Chapter 2: Traffic Laws & Safe Driving

Traffic laws alone cannot regulate every type of driving situation that may occur. There are some general rules which drivers should understand and follow. Read this chapter with care. These safety tips might help you avoid a crash, serious injury, or even death. These are only general statements and cannot dictate your actions in all situations. It is up to you to evaluate the situation and decide the best course of action.

Occupant Safety (O.C.G.A. §40-8-76): Georgia Law requires that each occupant in a front seat be restrained by a seat belt.
The Hands-Free Georgia Act (O.C.G.A. §40-6-241) prohibits the use of handheld devices while driving a motor vehicle.

Traffic Laws

Safety Belts

O.C.G.A. §40-8-76.1 requires that each occupant of the front seat of a passenger vehicle, while such passenger vehicle is being operated on a public road, street, or highway of this state, be restrained by a seat safety belt approved under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208. In Georgia, the term “passenger vehicle” means every motor vehicle, including, but not limited to, pickup trucks, vans, and sport utility vehicles designed to carry 15 passengers or fewer and used for the transportation of persons.

Safety belts have proven to be the most effective occupant protection in all types of vehicle crashes. Using safety belts correctly is a health care habit that, in the event of a crash:

helps you keep control of the vehicle,
helps keep your head from striking the dash or windshield,
helps keep people in the vehicle from hitting each other,
helps spread the crash force across the stronger parts of the body, and
helps keep you from being ejected from the vehicle.

Moreover, when used correctly, safety belts are effective at helping reduce the risk of death or serious injury. For this reason, safety belt use is encouraged for the driver and all car occupants.

Safety Restraints for Children

O.C.G.A. §40-8-76 requires children under 8 years of age be properly secured in an approved car seat or booster seat while riding in passenger automobiles, vans, and pickup trucks. The car seat or booster seat must be in the rear seat, be appropriate for the child’s weight and height, and be installed and used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. The restraint system must comply with the United States Department of Transportation Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213. Taxicabs and public transit vehicles are exempt from this law.

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is one of the fastest growing safety issues. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3,142 people were killed on U.S. roadways in 2020 because of distracted drivers. There were 202 teens between the ages of 15 to 19 killed in distraction affected crashes in 2018 (for more information see: Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS)). Distracted driving is doing another activity while driving. This takes the driver’s attention away from the primary task of driving and increases the risk of crashing. Common distractions include but are not limited to talking on a cell phone, texting, reading, eating, grooming, using a navigation device, and adjusting the stereo system. The presence of passengers and pets can also increase crash risk. Georgia law requires drivers to exercise due care in operating a motor vehicle and prohibits any action that distracts the driver from the safe operation of such vehicle.

Texting and Driving

The Hands-Free Georgia Act (O.C.G.A. §40-6-241) requires drivers (any age, any license type) to refrain from physically holding or supporting a wireless telecommunications device for any reason while operating a vehicle. Under this law, drivers are also prohibited from writing, sending, or reading any text-based communication and watching, recording, or broadcasting videos on a wireless communications device while operating a motor vehicle. Wireless communications device includes cellular telephones, portable telephones, text-messaging devices, personal digital assistants, computers, and any other portable wireless devices used to initiate or receive communication, information, or data. The phone or device can only be used with an earpiece, wrist device, mounted phone holder, or through the vehicle's Bluetooth connection. Penalties are fines and points added to your driving record that increase for each conviction.

Penalties

1st conviction — 1 point and fine not more than $50.00
2nd conviction — 2 points and fine not more than $100.00
3rd or more convictions — 3 points and fine not more than $150.00

Take the Pledge

Teens can commit to distraction-free driving by taking the pledge to:
Protect lives by never texting or talking on the phone while driving.
Be a good passenger and speak out if the driver is distracted.
Encourage friends and family to drive distraction-free.

The Parent/Teen Driving Agreement available in this manual can be used to take a pledge against distracted driving.

Chapter 2 Continued

Safe Driving

Steering

Good posture while driving is important because it allows a better view of hazards and more control of the vehicle. As a general rule, when gripping the steering wheel, place your left hand at the 9 o’clock position and your right hand at the 3 o’clock position on the wheel. Some manufacturers recommend placing your hands at 8 o’clock and 4 o’clock positions when the vehicle is equipped with air bags. Check your owner’s manual or contact your vehicle manufacturer to determine which hand position is best for your vehicle. Always keep both hands on the wheel unless you are safely performing another driving-related task, such as activating your turn signal.

Driving after Sunset

Driving after sunset presents significant challenges like glare and reduced visibility. Young drivers may find it difficult to determine the size, speed, color, and distance of objects. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the fatal crash rate of teenage drivers 16-19 years of age is about four times as high at night.

Vision can be severely limited at night. Since the vehicle’s narrow headlight beams limit the driver’s view, be sure to look at the outer fringes of headlight beams to get the best picture of possible dangers ahead and the sides of the vehicle. Fringe vision helps you to identify objects near your travel path. Utilize your peripheral vision to scan for landmarks and spot changes in your side and rear-view mirrors. Avoid using a light inside the car, as this, too, will greatly reduce your night vision. Also, remember to always slow down and increase following distance to reduce the potential of a crash when driving at night.

Speed

Speeding is one of the most common factors contributing to traffic crashes. It reduces a driver’s ability to steer safely around curves or objects in the roadway, extends the distance necessary to stop a vehicle, and limits the reaction time needed to avoid a dangerous situation. High speeds also reduce the ability of the vehicle restraint system and roadway safety equipment such as guardrails, barriers, and impact attenuators to protect vehicle occupants.

Speeding endangers everyone on the road and makes car crashes more deadly. In 2020, speeding killed 11,258 people (for more information see: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)). GDOT reported 380 speed-related deaths on Georgia roads the same year. Driving at high speeds or "going too fast" can be considered aggressive and reckless driving. Traffic, running late, anonymity, and a disregard for others and for the law are factors that tend to lead to speeding. Always know your speed and obey speed limit signs. Be mindful that hazards such as bad weather or dangerous road conditions may require a reduction in speed. While driving, try to carefully and lawfully keep your vehicle out of the way of speeding and aggressive drivers.

Space Management

Rear-end collisions are often caused by following another vehicle too closely. When following another vehicle, there must be enough distance for you to safely stop if the vehicle in front of you suddenly slows down or stops. One way to determine if there is enough distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you is to measure the amount of time between when the vehicle in front of you passes a reference point and when your vehicle passes the same reference point. To do that, watch the car ahead of you. When it passes a reference point, such as a telephone pole or street sign, count “one-thousand one, one-thousand two, one-thousand three.” If you pass the same spot before you are finished counting, you are following too closely.

Maintaining at least a 3-second space margin between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you not only provides you with visibility, time, and space to help avoid a rear-end crash, but also allows you time to steer or brake out of danger at moderate speeds. In addition, remember that while driving at night, during inclement weather, or when hazardous road conditions are present, the distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you should be even greater. When stopping behind another vehicle, stop in a position that allows you to see the back tires of the car in front you.

Tire Pressure

Prior to entering the vehicle, use a tire pressure gauge to check your psi. The recommended psi should be listed in the door jamb of the vehicle. If your psi is above the recommended number, release air from the tire until it matches. If it is below, add air (or have a retailer help you) until it reaches the proper number.

Once every month or before you embark upon a long road trip, check your tires for wear and damage problems. One easy way to measure tread depth and check for wear is by using the penny test.

Take a penny and hold Abraham Lincoln’s body between your thumb and forefinger.
Select a point on your tire where the tread appears the lowest and place Lincoln’s head into one of the grooves.
If any part of Lincoln’s head is covered by the tread, you are driving with the legal and safe amount of tread. If your tread gets below that (approximately 2/32 of an inch), your car’s ability to grip the road in adverse conditions is greatly reduced.