NCJ Number
67973
Date Published
Unknown
Length
44 pages
Annotation
THIS MANUAL GIVES EMERGENCY VEHICLE DRIVERS INFORMATION ON STEERING, ACCELERATION, BRAKING, TIRE PERFORMANCE, AND FORCES ACTING ON MOVING VEHICLES, TO IMPROVE THEIR DRIVING DECISIONS.
Abstract
STEERING DEPENDS UPON A VEHICLE'S ABILITY TO TRAVEL IN A STRAIGHT LINE AND TURN A CORNER WITHOUT GOING OUT OF CONTROL. ROAD CONDITIONS, VEHICLE UPKEEP, AND OTHER FACTORS WILL INFLUENCE STEERING. TRACTION, AND CENTRIFUGAL AND CENTRIPETAL FORCES WILL AFFECT A MOVING VEHICLE, AND TIRES MUST PROVIDE SUFFICIENT TRACTION AT ALL TIMES. PROPER TIRE CONSTRUCTION, TIRE PRESSURE, AND TREAD DEPTH ARE DISCUSSED AS HELPING THE DRIVER MANEUVER HIS VEHICLE; RADIAL PLY TIRES PROVIDE THE MOST TRACTION. TRACTION PROBLEMS DISCUSSED INCLUDE HYDROPLANING, SLIDING TIRES, AND BAD ROAD SURFACES. STOPPING TIME AND DISTANCE ARE DETERMINED BY ROAD CONDITIONS, VEHICLE CONDITION, BRAKING DISTANCE (A FUNCTION OF SPEED), AND DRIVER REACTION TIME. THE TOTAL TIME FROM SEEING THE NEED TO STOP TO BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A TOTAL STOP INCREASES DRAMATICALLY WITH THE VEHICLE'S SPEED: WHILE IT TAKES ONLY 2 SECONDS TO STOP AT 30 MILES PER HOUR, IT WILL TAKE 30 SECONDS AT 60 MILES PER HOUR. A DRIVER'S HANDS SHOULD GRIP THE STEERING WHEEL AT THE 9 O'CLOCK - 3 O'CLOCK POSITION (AS THOUGH THE WHEEL WERE A CLOCKFACE) FOR GREATEST CONTROL, AND NO DRIVER SHOULD DRIVE ONE-HANDED IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. FINALLY, SAFETY BELTS CAN HELP DRIVERS REMAIN POSITIONED AT THE WHEEL TO MAKE LAST MINUTE MANEUVERS WHEN A VEHICLE IS SLIDING OUT OF CONTROL. TESTS AND TEST KEYS, ILLUSTRATIONS, AND TABLES ARE INCLUDED.