Main Page

Eye movement is the driver’s primary information gathering method. Eye movement is defined as the change in the direction of gaze of the eyes and the duration or dwell time on objects in the scene.

The scientific fact that kinetic energy increases twice as fast as speed cannot be denied. When motorists double their speed, they have four times as much energy to deal with and crashes are four times more severe.

Therefore, the impact of vehicle speed on traffic safety is of utmost importance. To assure safety on our highways, vehicle speed must be carefully considered by highway designers and traffic managers and wisely controlled by motorists.

If you drive above the maximum speed limit or you drive too fast for the weather, road and/or traffic conditions, even if the posted speed limit is not exceeded – you are speeding! Speeding is one of the most commonly reported factors associated with crashes, yet, few drivers view speeding as an immediate risk to their personal safety.

As your speed increases, so does the distance travelled while processing and reacting to a hazard. At the same time, the distance needed for you to stop also increases - at a considerable rate.

Speeding also contributes to the increased risk of losing vehicle control. At higher speeds, cars become more difficult to manoeuvre - especially on corners or curves or where evasive action is necessary. The forces experienced by the human body in a collision also increase as the speed increases. Driving within the speed limit:

----• Allows road users more time to assess hazards and avoid potential crashes.

• ---Makes it less likely that either you or another driver/rider will lose control.

• ---Reduces the impact forces in the event of a crash, making severe outcomes less likely.

Driving around school buses

If you see a school bus in your lane or coming towards you, pay close attention to what it's doing. Give the bus extra space and be prepared to stop suddenly as it loads or unloads its cargo (kids).

Because they're walking on or near the road, kids are in some danger when they get on or off buses. It's up to the cars around them to keep a close watch and make sure the coast is clear before continuing on.

· School buses are required to stop at railroad crossings, so be ready to hit the brakes if you're behind one.

· School buses travel at slower speeds. Expect to slow down and only pass when the bus driver signals you to go by.

Safety around stopped school buses

Because school buses are so big, your visibility around them is limited. According to the NHTSA, from 2000 to 2009, 27 percent of school-age pedestrians that died in school transportation-related crashes were struck by another vehicle on the road (PDF). In order to protect children, states have enacted stopping laws. These laws dictate when you must stop your vehicle for a school bus as well as the severity of penalties you face for any violation. The rule of thumb: the second you see the bus lights flashing and the stop sign pop out, be ready to stop.

Penalties for school bus-related violations

Penalties for violating school bus stopping laws vary from state to state, but all states take these violations seriously.

In New York, the first time you fail to stop, you may face a fine between $250 and $400, up to 30 days in jail, and 5 additional points on your driving record (by comparison, running a stop sign nets you 3 points). And the penalty becomes harsher for every subsequent violation.

If you're convicted of violating Pennsylvania's stopping-for-buses law, you could lose your license for 60 days, get 5 points on your driving record, and be fined $250.

When should you stop?

In every state, it's illegal to pass a school bus that's loading or unloading students. Always stop when the bus is in the process of unloading students on:

Another thing to consider: school buses occasionally travel in caravans. If a school bus in front of you has another bus in front of it that's letting kids on or off, you must stop for that bus as well.

State laws regarding stopping for school buses on divided highways vary. Check with your state's rules of the road for more information. (Helpful hint: if you're googling, type in site:*.gov, your state, and DMV. For example, site:*.gov New Jersey DMV.)

Give the bus a brake

Driving a school bus isn't an easy job, so it's up to us fellow drivers on the road to help bus drivers any way we can. By learning to share the road with buses and following your state's stopping laws, you can make a bus driver's job a bit easier. You'll protect the kids and help keep your driving record nice and clean in the process.

Fog can be thought of as a cloud at ground level. It forms when the temperature drops to the dew point (the temperature at which air is saturated), and invisible water vapor in the air condenses to form suspended water droplets. Fog can reduce visibility to 1/4 mile or less, creating hazardous driving conditions. If you can't postpone your trip until dense fog lifts -- usually by late morning or the afternoon -- follow these tips:

· Drive with lights on low beam. High beams will only be reflected back off the fog and actually impair visibility even more.

· Reduce your speed -- and watch your speedometer. Fog creates a visual illusion of slow motion when you may actually be speeding.

· Listen for traffic you cannot see. Open your window a little, to hear better.

· Do not stop on a freeway or heavily traveled road. If your car stalls or becomes disabled, turn your vehicle's lights off, and take your foot off of the brake pedal. People tend to follow tail lights when driving in fog. Move away from the vehicle to avoid injury.

1. If possible, bring the two cars together nose to nose, about 18" apart. Be sure you're parked well away from traffic. Make sure both cars have their parking brakes on.

2. Make sure both cars are turned off. Put automatic transmission cars in Park. Put manual transmission cars in Neutral. Set the parking brake firmly so the vehicle cannot move.

3. Determine which terminals are positive and negative on both batteries. Look for "+" sign or red indicator for positive, "-" sign or black indicator for negative. The positive terminal is usually wider than the negative.
Caution: Once you begin the next steps, do not touch the metal portion of the jumper cable clamps to each other or any part of the car except the proper battery terminal.

4. The jumper cables are marked with colors or stripes to help you keep track of the two separate wires. Attach one end of the positive cable clamp to the positive terminal of the dead battery (the positive cable may have a stripe, or if the cables are marked with red and black, the red cable is positive).

5. Attach the other end of the positive cable to the positive terminal of the good battery.

6. Attach one end of the negative cable to the negative terminal of the good battery.
YOUR CABLES ARE NOW LIVE! DO NOT TOUCH THE REMAINING CABLE CLAMP METAL PORTION TO YOURSELF OR ANY PART OF THE CAR EXCEPT THE NEGATIVE TERMINAL OF THE DEAD BATTERY.

7. Attach the other end of the negative cable to a metal section (bracket, block, etc.) of the engine away from any moving parts (CAUTION: belts and pulleys can be dangerous). Connecting this cable last, and away from the battery, will avoid sparks and potential hazards at the battery.

8. Make certain everyone is clear of the engine compartments - don't allow hands or clothing to be caught by moving engine parts.

9. Start the engine of the good car. Allow it to run for 1-2 minutes. Rev the engine slightly by pressing on the gas pedal lightly.

10. Start the engine of the dead car. It may take more than one try, but do not try to restart it more than three or four times.

Find a flat, stable and safe place to change your tire.

You need a solid, level surface that will restrict the car from rolling.

If you are near a road, park as far from traffic as possible and turn on your emergency flashers (hazard lights).

Avoid soft ground and hills.

Take out the spare tire and the jack.

Place the jack under the frame near the tire that you are going to change.

Ensure that the jack is in contact with the metal portion of your car's frame.

Many cars have molded plastic along the bottom. If you don't place the jack in the right spot, it will crack the plastic when you start lifting. If you're not sure about the right place to put the jack, read your owner's manual.

For most modern uni-body cars, there is a small notch or mark just behind the front wheel wells, or in front of the rear wheel wells where the jack is intended to be placed.

For most trucks or older cars that have a frame, look to place the jack on one of the beams of the frame just behind the front tire or in front of the rear tire.

Having the wheel on the ground means that you're turning the nuts instead of the wheel.

Use the wrench that came with your car or a standard cross wrench. Your wrench may have different sizes of openings on different ends. A correctly-sized wrench will slip easily over the nut, but will not rattle.

It can take quite a lot of force to break your lug nuts free. If all else fails, you can use your body weight or stomp on the wrench (be absolutely certain you are turning it the correct way - counter clockwise).

A cross wrench will give you much more torque than a standard single-handled wrench.

You need to lift it high enough to remove the flat tire and replace it with a spare.

As you lift, make sure that the car is stable. If you notice any instability, lower the jack and fix the problem before fully lifting the car.

Place the flat tire under the vehicle so in the event of a jack failure the vehicle will fall on the old wheel, hopefully preventing injury.

The tire might be stuck due to rust. You could try hitting the inside half of the tire with a rubber mallet to loosen the tire, or use the spare tire to hit the outside half.

Using the wrench, tighten the nuts as much as possible using a star pattern. To ensure the tire is balanced, don't completely tighten the nuts one at a time. Going in a star pattern around the tire, one nut across from another, give each nut a full turn until they are equally tight.

Avoid using so much force that you risk upsetting the jack. You will tighten the lug nuts again once the car is down and there is no risk of it falling.

Just after sunrise and before sunset the sun will shine directly into drivers’ eyes, leaving many motorists driving with a glare. Driving into the sun can make it much harder to see ahead and is an added risk to drivers.

So how can you protect yourself? AAA offers these tips for motorists when driving into the sun:

-Leave more following distance—when the sun is in your eyes it can be hard to see what the car ahead is doing. This is one more time when it pays to leave more room between you and the next vehicle. You should increase your following distance to a minimum of four seconds.

-Drive with your headlights on to increase your visibility to other drivers.

-If having a difficult time seeing the road, use lane markings to help guide you. Rarely will visibility be absolutely perfect while driving, but if motorists know this and make proper adjustments, you can minimize any additional risks that come with less-than-optimal visual conditions.

-Pay particular attention in school zones and pedestrian areas. Someone could step into a crosswalk right in front of you, assuming that you can see them because it's a bright sunny day. Even a low speed bump into a pedestrian can severely injure them, so don’t proceed if you can’t see.

-Drive slower, even below the posted speed. It's against the law to drive at speeds in excess of road conditions. Use the same precautions and care as driving in other hazardous conditions, like fog or rain. If you can't see, don't drive.

-And, if possible, change your driving route. Use north-south streets until you find an east-west road with lots of trees or taller buildings.

The alternator supplies electricity to a car battery using power from the engine; this allows the battery to power the car's electrical components while recharging itself. The car relies on the alternator, because without it the battery is going to live a very short life. An alternator's own lifespan depends on many factors, such as the engine, the conditions the car is used in and how much electrical equipment it runs. Sometimes alternators can die after just 40,000 miles (65,000 kilometers) or well after 100,000 miles (160,000 km). When an alternator is dying, the electrical components may lose power after the car idles for a while. If the battery is frequently dying, or not charging while the car runs, it's probably because of the alternator.

These practical tips will help you with the steps immediately after the accident, to the completion of your insurance claim.

1. Safety first. Make sure no one is injured. Call 911 to report any injuries. If it is a minor accident with no injuries, move the vehicles to the side of the road. With serious injuries or major damage, do not move the vehicles, even if you can, until the police arrive. If there is a question of liability (who caused the accident), leave the vehicles in place to help the police determine what happened. Only get out of the vehicles if you can stay clear of all traffic or are not injured. Otherwise, stay in your vehicle with your seatbelt. Put on your hazards, turn off your engines, and place flares.

2. Call the police. Don’t ever allow anyone at the scene to convince you otherwise. Get the police report number and name of the reporting officer. In some locations, the police may not respond unless it is a serious accident with injuries or severe property damage. If they do not respond, file an accident report at the local police station as soon as possible.

3. Exchange information. Get each driver’s name, phone number, address, insurance company, policy number, driver’s license number and license plate number. Write down the description of the vehicle, including the year, make, model, color and visible damage.

4. Locate witnesses. Get the name and contact information (telephone number and address) of anyone who saw the accident. Do this as quickly as possible, while people are stopped to see what happened. Ask them to stay to give a statement to the police officer. If they are in a rush, make sure to get their contact information.

5. Take photographs. Take photographs of the damage to each vehicle. Try to include each vehicle’s license plate number in the photos. If possible, try to get photographs of the other drivers. It may also be helpful to your insurance company, attorneys, and others if you take pictures of the surrounding area, such as the streets and their layouts.

6. Don’t discuss fault. Do not ever admit fault, to any driver or the police. Explain what happened to the officer. Let the officer, insurance companies, and attorneys determine who caused the accident.

7. Make a personal record. As soon as possible, put all the information you received at the scene of the accident into a comprehensive, written record. Write down everything you remember, from the weather, road conditions, how the accident happened, and a diagram. This will help you file a claim with your insurance company. It will also be helpful to an attorney, if you choose to hire one.

8. File a claim. Call your insurance company as soon as possible and open a new claim. Know what your insurance policy covers ahead of time. This prevents worrying about things such as towing at the scene of the accident.

9. Contact the DMV. The California Department of Motor Vehicles requires you to report all accidents if: (a) there is more than $750 in property damage; (b) anyone was injured, no matter how minor; or (c) anyone was killed. This is known as the “Traffic Accident Report SR 1”. Each driver must file this report, regardless of whether or not you caused the accident. It must be filed even if the accident occurred on private property. For more information visit the DMV website.

10. Protect your legal rights. Contact an attorney immediately, especially with accidents involving injuries. The insurance companies will be determining liability, so they will be contacting you for recorded statements, your authorization to receive medical information from your doctors, and so on. You may also be concerned with how you are going to pay for medical treatment, and what to do with your damaged vehicle and work you have missed. An experienced attorney can help you with this process while protecting your rights. Always remember that all insurance companies have their own attorneys, looking out for their interests. It’s important that you have an advocate on your side.

When two cars arrive at an intersection at the same time which car has the right of way?
The one on the right. Unless, one of the vehicles happens to be a fire truck, ambulance, or mail truck. Then they have the ride away (regardless if they have their blinking lights are on or not).

If two cars get to a four way stop intersection at the same time the car making a left turn should always be given the right of way?
It's called right of way. Whoever is making a right turn has the right of way.
Rule 1. The first car to arrive at the intersection goes first.
Rule 2. If they arrive at the same time the car on the right goes first, regardless of what maneuver he intends to make. Rule 3. If you're not sure, signaling the other driver to go is always good common courtesy and is acceptable.

Turning RIGHT Or Going STRAIGHT - Same Time Rule

When two facing vehicles approach at approximately the same time. both drivers can move straight ahead or turn right. Both cars can move ahead or turn to their right.

When two cars facing each other arrive at an 2 way stop or a 4 way stop intersection at the same time and one car is turning left and one car is going straight, which car has the right of way?

The car going straight should have the right of way. The car turning left, because it is crossing traffic, should yield to the car going straight.

However, this is not an exact law. It is a common courtesy law.

Best case scenario, both cars are slow to decide until one driver waves the other one across.

FREQUENCY OF EYE MOVEMENT	SPEED LIMITS	BRAKE FAILURE
DRIVING BY A SCHOOL BUS	DRIVING IN THE FOG	TRACTION LOSS
YOUR CAR BATTERY IS DEAD	CHANGING A CAR'S TIRE	YOU HAVE A BAD ALTERNATOR
WHEN IN A COLLISION/ACCIDENT	EMERGENCY PERSONNEL