UNIT D

• Pre-drive checks


  Performing checks inside and outside the vehicle before driving
• Exterior vehicle pre-drive checks

  • Walk around the vehicle in a counterclockwise direction
  • Check fluid levels
  • Check tire condition
  • Check windows and mirrors
  • Check lights
  • Check fuel door and gas cap
  • Check exhaust pipe
  • Check for leaks and obstructions
  • Check licence plate
  • Check for loose parts and body damage
• Interior vehicle pre-drive checks

  • Ensure doors are closed and locked
  • Adjust seat position and head restraint
  • Adjust steering wheel
  • Ensure seatbelt is properly fastened
  • Adjust rear-view and side-view mirrors
  • Adjust air vents and temperature
  • Remove loose objects
  • Check windows and mirrors for cleanliness and cracks
• Instrument panel

  Displays for instruments, gauges and controls
• Instrument panel indicators

  • Oil pressure indicator
  • Alternator indicator
  • High beam indicator
  • Turn signal indicator
  • Hazard warning light switch
  • Parking brake light
  • Fuel gauge
  • Speedometer
  • Seatbelt warning light
  • Odometer
  • Tachometer
  • Engine temperature gauge
• Additional indicators

  • Engine malfunction light
  • Anti-lock brake system (ABS) indicator
  • Electric power steering indicator
• Other vehicle features

  • Cruise control
  • Windshield wipers
  • Headlights
  • Hazard lights
• Vehicle safety features

  • Seatbelts (mandatory since 1987)
  • Airbags
  • Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
  • Traction control
  • Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
  • Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)
• Seatbelts reduce the risk of being injured or killed in a collision by approximately 50%
• You should position your hands on the outside of the steering wheel at the 9 and 3 o' clock position. This will reduce your risk of personal injury if the airbag deploys.
• Best practices when securing your seatbelt

  • Ensure it's not loose, damaged or twisted
  • Place the lower seat belt across your hips as low as possible
  • Wear the upper seat belt over your shoulder so it fits snug across your chest
  • A correctly adjusted seatbelt will allow you to reach forward comfortably to use all the vehicle controls
  • NEVER wear your seatbelt under your arm or behind your back
• Adjusting your seat before securing your seatbelt

  1. Move your seat forward or back

  2. Adjust the angle of the seat back's recline

  3. Tilt the steering wheel down

  4. THEN you can buckle up
• Once you're belted, make sure you're at least 25 centimetres away from the steering wheel.
• Gearshift positions in an automatic vehicle

  • Park
  • Reverse
  • Neutral
  • Drive
• Manual transmission


  You have to change the gears manually. To do this, push down on the clutch with your left foot. The clutch is the foot pedal to the left of the brake pedal. This will disengage the motor from the transmission so you can shift gears.
• Only use the clutch when you start your vehicle, come to a complete stop or shift gears.
• Whenever you come to a complete stop and shift gears, to prevent stalling, the clutch pedal must be pushed down.
• How to scan your driving environment

  • Perform a ground search
  • Maintain a visual lead time
  • Use your mirrors
• Check your rear and side mirrors every 5 to 8 seconds.
• Always check your rear-view mirror when you're about to brake, or you risk being rear-ended if another vehicle is following too closely.
• Check your mirrors before moving into or out of traffic, changing lanes, turning and merging.
• Never rely on your mirrors or back-up camera when backing up your vehicle. You're required to physically look out the back window.
• MSSSM


  Mirror check, Shoulder check, Signal, Shoulder check again, Move
• Adjusting your mirrors

  1. Set your mirrors after you've adjusted your seat, fastened your seatbelt and are sitting comfortably

  2. Set the inside rear-view mirror to fully frame the rear window

  3. Set the outside side-view mirrors to reduce most of the blind spots and areas on the sides

  4. When adjusted properly, you should only need to tip your head slightly so you can see the edge of the vehicle in your side-view mirrors
• Checking your blind spot

  • Check your left/right side mirror, check over your left/right shoulder to the blind spot, then signal, check over your left/right shoulder again, wait until it's clear before moving your vehicle to the left/right
• Space cushion


  The amount of space you need to leave around your vehicle on all sides
• Following distance


  The minimum distance you should keep when driving behind another vehicle. Under normal driving conditions, it should be at least three seconds.
• Risk


  A situation where someone may be exposed to potential danger
• Proactive driving


  Identifying potential hazards ahead of time, assessing the level of risk and having a plan to avoid the hazard
• Reactive driving


  Responding to hazards as they occur, rather than anticipating them
• Checking blind spot before changing lanes

  1. Check mirrors

  2. Shoulder check

  3. Signal

  4. Shoulder check again

  5. Move if safe
• One of the most important elements of any driving system is its approach to safely managing the driver's environment
• Reactive driving


  Reacting to a situation after it's already happened
• Proactive means 'before action'. It refers to the things that should be done before any action is taken
• Reactive skills are automatic responses developed through training
• SIPDE


  • A safe performance driving system used by AMA to identify and predict potential hazards and take proactive steps to reduce the risk of a collision
  • Search
  • Identify
  • Predict
  • Decide
  • Execute
• The Smith System


  • Aim high
  • Be aware of the big picture
  • Keep your eyes moving
  • Leave yourself an out
  • Make sure they see you
• Up to 90% of the information we use when driving is gathered by our vision
• Using SIPDE


  1. Search

  2. Identify

  3. Predict

  4. Decide

  5. Execute
• When scanning the road

  In urban areas, scan 12 to 15 seconds ahead. In rural areas and on high speed roads, scan 20 to 30 seconds ahead