Natural Forces Affecting the Driver - Essay Example

1. What is the impact of inertia one a person without a seatbelt if their vehicle collides? A person in a moving vehicle is under the influence of inertia and will keep the person moving even if the vehicle comes to an abrupt halt. That means the person without a seatbelt will be thrown out and hit somewhere. This can cause serious injuries and death.
2. If a car travels at 40 mph and another at 80 mph, what will be the impact of kinetic energy on the cars’ stopping distance if they apply the brake to stop? The energy of the car at 80 mph will be four-times higher than the energy of the car at 40 mph. Cars need to apply the brake to use friction force between the tires and road to reduce speed and stop. In both cases, applying brake can only create the same quantity of force and friction. That means the faster car will take four times more distance to stop than the distance needed for the slower ones.
3. Is the impact of kinetic energy on the stopping distance of moving small vehicles and large vehicles equal? There is no connection between stopping distance and mass. Though mass decides the energy a vehicle has at a particular speed; mass also impacts the stopping force. That means there is no impact of mass on kinetic energy altogether.
4. What should drivers do to ensure safety as they enter sharp curves to avoid the problems related to kinetic energy? The drivers should reduce the speed of the vehicle to a minimum by applying brake as the vehicles enter the curve.
5. In the light of natural forces affecting the driver, what natural force makes some car accidents result in serious casualties while others do not? The reason for the difference is that the two elements affecting the impact are mass and speed. Therefore, when larger vehicles are at faster speeds, they cause serious accidents, while slow-moving small vehicles face less serious accidents.

Pavement Markings and Signs and Signals

The following questions are to be answered in at least one complete sentence based on the scenario that you are on a road trip:

• There is a railroad crossing on your way, and you see no lights and there is no gate. What you notice is a crossbuck sign. What will be your response?

Such signs are common at crossings. The number of tracks will be indicted along with the sign if there are many tracks. What I should do is to stop the vehicle, listen carefully for an approaching train, and proceed if there is no train.

• You reach a junction where the traffic lights are out of service due to electricity outage. What is the course of action?

In such a situation, I should stop the vehicle and ensure that it is safe to cross the intersection. Then I will proceed.

• What you see as you reach an intersection is a yellow light that is flashing. What is the meaning of that? What needs to be done here?

The meaning of the flashing yellow light is that I need to exercise caution while proceeding. Here, what I need to do is to reduce speed to almost a halt, and proceed after ensuring safety.

• The marking between the lanes is long, solid white lines instead of the white lines that are broken. What does the long single white line mean?

The single white line means that I must avoid moving outside the lines.

• You are looking for a place where you can find food and room for rest as the passengers are demanding the same. What sign will indicate this?

The sign I must expect is a blue one in a rectangular shape. This sign is used to indicate services like lodging, hospitals, and gas stations.

• Now, you have entered a new road, coming out of the expressway. What you see is a road divided by yellow lines? What is the meaning of yellow lines?

The presence of yellow lines means that I should expect traffic in both directions.