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Driver Readiness
Page 5 of 10
Know Your Destination
Before getting behind the wheel, it is important to know where you are going and
the best route to get there. Drivers can avoid getting lost, wasting gas, and a
rriving late by knowing the destination and safest route before driving.
Plan your route and departure times to avoid construction, hazards, and heavy tr
affic. Try to avoid high pedestrian areas and rush hour when other drivers are d
istracted and in a hurry. It is also a good idea to have an alternative route if
you encounter a road closure or heavy congestion.
If you have never driven to your destination, refer to a map and know your direc
tions before getting behind the wheel. Also, leave in plenty of time to allow fo
r delays.
Check the traffic and weather reports before driving. Prepare for wet weather or
driving in ice and snow. If weather is extreme, use an alternative route and/or
departure time, if available.

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Driver Readiness
Page 7 of 10
Pre-drive Check
Before driving it is important to be aware of any potential problems that you ca
n fix or attend to before getting behind the wheel. Pre-drive checks help you av
oid costly repairs, breakdowns, or loss of control that could lead to a crash.
Vehicle Approach
As you approach the vehicle, have your keys in your hand. Be prepared to enter t
he vehicle without delay - especially if you are in a busy parking lot. If you a
re parked on the street, next to a curb, approach the vehicle from the front. Do
n't enter the street with your back to traffic.
Search around your vehicle for obstacles and debris. Look for potholes, rocks, n
ails, and slippery areas. Look for fluids leaking from the vehicle or for object
s that were not there before you parked the vehicle.
Notice the direction your front wheels are turned. To avoid hitting something yo
u may have to adjust the direction as you begin to move your vehicle.
Check your tires for proper inflation.
Ensure your lights and windows are clean and clear.
Check the area for other traffic, pedestrians, small children, or pets running l
oose. Keep track of those sharing the area around your vehicle. If your vision i
s obstructed, search around or under those obstacles for things that appear to b
e in motion.
Mirror Adjustments
Your mirrors should also be adjusted before every drive. Adjust your rear-view m
irror to ensure you have a full view out of the rear window. Adjust the driver's
side mirror by placing your head against the window and adjusting the mirror so
you can see the rearmost left corner of the vehicle. Lastly, adjust the passeng
er's side mirror by positioning your head at the middle of the vehicle and adjus
ting the mirror so you can see the rearmost right corner of the vehicle.

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Driver Readiness
Page 8 of 10
Driver Position
Do not sit too low or too close to the steering wheel as this will limit your st
eering ability. Position the seat so that your chest is 10 to 12 inches from the
hub of the steering wheel. In this position, if the air bag deploys, you reduce
the chance of injury.
If you are short and cannot reach the pedals from this position, check to see if
your vehicle has adjustable pedals. If your vehicle is not equipped with this f
eature, check with your vehicle dealer or local automotive supply retailers to o
btain pedal extenders.
Proper seat positioning is now much easier with new technology such as adjustabl
e steering wheels, adjustable steering-wheel columns, and adjustable power seats
.
Hand Placement
The most comfortable position for your hands depends on your height, arm length,
seat height and steering-wheel position. In the past, drivers were taught to pl
ace their hands at the 10 and 2 o'clock or 9 and 3 o'clock positions. However, t
oday more flexible positions are encouraged.
With the lower 8 and 4 o'clock hand position, you can smoothly turn the steering
wheel nearly 160 degrees in either direction without crossing your arms. When y
ou must turn the wheel more than 160 degrees, a preferred technique is called pu
sh/pull or push/pull/feed steering:
One hand pushes the steering wheel up in the direction you want to turn. Meanwhi
le, the other hand slides up toward 12 o'clock and then pulls down.
The hand you first used to push then slides down to make further adjustments as
necessary.
To return to your original path, simply reverse the process or let the wheel sli
de through the fingers.
Push/pull steering from lower hand positions has at least five major advantages
over past hand placement methods:
It is less fatiguing because it allows a more normal position for your arms.
The 8 and 4 o'clock hand position is a lower, more restful position. The driver'
s arms stay close to the body and allow the body to be in a more upright and sta
ble position.
You are more likely to keep both hands on the steering wheel allowing the muscle
s of the chest, back and shoulders to do most of the work.
Push/pull steering eliminates hand over hand and crossing the arms while steerin
g. The hand over hand steering requires greater muscle strength.
Injuries to arms, hands, face, and eyes can be reduced or prevented during a col
lision when a driver-side air bag deploys.

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Driver Readiness
Page 9 of 10
Driver Position
Safety Belts
Position the lap belt to fit snugly across your hips and not up on your abdomen.
When the belt is fastened, take up any slack by pulling the belt firmly across
your lap toward the lap-belt retractor. Use the tension adjuster to change the s
houlder belt position and pressure against your chest. The shoulder belt should
never be placed behind your back or under your arm.
Passengers should not ride in the front seat with the back of the seat in a recl
ining position. Your body could slide forward, increasing the chance of both nec
k and abdominal injuries in the event of a crash.
Head Restraint
To get the maximum protection from painful whiplash neck injuries sustained in r
ear-end collisions, properly adjust the head restraints so they are close to the
back of the head and no lower than the middle of the head.

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Driver Readiness
Page 10 of 10
ReviewSend to Printer
A crash occurs every 30 seconds. Before driving, assume you will be in
Driver readiness lowers your risk. If you determine your driving risks
d with physical, mental, or medical limitations are too high, consider
ve transportation choices.

with our

a crash.
associate
alternati

Know your destination and plan the safest route. Plan an alternate route in the
event you have an unexpected detour.
Don't drive where you can't see. Most of the information you process while drivi
ng is visual. Before driving be sure you can focus on things near and far away.
If you are sick, disabled, or your vision is impaired, have someone else drive.
Position yourself to be able to steer, accelerate, and brake efficiently.
Sit straight behind the wheel with your back against the seat.
Adjust your seat so you can see and easily operate the controls.
Adjust the driver's side mirror so you can see the rearmost left corner of the v
ehicle.
Put a 10"-12" space between you and the wheel.
Adjust the head restraint so the top of it is even with the top of your ears.
Fasten your safety belt. Tell passengers not to recline in their seats. In the e
vent of a crash, their bodies could slide forward, increasing the chance of inju
ry.
Eliminate unnecessary distractions or diversions. Loose objects become projectil
es in a crash. Secure loose objects in the trunk or the cargo net. Secure yourse
lf and your passengers and buckle up.

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Visual Search
Page 1 of 11
Introduction
We have discussed the importance of good vision and how you gather most of the i
nformation you need to drive safely using the information you receive from your
eyes. About 90% of the decisions you make are based on what you see.
What you are able to see without obstruction is called your "line-of-sight." The
best condition for visual search is when your line-of-sight around all sides of
your vehicle is not obstructed. When you can see well ahead, behind and to the
sides, you can identify hazards, predict the conditions that you might encounter
, and prepare to execute your driving maneuvers.
When you drive, wherever you drive, be aware of the quality of your line-of-sigh
t. Look far ahead at the center of your path of travel and practice an orderly s
earch pattern. As you move your eyes, focus quickly and keep your eyes moving. T
o ensure you detect hazards in all directions, do not stare at anything or in an
y one direction for more than just a fraction of a second.
Your visual search pattern should be conducted without interruption. Search ahea
d, check the rear-view mirror, check the side-view mirrors, search ahead, check
the dashboard, and continuously repeat this cycle. As you conduct your visual se
arch make a conscious attempt not to be distracted.
This module will cover the techniques and reasons why it is important to conduct
a thorough visual search. Topics that will be addressed include:
Search Ahead
Search to the Sides
Search Behind
Night Driving
Improving Your Vision

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Visual Search
Page 2 of 11
Search Ahead
Many drivers involved in crashes say "it happened so fast," "I didn't see" or "I
couldn't stop in time." As a driver, you are often forced to respond quickly to
a traffic situation.
To have adequate time and space to avoid obstacles in your path you need to sear
ch the traffic environment far ahead of your vehicle. Position yourself with a c
lear line-of-sight so you can search the traffic environment about 30 seconds ah
ead. This gives you plenty of time to recognize obstacles ahead and maneuver aro
und or away from potential traffic conflicts.
To help judge how far ahead you need to look for the 30-second visual lead, pick
out a fixed object like an overpass well down the road and start counting. If y
ou reach the object before getting to thirty, pick out another object further do
wn the road and try it again until you obtain the 30-second distance.
The location of 30 seconds on the road ahead will vary depending on your speed.
Traveling at 25 mph, 30 seconds ahead is about two and one half blocks.
At 30 mph, 30 seconds ahead is close to two blocks.
With a well developed 30-second scan technique, you pick up visual cues, process
information and decide what to do next. This mental process takes time. After y
ou decide what to do, you have already traveled a good distance and now you will
still require a "control zone" of about 12-15 seconds ahead to safely execute y
our maneuver.
This 12-15 second visual-control will give you time to identify a place or place
s to which you can steer, on or off the road if a potential problem situation de
velops into a threatening situation. The 12-15 second visual-control zone also g
ives you time to decide where to go if you cannot steer where you intended. Iden
tification of alternate paths also becomes critical if you are in a situation wh
ere you may be struck from the rear.
The following are clues that you are not looking far enough ahead when you drive
:
You make frequent, quick stops.
In traffic, you often find yourself boxed in a slow moving lane - this indicates
you have not spotted problems ahead well enough in advance to avoid them.

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Visual Search
Page 3 of 11
Search Ahead
Scanning High
If you drive a high profile vehicle such as an SUV or RV, it is critical to ensu
re you have clearance above, especially in places such as:
Parking garages
Fast food restaurant drive-up lanes
Service stations with a canopy
Tunnels and toll booths
Residential or rural roads with low-hanging trees
Your own garage
Scanning Low
Develop the habit of observing the ground for changes in road traction condition
s and for shadows that might indicate hidden hazards, such as children between p
arked cars. Other benefits of using low scanning techniques include:
Looking at the ground beside a moving vehicle helps you to more accurately judge
its speed.
Predicting another vehicle is about to change direction by checking the position
of the vehicle's tires.
Locating potholes and sudden changes in road surface conditions that might affec
t your traction and/or path of travel.
Noticing shadows on the roadway might indicate a hidden vehicle ahead of a truck
you want to pass.

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Visual Search
Page 4 of 11
Search to the Sides
When approaching places where others may cross or enter your path, look to the s
ides to make sure no one will enter your travel path. Conduct your search to the
sides by scanning such things as:
Intersections, freeway entrances, driveways, alleys, controlled multi-lane roads
, etc.
Crosswalks and roadside areas
Railroad crossings
Parking lots
School zones and residential areas
Intersections
Before you enter an intersection, search for threatening objects and conditions
to the left
vehicles you will encounter first will come from this direction. Look
ahead and then to the right. Often drivers fail to see vehicles to the right. Be
aware that you are most likely to be hit by a vehicle coming from the right.
Take one last look in both directions before you pull into an intersection in ca
se you missed something the first time. Do not rely solely on traffic signals at
an intersection. Look to the left and right even though other drivers have the
red light or stop sign. Drivers often fail to stop for stop signs, and in many a
reas, several vehicles may run red lights during rush hour.
Before crossing an intersection, be sure you have an adequate view. If your line
-of-sight is blocked, slowly edge forward until you can see. If other vehicles a
re blocking your view of another lane, it is best to wait until they move.
Crosswalks and Roadside Areas
As you turn a corner, watch for pedestrians about to cross the street in your pa
th. When a right-turn-on-red is permitted, always yield to pedestrians in the cr
osswalk.
Whenever there is a lot of activity or there are roadside business entrances alo
ng the side of the road, use active scanning to the sides. Be cautious for obsta
cles when driving in or near:
Shopping centers
Parking lots
Construction zones

Playgrounds, school yards

Busy sidewalks
Residential areas

Railroad Crossings
Approach a railroad crossing with caution. Search and roll your windows down to
hear, and be prepared to stop.
Search as you approach a railroad crossing; look both ways even when warning lig
hts are not flashing - the signal may not be working.
If signal and bells are flashing and ringing, do not enter the intersection. Do
not try to beat the train. Never stop your vehicle straddling the railroad cross
ing or between the gates.
When approaching a railroad crossing with more than one track, make sure you hav
e a clear view well down the track in both directions.

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Visual Search
Page 5 of 11
Search Behind
Our natural tendency is to concentrate on what is going on ahead of where we are
going. However, trouble can come from any direction - check your mirrors whenev
er you change speed or position.
Standard rear-view and side mirrors do not provide a complete view of everything
behind your vehicle, even when properly adjusted.
To adjust the driver's side mirror, place your head against the window and set t

he mirror so you can just see the rearmost corner of the vehicle. To adjust the
passenger's side mirror, position your head at the middle of the vehicle and set
the mirror so you can just see the rearmost corner of the vehicle.
When changing lanes, check for traffic behind you, glance in your rearview and s
ide mirrors to make sure no one is preparing to pass you. Also, before you chang
e lanes glance over your shoulders to check the blind areas to be certain no one
is near the left- or right-rear corners of your vehicle.
Some drivers may have difficulty looking over their shoulder. If you experience
these problems, you can install special mirrors to reduce your blind areas in th
e following ways:
Replace your regular mirrors with larger ones.
Install large side mirrors, both sides.
Install side mirrors with angled surfaces, which might be helpful in reducing bl
ind areas.
Attach a small convex curved mirror in the corner of a flat mirror. This will he
lp you see blind areas, but will not help gauge distances. By using both mirrors
together, you can detect other vehicles with the curved surface and judge how c
lose they are with the standard mirror.
Always check your mirrors:
Before you slow down, stop, or when anything in the lanes ahead suggests a chang
e of speed or position.
When you have to slow or stop quickly.
When you prepare to turn into a side road or driveway, especially if the drivewa
y is just before an intersection.
When maneuvering to pull into a parking space.
When traveling on a long or steep incline.
When you detect an obstacle in your mirrors adjust your speed or position to avo
id any conflicts. Remember it is most difficult to manage space behind your vehi
cle. If there is someone tailgating, position your vehicle as far away as you ca
n from the aggressive driver. Signal and maneuver to the right lane if there is
a safe gap in traffic.

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