NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Driving

Driving is the controlled operation of a land vehicle, usually a motor vehicle such as a truck, boat, or car. Although direct operation of a bicycle, a mounted animal (not including chariot operation) or a motorcycle (at least in the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada) is commonly called riding, such operators are usually considered to be drivers in a legal sense and required to obey those rules of the road which apply to all drivers. Driving is most commonly used to describe the process of controlling a motor vehicle but may also refer to other activities that involve control or command including: Combined driving A sport involving horses Herding animals in a given direction, such as a cattle drive on a ranch or, as a... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 524 pixelsFull resolution (2000 Ã— 1311 pixel, file size: 708 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 524 pixelsFull resolution (2000 Ã— 1311 pixel, file size: 708 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLS 500 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLS550 The Mercedes-Benz CLS is a series of automobile models assembled by DaimlerChrysler in Sindelfingen, Germany. ... A Toyota Supra in drifting exhibition in Atlanta in 2005. ... The Trikke is a Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) Automobiles are among the most commonly used engine powered vehicles. ... For other uses, see Truck (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Boat (disambiguation). ... â€œCarâ€ and â€œCarsâ€ redirect here. ... For other uses, see Bicycle (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Chariot (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Motorcycle (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that Side of the road (traffic) be merged into this article or section. ...

Driving skills

Driving in traffic is more than just knowing how to operate the mechanisms which control the vehicle; it requires knowing how to apply the rules of the road (which govern safe and efficient sharing with other users). An effective driver also has an intuitive understanding of the basics of vehicle handling. This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Car handling and vehicle handling is a description of the way wheeled vehicles perform transverse to their direction of motion, particularly during cornering and swerving. ...

Driving as a physical skill

In terms of the basic physical tasks required, a driver must be able to control direction, acceleration, and deceleration. For motor vehicles, the detailed tasks include: Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (960 Ã— 1280 pixel, file size: 535 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A motorist (myself) made by myself in 2006 Work by Matthias Sebulke (User:Mattes) Write a message e-mail User discussion File history Legend: (cur) = this... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (960 Ã— 1280 pixel, file size: 535 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A motorist (myself) made by myself in 2006 Work by Matthias Sebulke (User:Mattes) Write a message e-mail User discussion File history Legend: (cur) = this...

An automobile self-starter is an electric motor that initiates piston motion in a cars internal combustion engine before it can power itself. ... â€œGearboxâ€ redirects here. ... An automobile has usually three pedals. ... A manual transmission (also known as a stick shift, straight drive, or standard transmission) is a type of transmission used in automotive applications. ... For other uses, see Clutch (disambiguation). ... Steering is the term applied to the collection of components, linkages, etc. ... A modern road cars steering wheel Steering wheels from different periods A steering wheel is a type of steering control used in most modern land vehicles, including all mass-production automobiles. ... Turn signals (US English) or indicators (British English) are a set of lights on a vehicle (be it a car, truck/lorry, tractor, motorcycle, etc. ... A headlight or headlamp is a light, usually attached to the front of a vehicle such as a car, with the purpose of illuminating the road ahead during periods of low visibility, such as night or precipitation. ... A windscreen wiper (windshield wiper in North America) is a device used to wipe rain and dirt from a windscreen. ... A mirror, reflecting a vase. ... For other uses, see Bicycle (disambiguation). ...

Driving as a mental skill

Driver error is an important factor in collisions, which result in the death of many thousands of people annually (see also car accident). Preventing collisions involves more than just following the rules of the road literally; defensive driving also involves the cultivation of good habits, maintaining attention, and a thoughtful, cooperative attitude. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... For other uses, see Collision (disambiguation). ... In an accident resulting from excessive speed, this concrete truck rolled over into the front garden of a house. ... It has been suggested that Side of the road (traffic) be merged into this article or section. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Avoiding or successfully handling an emergency driving situation can involve any of the following skills:

A skid can be one of several things or conditions. ... Vehicle dynamics refers to the dynamics of vehicles, here assumed to be ground vehicles. ...

Driving laws

In most countries, the use of public roads is heavily governed by law. Laws cover the construction and maintenance of roads, the construction and use of vehicles, the rules of the road, the requirements for motorist licensing (see Driver's license), vehicle registration (see License plate), vehicle taxation, safety inspections and compulsory insurance for heavy motor vehicles. These laws reflect the high degree of responsibility which is imposed upon both the drivers and manufacturers of vehicles (especially heavy motor vehicles) to make them as safe in use as they can possibly be. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (877x1502, 362 KB) Summary Ohio Drivers Manual, 1950. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (877x1502, 362 KB) Summary Ohio Drivers Manual, 1950. ... Mountain road with hairpin turns in the French Alps For other uses, see Road (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Law (disambiguation). ... To licence or grant licence is to give permission. ... Current EU driving licence, German version - front 1. ... // Introduction A license plate, number plate or registration plate (often referred to simply as a plate, or colloquially tag) is a small metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle for official identification purposes. ... Insurance, in law and economics, is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent loss. ...

Motorists are almost universally required to take lessons with an approved instructor and pass a driving test before being granted a license. The trend has been towards increasingly tougher tests in recent decades. Almost all countries allow all adults with good vision to apply to take a driving test and, if successful, to drive on public roads. Saudi Arabia, however, bans women from driving vehicles (whether pedal or motor powered) on public roads. Saudi women have periodically staged driving protests against these restrictions. A driving test is a test designed to test a persons ability to drive a motor vehicle. ...

In many countries, even after passing one's driving test, new motorists may be initially subject to special restrictions. For example, in Australia, novice drivers are required to carry "P" ("provisional") plates, and are subject to lower speed limits, alcohol limits, and other restrictions for their first two years of driving. This varies between states.

Enforcement of driving-related laws

Each country has its own unique way of dividing up the responsibility for enforcing all the laws mentioned above. In nearly all countries, though, the laws controlling driving in practice (like speed limits) are enforced by the police, who are in the best position to identify violations as they occur and to issue citations or make arrests. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... A road speed limit is the maximum speed allowed by law for road vehicles. ... For other uses, see Citation (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Arrest (disambiguation). ...

Some countries, like Australia, prefer to put everything road-related into a single agency at the state level. Thus, in the Australian state of New South Wales, the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) is responsible for driver licensing; highway construction, maintenance, and patrol; and many other things. Policing on Australian roads is provided by the relevant state police. â€œNSWâ€ redirects here. ... The Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) is a New South Wales (Australia) Government agency responsible for major road infrastructure, licensing of drivers, and registration of motor vehicles. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

In contrast, in the United States, many U.S. state governments have a Department of Transportation that handles road construction and maintenance (subject to some guidance from the federal Department of Transportation), and a separate Department of Motor Vehicles that handles driver licensing and vehicle registration. There is usually a state police agency (called the Highway Patrol, State Police, State Troopers or Department of Public Safety) which enforces driving laws on state highways. On local roads, driving laws are enforced by county sheriff's departments or city police departments. Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas US Government Portal A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of... The Department of Transportation (DOT) is the most common name for a government agency in North America devoted to transportation. ... The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) is a Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with transport. ... In the United States of America, Department of Motor Vehicles (or DMV) is a commonly used name of the government agency of a U.S. state which administers the registration of automobiles (e. ... A highway patrol is either a police agency created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, such as the California Highway Patrol, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is primarily concerned with such duties, such as... State police are a type of sub-national territorial police force, particularly in Australia and the United States. ... The Department of Public Safety is a state or local government umbrella agency in the United States which serves to assist the certain agencies in their services by providing administrative, financial, and technical services and support for core public safety functions for some or all of the following: Fire and...

Except for a few jurisdictions, bicyclists are legally treated as drivers of vehicles and expected to cycle vehicularly. Drivers of bicycles are almost never subject to licensing. However, some municipalities do require permits for bicycles. Vehicular cycling, or VC, is the practice of driving bicycles on roads in a manner which is visible, predictable, and in accordance with the principles for driving a vehicle in traffic. ...

Minimum motorist ages

The minimum age required to be a motorist varies depending on the country. The most common age is 18. Here are the ages required in some countries (in alphabetical order), note that some regions of the countries may start at a different age than other regions, this is just the minimum age requirement to drive: Image File history File links Question_book-3. ...

Categories: Articles lacking sources from October 2007 | All articles lacking sources | Driving | Youth rights The Chatham Islands from space. ... â€œCarâ€ and â€œCarsâ€ redirect here. ... â€¹ The template below (Expand) is being considered for deletion. ... A chauffeur in Japan A driver in Kerala A chauffeur is one who drives an automobile as a job. ... Clutch control refers to the act of controlling the speed of a car with a manual transmission by partially engaging the clutch plate, using the clutch pedal instead of (or in conjunction with) the accelerator pedal. ... The driverless car is an emerging family of technologies, ultimately aimed at a full taxi-like experience for car users, but without a driver. ... Driving pleasure is mainly due to the following: Throttle response: it gives the feeling that vehicle responds well to drivers orders. ... drive on right drive on left Driving on either the left or the right side of the road reduces the incidence of vehicles being involved in head-on collisions with each other. ... For other uses, see Under the influence. ... Global warming refers to the increase in the average temperature of the Earths near-surface air and oceans in recent decades and its projected continuation. ... Graduated driver licensing systems are designed to provide new drivers of motor vehicles with driving experience and skills gradually over time in low-risk environments. ... Top: Increasing atmospheric CO2 levels as measured in the atmosphere and ice cores. ... Heel-and-toe is a driving technique used in performance driving[1]. It involves operating the throttle and brake pedals simultaneously with the right foot, while facilitating normal activation of the clutch with the left foot. ... Front Cover of the Highway Code The Highway Code is the official road safety manual for the United Kingdom. ... A highway patrol is either a police agency created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, such as the California Highway Patrol, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is primarily concerned with such duties, such as... Institute of Advanced Motorists logo The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) is a charity based in the United Kingdom whose objective is to improve car driving and motorcycle riding standards, and hence enhance road safety, through the proper use of a system of car/motorcycle control based on Roadcraft (commonly... This Manhattan driver is juggling two phones at once It has been argued that the distraction caused by using mobile phones while driving is responsible for many road traffic accidents. ... A railroad engineer or train driver is a person who operates a railroad locomotive. ... The field of road safety is concerned with reducing the numbers or the consequences of vehicle crashes, by developing and implementing management systems ideally based in a multidisciplinary and holistic approach, with interrelated activities in a number of fields. ... Road racing can be a term involving road running, road bicycle races, or automobile races. ... Road rage or road violence is the common name for deliberately dangerous and/or violent behaviour under the influence of heightened anger by a motor vehicle operator that affects the safety of one or more other operators or bystanders. ... Sleep deprived driving is the operation of a motor vehicle while being cognitively impaired by a lack of sleep. ... Traffic jams are common in heavily populated areas. ... Unused traffic signs in Austria Most countries post signage, known as traffic signs or road signs, at the side of roads to impart information to road users. ... Vehicle dynamics refers to the dynamics of vehicles, here assumed to be ground vehicles. ... Image File history File links Commons-logo. ...

Contents

Driving skills

Driving as a physical skill

Driving as a mental skill

Driving laws

Enforcement of driving-related laws

Minimum motorist ages

See also

External links