Driver's Ed Manual - Albemarle County Public Schools

Parent/Student
Driver Education Handbook
Albemarle County Schools revised July 2001

Written and compiled by Richard Wharam, July 2000
Graphic Design by Birch Studio Graphics
The assistance of the Automobile Association of America is gratefully acknowledged.

Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Requirements for Learner’s Permit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Requirements for Permanent License . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
The Parent as Teacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Lesson 1: Starting With Good Habits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Lesson 2: Subdivision Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Lesson 3: Rural Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Lesson 4: Routes 29 and 250—Multi-lane Congestion . . 5
Lesson 5: Interstate Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Driving Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Driving Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Albemarle County Driver Education Program . . . . . . . . 13
Website Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Effective July 1, 2001:
Students possessing a learner’s permit prior to July 1, but not turning 16 years old until after
July 1, 2001, will be eligible for a temporary license when:
• The student is at least 16 years old and has held a learner’s permit for at least six
months.
• The student successfully completes a state approved driver education program.
• The parents have signed the PPF-01 Permission Form certifying their child is properly
insured, and has driven a motor vehicle for 40 hours—at least 10 of which
were after sunset.
• The student submits a driving log of 40 hours.
Students possessing a Learner’s Permit:
• are restricted to one non-family member teenage passenger
• have a midnight to 4am curfew
• must log driving experiences: 30 hours of daylight driving and 10 hours of driving
between sunset and midnight
Albemarle County High Schools

Parents may want to practice steering with the left hand from the passenger seat.
Introduction
The Virginia General Assembly frequently enacts legislation to address teenage driving issues. Nationally teenagers
account for 4% of all drivers, yet they have 13% of the crashes. Forty per cent of 16 year olds either
violate a traffic law or are involved in a crash their first year of driving. First year driver behavior and skills
haven’t changed over the years, but the driving environment has changed. In 1962 there were 92 million drivers in
the United States. Today there are 181 million drivers! The number of roads has not doubled in the last 39 years.
However, many of them have been widened to four or more lanes. First year drivers today must learn in a more
congested environment than we ever imagined.
This guide has been prepared to give the parent some helpful suggestions in planning in-car training for their teenage
driver. Experts recommend 50 hours of supervised driving practice before students are allowed to drive alone.
This step is so important that we have included a driving log on page 10 for your convenience. Keep track of the
time spent on each lesson. Effective July 1, 2001 this is now required by Virginia law.
The Albemarle County Driver Education Program schedules students for 15 to 20 hours of driving experiences
on the range and on the highway. At the end of the training course the student will be given a comprehensive road
test of 25 minutes. The assessment includes multi-lane traffic, lane changes, negotiating intersections, yielding
right of way, and parking in shopping centers. Approximately 80% of students are successful on the first attempt.
Instructors are not trying to be punitive, but want these students to be safe drivers. Students must wait two weeks
before requesting another road test.
Even though the student passed the road skill test, they still are lacking in experience necessary to handle unusual
driving situations. Therefore; parents need to give their students as much supervised driving time as possible.
Consider one year to be the minimum learning time. The parent is the ultimate judge of the student’s ability.
> DMV Requirements for Learners Permit
• 15 years, six months of age
• birth certificate
• social security card
• pass knowledge and vision tests
• parent signature
Note: All requirements are in effect as of July 1, 2001.
... and for a Permanent License
• 16 years, 3 months of age or older
• possess learner’s permit for 9 months or longer
• completed 36 hour Driver’s Education classroom
• completed min.14 hours of in-car driver education
• parental permission
• submit the 40-hour driving log
Note: Parents are now required to sign the driver license. The license states that parents can telephone the DMV
and have the license revoked prior to age 18. The license will be revoked for a minimum of 6 months.
Albemarle County High Schools
2

The Parent As Teacher
> Getting Started
Remember 14-15 years ago when your student was an
infant and just learning to walk? That first step was a
big event in the life of the family. Now your child is
ready to take another step. As a parent you’ll use the
same technique of instruction to teach the operation of
a vehicle. One step at a time! The first step should be
simple and then build upon that success, not expecting
too much the first day. Patience means you expect mistakes
and will allow for them. Learning this coordination
skill is the same as learning a sport like basketball.
Did you make the basket on the first throw? Sometimes
we learn more from our failures than our successes. We
learn to drive best in small daily segments of 10 to 15
minute learning experiences. Trying to accomplish too
much one day per week can be frustrating for both student
and parent. Try these lesson suggestions.
> Establishing a Comfort Level
Before you have the first lesson with your student driver,
plan for both parents to venture out to a parking lot
and practice several maneuvers.
1
LESSON
ONE
Starting with Good Habits
> Location
We recommend a large parking lot free of obstacles. Your
public school parking lot after school hours or on weekends
is one possibility. Be sure your student has their
learner’s permit and that you are in the car at all times.
The first driving experience should focus on starting,
steering and stopping a car within two points on the lot.
Driving ranges use two cones spaced 33 yards apart.
You could substitute milk containers, or lines on the
parking lot. A distance of 33 to 50 yards is all that is
required.
> Outside Checks
1. Look for objects around the car and in the path you
intend to travel.
2. Glance at tires for proper inflation.
3. Verify that windows, headlights and taillights are
clean.
4. Glance under hood for leaking fluids.
First, each parent should practice on a parking lot steering
the car with the left hand from the passenger seat.
New drivers are prone to hug the right edge of the road.
They will grow out of it. Until they do, the parent can
gently steer the car back to the left.
Second, if you have a car with the parking brake
between the seats, practice stopping the car by depressing
the release button and slowing the car by raising
the parking brake. Cars with between the seat parking
brakes make ideal training cars.
Third, parents may want to invest
$6 in a baby rear view mirror
attachment. When sitting in the
passenger seat, you will want
to know who’s behind you. This
handy mirror is available in the
baby section of the Giant grocery
store.
Fourth, parents may want to practice shifting the transmission
into neutral from the passenger seat. Should a
student panic, you can regain control by placing the car
in neutral. Be careful not to shift into reverse!
* The DMV and the Albemarle County School Board
require the submission of a log of driving experiences
before the temporary license can be issued after passing
the road test. Students must have a minimum of 30
hours of daylight driving and 10 hours of night driving.
Use the log on pages 10 through 12.
> Inside Checks
1. Lock all doors
2. Verify there are no articles in the car that will
block your view or will fly around if you stop
quickly.
3. Put key in ignition switch and explain the positions
4. Demonstrate how to sit with your back firmly
against the seat with your shoulders even with or
above the steering wheel. The driver should have
10 inches of space between themselves and the
steering wheel if you have an airbag. Adjust the
seat if necessary to comfortably reach brake and
accelerator pedals.
5. Once in position lock the seatbelts.
6. Adjust mirrors: side and rearview.
7. Adjust head restraint to back of head
3 Albemarle County High Schools

Starting the Engine
1. Make sure parking brake is engaged
2. Verify the transmission selector is in PARK or
NEUTRAL and clutch engaged for manual transmission.
3. Right foot depresses brake pedal.
4. Turn the ignition switch to “on” position. Draw
attention to the warning lights on the dashboard
and their meaning. Continue turning key forward
to start the engine and release as soon as engine
starts.
5. With engine running. Check the gauges. Check
the fuel supply.
> Steering Technique
With the development of the airbag, driver education
teachers are now required to instruct students in
the “push-pull” method of steering. The right hand is
placed at the four o’clock position and the left hand is
placed at the eight o’clock position. The right-hand
moves between the five and two o’clock position and
the left-hand moves between the seven and 10 o’clock
position. This technique of push-pull steering or shuffle
steering is the safest method if the air bag deploys.
Hand over hand steering or nine and three steering can
result in injury in air bag deployment. Parents should
not despair if they are unable to demonstrate this new
method. Students will learn the new method on the
range and then come home and teach mom and dad!
* The DMV and the Albemarle County School Board
require the submission of a log of driving experiences
before the temporary license can be issued after passing
the road test. Students must have a minimum of 30
hours of daylight driving and 10 hours of night driving.
Use the log on pages 10 through 12.
> Putting the Car in Motion
The parent should demonstrate the following steps
before the student attempts to drive.
1. Press down on the brake pedal.
2. Move the selector to drive
3. Release the parking brake while the foot is still on
the brake pedal
4. When the way is clear, remove the foot from the
brake pedal and allow the car to roll from point A
to point B. It is not necessary for this first experience
to use the accelerator pedal. Just allow the
engine idle speed to carry the car forward at 5 mph.
Instruct the student to gently squeeze the brake
pedal to stop.
5. Now it is time to reverse course. Instruct the student
to place the transmission selector in reverse.
Place the left hand at the twelve o’clock position,
right hand on the seat back, and look over the right
shoulder while backing. Again it is not necessary
to use the accelerator pedal.
6. Repeat steps four and five until the student is competent
7. Next, demonstrate how to drive the car in circles
around the perimeter of the course. Allow the student
to drive. Practice stopping the car at predetermined
places.
> Summary
There is a lot to learn in the first lesson. Some students
may need to repeat this lesson to be proficient.
Mastery at each level is important before moving on to
the next lesson.
2
LESSON
TWO
Subdivision Driving
The student is now ready for subdivision driving. Pick
a large subdivision and a time when the pedestrian
and vehicular traffic will not be a major distraction for
your student. Practice riding through the subdivision
at speeds up to 25 mph making right and left turns.
Instruct your student to come to a complete two second
stop at Stop signs; look left, right, and left. It is
critical that the parent model good driving practices.
The student can easily pick up bad habits! At least two
driving experiences in this environment are necessary
before moving on to lesson three.
* The DMV and the Albemarle County School Board
require the submission of a log of driving experiences
before the temporary license can be issued after passing
the road test. Students must have a minimum of 30
hours of daylight driving and 10 hours of night driving.
Use the log on pages 10 through 12.
Albemarle County High Schools
4

LESSON
3 4
THREE
Rural Road Driving
Pick a time when traffic is light; ie: Sunday morning
between 7am and 9am or weekends between 2
and 3pm. The parent should demonstrate the driving
techniques he/she uses. As you drive, describe to the
student where you are looking, mention the importance
of looking ahead, steering to a target in the center of
the lane, checking rear view mirrors and watching the
speedometer.
LESSON
FOUR
Route 29 & 250 Multi-lane
Congestion
> Lane Changes
On Sunday mornings Route 29 has a low volume of
traffic and presents a less threatening environment
for your student to learn. Lane changes and checking
blind spots are crucial for multi-lane driving. The steps
for lane changes are: 1) check rear-view mirror, 2)
check side view mirror, 3) signal, 4) head check behind
door post to check blind spot.
When the lane is clear move gradually into the desired
lane.
Target the center of the lane.
Allow the student to drive at speeds up to 35 mph. In
this session you’re interested in developing lane position,
speed control, adjusting speed on curves and hills,
developing a visual lead of 20 seconds, and a 3 second
following distance.
Students should spend the next five to 10 hours driving
in the rural environment. On the second or third
lesson allow the student to reach speeds of 45 mph.
Eventually the student should graduate to larger rural
roads such as Rt. 33 or Route 250 and drive at speeds
of 55 mph.
Sunday morning on Route 29.
> Intersections
As a driver approaches an intersection from a distance
and sees a green light, we call that light a “stale green
light”, because you don’t know when it may turn yellow.
The DMV manual indicates drivers should stop
on a solid yellow light if they have not entered the
intersection. When stopping on a yellow light, check
the rear view mirror before touching the brake pedal.
A tailgating car may rear-end you if come to a quick
stop on a yellow light. Come to a stop if you can safely
do so. It takes practice to develop this skill of judging
a safe stopping distance.
> Right Turn on Red
The right turn on red law dates back to the seventies.
The law states that drivers may turn right on red after
stop! The law does not permit right turn on red while
rolling. The wheels must stop turning. Teenagers
pick-up this bad habit from adults.
> Safe Following Distance
Most parents were taught the old method of allowing
fifteen feet for every 10 mph of speed. Today we have
a much simpler method. When the shadow from the
car in front of you passes underneath a bridge or by an
electric pole or sign post, start counting; one-thousand
and one, one-thousand and two, and one-thousand and
three. If you arrive under the bridge, or by the post or
pole before one-thousand and three, you are following
too close. Drop back and start counting again. Play
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this game frequently until you can judge the proper distance
without counting.
5
LESSON
FIVE
Interstate Driving
On Sunday mornings between 7am and 9am the interstate
highway traffic volume is low. Interstate driving
requires the development of new skills: merging, lane
changes, maintenance of speed and exiting. AAA
recommends that merging vehicles on entrance ramps
should be traveling at 60 to 65 mph at the merge point.
Traveling at the highway speed requires less of a gap in
traffic to merge. The steps for merging are: Rear view
mirror check, side view mirror check, signal, and head
check behind the door post. If the driver is following
another car onto the interstate, the following distance
should be 4 seconds and the driver must employ rapid
eye movement between mirrors and the car in front.
Emphasize the danger of slowing below the speed limit
on an interstate highway. This is why cars do not slow
down on the interstate preparing to exit. Enter the
deceleration lane and then brake to slow down.
> Driving Tips
The following driving tips should be helpful to the parent
and student. Review these often to promote safe
driving.
1. Driving with your low beam headlights on during
the day decreases your chance of being involved in a
fatal crash by 28%. Drivers with their headlights on
can be seen from 4700 feet away as opposed to 2500
feet without headlights. Drivers are less likely to pull
out in front of you on those winding country roads.
3. Maintain a 3-second following distance behind the
vehicle in front of you. As the vehicle’s shadow in
front of you passes an object, start counting: one-thousand
and one, one-thousand and two, and one-thousand
and three. If you arrive at the spot before one-thousand
and three you are following too close.
4. On multi-lane highways avoid driving in the left
lane alongside other vehicles. Either slow down and
get behind the other car in the right lane, or pass the
vehicle and move to the right lane. Any time you are
traveling alongside another vehicle you are in danger.
5. Driver’s with airbags should position themselves
at least 10 inches from the steering wheel. An airbag
deploys in 1/5 of a second. You want to hit the airbag
in a crash, not the airbag hitting you.
6. Driver’s with airbags should use eight and four hand
position on the steering wheel. This steering technique
is called push-pull steering. The right hand moves
between the two and five position and the left hand
moves between the seven and ten position. This position
is safer than the old ten and two, or nine and three
position.
7. Driving is a full time job. Pay attention. AAA
research indicates that 37 % of drivers at any given
moment are not paying attention! You can prove it
the next time it rains. Thirty-seven percent of drivers
won’t have their lights on with their wipers as the law
requires.
8. Remember the four steps of lane change procedure.
1) check rear view mirror, 2) check side view mirror,
3) give a signal, 4) perform a head check behind the
door post, 5) move over to the next lane. Execute only
one lane change at a time.
2. Scan ahead of your vehicle 20 seconds or 1/3
of a mile at 60 mph; or 1.5 to 2 city blocks in city
driving. Such a habit will allow you to adjust speed
or position before you happen upon threatening
situations.
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9. Never change lanes in an intersection. When turning
into an intersection, occupy the nearest lane. For
example, if you are turning left onto a divided 4 lane
highway, occupy the left lane first, then execute a lane
change procedure to the right lane.
10. On interstate highways travel the posted speed.
Slowing down on the interstate to exit, creates a hazard.
Exit onto the deceleration lane and then brake. Observe
the posted exit speed. Exit speed signs of 25 mph indicate
a sharp curve in the exit ramp.
Navigating Intersections.
• Car 1 is turning right and should occupy lane S1 (the nearest land). Never change lanes in an intersection.
If you want to be in lane S2, then occupy lane S1 and perform a lane change procedure to S2
• Car 2 is making a left turn and should occupy land N4 (nearest lane). Do not change lanes in an
intersection. If you want to be in lane N3, then occupy lane N4 and perform a lane change procedure
to N3.
• Car 1 wants to turn right on red after stopping. Car 7 has a green arrow and is turning left to occupy
land S4. Car 1 must yield until car seven has completed his turn. A driver can not assume Car 7 will
occupy lane S4. Remember, Car 1 has a red light and must yield the right of way.
• Car 3 has a green left turn arrow and is attempting a U-turn to the south-bound lanes. Most likely
Car 3 will occupy lane S1. Car 1, making a right turn on red, must yield the right of way to Car 3.
• You are Car 5 traveling at 45 mph and the traffic signal turns yellow. Do you speed up to make it
through the intersection as many drivers do? The DMV manual indicates that if you have not entered
the intersection, you should come to a stop. With experience you will be able to judge your stopping
distance at various speeds. Before your foot touches the brake, check the rear view mirror. If you
slam on the brake with a tailgater behind you, you may have a car in the trunk.
7 Albemarle County High Schools

11. Drivers should adjust speed at the top of an interstate
entrance ramp. By traveling at the interstate speed
at the merge point, drivers need less of a gap in traffic
to merge. Attempting to merge on an interstate at 25 to
35 mph creates a traffic hazard.
12. When a traffic light turns yellow, come to a stop
if you can safely do so. Check your rear view mirror
before touching the brake to determine if a tailgater is
too close to stop safely. A yellow light does not mean
speed up to cross the intersection.
13. Establish a 4 second stopping distance or escape
path at 55 mph. It takes 4 seconds to stop a vehicle
at 55 mph. If you are not looking ahead 4 seconds,
you may not be able to react in time to an unexpected
development.
14. Remember the right of way rule? The driver on
the left yields to the driver on the right. The right of
way is a gift. Do not assume the other driver remembers
the rule correctly or will yield to you. Drivers on
minor roads must always yield to vehicles on major
roads. Car Two is the first car to have right of way. Car
One is next and Car Three is last.
has the best Web site for crash worthiness. Type
www.highwaysafety.org to determine how well your
chosen vehicle withstands a 35 mph crash.
17. Passing a vehicle on a two lane road is a dangerous
maneuver. You must speed 10 miles per hour faster
than the vehicle you are passing. If a vehicle in front
of you is traveling at 50 mph, you will break the speed
limit to pass the vehicle. Slow down, enjoy the drive.
18. Driving is not a competitive sport. Aggressive
driving involves speeding, tailgating, and lane changing
without signals. Drivers with 3 traffic violations
inside a year are 100% likely to be involved in a crash.
Your insurance company will have to something to say
about that.
19. Look over your right shoulder when backing. If
your neck won’t turn enough, try planting your left foot
on the floor to push yourself up in the seat. Remember,
backing is a slow maneuver.
20. The speed limit in a city is 25 mph unless otherwise
posted. Remembering this rule may save you
from a traffic violation.
21. Seven percent of pedestrians killed in Virginia in
1998 were under the influence of alcohol. Just because
its an adult on the side of the road, doesn’t mean he’ll
make a rational decision. Slow down and be prepared
to react.
22. Thirty percent of Virginians do not wear seat
belts. A head on collision at 50 mph is the same as
driving off an eight story building. They actually
believe they can survive such an impact?
Right of way.
15. Never drive in another driver’s blind spot. Either
speed up or slow down. Stay out of other driver’s blind
spot. Maintain a margin of safety around your vehicle.
16. Are you planning to purchase another car? The
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in Ruckersville
23. Drive 2 mph slower than surrounding traffic on
interstate highways. Never drive in a pack of cars. You
can’t control what another driver may do.
24. Remember tractor trailers and large trucks take
twice the distance to stop. Don’t pull out in front of
trucks. Your 3500 pound vehicle is no match for a
68,000 pound vehicle.
25. The law states you can turn right on red after stop.
The wheels must stop rolling. Stop and count one-
Albemarle County High Schools
8

thousand and one, one-thousand and two. Then go if
the way is clear.
26. Driving is a full time job. Scan ahead, check your
rear view mirrors frequently, and scan the dashboard
for speed and engine performance.
27. If you wander off the road onto a gravel shoulder,
AAA recommends these steps: 1) Keep the foot off
the accelerator and brake, 2) steer straight ahead on
the shoulder and allow the vehicle to slow down to 25
mph, 3) steer 1/8 turn to left, 4) counter-steer 1/4 turn
to right, 5) straighten.
28. According to a study printed in the Journal of the
American Medical Association, sixteen year olds are
39% more likely to be involved in a fatal crash if they
have another teenage passenger with them. Sixteen
year olds with two passengers are 82% more likely to
be involved in a fatal crash. These statistics reinforce
the fact that driving is a full time job. Parents are wise
to restrict driving alone for three months. State law
prohibits more than one non-family teenage passenger.
29. Executing a left turn in an intersection on a
solid green light requires yielding the right of way to
oncoming cars. The person making a left turn is the
last person to have the right of way! Stay behind the
white stop-bar until on-coming traffic has cleared and
proceed with caution.
Shared turn lanes.
• Car 2 is headed east and wants to turn into Joe’s Garage. For what distance does the DMV indicate
that Car 2 can travel in the shared turn lane? Answer: You may not travel further than 50 yards in
this lane. Generally the pairs of arrows are spaced about 50 yards apart.
• How far should you signal before turning? Experts indicate that 50 yards is a safe distance. At high
speeds, you may want to lengthen the distance. To alert a following driver, you are wise to tap your
brakes to get his attention! Sometimes signals are not enough.
9 Albemarle County High Schools

Parent/Teen Driving Log
Student’s Name _______________________ Parent/Guardian’s Signature ___________________
Date Learning Experiences Day or Night Time Initials
Total: _____________

Parent/Teen Driving Log
Student’s Name _______________________ Parent/Guardian’s Signature ___________________
Date Learning Experiences Day or Night Time Initials
Total: _____________

Parent/Teen Driving Log
Student’s Name _______________________ Parent/Guardian’s Signature ___________________
Date Learning Experiences Day or Night Time Initials
Total: _____________

Albemarle County Driver Education Program
Albemarle County’s driver education program consists
of two phases. The first phase, driver education
classroom is conducted during the first six weeks
of Health II in the student’s sophomore year. Some
students elect to take this course during summer
school. Driver education classroom consists of 36
hours of classroom instruction in traffic safety.
The second phase, behind the wheel training is
conducted year round at the driving range at each
school. Although the State of Virginia requires
fourteen hours of instruction, we schedule twenty
hours to address the congested driving environment in
Albemarle. Behind the wheel is offered in the morning
before school and after school in the afternoon.
1. maneuvering a car through figure eight turns and
weaving the cones to develop steering skills,
2. backing exercises include straight line and curved,
3. parking in angle, perpendicular and parallel spaces,
4. parking on hills with and without curbs,
5. threshold braking,
6. exercises in merging, lane changes, and passing
7. students practice off-road recovery,
8. students drive and observe on at least six road trips:
rural, city, Route 29 congestion, and interstate.
The road skill exam lasts approximately 25 minutes.
Students are tested during rush hour traffic situations
on multi-lane highways, negotiating intersections,
turning left, yielding right of way and parking in
shopping centers.
Range training emphasizes skill development in
numerous areas:
Web Site Information
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
www.dmv.state.va.us/
Virginia Department of Transportation
www.vdot.state.va.us/
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
www.nhtsa.dot.gov./
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
www.hwysafety.org
Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety
http://www.saferoads.org/
Automobile Association of America
www.aaa.com
National Commission Against Drunk Driving
www.ncadd.co/
National Transportation Safety Board
www.ntsb.gov./
Drive Smart Virginia
www.drivesmartva.com
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
www.madd.org/
Students Against Destructive Decisions
www.saddonline.com/
Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program
www.vasap.state.va.us
13 Albemarle County High Schools

Albemarle County
Driver Education Offices
Albemarle High School . . . . . . . . .975-9451
Monticello High School . . . . . . . . .244-3100 x2199
Western Albemarle High School . . . . . . . . . .823-8714