New Mexico Driver Education Curriculum
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New Mexico Driver Education Curriculum April, 2014 Edition Published by New Mexico Department of Transportation Traffic Safety Division PO Box 1149, 604 West San Mateo Santa Fe, NM 87504-1149 (505) 827-0427 and The University of New Mexico Division of Continuing Education Business & Technology Division 1634 University Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87131 (505) 277-0077 Introduction The direct purpose of this manual is to help New Mexico driving instructors teach their students that driving is a privilege not a right. Driving places an enormous responsibility on everyone who operates a motor vehicle including experienced drivers. The indirect purpose of this manual is to prevent traffic crashes and reduce the number of injuries and fatalities when crashes do occur. To comprehend what a daunting task that is, let’s review the 2011 New Mexico Crash Facts, courtesy of the UNM New Mexico Geospatial and Population Studies Traffic Research Unit. (See: http://www.unm.edu/~dgrint/reports/annual/ar2011.pdf) 2011 New Mexico Crash Facts 5% of New Mexico’s population was in a crash. 5% of all New Mexico’s registered vehicles were in a crash. 4% of all New Mexico’s licensed drivers were in a crash. 1% of crashes resulted in a fatality. 29% of crashes resulted in an injury. 98% of motorcyclists who died in a crash were not wearing a helmet. 8.9% of unbelted passenger vehicle occupants in crashes were killed compared to only 0.1% of belted passenger vehicle occupants in crashes. Alcohol-involved drivers in crashes were 2.6 times more likely to be male than female. The top contributing factors to crashes were: Driver inattention (24%) Failure to yield (14%) Following too closely (11%) The top contributing factors to fatalities were: Alcohol/Drug-involved (42%) Driver inattention (12%) Excessive speed (9%) In an average day in New Mexico, there were 118 crashes that involved 309 people, with 51 people injured and 1 person killed. A motor vehicle crash occurred every 12 minutes. A crash occurred in Bernalillo County every 30 minutes. A person was injured in a crash every 30 minutes. A distracted driver crash occurred every hour. An alcohol-involved crash occurred every 4 hours. A person was killed or injured in an alcohol-involved crash every 5 hours. A semi/large truck was in a crash every 6 hours. A motorcycle was involved in a crash every 7 hours. A bicyclist was hit by a vehicle every 24 hours. A pedestrian was hit by a vehicle every 24 hours. A person was killed in a crash every 24 hours. Driving instructors not only teach motor skills and the rules of the road, but the culture of the road as well. By helping their students develop respect for other drivers and road users and an attitude of cooperation rather than competition, new drivers may become safer, more courteous drivers, and end up in fewer crashes. Like many skills that we learn, good driving habits can only become ingrained by practice, practice and more practice. We’d like for you, the driving instructor, to be that voice in your student drivers’ heads that keeps them calm, gives them confidence, and advises them on the right way to make that turn or drive through that construction zone long after class is over. You can have a tremendous influence on how your students will behave once they’ve gotten their licenses. We hope that you will use this opportunity to make future generations of New Mexican drivers better that the last, until drunk driving and driving without a seat belt are a thing of the past. Good luck and carry on! New Mexico Driver Education Curriculum Table of Contents Chapter 1: The Basics: Equipment and Car Control Unit 1: Objectives………………………………………………………….. 1-1 The Course Outline……………………………………………………... 1-1 Section One: The basics……………..…………………………….. 1-1 Driving Section Two: Moving down the road……………………………… 1-7 Task Suggested Review Questions………………………………………. 1-11 Resources……………………………..……………………………. 1-12 New Mexico Laws…………………………………………………. 1-12 Chapter 2: Defensive Driving Techniques Objectives………………………………………………………….. 2-1 Course Outline……………………………………………………... 2-2 Section One: Ten Common Driving Errors……………………....... 2-2 Section Two: Defensive Driving Concepts and Techniques……..... 2-2 Section Three: Communicate with Other Drivers…………………. 2-3 Section Four: Speeding…………………………………………….. 2-5 Section Five: Parking………………………………………………. 2-6 Section Six: Road and Weather Conditions………………………... 2-7 Section Seven: Car Safety Measures………………………………. 2-7 Section Eight: Signs and Roadway Markings……………………… 2-8 Suggested Review Questions………………………………………. 2-11 Resources…………………………………………………………... 2-13 New Mexico Laws…………………………………………………. 2-14 Chapter 3: Crashes and Other Roadside Emergencies Objectives………………………………………………………….. 3-1 Course Outline……………………………………………………... 3-1 Section One: Introduction…………………….................................. 3-1 Section Two: Roadside Emergencies……........................................ 3-2 Section Three: Crashes, Injury and Death……….………………… 3-2 Section Four: Mandatory Minimum Insurance…………………….. 3-3 Section Five: If the Driver Comes Upon a Crash………………….. 3-3 Section Six: NM Move Over Law……………………….………… 3-4 Suggested Review Questions………………………………………. 3-5 New Mexico Laws…………………………………………………. 3-6 Table of Contents i Chapter 4: Sharing the Road Objectives………………………………………………………….. 4-1 Course Outline……………………………………………………... 4-2 Section One: Pedestrians………………………….……………...... 4-3 Section Two: Bicycles……………..……....…................................ 4-3 Section Three: Motorcycles……………..……....…....................... 4-3 Section Four: Large Trucks and Buses…………….………………. 4-4 Section Five: Trains………………………………………………... 4-5 Section Six: Work Zones…………………………………………... 4-6 Suggested Review Questions…………………….……………….…4-7 Resources…………………………………………………………... 4-8 New Mexico Laws…………………………………………………. 4-9 Chapter 5: Characteristics of Good Drivers Unit 2: Objectives………………………………………………………….. 5-1 The Course Outline……………………………………………………... 5-2 Section One: Physical Skills………………..……………............... 5-2 Driver Section Two: Mental Skills and Attitudes…..…….......................... 5-2 Section Three: Social Skills………………………………………... 5-5 Section Four: Emotional Process…………………………………... 5-5 Section Five: Student Driver Checklist……………………………. 5-6 Student Driver Checklist…………………………………………… 5-7 Teaching Tips……………………………………………………… 5-8 Suggested Review Questions………………………………………. 5-9 Resources…………………………………………………………... 5-11 Tip Sheet for Parents……………………………………………….. 5-12 Chapter 6: Challenges to Good Driving Objectives………………………………………………………….. 6-1 Course Outline……………………………………………………... 6-1 Section One: Stress…………………………..…………….............. 6-1 Section Two: Fatigue……..……………..……................................ 6-2 Section Three: Physical Limitations………………………………. 6-3 Section Four: Distraction and Inattention…………………………. 6-4 Section Five: Aggressive Driving and “Road Rage”……………... 6-6 Suggested Review Questions ……………………………………... 6-7 Resources…………………………………………………………... 6-8 Table of Contents ii Chapter 7: Driving Under the Influence Objectives………………………………………………………….. 7-1 Course Outline……………………………………………………... 7-1 Section One: Description of the Problem……….……………......... 7-1 Section Two: Attitudes about Driving after Drinking...................... 7-2 Section Three: Effects of Impaired States of Alertness……………. 7-2 Section Four: Why do People Drink?………………………….…... 7-3 Section Five: Health Effects of Heavy and Chronic Drinking….…. 7-3 Section Six: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol & Other Drugs7-3 Section Seven: Overview of the Laws and the DWI Process……… 7-5 Section Eight: Reporting a Drunk Driver………………….………. 7-6 Activity: Victim for an Hour………………………………………. 7-7 Suggested Review Questions……………………………………… 7-9 Resources…………………………………………………………... 7-11 New Mexico Laws…………………………………………………. 7-12 Unit 3: Chapter 8: Licensing Objectives………………………………………………………….. 8-1 The Course Outline……………………………………………………... 8-1 Section One: Introduction………….……….……………................ 8-1 Driving Section Two: Graduated Drivers’ Licensing……............................ 8-1 Environ- Section Three: Suspension & Revocation……..…………………... 8-3 New Mexico Laws…………………………………………………. 8-6 ment New Mexico Regulations…………………………………………... 8-26 Chapter 9: Adverse Driving Conditions Objectives………………………………………………………….. 9-1 Course Outline……………………………………………………... 9-1 Section One: Introduction..……..……….…………........................ 9-1 Section Two: Driving in Adverse Conditions…............................... 9-2 Section Three: Crossing the Border…............................................. 9-4 Section Four: Driving on Tribal Lands …………………….……….9-5 Section Five: Driving on Federal Lands………...………….……….9-5 Suggested Review Questions ……………………………………... 9-6 Resources…………………………………………………………... 9-7 Chapter 10: Highway and Traffic Engineering Objectives………………………………………………………….. 10-1 Course Outline……………………………………………………... 10-1 Section One: Design and Engineering Standards…………….......... 10-1 Section Two: Geometric Design………………................................ 10-2 Table of Contents iii Section Three: Functional Classification……….………………….. 10-2 Section Four: Design Speed…..……………………………............ 10-2 Section Five: Specific Design Features Relevant to Driving……… 10-3 Section Six: Traffic Control Devices………………………………. 10-4 Section Seven: Regulatory Signs…………………….…………….. 10-5 Section Eight: Warning Signs……………………………………… 10-6 Section Nine: Guide Signs…………………………………………. 10-9 Section Ten: Pavement Markings………………………………….. 10-10 Section Eleven: Traffic Signals…………………………………….