Driver Impairment
What are three ways alcohol can affect your ability to drive?
Slower reaction time, poor judgment, reduced coordination, difficulty concentrating, and impaired vision.
What is the first thing a driver should do when they notice a potential hazard?
Identify or recognize the hazard.
What is a blind spot?
An area around your vehicle that you cannot see directly or through your mirrors.
True or False: Cannabis can affect reaction time, coordination, attention, and judgment.
True
You're about to drive home but realize you're extremely tired. What is the safest decision?
Don't drive. Rest or arrange another safe way home.
True or False: Coffee or a cold shower can make someone sober enough to drive.
False. Only time allows the body to eliminate alcohol.
A ball rolls into the road from between two parked cars. What should the driver expect could happen next?
A child or another person may run into the road after the ball.
What should you do before changing lanes in addition to checking your mirrors?
Signal and check your blind spot by looking over your shoulder.
What type of impairment can occur when a driver hasn't had enough sleep?
Fatigue or drowsy driving.
You're riding with a friend who has been drinking and they insist they're okay to drive. What should you do?
Don't ride with them and arrange a sober driver, taxi/rideshare, transit, or another safe option.
Besides alcohol, name three things that can impair a driver's ability to drive safely.
Cannabis/drugs, prescription or over-the-counter medication, fatigue, illness, and strong emotions.
What are two things you should change when driving in heavy rain?
Reduce your speed and increase your following distance.
Why is constantly scanning the road better than staring directly ahead?
Scanning helps you notice hazards, pedestrians, vehicles, signs, and changing conditions earlier.
Why can mixing alcohol with certain medications be more dangerous than using either one alone?
Their effects can combine and cause greater impairment, drowsiness, poor judgment, or slower reaction time.
You're driving beside a transport truck and have been beside it for a long time. What should you do?
Avoid remaining in the truck's blind spot. Safely create space rather than lingering beside it.
A driver is taking legally prescribed medication that makes them drowsy. Is it automatically safe for them to drive because the medication is legal?
No. Legal and prescribed medications can still impair driving ability.
Why might driving at the posted speed limit still be unsafe?
Weather, traffic, visibility, road conditions, or other hazards may require you to drive slower.
A driver looks in the direction of a cyclist but doesn't actually notice the cyclist. What type of attention is this?
Selective Attention
Name three warning signs that a driver may be too tired to continue driving.
Frequent yawning, heavy eyelids, drifting between lanes, missing exits, difficulty remembering the last few kms, or trouble concentrating.
You're approaching a crosswalk and see a pedestrian standing near the curb looking at their phone. What should you anticipate?
They may step into the road unexpectedly, so slow down, watch them carefully, and be prepared to stop.
A person says, "I only had two drinks, so I know I'm okay to drive." Why is this a dangerous assumption?
Alcohol affects people differently, and the number of drinks alone cannot determine whether someone is safe to drive.
You're approaching a green light when you notice an oncoming vehicle waiting to turn left. What risk should you anticipate, and what should you do?
The vehicle may turn across your path. Reduce speed, watch the vehicle carefully, create space, and be prepared to stop.
Name four things that can negatively affect a driver's perception of hazards.
Fatigue, distraction, alcohol/drugs, speed, poor visibility, lack of experience, stress, and inattention.
What is a microsleep?
A very brief and involuntary episode of sleep that can happen when someone is extremely tired.
You're driving at night in heavy rain and another vehicle is following very closely behind you. Name three things you should do to manage the risk.
Reduce speed appropriately, increase the space ahead of you, avoid sudden braking, improve visibility where possible, and create an opportunity for the tailgating vehicle to pass safely.