Driving Techniques for the Professional and Non-Professional
, by Scotti, Anthony J.Note: Supplemental materials are not guaranteed with Rental or Used book purchases.
- ISBN: 9780964384408 | 096438440X
- Cover: Paperback
- Copyright: 2/1/1995
Whether you drive for a living, live to drive, or drive just to get yourself around, safe driving means being aware of situations that cause accidents or injuries and knowing what you can do to avoid or prevent them. Using a variety of driving scenarios, this book walks you step by step through the intricacies of the Driving System -- the Driver, the Vehicle and the Driving Environment. You'll learn how to maintain your vehicle -- and it's driver -- in optimum condition for taking to the road, and how to maintain vehicle control in both everyday and emergency situations -- in a variety of road and weather conditions. Book jacket.
About the Author | p. iv |
Brief Contents | p. v |
List of Figures, Tables, and Boxes | p. xix |
Acknowledgments | p. xxii |
Introduction | p. 1 |
"The Good Driver" Myth | p. 1 |
Basic Rules of the Road (Then and Now) | p. 2 |
What This Book Is All About | p. 5 |
Driving is a State of Mind--and Body--and Vehicle | |
The Mind/Body Driving Connection | p. 11 |
Physical and Mental Fatigue | p. 12 |
And Just What Kinds of Problems Does Driving While Fatigued Create? | p. 13 |
The Way You Sit in a Car Can Help You Remain Alert | p. 14 |
"Avoid Driving While Taking This Product" | p. 16 |
Driving While Under the Influence | p. 17 |
Your Vision and Sense of Space | p. 19 |
Protecting Your Vision | p. 19 |
Seeing at Night | p. 20 |
Protecting and Enhancing Your Driving Vision--Day and Night | p. 21 |
Car Design and Visibility | p. 23 |
The Myth of "Tired Eyes" | p. 24 |
Selective Vision and Your Sense of Space | p. 24 |
Looking Near, Looking Far | p. 24 |
Always Leave Yourself an "Out" | p. 26 |
Sense of Space in Traffic Situations | p. 26 |
Your Reaction Time/Sense of Timing | p. 29 |
What Is Reaction Time? | p. 29 |
A Hypothetical Example of Reaction Time/Sense of Timing | p. 30 |
Many Factors Other Than Age Affect Reaction Time | p. 30 |
Decision Making Behind the Wheel | p. 32 |
Over-dependence on Reaction Time | p. 33 |
Training Can Improve Reaction Time | p. 34 |
The Windshield and Mirrors: Your "Windows" to the Road | p. 35 |
The Windshield | p. 35 |
Windshield Visibility | p. 35 |
Windshield Wipers | p. 37 |
Rearview and Sideview Mirrors | p. 39 |
How Important Are Mirrors? | p. 40 |
Adjusting the Mirrors | p. 40 |
"Blind Spots" | p. 42 |
Seat Belts and Child Safety Seats | p. 43 |
Seat Belts | p. 43 |
Why Do We Need Seat Belts? | p. 43 |
How to Wear a Seat Belt Properly | p. 44 |
Child Safety Seats | p. 45 |
For Short Trips, Why Bother with a Child Safety Seat? | p. 45 |
An Adult's Lap Is Pretty Safe, Right? | p. 46 |
When Are Kids Big Enough for a Regular Seat Belt? | p. 46 |
There Are So Many Kinds of Safety Seats Which One Is Best? | p. 46 |
Why Does an Infant Seat Have to Face the Rear? | p. 47 |
How do I Make Sure the Child Safety Seat Is Working Properly? | p. 48 |
Where's the Safest Place for Kids in the Car? | p. 48 |
But I'm Not Comfortable with My Child in the Back. Shouldn't She Be Closer to Me? | p. 48 |
If an Older Child Must Be Seated in Front | p. 49 |
Air Bags: How They Work and Precautions to Take | p. 51 |
How Air Bags Work | p. 52 |
Air Bag System Components | p. 52 |
Rapid Deployment | p. 53 |
Dust | p. 54 |
Side and Curtain Air Bags | p. 54 |
Precautions to Take | p. 56 |
The Risk Zone | p. 56 |
Air Bag Fatalities | p. 57 |
Protecting Yourself and Your Passengers from Potential Air Bag Injury | p. 58 |
Tilt and Telescoping Steering Wheels | p. 60 |
Manual On-Off Switches for Air Bags | p. 60 |
Tires, Part I: Type and Quality Make a Big Difference | p. 63 |
Tire Tread Design | p. 63 |
All-Weather Tires | p. 64 |
Snow Tires | p. 64 |
Chains and Studded Snow Tires | p. 66 |
How to Decode a Tire: The Sidewall Story | p. 66 |
Typical Information on the Sidewall of a Passenger Car Tire | p. 67 |
Typical Information on the Sidewall of a Light Truck Tire | p. 71 |
Replacement Tire Selection | p. 72 |
Tire Size and Construction | p. 73 |
Speed Rating | p. 73 |
Tire Mounting Do's and Don't's | p. 74 |
Tires, Part II: Care and Maintenance Make an Even Bigger Difference | p. 77 |
Proper Tire Inflation Pressure | p. 77 |
The Correct Air Pressure | p. 77 |
Keeping Tires at Proper Pressure Is Easy | p. 79 |
The Perils of Improper Inflation | p. 80 |
Symptoms of "Sick" Tires | p. 82 |
Proper Tire Rotation | p. 83 |
Worn Tires | p. 83 |
Tire Abuse--Yours and Nature's | p. 84 |
Wheel Spinning | p. 84 |
Driving Speed | p. 85 |
Temperature and Temperature Changes | p. 86 |
Smart Car Care: Tips for Keeping Your Vehicle Safe and on the Road | p. 89 |
Stick to Your Routine (Maintenance) | |
Keep Your Vehicle a Well-Oiled Machine | p. 89 |
Go with the Flow: Your Vehicle's Fluids | p. 90 |
Know the Positives and Negatives of Your Battery | p. 90 |
Check Wipers & Washer Fluid Intermittently | p. 92 |
Light the Way to Safer Driving | p. 92 |
Help Your Tires Tread Lightly | p. 93 |
Conserve Fuel | p. 93 |
Know Your Car: The Ten-Minute Checklist | p. 95 |
Air Filter | p. 95 |
Battery | p. 95 |
Belts and Hoses | p. 95 |
Brake Fluid | p. 96 |
Brake System | p. 96 |
Coolant/Antifreeze | p. 96 |
Engine Oil | p. 96 |
Lights | p. 97 |
Power Steering Fluid | p. 97 |
Shock Absorbers | p. 97 |
Tire Pressure | p. 97 |
Wheel Alignment | p. 98 |
Tire Rotation | p. 98 |
Tire Tread | p. 98 |
Transmission Fluid | p. 99 |
Washer Fluid | p. 99 |
Wiper Blades | p. 99 |
The Glove Compartment and Trunk: Keep Them Well Stocked for Safety | p. 101 |
What to Carry in the Glove Compartment in Case of a Breakdown | p. 103 |
What to Carry in Your Trunk | p. 103 |
What to Keep in a First-Aid Kit | p. 106 |
Cold Weather Gear | p. 106 |
The Science and Techniques of Everyday Driving | p. 107 |
Introduction to Vehicle Dynamics: The Physical Basis of Car Control | p. 109 |
Loss of Control--Two Types | p. 109 |
Wherever the Laws of Physics Take It | p. 110 |
Maintaining Traction: Tire-to-Road Grip and Weight Transfer | p. 113 |
Tire Adhesion--Tire-to-Road Grip | p. 113 |
Rolling Contact | p. 116 |
Weight Transfer to the Tire Patch | p. 117 |
"Car Feel"--Keeping in Touch with the Control Limits of the Car | p. 120 |
Losing and Regaining Traction: How to Handle Braking Skids, Power Skids, and Cornering Skids | p. 125 |
Braking Skids | p. 125 |
Front-Wheel Braking Skid | p. 126 |
Rear-Wheel Braking Skid | p. 126 |
Four-Wheel Braking Skid | p. 127 |
Power (Acceleration) Skids | p. 128 |
Rear-Wheel Drive Power Skid | p. 128 |
Front-Wheel Drive Power Skid | p. 128 |
Cornering Skid | p. 129 |
Steering and G-Forces: Vehicle Dynamics in Action | p. 131 |
Newton's Laws of Motion Applied to Driving--Simplified | p. 131 |
Your Vehicle's Control Limits | p. 132 |
The "Driving Equation"--Figuring Out the G-Force | p. 134 |
Small Changes in Speed/Very Big Changes in G-Forces | p. 136 |
The Tire Adhesion Factor | p. 138 |
The Phenomenon of Understeer and Oversteer | p. 139 |
Neutral Steer, Understeer, Oversteer | p. 140 |
The Physical Dynamics of Understeer and Oversteer | p. 141 |
Causes of Understeer and Oversteer | p. 142 |
How to Compensate for Understeer and Oversteer | p. 143 |
Curves and Cornering at Speed: How to Handle the Road When It's Not Straight | p. 145 |
The Three Types of Corners (Curves) | p. 146 |
The Science of Handling the Curves | p. 148 |
Cornering Techniques | p. 149 |
"Straightening Out the Corners" | p. 150 |
Outside-Inside-Outside Technique | p. 151 |
Speed and Braking while Cornering | p. 153 |
Remember, You Cannot Judge the Next Curve by the Last One | p. 155 |
Speed and Stopping Distances: The Time-Distance Relationship to Stopping and Turning | p. 157 |
Speed Plays All Kinds of Tricks on Us | p. 157 |
Miles Per Hour (mph) vs Feet Per Second (fps) | p. 158 |
Time-Distance Driving Scenario | p. 161 |
Time-Distance-Weight Driving Scenario | p. 162 |
Time Needed to Cross an Intersection | p. 163 |
Time Needed to Turn at an Intersection | p. 164 |
Safe Following Distances and Braking | p. 166 |
A Typical Following Distance Scenario | p. 166 |
How Much Space Should You Keep in Front of You | p. 168 |
How Do Your Figure Out How Much Space You Have? | p. 168 |
Safe Following Distances When Driving at Night | p. 169 |
Specific Following Distances for Certain Vehicles | p. 170 |
Braking Control, Part I: The Science of How a Car Stops | p. 171 |
Brakes Don't Stop Cars | p. 171 |
Brake Pedal Pressure and Loss of Control | p. 172 |
The Vehicle Stopping Equation | p. 173 |
Braking Control, Part II: Non-ABS and ABS Techniques | p. 177 |
The Difference between Non-ABS and ABS | p. 177 |
Non-ABS Braking | p. 178 |
"Controlled Braking" in Non-ABS Vehicles | p. 179 |
ABS Braking | p. 181 |
Brake Failure | p. 182 |
Brake Fade | p. 182 |
Practice Makes Perfect | p. 183 |
Turning: How to Turn Left, Turn Right, Back Up, and Turn Around | p. 185 |
Turning Left | p. 185 |
Turning Right | p. 186 |
Backing Up | p. 187 |
Cars Are Designed to Go Forward | p. 187 |
Key Points to Keep in Mind When Backing Up | p. 188 |
Turning Around | p. 189 |
U-Turns | p. 190 |
Two-Point Turns | p. 191 |
Three-Point Turn | p. 193 |
Passing and Being Passed | p. 195 |
When Not to Pass | p. 195 |
When to Pass | p. 196 |
How to Pass Safely | p. 199 |
Signaling Your Intent to Pass | p. 199 |
Safe Passing Distance | p. 199 |
Safe Passing Speeds | p. 201 |
Special Passing Situations | p. 203 |
Passing on Three-Lane Highways | p. 203 |
Passing on the Right | p. 203 |
Being Passed | p. 204 |
Give Way to the Right | p. 204 |
Maintain a Steady Speed | p. 204 |
Accidents | p. 207 |
Accident Stats: Who, What, When, and How | p. 209 |
Gender | p. 210 |
Age | p. 210 |
Age/Gender Differences | p. 210 |
Alcohol Involvement | p. 211 |
Vehicle Types | p. 211 |
Crash Types | p. 213 |
What Causes Accidents? | p. 215 |
The Driving System | p. 215 |
The Driving Problem | p. 217 |
Types of Accidents | p. 218 |
Accident-Producing Situations Caused by Drivers Themselves | p. 221 |
Accident-Producing Situations Caused by Defective Vehicles | p. 222 |
Typical Accident Scenarios: And How to Deal with Them | p. 225 |
Yield the Right of Way | p. 225 |
Basic Accident Situations | p. 226 |
Oncoming Car | p. 227 |
Entering & Merging | p. 227 |
Ongoing Cars or Cars Ahead | p. 228 |
Cars Following Too Closely | p. 230 |
Cars Backing Out | p. 230 |
Motorcyclists | p. 230 |
Pedestrians and Bicyclists | p. 230 |
Other Driving Dangers | p. 234 |
Someone Runs a Red Light | p. 234 |
You Have a Blowout | p. 234 |
You Start to Skid | p. 235 |
Your Brakes Fail | p. 235 |
Your Accelerator Sticks | p. 236 |
Your Hood Flies Open | p. 236 |
Your Car Goes into Deep Water | p. 237 |
Crash Course: Simple Tips that Could Help Save Lives | p. 239 |
I've Just Seen a Bad Collision. What Can I Do to Help? | p. 239 |
Should I Always Stop? | p. 240 |
What's My First Step in Treating the Injured? | p. 241 |
I Don't Think She's Breathing. Now What? | p. 241 |
How Do I Control Severe Bleeding? | p. 242 |
All This Blood and Breathing. Should I Be Worried about AIDS? | p. 242 |
If I Do Move Someone, How Should I Do It? | p. 243 |
I Think She's in Shock. Now What? | p. 243 |
How Can I Help Myself If I'm in a Wreck? | p. 244 |
Driving in Special Situations | p. 245 |
Foul Weather Driving | p. 247 |
Driving in Rain | p. 247 |
Hydroplaning | p. 248 |
When Rain Causes a Flood or There Is Rushing Water | p. 249 |
If Your Vehicle Stalls in Water | p. 250 |
Driving in Snow | p. 250 |
Prepare to Get Under Way | p. 250 |
Maintaining Traction on Snow | p. 251 |
If You Get Stuck in Snow or Ice | p. 252 |
Blizzard Conditions | p. 253 |
Driving on Ice | p. 254 |
Stopping and Braking on Ice | p. 255 |
To Recover from an Ice Slide | p. 255 |
Winter Driving Scenario--The Dynamics in "Action" | p. 256 |
Fog | p. 257 |
Extreme Heat | p. 258 |
What to Do If Your Car Overheats | p. 258 |
Lightning | p. 259 |
Driving Safely at Night: There's More to It Than Good Headlights | p. 261 |
Keep Your Headlights in Good Working Order | p. 261 |
Keep Your Windshield and Mirrors Clean | p. 262 |
Adjust Your Speed to the Range of Your Headlights | p. 262 |
Keep Your Eyes Moving | p. 263 |
Protect Your Eyes from Glare | p. 264 |
Use Your Lights Wisely | p. 264 |
Make It Easy for Others to See You | p. 265 |
Avoid Steady Driving at the Hour of Your Usual Bedtime | p. 265 |
Roadside Breakdown: How to Deal with Roadside Emergencies | p. 267 |
How Do I Know Something Is Wrong with My Vehicle? | p. 267 |
If There's Something Wrong with My Vehicle, Should I Stop Where I Am or Continue? | p. 268 |
If I Have to Pull Over, How Do I Do It Safely? | p. 268 |
How Should I Get Help? | p. 269 |
Should I Stay in My Car While Waiting for Help? | p. 269 |
What If a Stranger Approaches? | p. 270 |
Are There Any Repairs I Can Make to Get Myself Moving Again? | p. 271 |
What If I Get a Flat Tire? | p. 271 |
How Can I Jumpstart a Battery Safely? | p. 272 |
What Can I Do to Prevent a Breakdown? | p. 274 |
Road Rage: How to Avoid It, How to Deal with It | p. 275 |
What Starts Road Rage? | p. 275 |
Who Commits Road Rage? | p. 276 |
Things to Do/Don't Do to Avoid or Deal with Road Rage | p. 276 |
Alone Behind the Wheel | p. 279 |
What Should I Know about Parking Safety? | p. 279 |
Should I Do Anything Special in Parking Garages? | p. 280 |
If I Lock My Car Before I Leave It. Is that Enough? | p. 280 |
I Hear a Lot about Carjackings. Is There Any Way to Avoid Them? | p. 281 |
Got Any Safety "Trip Tips"? | p. 282 |
Should I Always Have My Doors Locked When I'm Driving? | p. 283 |
What Do I Do If My Car Just Conks Out? | p. 283 |
Is Having a Phone in the Car a Good Idea? | p. 284 |
I Seem to Get More Tired When I Drive Alone. What Can I Do about It? | p. 285 |
What If I Plan and Prepare But Someone Confronts Me Anyway? | p. 286 |
Resources | p. 287 |
Website Resources | p. 289 |
Index | p. 295 |
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved. |
What is included with this book?
The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.
The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.