Safe Driving Practices and Hazard Perception
This domain tests defensive driving and hazard perception: seeing risk early, managing space, and keeping students from becoming a distraction.
Core rules
- Adjust mirrors before moving; use flat, convex, and crossing mirrors. Know the blind spots and check the danger zone at every stop.
- Maintain at least a four-second following distance, and add more in rain, snow, darkness, or heavy traffic. At stops, leave escape space.
- Scan 12 to 15 seconds ahead. Watch intersections, parked cars, bicyclists, pedestrians, animals, work zones, low clearance, and weight limits.
- Obey posted speed limits and slow for school zones, curves, hills, and weather. Brake smoothly and do not coast in neutral.
- No cell phone use, texting, or eating while driving. Keep conversations brief; manage students only when stopped.
- Recognize fatigue, illness, and medication effects. Do not drive impaired, and use the proper gear on grades.
Worked example
While cresting a hill, the driver sees children on the shoulder. The driver reduces speed, covers the brake, moves left if safe, and prepares to stop. Reasoning: children can step into the road unpredictably, and a speeding bus cannot stop within the sight distance available over a crest.
Traps
Common errors include relying on mirrors alone, tailgating, speeding to recover schedule, using a phone, failing to adjust for load or weather, driving with snow or ice on the roof, and turning to address students while moving.