Don’T Die on the Road: Drive to Stay Alive

By Louise H. Ford

A Comprehensive Motoring Manual For All Motorists, Incorporating: Defensive Driving. Handling Emergencies. Skid Control. Anti Hijack Measures. General Motoring Safety. Driving For Economy. Also Contains A Chapter On Tutoring Learners.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing Africa
• Release date: Aug 11, 2015
• ISBN: 9781482808612

Louise H. Ford

The author, Louise H. Ford, is a retired senior police officer, who served for eighteen and a half years in the British South Africa Police in Rhodesia, and was trained in the British Police’s system of vehicle control to grade 3 level. In addition to maintaining this driving standard for fifty-plus years, with periodic testing to ensure continued diligence, experience was also gained in training police officers to drive to grade 5 level. In addition, the Author holds the IAM (Rhod), IAM (SA) and AA Advanced (SA) advanced motoring certificates and was a member of the South African Institute of Driving Instructors for eight years. During this eight-year period, further experience was gained as the proprietor of, and principal instructor for, the Superior School of Motoring and the Advanced Driving Academy. The former was the learner drivers’ wing of the business, and tutoring was also given to those wishing to become instructors. The latter was the defensive driving wing, which tutored persons already holding licenses to drive defensively to advanced level. This training manual was issued to delegates on the advanced driving course and was further enhanced and updated subsequent to the author’s retirement from the business at the end of 2001. A great deal of research, extending over several decades, has gone into compiling this manual and keeping it up to date.

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Copyright © 2015 by Louise Ford.

ISBN:      Softcover   978-1-4828-0862-9

                eBook       978-1-4828-0861-2

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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CONTENTS

Preface

About The Author

Dedication

Acknowledgements

CHAPTER ONE:

BEFORE SETTING OFF

Your Vehicle

Yourself

Driving Conditions

(Road / Traffic / Weather / Visibility)

CHAPTER TWO:

THE SYSTEM OF CAR CONTROL (DEFENSIVE DRIVING)

The System Of Car Control

Hazard

Linkages Of Controls

CHAPTER THREE:

THE SYSTEM OF CAR CONTROL IN OPERATION

Position (Course): Speed: Gear

Driving Plans

Driver Signals

Starting Off Drill

Moving Off (From A Parked Position)

Stopping (Temporary) Drill

Stopping (To Park) Drill

Emergency Stop

Steering

Acceleration Sense

Braking Sense

Cornering

Principles Of Cornering:

Gear Changing

Selecting Lower Gear

Use Of Speed

The Ten Rules Of Motoring

Following Distance

Stopping Distance Chart

Bends And Corners

Signals - Traffic Lights (Robots)

Children & Animals

Horn Warnings – Are Given

Braking

Night Driving

Reaction Time: Reaction Distance

Courtesy: Attitude: Restraint

Overtaking And Being Overtaken

Freeways

Traffic Circles

Two Or More Turning Lanes

Escape Routes

Highway Hypnosis

Wind

Snow And Ice

CHAPTER FOUR:

RUNNING COMMENTARY & AIDS TO DRIVING

Aids To Commentary

CHAPTER FIVE:

DRIVING FOR ECONOMY

Car Courtesy And Maintenance - Look After Your Car And Save Cost.

Tyres: (See The Pictures On The Following Page)

Fuel Saving:

Seat Belts:

Doors:

Bonnet:

CHAPTER SIX:

HANDLING EMERGENCIES

Skidding:

Brake Failure

Jammed Accelerator

Engine Failure At Speed

Flat Tyre Or Blowout

Loose Wheel

Bonnet Flying Up

Fire

CHAPTER SEVEN:

GENERAL MOTORING SAFETY

Carbon Monoxide Kills!

Hijacking & Theft.

Alcohol

CHAPTER EIGHT:

TOWING

Overtaking:

Cornering:

Wind:

Reversing With A Towed Vehicle:

CHAPTER NINE:

SPECIAL SECTION FOR LEARNER DRIVERS. AND THEIR TUTORS

Tutoring

First Lesson

Clutch Control

Stopping & Slowing Down

Use Of Gears

Handbrake.

Driving In Traffic.

Intimidation.

General.

Yard Manoeuvres

Pre-Trip Inspection - (Exterior)

Pre-Trip Inspection - (Interior)

Incline Start Test

Parallel Parking.

Procedures And Observations

Parallel Parking

Incline Start

Turn In The Road (Three Point Turn)

Alley Docking

PREFACE

HISTORY OF ADVANCED DRIVING SYSTEMS

The forerunner of all advanced driving systems was, as I understand it, a system of car control developed circa 1939, by the British Police at Hendon School of Motoring, for Police drivers. They called this system of car control Roadcraft. Over the years since then, several civilian training institutions have adopted and adapted this system. Roadcraft is a system or drill, made up of various features, each of which is to be considered in sequence, on the approach to any hazard. It is a defensive driving system, and testing is to advanced level. Roadcraft has a grading system for levels of training and proficiency; grade 1 being the highest and grade 5 being the minimum level to which all Police Officers were taught in Rhodesia. Grade 5 was equivalent to the civilian advanced level.

The Police test for Patrol Car drivers included driving at high speeds, even in built up areas, since Police men and women are required to do this in the normal course of their duties. Grades 3 & 4 were the required levels for Police Patrol Car drivers. Civilian testing on most commercially operated advanced motoring courses does not usually include high speed driving, as this would be a violation of the traffic laws. However, there are tips on higher speed driving in the manual, as emergency services such as ambulance and fire tenders do need to drive above the speed limit at times.

Note that the system of vehicle control applies equally to the driving or riding of any type of vehicle. Even cyclists can implement the system of checks and observations. The K53 driving test for learners in South Africa was also an adapted version of the Roadcraft system of car control. The System given in this book is also based, mutatis mutandis, on experience gained in both the Roadcraft and the K53 Systems of car control.

Incorporated in this training manual, in addition to the defensive driving System of Car Control are, car courtesy, driving for economy, handling emergencies, handling a skid, general motoring safety, anti-hijacking measures and tips on towing; as well as a Chapter for Tutors of Learners.

SOME FACTS ABOUT THIS TRAINING MANUAL.

The defensive driving part of the training in this manual is based on the Roadcraft system, as are many Defensive Driving or Advanced Driving Systems (as already mentioned in the preface) - indeed, even the system required for Learner Drivers in South Africa is based on the Roadcraft system.

This Self Teach manual is not just defensive driving. Only one chapter deals with the system of vehicle control. The balance of the book is dedicated to teaching methods to improve overall safety on the roads, as well as giving tips for handling different situations.

The manual is comprehensive and informative. It covers many issues which cannot be covered on a practical hands on training course, since there are many situations, emergencies etc. which cannot be simulated for practical training. It is therefore important to study the entire manual, whether or not you have attended, or are attending a training course. Keep the manual on your bookshelf, and re-read it periodically to refresh your memory, and to maintain your high standard.

Although the manual was written for left hand drive countries, the principles apply equally to right hand drive environments.

The key words in motoring safety are CONCENTRATION and ANTICIPATION. All too few motorists concentrate on the task at hand, and on what is happening ahead and around them; They therefore fail to see potentially dangerous situations developing, and are consequently caught off guard when something happens. To become an advanced defensive driver, one must exercise self-control, self-discipline, and practice focusing attention where it ought to be - not just sometimes, but every time you take control of a vehicle of any description.

Congratulations on your purchase of this training manual - it shows a responsible attitude in recognising the very dire need of every motorist to improve their driving skills, as well as their level of awareness, because lives are at stake.

Bear this in mind when putting into practice what you learn from this tutorial.

Nobody is perfect. Even perfectionists, more often than not, fall short of their own expectations. It has long been the philosophy of the author of this book however, that; if you strive only for excellence, you will achieve only mediocrity. So, strive for perfection, and you will at least achieve excellence.

HENRY ROYCE, whose name is forever linked with that of his partner, CHARLES ROLLS, in the motor car which bears their joint names, once said; Strive for perfection in everything you do. Take the best that exists and make it better. When it does not exist, design it. Accept nothing ‘nearly right’ or ‘good enough’.

With ever increasing numbers of vehicles on our roads, and faster cars, it has become of paramount importance that everyone try to perfect their driving skills. Lives depend on it.

To assist those giving learner driver tuition, the last Chapter of this manual is for Learner Drivers, and those tutoring Learners. The testing system for Learner Drivers in South Africa, is defensive driving, and is in fact based on the British Roadcraft system of car control. South African Learner Drivers studying this manual and implementing the system of car control will more than adequately equip themselves for the driving test.

The Copyright of this manual belongs to the Author.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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The author Louise H. Ford, is a retired Senior Police Officer who served for 18 ½ years in the British South Africa Police in Rhodesia, and was trained in the British Police system of vehicle control to Grade 3 level. In addition to maintaining this driving standard for +/- 50 years, with periodic testing to ensure continued diligence, experience was also gained in training Police Officers to drive to Grade 5 level.

In addition, the Author holds the I.A.M. (Rhod.), I.A.M. (S.A.) and A.A. ADVANCED (S.A.). advanced motoring certificates, and was a member of the South African Institute of Driving Instructors for eight years. During this eight year period, further experience was gained as the Proprietor of, and principal Instructor for, the Superior School of Motoring, and the Advanced Driving Academy. The former was the Learner Driver wing of the business, and tutoring was also given to those wishing to become Instructors; the latter was the Defensive Driving wing which tutored persons already holding licences to drive defensively to advanced level. This training manual was issued to delegates on the advanced driving course, and was further enhanced and updated subsequent to the author’s retirement from the business at the end of 2001.

A great deal of research, extending over several decades, has gone into compiling this manual, and keeping it up to date.

DEDICATION

To all those souls who have lost their lives on the road, and the loved ones left behind to cope with the tragedy and sudden, violent loss. Also to those permanently disabled in road accidents, and their near and dear ones who also suffer as a result.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

MOTORISTS’ PRAYER

EACH TIME I DRIVE, LORD, MAY I FEEL

YOUR HAND ON MINE UPON THE WHEEL.

GIVE ME A CAREFUL, WATCHFUL EYE

FOR YOUNG AND OLD AS I DRIVE BY.

KEEP ME FROM SPEEDING NEEDLESSLY

PASSING EARTH’S BEAUTIES HEEDLESSLY.

I WANT TO USE THIS CAR FOR YOU

TO DRIVE MY FRIENDS WITH SAFETY, TOO,

BUT ALL THESE THINGS CAN NEVER BE

UNLESS, O LORD, YOU DRIVE WITH ME.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Material for this book has been gathered over many years of experience; training courses attended - both Police and civilian; and reading a multitude of motoring publications. It is therefore impossible to name, or even remember, every source.

Amongst the many publications read were several by the Automobile Association, and some by Reader’s Digest. The sketches, and diagrams in the Learner Driver Chapter were taken from a publication by the South African Department of Transport, in order to ensure their 100% accuracy. The latter have been studied by the Director of the Road Traffic Inspectorate, and are used with his written permission.

The features of the system of vehicle control are adapted from a combination of the Roadcraft system, systems taught on the A.A. and Insitute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) in Rhodesia and South Africa courses, and the South African Learner driver system of vehicle control.

CHAPTER ONE

BEFORE SETTING OFF

YOUR VEHICLE

The chances of being involved in a ROAD accident are infinitely higher than of