Vehicle Operation, Control, and Pre-Trip Inspection
Core Concepts
Instructors must model a repeatable pre-trip routine: walk around the vehicle checking tires, lights, mirrors, fluid leaks, and obstructions; inside, adjust seat, mirrors, and head restraint before moving; confirm the parking brake and gear; check that all occupants are belted. Teach steering control with hands at nine and three, smooth braking by squeezing rather than stabbing, and acceleration that is progressive. Cover the meaning of dashboard warning lights, tire tread depth, and the importance of correct tire pressure. Explain ABS behavior - firm, continuous pressure with possible pedal pulsation - and how to recover from a skid by looking and steering where you want to go while easing off the accelerator. Parking on a hill requires setting the brake and turning wheels toward or away from the curb per uphill/downhill rules.
Common Traps
Questions test whether the pre-trip happens before or after starting the engine, and whether mirror adjustment precedes or follows seat adjustment (seat first). Watch for ABS answers that suggest pumping the brakes - wrong with ABS. Skid questions tempt students to brake hard; the correct response is to ease off and steer. Hill-parking questions hinge on the direction the wheels point and whether a curb exists.
Worked Example
Uphill parking with a curb: turn the front wheels away from the curb so gravity rolls the vehicle back into the curb if it moves. Downhill with a curb: turn wheels toward the curb. No curb in either direction: turn wheels toward the edge of the road.