You need to read and view the material on this page to prepare to take the Emergency Driving Quiz.

Night Driving

When you drive at night, you are in an entirely new environment. It is easy to become disoriented because you no longer can use trees, houses, or other objects to help judge your location or distances. Glaring headlights also hinder your judgment. Bicyclists and pedestrians may dart in front of your car without warning. You are more likely to become sleepy and cause a crash. For these and other reasons, night driving is an important skill you should develop. The following are some rules everyone should follow:

If a car is coming toward you, dim your lights before you get within 500 feet of the oncoming car. If you are following a car, dim your lights when you are within 300 feet of the vehicle ahead of you.
Use your lights any time conditions keep you from seeing 1,000 feet ahead. These conditions include fog, stormy weather or dust.
Turn on your headlights no later than half an hour after sunset and keep them on until half an hour before sunrise.
If another driver does not dim his/her lights, dim yours anyway. Blinding the other driver to “get even” only results in two drivers not being able to see. If you do not look at the lights of the oncoming car, you should be able to maintain proper control of your vehicle and be able to continue driving without mishap.
It is wise to slow down a little at night. The law requires that you drive at a “reasonable and prudent” speed. That means, especially at night, if you drive the posted speed limit, it may be too fast.
Be sure that you can stop within the distance that is lighted by your headlights.
Do not drive at night with a dirty, foggy, or icy windshield. Although not safe at any time, windshields that are not clear at night will cause headlights and other lights to glare, which may result in the driver being blinded.
You should check all of your lights often to see whether any of the lights or signals are not functioning properly. (For more information select the video link below "Skill Builder 17 - Proper Use of Headlights")
A person younger than 17 years of age, whether resident or nonresident of this state, may not operate a motor vehicle upon any highway of this state between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless one of the following exceptions applies:

the driver is accompanied by a licensed driver at least 21 years of age who is occupying a seat next to the driver;
driving is in connection with a driver’s employment, including the trip to and from the driver’s residence and the driver’s employment;
the driver drives to the driver’s residence from a driver’s school-sponsored activity if transportation to the activity is provided by a school or school district, and the provided transportation commences from and returns to the school property where the driver is enrolled.
the driver is on assignment of a farmer or rancher and the driver is engaged in an agricultural operation; or
in an emergency.

Night Driving

STAYING AWAKE / NO DROWSY DRIVING

When you are tired, your ability to drive is affected. You will probably not be able to make decisions as quickly, your reaction time will be increased and you may become upset more easily. You may even fall asleep at the wheel. The following are some tips that may help you drive more safely at night:

Get a good night’s sleep before you start a trip at least seven (7) to nine (9) hours.
Do not take any medications that can make you sleepy. Medications taken the night before a trip can remain in your body and cause you to be less alert the next day.
Do not drive for long hours or distances--300 to 400 miles a day is plenty. The time you save is not worth the risk of driving when your reaction time is slower and your power of concentration is less.
Try not to drive late at night. Your body is probably used to going to sleep at that time and your reaction time will become slower. Travel at times you are normally awake.
Take rest breaks regularly, even if you don’t feel tired. Let someone else drive part of the time. Stop for a bit of refreshment every 100 miles or every two hours of driving time.
Plan for stops in cities where you may stay for the night.
Shift your eyes from one part of the road to another. Try to enjoy the scenery without neglecting your driving. Look at objects near and far, left and right.

Some warning signs you may experience that signify drowsiness while driving are:

You can't remember the last few miles driven.
You hit a rumble strip or drift from your lane.
You keep pulling your vehicle back into the lane.
Your thoughts are wandering and disconnected.
You yawn repeatedly.
You have difficulty focusing or keeping your eyes open and your head up.
You tailgate or miss traffic signs.
You have narrowly missed crashing.

NOTE: If you feel tired, the best decision is to find a safe place to stop and get some sleep for at least twenty (20) minutes, no matter the time of day, especially if all passengers in the vehicle are sleeping. You will be surprised at how much a tiny nap like this can help you stay awake when you are back on the road.

Night Driving and Emergency Situations - Proper Headlight Use Video

Skill Builder - Proper Use of Headlights

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBewJU82z8M (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

FLOODING

Flooding can occur when streams and rivers flow over their banks, when dams or levees break, when there is run-off from deep snow or any time there is heavy rainfall. Flood-waters can be found on roads, bridges, and low areas. Flash floods can come rapidly and unexpectedly. They can occur within a few minutes or hours of excessive rainfall.

Do not drive through flooded areas. If you see a flooded roadway ahead, turn around and find another route to get to your destination.
Be cautious, especially at night, when visibility is limited.
Remember, six (6) inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars, causing loss of control or possible stalling.
Two feet of moving water can carry away most vehicles, including sport utility vehicles and pick-up trucks.
Even if the water appears shallow enough to cross, do not attempt to cross a flooded road. Water can hide dips, or worse, floodwaters can damage roadways by washing away the underlying road surface.
If there is no other route, proceed to higher ground and wait for the waters to subside.

EMERGENCY MEASURES

If you think about emergencies and plan for them before they happen, you will be less likely to panic and will know what to do if they do occur.

NOTE: Motorists have been seriously injured or even killed when attending to vehicle malfunctions such as flat tires, out of gas and other equipment problems on and off of roadways.

However, the majority of these incidents are preventable. In an effort to minimize death or injury the following simple rules for the road should be followed.

Please ensure that your vehicle is properly maintained, including the internal engine components.
Maintain adequate tire pressure and tread.
Be sure your vehicle has a sufficient amount of fuel.
If you do experience a vehicle malfunction, please pull off the road as far as possible or exit the freeway completely if possible. A shredded tire or bent rim is better than putting your life in danger.
If you are off to the side of the road and need help, please stay in your vehicle as much as possible and keep walking on the road to a minimum. Being out of the vehicle opens the door of opportunity for injury or even death.
Use your cell phone to call the local dispatch if you need assistance. If you do not have access to a cell phone, please leave the hood of your car up and your hazard lights on. This will advise the traveling public that you need assistance.
Inform family members or other persons when to expect you at your destination.
Have an emergency kit in the trunk of your vehicle with blankets, extra food and water, to sustain you and your family.

Tire Blowout
Do not slam on the brakes. Let your car coast so that you can steer more easily. Hold the wheel tightly and slowly apply your brakes. When you have slowed down enough, pull all the way off the road. Pick a level spot if possible, turn on your emergency flashers and change the tire.

Brake Failure
Try to get some brake pressure by pumping the brake pedal. Shift to a lower gear to help slow down the car. You can also use your paring brake to slow down and stop. If you still cannot stop and are going downhill, try to drive into heavy bushes, snow, or a sandbank.

Skidding
Most of us think of ice and sand when we think of skidding. Remember that skidding can also happen on roads that are wet. Your car may start to “hydroplane” at speeds over 35 mph. Hydroplaning occurs when your front tires start to ride on water instead of the road. As you go faster, the problem becomes worse and you will lose control of your steering. In Utah, we also have a special problem with “black ice.” Black ice is very difficult to see on the roadway and appears more like a wet spot than a patch of ice. Unfortunately, many crashes occur each year from skids caused by black ice. The best policy is to keep a skid from happening. Slow down to a speed at which you can control the car. If you do skid, slowly take your foot off the gas pedal. If your rear wheels skid to the right, turn your front wheels to the right. If the rear wheels skid to the left, turn left. This is called "turning into the skid." Do not turn the wheel too far though, as that will make the car skid in the other direction. Do not slam on your brakes. Once your car regains traction, straighten out your wheels.

Car Stalling on the Highway
Turn on your emergency flashers immediately and move your car off the road as soon as you can. If your car is near a traffic lane or where it is hard to be seen, get everyone out and away from the car. If you have them, use flares to warn other drivers. (It is a good idea to always have flares in your trunk.)

Headlight Failure
Slow down and get off the road. Use your flares or other emergency warning devices to warn other drivers. Check the terminals on the battery to see if they are loose. NEVER drive at night without lights.

Gas Pedal Sticks
Put your car into neutral or push in the clutch. Pull off the road and turn off the engine.

Steering Wheel Locking Device
It is dangerous to turn your vehicle’s ignition to the lock position while it is in motion. If this happens and you try to turn the steering wheel, it will lock and you will lose control of the vehicle.

Car Coming Towards You in Your Lane
Honk your horn or blink your lights. The other driver may be asleep. If this does not work, swerve to the RIGHT, if possible. Avoid swerving into the oncoming lane or traffic. If the other driver wakes up, he/she will probably over-correct by trying to move the car back into the original lane of travel. If you are in that lane because you swerved the wrong direction, you may end up in a head-on collision

Distracting Situations
Sometimes while driving you may drop something, lose a contact lens, be stung by a bee, or be distracted in some other way. Some people panic when something like this happens. They become more concerned with the problem than about their driving and often run off the road or into the car in front of them. Don’t let this happen to you. If you have a problem or there is a distraction, pull over to the side of the road immediately and then take care of the problem.

NOTE: law prohibits the use of a handheld wireless communication device for text messaging or electronic mail communication while operating a moving motor vehicle, even hands free, on a roadway in this state.

If You Need Help
You may call 9-1-1. Be prepared to share your car's location, make, and model. Pull to the side of the road, turn on your emergency flashers, raise your hood, and tie something white or orange on the antenna or left door handle.

5.12 Emergency Driving Videos

Skill Builder - Driving in Hazardous Conditions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_4C8hGoOYw (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Please watch the videos carefully. It may be necessary to watch it a couple of times to understand the information before you start your behind-the-wheel driving experience. After watching the videos in this lesson, you will take a quiz on the content of the video next.

You are allowed to take this quiz up to 3 times.

You MAY use your notes on this quiz.

There is a 10 minute time limit on this quiz.