Excel in Driving Online Course (powered by Vitural Drive of America)

This fully narrated and visually stimulating program will engage the student in a way that no other course can do. We will teach the student all of the newest industry driving safety techniques along with state specific rules and laws which will prepare the student for risk reduced driving.

MODULE 1:  Knowing Your Travel Laws
The complete State Driver Handbook presented by Virtual Instruction

• Your license to drive: applying for a learner’s permit & testing, State laws and related issues, 
• Right of way concepts: intersections, merge area's, special situations, highway rail grade crossings,
• Traffic control devices: signals, signs, channelizing devices, pavement markings, signaling,
• Controlling traffic flow: passing, turning, stopping, standing, parking, speed limits, following distances, headlight, freeway driving concerns, problem situations, winter driving,
• Drinking and driving video,
• Cooperating with other users: sharing the road with bicycles, trucks, and motorcyclists, safe driving, crash evolvement, and safety concerns.

MODULE 2: Preparing to Operate a Vehicle

• Pre/post drive tasks, check outside, under the hood checks, driver readiness security/seating/restraints/mirrors, starting/securing tasks,
• Symbols and devices: alerts and warnings, symbols and controls,
• Occupant protection: force of impact, energy absorbing designs, safety belts,
• Operating vehicle control devices: steering columns, wheel adjustment, parking brakes, pedals, cruise control, all devices instruments accessible to the driver.

MODULE 3: Basic Maneuvering Tasks

• Vision & perception: targeting, useful vision areas, speed & effect on vision, preventing blind spot crashes, mirror glare, blind zone elimination demonstration
• Basic maneuvers: entering roadway tasks, moving onto a roadway, curb, or backing up,
• Reference points: limitations, lane positions,
• Understanding vehicle balance: seat adjustment, steering techniques and control, evasive steering, changing balance form side to side, front to rear, and rear to front.

MODULE 4: Basic Maneuvering Tasks/Low

• Risk and reduction: what is risk, risk factors, driving behaviors which increase risk, guidelines for collision avoidance, keys to reducing risk,
• Space management: search management, space cushions, traffic lights, handling other drivers,
• Changing lanes: reasons and steps for change lanes, advanced planning, steering control, gap selection,
• Turn/Abouts: protected/unprotected turns, right and left turns, special turns/methods, choosing a parking space, curb, angle, perpendicular, parallel and special parking.

MODULE 5: Driver Readiness

• Driver attention/distractions: types of distractions, tips for safe driving, distraction ranking/articles,
• Developing good driving habits: processing habits, top 11 novice driving errors, 15 habits to safe driving,
• Curves/Hills: intersections, lane flows, shared lanes, mirror usage for these,
• Passing: passing/being passed, passing considerations, no-passing situations, multilane roads, as well as, laws for overtaking, passing, and related subjects.

MODULE 6: Highway Driving

• Characteristics: expressways, exits, types of interchanges (clover leaf, diamond, trumpet), expressway signs,
• Entering/Changing/Exiting: entering, changing, multi-lane passing, roadway exit, trip planning,
• High speed considerations: potential dangers, reducing risk on multilane expressways,
• Environments: heavy traffic, rural driving, road and surface changes, mountain driving, and desert driving.

MODULE 7:  Alcohol and Other Drugs

• Introduction to alcohol: effects, men vs. women, teens, symptoms of problem drinking, driver responsibilities, responsibilities of friends, behavior as a result of consumption, why teens drink, did you know, myth and facts, occurrences/ consequences, reasons and ways to say NO,
• BAC factors: what is BAC, stages, absorption, bloodstream, drink content, state laws,
• Body and mind: body's response to drugs and alcohol, psychological effects, alcohol abuse, DUI,
• Substances: other drugs, club drugs, what is marijuana, why do teens use it, short and long term effects, impact on driving, inhalants, tobacco, and over the counter drugs.

MODULE 8: Driver Performance/Personal Factors

• Emotions and how they affect driving: controlling them, attitude and our driving, stress,  
• Dealing with driver fatigue: causes of fatigue, dealing with or delaying fatigue,
• Road rage: identifying/preventing road rage, errors and road rage, do you drive aggressively?,  handling road rage, avoiding conflict,
• Protecting occupants: safety belts, restraints, restraint laws.

MODULE 9: Adverse Conditions

• Extreme weather: night time driving, low water crossings, flooding, hot weather, cold weather,
• Roadway/Vehicle technology: highway design, automotive technology, vehicle performance,
• Emergencies: off road recovery, emergency swerving, roadway hazards, collisions, vehicle malfunctions,
• Traction loss or skids: road surfaces, traction loss causes, traction loss considerations, and tractions loss corrections.

MODULE 10: Personal Responsibility

• Litter: definition, litter laws, litter prevention and environmental issues, impact on health,
• Trip planning: extended trip, trip/cost planning, map reading,
• Insuring/purchasing a vehicle: ownership responsibilities, insuring, buying a car,
• Maintaining your vehicle: why maintain, keep it running smoothly, vehicle item checklist.

FINAL ASSESSMENT