NM Driving Instructor flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Basic speed rule

New Mexico law requires driving at a speed no greater than is reasonable and prudent for existing conditions. A posted limit is a maximum, never a required or safe target.

School bus stop requirement

On an undivided road, traffic in both directions must stop for a school bus showing flashing red lights and an extended stop arm. On a divided highway, only traffic behind the bus must stop.

Move Over law

On multi-lane highways, drivers must shift one lane away from stationary emergency, tow, or maintenance vehicles with flashing lights. If that is unsafe, they must slow to a safe speed.

New Mexico safety belt law

Drivers and front-seat passengers must wear seat belts, and all passengers under 18 must be restrained in any seating position. The violation is primary, so it alone justifies a traffic stop.

Implied consent and refusal

A driver arrested for DWI is deemed to consent to chemical testing. Refusing the test results in a one-year license revocation on a first refusal, separate from any criminal penalty.

DWI per se thresholds

New Mexico uses 0.08 g/100 mL blood alcohol for drivers 21 and older, 0.02 for drivers under 21, and 0.04 for commercial vehicle operators. Exceeding the applicable threshold is itself an offense.

Child restraint stages

Under 1 year or 20 pounds requires a rear-facing seat; ages 1 to 4 or under 40 pounds requires a child restraint; ages 5 to 6 or under 60 pounds requires a booster seat.

GDL three stages

New Mexico's graduated licensing for drivers under 18 has three stages: instructional permit, provisional license, and unrestricted license. Each stage has age, holding-period, and clean-record requirements.

Instructional permit eligibility

An applicant must be at least 15, pass knowledge and vision tests, and be enrolled in or have completed approved driver education. The permit must be held at least six months with no convictions.

Permit supervision requirement

A permit holder may drive only with a licensed driver at least 21 years old who has held a license for three or more years, seated in the front passenger seat.

Provisional license passenger limit

For the first year, no more than one passenger under 21 who is not a household member may ride, unless a licensed driver 21 or older occupies the front seat.

Provisional license curfew

Provisional licensees may not drive between midnight and 5:00 a.m. unless accompanied by a licensed driver 21 or older, or traveling to or from work, school, or a sanctioned activity.

Unrestricted license eligibility

An applicant must be at least 16 years and 6 months old and must have held the provisional license for at least 12 months with no traffic convictions during that period.

Vision standard

Applicants must meet at least 20/40 corrected acuity in one or both eyes and a horizontal visual field of at least 140 degrees, or a restriction or referral applies to the license.

MVD licensing authority

The Motor Vehicle Division of the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department administers driver licensing, including knowledge testing, road testing, and the graduated licensing progression for drivers under 18.

Instructor seating position

The instructor rides in the front passenger seat with a clear view of the road, mirrors, and student, and must be able to reach the dual-control brake without releasing the seat belt.

Pre-drive routine sequence

Walk-around inspection, seat and head restraint adjustment, mirror adjustment, seat belt check, gear selection, and brake check before releasing the parking brake. The sequence is repeated every lesson.

Four-step teaching sequence

For each new maneuver: instructor demonstrates and narrates, student performs with verbal prompting, student performs with only a cue word, then student performs independently.

Commentary driving technique

The student speaks hazards, decisions, and actions aloud while driving. This reveals scanning habits and risk judgment that an instructor cannot otherwise observe directly.

Three-second following rule

In ideal conditions, maintain at least a three-second gap behind the vehicle ahead, measured from a fixed roadside object. Increase to four or more seconds in rain, at night, or behind large vehicles.

Visual scanning targets

Aim high and look 12 to 15 seconds ahead in city driving and 20 to 30 seconds on highways. Check mirrors every 5 to 8 seconds and blind spots before every lane change.

Instructor intervention hierarchy

Intervene in escalating order: verbal prompt, then verbal command, then physical steering correction, then instructor braking. Record each intervention and the conditions that caused it.

Post-drive debrief timing

Debrief within 15 minutes of stopping. The student self-assesses first, then the instructor gives specific observable feedback and sets one or two goals for the next lesson.

Observable lesson objective

A defensible objective states a measurable behavior and condition, such as identifying three hazards in a scene within 10 seconds. Vague goals like 'understand intersections' cannot be assessed.

Bloom's taxonomy ordering

Driving curricula progress from remember and understand (signs, right-of-way rules) to apply, analyze, and evaluate (executing turns, judging gaps, choosing safe following distances).

Multiple-choice item quality

Each item tests one concept, avoids double negatives and 'all of the above', uses plausible distractors, and has a single correct answer keyed to the New Mexico Driver Manual.

Difficulty index formula

Difficulty index p equals the number answering correctly divided by the number tested. Values above 0.90 or below 0.30 usually indicate items that are too easy or too hard.

Behind-the-wheel scoring rubric

Score observable behaviors on a defined scale, such as 0 not performed, 1 performed with prompting, 2 performed independently. Safety-critical items require a minimum score to pass.

Adult learning principles

Adults need relevance to their own driving goals, prefer problem-centered formats over lecture, and retain more when they practice with immediate feedback than when they watch long demonstrations.

Instructor duty of care

The instructor is responsible for the student, occupants, and other road users. Supervision must be continuous, and attention must not be divided by phones, paperwork, or unrelated conversation.

Emergency stop procedure

Grasp the wheel if needed, apply the instructor brake firmly, keep the vehicle straight, shift to park once stopped, turn on hazard lights, and debrief only after securing the vehicle.

Instructor mandatory reporting duty

New Mexico law requires instructors to report suspected child abuse or neglect. Crashes involving injury, death, or significant property damage must be reported to law enforcement.