Texas video lessons · Lesson 7 of 10

Texas Safe Driving and Conditions: five situations explained

Free account to watch6:05Narrated and captionedFrom the Texas Driver Handbook (DL-7)

All five situations and their answers are below. To watch the lesson, create a free account.

Create free account Sign in

In this video

0:00Intro
0:17Which of these is part of defensive driving?
1:19To fight highway hypnosis on a long trip, how often should you stop?
2:22About how many feet does it take to stop from 70 mph?
3:21To avoid road rage, how should you use your horn?
4:16What following interval does the Texas handbook call the best practice for a beginning driver?
5:08Recap

In short

The five situations

Pick an answer first, the way the video pauses for you. Each one cites the Texas Driver Handbook (DL-7).

Situation 1
Which of these is part of defensive driving?
Answer: A. Keeping your eyes moving and having a plan of action. Stay alert and keep your eyes moving, look for developing trouble, have a plan of action, and protect others from their mistakes.
Texas Driver Handbook (DL-7) › Chapter 14 › Defensive Driving
Situation 2
To fight highway hypnosis on a long trip, how often should you stop?
Answer: B. At least every two hours or 100 miles. Stop at least every two hours or every 100 miles, walk around, keep your eyes moving, and do not drive more than eight hours a day.
Texas Driver Handbook (DL-7) › Chapter 9 › Fight Highway Hypnosis
Situation 3
About how many feet does it take to stop from 70 mph?
Answer: A. About 387 feet. Stopping from 70 mph takes about 387 feet with good brakes and tires on dry, level pavement.
Texas Driver Handbook (DL-7) › Chapter 8: Speed and Speed Limits › Approximate Stopping Distances
Situation 4
To avoid road rage, how should you use your horn?
Answer: C. Tap it; do not hold it down. Should you need to use the horn, tap it; do not hold it down. Do not confront other drivers.
Texas Driver Handbook (DL-7) › Chapter 14 › Tips to Avoid Road Rage
Situation 5
What following interval does the Texas handbook call the best practice for a beginning driver?
Answer: B. Four seconds. Using a four-second following interval is the best practice for a beginning or less experienced driver.
Texas Driver Handbook (DL-7) › Chapter 8: Speed and Speed Limits › Speed

Transcript

0:00Intro

Weather, darkness and other drivers can turn an easy drive into a hard one. Let's work through five situations from the Texas Driver Handbook. For each one, pick your answer before I reveal it.

0:17Situation 1

Traffic around you is heavy and unpredictable. Which of these is part of defensive driving? The answer is A: Keeping your eyes moving and having a plan of action. Stay alert and keep your eyes moving, look for developing trouble, have a plan of action, and protect others from their mistakes. Stay alert, keep your eyes moving, look for trouble developing, and have a plan of action. Protect yourself from other drivers' mistakes.

1:19Situation 2

You're hours into a long, straight highway drive, and the miles start to blur. To fight highway hypnosis on a long trip, how often should you stop? The answer is B: At least every two hours or 100 miles. Stop at least every two hours or every 100 miles, walk around, keep your eyes moving, and do not drive more than eight hours a day. Stop at least every two hours or 100 miles, walk around, and keep your eyes moving. Don't drive more than eight hours a day.

2:22Situation 3

You're on the highway at 70 miles per hour when you have to stop. About how many feet does it take to stop from 70 mph? The answer is A: About 387 feet. Stopping from 70 mph takes about 387 feet with good brakes and tires on dry, level pavement. With good brakes and tires on dry, level pavement, that takes about 387 feet. Longer than a football field.

3:21Situation 4

Another driver drifts toward your lane, and you need to warn them. To avoid road rage, how should you use your horn? The answer is C: Tap it; do not hold it down. Should you need to use the horn, tap it; do not hold it down. Do not confront other drivers. If you need the horn, tap it. Don't hold it down, and don't confront other drivers.

4:16Situation 5

You're a new driver, following another car down the road. What following interval does the Texas handbook call the best practice for a beginning driver? The answer is B: Four seconds. Using a four-second following interval is the best practice for a beginning or less experienced driver. Texas calls a four-second following interval the best practice for beginning drivers. It gives you time to react.

5:08Recap

Stay alert and keep your eyes moving, look for developing trouble, have a plan of action, and protect others from their mistakes. Stop at least every two hours or every 100 miles, walk around, keep your eyes moving, and do not drive more than eight hours a day. Stopping from 70 mph takes about 387 feet with good brakes and tires on dry, level pavement. Should you need to use the horn, tap it; do not hold it down. Using a four-second following interval is the best practice for a beginning or less experienced driver. Nice work. Try more safe driving questions in Practice by Topic, then test yourself with a full mock exam.

The rules in this lesson

Stay alert and keep your eyes moving, look for developing trouble, have a plan of action, and protect others from their mistakes.
Stop at least every two hours or every 100 miles, walk around, keep your eyes moving, and do not drive more than eight hours a day.
Stopping from 70 mph takes about 387 feet with good brakes and tires on dry, level pavement.
Should you need to use the horn, tap it; do not hold it down.
Using a four-second following interval is the best practice for a beginning or less experienced driver.

Original practice lesson written from the Texas Driver Handbook (DL-7). EstatePass is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Texas DPS; these are not official test questions.