Point press down gradually with your toes as the car begins to move you can gently press down a little harder until you're accelerating at the desired rate when you reach the speed appropriate for conditions you want to ease up on the accelerator until you're just maintaining that [Music] speed what steering techniques can be used when turning sharply hand to hand steering Push Pull St both hands always touch the wheel to make the turn move both hands in the direction you want to turn in tighter turns your hands may move as much as 165 degrees up and down the wheel hand to hand steering pretend there is a line running up and down directly through the middle of the steering wheel neither hand crosses this imaginary vertical line Left Hand Works the left side of the wheel right hand works the right side of the wheel one hand pushes up or pulls down opposite hand slides up and down to ensure smooth stand unwinding the same hand movements in Reverse to return to a straight travel path hand overand steering left hand between 9 and 10:00 right hand between 2 and 3:00 use one hand to push the wheel up and over the other hand past the 12:00 position bottom hand releases wheel passes across forearm to grip wheel on Far sides same hand now on top pulls the wheel over and up past the 12:00 and down continue as necessary to complete the turn to return to Straight Ahead position reverse the process and return hands to start positions [Music] never SP with your hand inside the rim of the wheel if the airbag deploys you could be seriously injured most people who steer this way end up with a broken wrist after even a minor [Music] Collision all right so you can practice um at home um steering the wheel and turning the wheel you use paper plates objects such as um car board styrofoam cutouts um stair wheel covers uh to practice hand overand steering you can do this on your own time this is what and over hand steering looks like the white um the white circle object on the diagram and um you can see where shows you what 9 and3 looks like and what 8 and4 looks it's like n nine the 9 and eight is your left hand and the three and four is your right hand and you can practice hand over hand steing or hand to hand steering all right searching ahead where should you look to follow your intended path use a visual Target as a reference point for where you want to go many new drivers don't look far enough ahead and focus on instead they focus on the middle of the um Hood the edge of the road the center line or the edge of a fender but looking at these things mean the driver is looking too low and not far enough ahead and looking at these forces a driver to make constant adjustments to the steering wheel to maintain length position it sounds simple but we T to steer where we are looking so we need to look at the correct location that is 12 to 15 seconds or one one and a half blocks ahead while driving in a city or 20 to 30 or 20 to 30 seconds ahead on an open road look to the left and right of the center of your path since we tend to steer where we look the best approach is to visual visualize an imaginary line down the middle of your intended path of travel directing your visual search back and forth along the center of your travel path provides the best point of reference bottom line to Ste smoothly and not have to make lots of steering Corrections you need to look far ahead down the center of your intended path of travel what are some objects you might have to pass close to park Vehicles post or Bridge abundance traffic combes or construction barrels and construction equipment what steps should you follow to pass by stationary objects when passing by an object on the right look ahead pass the object glance quickly at the right front corner of your vehicle to judge distance some times your space is limited on both sides of your vehicle in these instances position the vehicle closer to the object on the left side space is easier to judge on the left side of your vehicle this is because you are sitting on that side of the vehicle and thus you are closer to the object that you are judging your distance from what is Road Field Road field feeling feedback you feel through the steering wheel that can tell you if the ru surface has changed or if the vehicle isn't operating properly example a vibration May mean that there is a problem with your tires alignment or steering system what happens if you abruptly move the steering wheel turning too much you can too much in One Direction harder to return to straight path of head and not tur enough may not change direction of vehicle enough and difficulty staying on intended path all right all right weight weight transfer can overcome the tires traction and cause a skid and steering arrows all right this is why you need to turn your steing wheel very smoothly be smooth with your steering be smooth how should you apply steering Corrections stering correction a same movement you make to change the direction of your vehicle in response to a steering error positioning your feet true or false your right foot should operate the accelerator and your left foot should operate the brake pedal correct answer is false you shall operate the brake pedal and the accelerator with your right [Music] foot okay so how should you place your right foot use your right foot to operate both accelerator and brake pedal this ensures your foot is completely off the accelerator when breaking rest the heel on the floor centered in front of the brake pedal this allows your foot to Pivot easily between the pedals and offers better breaking control operate the petals with your foot and not your leg how should you place your left foot place heel on the floor to the left of the brake pedal some vehicles have a small flat footrest which is called the dead pedal the dead pedal is home base for the left foot does your choice of Footwear matter when driving and why yes loose Footwear such as flip-flops can become stuck behind the brake pedal or accelerator unstable Footwear such as high heel shoes and thick so boots may cause a difficulty in properly positioning your feet choose Footwear that minimizes the chance of causing problems or remove hazardous Footwear before driving is it legal to drive barefoot all right unaware of any state law that prohibits uh driving barefoot it may sound strange but pedal field is maximized while driving Barefoot this is why the shoes that uh race drivers will have very very thin Souls this is an article that shows a driver hit cyclist when driving illing sho got suck behind the pedal it happens all right why would it be important to not hit the wrong pedal you could easily cause a crash for example you could drive through a garage door you could crash into a pedestrian you can cause a lot of injuries and property damage to both others and you if you apply the wrong P let's take a look let's take a look at a short video to learn a little bit more and as you can see mixing up the brake pills can be very dangerous [Music] approximately 16,000 vehicle crashes happen each year when drivers mistake the accelerator for the brake pedal over 9,000 of these crashes occur in parking lots and driveways it's preventable there are simple steps you can take to keep it from happening to you aim for the middle focus on the center of the brake pedal to reinforce muscle memory wear comfortable shoes not flip-flops boots or high heels get familiar when driving a car you're not used to be cautious when reversing and parking avoid distractions when driving wait until your vehicle is fully stopped before Gathering belongings or talking to passengers at Nitsa we believe in safer drivers safer cars safer roads get more safety facts at safercar.gov so mixing up the pedals can be very dangerous so wear appropriate Footwear and keep your right heel on the floorboard like turning the Ste pressing the pedals precis precisely is critical to driving well every millimeter you move either pedal can be the difference between safety and being at a high risk one key to remember is that you use your foot to move the pedals it's your foot that operates the pedals not your leg think back to a previous lesson what does it mean for an object to accelerate accelerating the vehicle what steps should you follow to move forward prepare the vehicle press the brake pedal shift to drive gear release the parking brake ensure the parking brake is fully released before moving your foot from the brake pedal driving with the brake pedal on even Parkway can damage your brakes next visual checks and communication Engage The turning signal when appropriate check the RAR view inside you mirrors check over your shoulder for a safe Gap and traffic moving out pivot your right foot from the brake to the accelerator accelerate gently steer into the proper lane Cel the turn signal as appropriate what technique can you use to make it easier to control the accelerator resting the right side of your right foot against the center conso or transmission tunnel can make it easier to control the accelerator to reach and maintain the desired speed no two vehicles are alike so drivers must develop a sensitivity for the vehicle they drive what are the four levels of acceleration what are they used for got idle acceleration simply rece releasing pressure from the bre pillow can cause the vehicle to move slowly forward or backward examples of Ed wind when moving from a stop position such as a parking space when moving into a parking space or when driving up a paying a to light acceleration use to maintain slow forward motion and to gradually increased speed with minimum vehicle weight shift examples of when to use when driving in a parking lot when driving in areas of limited space when driving in slow traffic Progressive acceleration involves firm pressure on the accelerator to increase speed examples of when to use when accelerating from a red traffic signal to the speed of traffic when accelerating on a Long Freeway entrance ramp th acceleration a firm push or thrust of the accelerator to increase speed shift more weight to the rear tires for traction example of when to use when passing other vehicles in highspeed traffic when accelerating when accelerating on a short freeway entrance ramp why might you have to execute an emergency breaking maneuver or slam on on the brakes possible answers could be failing to see a car stopped ahead of you a pedestrian suddenly stepped into your path a vehicle running a red light an animal starts to run across the road something falls off the back of a truck ahead of you you miss seeing something important in the traffic scene and now you must respond what happens when you press a vehicle's brake pedal when pressure is applied to the brake pedal the rotation of the wheels is slowed this slowing cause increased friction or grip between the tires and the road surface how should you slow a vehicle braking should be precise controlled and smooth practice is important in knowing when to apply the brakes and how much pressure to exert on the pedal braking is not stomping on the pedal and sending up a big cloud of smoke braking is about finesse precision and control what are the keys to effective braking stabilize your foot and control brake pressure with your ankle and Toes rather than with your larger less precise thigh muscles place your heel in front of the brake pedal so the area forward of the ball of your foot is on the pedal this position requires you to use your toes for fine pedal pressure adjustments and make it easier to Pivot your foot smoothly between pedals braking is perhaps the most valuable skill in driving the best drivers are the best Breakers let's learn more about how to break effectively in this video once you're moving you're going to need to slow down at some point and that means breaking well that's one way it causes a lot of wear to the brakes though the key to smooth stopping is looking far enough ahead to begin slowing down early to slow down you ease up on the accelerator swivel your right foot onto the brake pedal and apply the brake break gently at first still using your ankle as the pivot point and increase pressure gradually until the car is slowing down as much as you want it to then ease up on The Brak a bit just before coming to a stop to make for a smooth stop while you're stopped keep your foot on the brake so the car won't move forward this also keeps the brake lights on so cars coming up from behind can see that you're stopped also if you're ever hit from behind having the brakes applied can help keep you from being pushed out into traffic most new cars these days have anti-lock brake systems in a vehicle equipped with abs a sensor detects when a wheel stops turning as soon as this happens the antiock brake system relieves the pressure just enough to allow the wheel to turn again the main benefit of ABS brakes is that they allow you to retain some steering control while braking however contrary to popular belief anti-lock brakes do not shorten your stopping distance with abs it takes just as long to come to a stop as it does in a car without ABS in dry or slick conditions you know your vehicle is equipped with anti-lock brakes if you see the ABS icon lit up on the dash when you start the vehicle if you need to slow down in an emergency in a car with anti-lock brakes use the Stomp and steer method the computerized braking system will take care of the rest press firmly but do not pump the brake when you put on the brakes hard enough to make the Wheels lock momentarily you'll typically feel the brake pedal pulse back against your foot this is normal a driver who isn't used to the pulsing or other sounds made by ABS may think the brakes are not working properly in vehicles without ABS the wheels might lock up if you press the pedal down too hard if the Wheels lock release the brake pressure slightly so they can begin turning again with or without anti-lock brakes the best way to make a controlled stop is to press firmly on the brake pedal with your heel on the floor use your toes to apply firm steady pressure what are the port levels of deceleration what are they used for One releasing the accelerator simply releasing pressure from the accelerator stops the vehicle for propulsion although the vehicle will continue moving forward it will C forward rather than be propelled by the engine or motor this transition from acceleration to deceleration tends to be more noticeable in gas electric and pure electric vehicles examples of when to use when reducing speed slightly to regain space around your vehicle in other words to rebuild your donative SP around you you will always need to be doing this when you first see a need to slow down such as a signal light turning yellow or a or traffic sto ahead this also allows you to Pivot your foot to be poised in just above the brake pedal this is also called covering the brake you are not actually touching the brake but your right foot is just above it your foot is ready to press the brake pedal immediately if needed that way you can begin breaking sooner which can help in an emergency situation because your foot is already hovering over the brake pedal you can make you can break sooner than if you had to lift your foot off the accelerator and move it to the brake pedal A good rule of thumb is to cover the brake anytime you are about to enter an intersection you never know when someone would run a stop sign or a red light being able to stop as quickly as possible is really important in these situations we will talk more about covering the break later in this course control or squeeze breaking perform using consistent pressure sufficient to slow the vehicle while avoiding and ab brup weight transfer that can lead to loss of traction the driver is smoothly squeezing the brake pedal examples of when to you slowing the vehicle in normal traffic conditions such as for a stop sign or traffic stopped ahead threshold breaking apply braking pressure to a point just short of locking the brakes results in the vehicle's maximum braking capacity often used to slow down quickly when a driver's path becomes blocked examples of when to use use in emergency situations such as breaking to avoid hitting a pedestrian or animal fail braking or squeeze off breaking smoothly and gradually reducing brake pedal pressure at the end of a braking maneuver helps avoid abrupt weake transfer when turning it an intersection or entering a curve ideally use in combination with or at the end of controlled or threshold breaking examples of when to use Comming used as you are completing control breaking such as when your vehic is just about to come to a complete stop easing up on the pressure your foot has on the brake pedal immediately before you stop can help prevent the vehicle suspension from compressing and rocking too much it is this type of breaking that is the best drivers use to become smooth and precise when you must stop most of the time you will be using squeeze breaking but the best drivers do some trail breaking at the end there are breaking using two steps breaking to a row then breaking to a stop that is how you should break most of the time as well instead of squeeze breaking right up until the car stops which makes for a jerky stop ease up on the pressure that you are using on the brake pedal just a bit this way you smoothly switch from squeeze breaking to Trail breaking your stops will be much smoother and you will become more likely to start breaking early enough to to do a complete smooth stop one of the biggest problems who drivers have with the braking is waiting too late to start their braking by doing your breaking in two steps you can help avoid that problem start to break a bit early it's no big deal you can always accelerate a bit if you need to but starting to break even a bit late prevents you from being smooth When approaching a turn it also makes a makes see that more likely you will begin turning and steering the wheel before you have finished breaking as we discussed this is a big no no and it is common amongst bad drivers so the key is to break to a roll then roll to a stop as smooth as humanly possible what can you do to practice your breaking skills choose an area free of children pedestrians and with few Vehicles present select this spot ahead where you plan to stop such as a shadow or edge of a driveway accelerate to a speed of 15 to 20 milph and practice control breaking before that spot you may overshoot or stop short of the target the first few times but practice will help you judge the distance and amount of breake pressure you need to smooth the stop there as you experience success gradually increase your speed and continue practicing when you have an opportunity to do so safely remember to get it right you must press the brake pedal at the right time and apply the right amount of pressure break in two steps one break to a roll then roll to a stop it is better to break quickly is it better to break quickly or smoothly normally you should break as smoothly as possible except in emergencies in fact when you press the brake P do it so smoothly that your passengers cannot detect when you begin to press the brake pedal pretend the brake pedal is a wet fud and you are gently squeezing water from be very smooth with the brake pedal that's the key should you let drivers behind you know that you're about to slow down Yes except for an emergency breaking situation you should give drivers behind you a heads up that you are about to start slowing now it is important because near onethird of all reported crashes are rear end crashes and because the driver behind you may be distracted or impaired they may not notice your brake lights until it's too late if you give them a bit of advanced notice they should be less likely to crash into you from behind when should you alert drivs behind you that you are about to apply your brakes every time you apply your brakes just make it a habit you can always check behind you first but let's just as another step how should you signal that you are slowing to reduce the risk of being struck from behind lightly tap your brake pedal a few times before actually applying the brakes to slow the vehicle your flashing brake lights increase the chance you will have you will have a opportunity to attract the attention of the driver behind you because the human eyes attracts movement a driver approaching from behind will be more likely to see that you are stopped or are breaking you can see here which vehicle is more visible behind from behind tapping your brakes three or so times should do it this technique is called tap six the six refers to the area behind you if the 12:00 position was directly ahead of you putting the 6:00 position directly behind you it's an old firefighter pilot term which is Watcher six for any aircraft folling behind trying to shoot so tap your break a couple times before PR get to slow down this is also a great idea to tap six while you are stopped in traffic when you see a vehicle approaching from behind they may not see that you or stop remember about one out of every three crashes is a rear end collision anything you can do to prevent being hit from behind is worthwhile are there any other ways to signal that you are slowing down you can also use hand signals especially if the vehicle's turn signals are not working hold the steering wheel with your right hand and extend your arm extend your left arm out the window Point down total stopping distance total stopping distance is made up of these three factors perception time how far the vehicle travels before the driver perceives the need to stop usually one half to 3/4 of a second if the driver is not distracted reaction times how far the vehicle travels during the time it takes for the driver to respond and begin to apply the brakes moving your foot from the accelerator to the brake P another 1/2 to 3/4 of a second brake time how far the vehicle travel before stopping after the brakes are applied if the driver is using maximum braking or threshold braking the vehicle is slowing down as quickly as it can keep in mind that any substance on the Road water gravel ice or snow reduces the ti ability sck to the road this results in longer stopping distances when road conditions are not optimal you must plan to start breaking earlier and press the pedal as smooth as possible additional factors that can affect braking time include vehicle speed size weight of the vehicle and condition of the driver how should you be steering when breaking to maximize stocking distance always break in a straight line with your foot with your front wheel cor Straight Ahead this maximizes the tire contact patches and grip on the road which results in the greatest possible traction also with which pedal do you control your speed one might initially think both but it is the accelerator that you should use to control your speed this means that to slow slightly you should lift your foot from the accelerator plenty early rather than having to also use the brakes the best drivers don't use their brakes a lot they lift off the accelerator and Coast down they speed early enough so things you not have to use the brakes having to break is a is is actually a good sign of the P dry what does ABS stand for antilock breaking system a your ABS brakes interlock brakes systems help prevent your brakes from locking up when breaking very hard when the brakes lock up the tires stop spinning they lose traction on the road surface the tires are then sliding along the road surface rather than gripping it main advantage ABS allows you to continue to steer effectively while you break very aggressively ABS does not result in shorter stopping distances nor does ABS stop your vehicle automatically and abs does not prevent Scar from occurring most modern vehicles are equipped with antiock breaking systems how should you break if your vehicle has abs in emergency situation press the brake pedal as hard as you are able to stomp stay steer plant the plant the brake paddle on the floor and continue to steer around obstacles continue to look and steer where you want the V keep your foot down until the need to break is over know that the brake pedal will pulse under your foot it will vibrate sometimes quite a bit this is normal the pulsing is telling you that the ABS is working profit most people get freaked out and think something is wrong with their brakes but the puling is part of the normal functioning of ABS do not pump the brake pillar or remove your foot from the pillar this could prevent the system from working properly ABS is a safety feature and drivers of ABS equi vehicle should not drive at higher speeds wait later to break or reduce following distance such as backing many crashes occur why a driver is backing why do you think this happens it is more difficult to see areas around the rear of your vehicle most drivers do not drive in reverse and it's harder to know where the rear edges of the vehicle are steering response is much quicker and many people drive too fast in Reverse in terms of number of cres per mile travel backing is at the top of the list it's harder to see the space that you are backing into plus the vehicle responds much more quickly to steering inputs basically it's almost completely different than driving forward let's learn about the challenges of Bing a vehicle and how to over come them in this video now to a more difficult maneuver backing up it's a bit tricky and can be dangerous first you need to be able to see where you're going the only way to get a good view of the area behind the car is to turn around and look at it an even more effective way of knowing what is around the vehicle is to walk around it it's your responsibility to be sure that the area around your vehicle is clear to back up place your left hand on the 12:00 position on the steering wheel your right hand on the back of the passenger seat and twist around to see straight through the rear window you want to move very slowly when backing up it's harder to see and the car is harder to control place the transmission into reverse and let the engine just idle the car backward you'll go plenty fast enough and it leaves your right foot free to use the brake to control your speed backing at idle speed is usually fast enough you never want to Rush when you're reversing in reverse the car will turn in the same direction the steering wheel is turned just like going forward to back to the left turn the wheel to the left to back to the right turn the wheel to the right even though the car steers the same in both directions there is one difference when you back up the car's responses to your steering inputs are much greater this means that you must use smaller inputs to keep the car from turning too sharply and to keep the front end from swinging out too wide while you need to see behind you it also pays to stop for a moment to see what the front end is doing this is especially true when backing out of a parking space as long as you're moving slowly you'll have time to make Corrections also check to see which way the front wheels are turned before you start to back up just to make sure you'll be pointed straight backward as you intended this way you'll know if you need to Setter the steering wheel before you start to back up why do so many drivers crash into things when backing what are some challenges related to backing a vehicle it is harder to see the space behind you than the space ahead of you just compare the size of the windshield to the rear window and most people drive going forward a lot more than they drive going backward so they are not as experienced in backing plus there is a lot of vehicle structure that you cannot see through such as roof pillars and even head restraints on the whole visibility to the rear is much more limited even objects of substantial size can be missed by a driver backing up take a look at this diagram what's in your blind Zone are there any types of spaces that you should avoid backing into you should avoid backing into a busy street a highway and a pedestrian walkways what should you do to prepare the back before entering the vehicle be certain the path to the rear and sze of the vehicle is clear check the direction of the front wheels children and objects are difficult to see from the driver's seat pets and other animals sometimes linger under and around Park Vehicles two after entering the vehicle avoid backing into busy streets highways and pedestrian walkways check traffic conditions in all directions and all blind spots keep your foot firmly on the brake pedal while shifting to reverse gear what should you do while backing check traffic steer with one hand on the wheel at 12:00 position nearly the only time you should steer with one hand search search through front and um rear windows inside and outside mirrors uh through to the windshield to check the front of the vehicle search in the direction in which you are moving but never concentrate on one thing to the point that you neglect your surroundings and is okay to use your mirrors too quick glan your side mirrors can be especially helpful but only take brief glances um to your mirrors spend most of the time looking directly into the space that you are backing back slowly and a walking speed with your toes on the brake pedal your milk is much harder to stop control while backing aim to move at a walking speed backing slowly is no big deal backing at about one mile per hour too fast can quickly lead to a crash backing is not about speed it's about Precision be alert to the front swing when backing and turning the wheel if you are backing out of it space to the left the the front of the vehicle will need clean to swing to the right what should you do to start moving forward again you should stop completely uh for directional control finish backing with your front wheel straight do not face forward until your vehicle has stop moving backward fully stop the vehicle before shifting to drive or Park communicate your next move as appropriate with signal lights check in all directions for traffic enter traffic safely so if you mess up while backing it's no big deal but it can be if you become disorientated or your vehicle moves out of your intended path while backing stop and try again St while backing can be difficult because you need to look backwards your line of sight is typically Limited when moving backwards the rear of the vehicle turns in the direction you turn the steering wheel if you turn if if you want to back to the left turn the wheel to the left turn the wheel to the right to back to the right when you back and turn that vehicle the front of the vehicle swings in the direction opposite the direction of the turn be sure the front of your vehicle does swing out of line or strike anything the vehicle also turns much more quickly the vehicle's response to steering inputs while backing is approximately 10 times sharper than we're moving forward take your time and always back slowly backing straight or to the right grip the steering wheel with your left hand at the top at 12:00 place your right hand on the back side of the passenger seat or on the center console if your arms are too Too Short this helps brace you and makes um it easier for you to see out the rear window over your right shoulder before moving backwards slowly you may need to shift your hip and seat position to improve your rearward view backing to the left using two hands hold the wheel at the 9:00 and 3:00 position look over your left shoulder move backward very slowly using the push pool steering method steer left if you have a rearview camera use it to see what's directly behind you but not but do not use it exclusively all right reasons why you should not rely solely on your backup camera but turning around and looking behind you backup cameras are useful and they can provide and view directly behind the vehicle and it can help increase the chance of detecting anything directly behind you some provide green yellow and red distance lines to help drivers know how close they are to an object other systems show curve lines that indicate your path of travel or are limitations of backup cameras the view is narrow and the view can be blocked by rain ice snow or fog get in the habit of cleaning your camera during your daily vehicle checks do not they do not give the full picture and they do not show everything behind you why should you not rely on it completely and also look directly into the area you are backing looking directly into your path of travel gives you the biggest view of the area risk of thinking that you don't also have to look behind you um the vehicle for getting in and use it as a backup to supplement your view while looking over your shoulder directly into your path stopping and securing the vehicle when you are a passenger in a vehicle what hand do you usually use to open the vehicle door what do you look at before or as you exit the vehicle once you are done driving there are still a few more steps to take before leaving the vehicle let's learn about stopping and securing a vehicle in this video home again now just a few steps to make sure the car doesn't roll away after you stop set the parking brake and put the shift lever into park now turn off all accessories and lights close the windows if needed and lastly turn the engine off check for any nearby traffic and then exit and lock the vehicle now you know what steering technique to use and how to effectively use the accelerator and brake pedals to make your vehicle go and stop when you're backing up you need to make sure the area behind is clear move the vehicle slowly and be very careful with the steering so you don't turn the vehicle more than you want after a trip you need to secure the vehicle if you've parked along a roadway check for traffic before getting out of the car and lock the doors what steps should you follow to stop a vehicle stop with the wheels turn towards or away from the curve or roll Edge as appropriate keep your foot on the brake pedal and set the parking brake move the gear select to the park position if a vehicle is in neutral it can roll away creating a very danger situation what step should you follow to sh down a vehicle turn off all accessories and lights close all windows turn off the engine and remove the key from the ignition switch if you have a push or start stop button confirm that the engine is off un fasting your safety belt what steps should you take to exit a vehicle check mirrors and over your shoulder for traffic confirm all passengers and pets are out of the vehicle exit the vehicle with your key or your key fob in hand and lock all doors the rear make sure there is nothing left in your vehicle make sure there's nothing left in your vehicle finally before opening the door First Care search for any any approaching traffic including and especially bicycles before you get out of your vehicle what should you do make sure the space make sure that the space your door will swing through is empty and that it will stay empty and that there is nothing about to move into the space along your vehicle you should ensure that your your opening door will not hit a garage wall post or pillar or another vehicle park stop will soon to pass by which Ro users are the most vulnerable of all pedestrians scooter riders skateboarders mopeds motorcycle riders and bicycles they have little to no protection to prevent injuries if they're involved in a collision with a motor vehicle or even a part of a vehicle the good news is that there is one very effective way to prevent during a cyclist it is called the Dutch reach technique it involves a driver or passenger looking and watching as carefully as possible before excident it makes them use side mirror and doing a full shoulder check to look back over short almost makes it automatic and is also very easy to do instead of unlatching the door handle with the hand next to the door the hand closer to the outside of the vehicle you use your other hand to work the door handle that is you reach across your body with the hand closer to the middle of your vehicle which is called your inboard hand and work the door handle with that hand Reaching Across your body naturally turns your body and head outward toward the outside of the vehicle to check the side view mirror out to the side and then back over your shoulder to scan for oncoming traffic this makes it easier and more likely for you to see Upstream along the road this also makes it more likely that you will visually detect any approaching Road users at the same time use your outward hand to hold the door preventing it from opening more more than a tiny bit at first then lean your head towards the window and search carefully for any approaching cycle bicyclist once you visually confirm that is all clear Open Your Door exit the vehicle the farand method has one more very important Advantage it slows and limits the extent of initial door opening which can warn bicyclist and leave more space for them to pass safely the Dutch reach works from every position in the vehicle whether you are a driver or a passenger whether you're sitting on the left side or the right side of the vehicle so it should be used by all occupants exiting the vehicle from the left or right side front or back what might you need to consider when you drive a different vehicle from the one that you are used to driving adjusting to different Vehicles all right what things you should consider when you drive a different vehicle for the first time all right every vehicle is different when you drive another vehicle your steering acceleration and breaking responses might not be the same as those those that you are used to example some vehicle steering systems respond faster than others some Vehicles breaking systems require you to press the break ped more firmly Vehicles will have different safety and convenience Technologies including different limitations on on their on their performance the first time you drive any vehicle driver of extra care until you become familiar with how vehicle steering acceleration and breaking respond to your inputs we have reached the end of the chapter when you are driving next work on these things being very smooth with your steering accelerating and backing especially your breaking do one thing at a time break then steer then accelerate get all of your breaking done before you start to turn the wheel to steer into a corner use the Dutch reach technique when getting out of your vehicle as we arrive at the end of the chapter it is good to think about all what we have covered on page nine of your student workbook you will see the 321 done Exercise please take a minute to write down down the three most useful things from this chapter two things that you are curious about then wrap up by writing a short message to other drivers this would be a written message that you think every driver should read please write it as if it was going to be posted on a sign along the road for example a message might be never underestimate your driving risk chapter summary follow the appropriate steps to start and accelerate your vehicle position your hands at 3 and N or 8 and four on the steering wheel use hand overhand and hand toand steering techniques to turn the wheel position your right heel in front of the brake pedal and use it to operate both pedals use the four levels of acceleration at the appropriate times use the four levels of deceleration at the appropriate times check your mirrors the front of your vehicle and directly behind you when backing back slowly be sure to secure the vehicle correctly use the Dutch reach technique when exiting the vehicle correctly retrieval practice each question exercise spans back four chapters points are awarded for correct answers because they have to recall further back students are rewarded more for correct answers to questions on older material for example a student will receive more points for correcting for correctly answering a question from chapter one then for correctly answering a question from chapter 4 the exercises can be done individually starting with chapter 4 the retrieval practice exercises appear in every other chapter in each set of retrieval retrieval practice exercises content from the most recent four chapters is covered there are three questions from each chapter the highest points earned for correct answers about the chapter that was covered longest ago