UPS Safe Driving Techniques
This flashcard set covers essential UPS driving methods focused on safety, awareness, and control. It includes key habits like clearing intersections, maintaining safe following distances, scanning for hazards, and managing stale green lights—designed to help drivers prevent accidents and stay alert on the road. Perfect for training or review.
Clearing Intersections
When interacting with an intersection in any way, scan the driving scene by looking left first, then right, then left again. Looking left a second time is important because that is the first line of traffic that the driver will enter. While following this order, check to ensure that all pedestrians and vehicles are obeying their traffic signs or signals. Also check for anything that may block visibility at any point during the interaction with the intersection. Just before you start moving, check the traffic side mirror to ensure nothing will enter your path of movement unexpectedly. Once you have moved through the intersection, check your other mirror to ensure you have done so without incident.
Key Terms
Clearing Intersections
When interacting with an intersection in any way, scan the driving scene by looking left first, then right, then left again. Looking left a second ...
Clearing Intersections: Why?
Keeps you alive at intersections.
When Stopped in Traffic
When stopped with other vehicles ahead of the package car, enough space must be left in front of the package car so that it is able to be maneuvere...
When Stopped in Traffic: Why?
Have escape route.
Count 1-2-3 after vehicle ahead has started to move
Before starting the package car in motion, count one, two, three before the vehicle directly in front of the package car has started to move. This ...
Count 1-2-3 after vehicle ahead has started to move: Why?
Keeps you away from billboards.
Related Flashcard Decks
Study Tips
- Press F to enter focus mode for distraction-free studying
- Review cards regularly to improve retention
- Try to recall the answer before flipping the card
- Share this deck with friends to study together
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
Clearing Intersections | When interacting with an intersection in any way, scan the driving scene by looking left first, then right, then left again. Looking left a second time is important because that is the first line of traffic that the driver will enter. While following this order, check to ensure that all pedestrians and vehicles are obeying their traffic signs or signals. Also check for anything that may block visibility at any point during the interaction with the intersection. Just before you start moving, check the traffic side mirror to ensure nothing will enter your path of movement unexpectedly. Once you have moved through the intersection, check your other mirror to ensure you have done so without incident. |
Clearing Intersections: Why? | Keeps you alive at intersections. |
When Stopped in Traffic | When stopped with other vehicles ahead of the package car, enough space must be left in front of the package car so that it is able to be maneuvered around the vehicles in front without backing up, in case the vehicle ahead breaks down. The longer the package car is, the longer the space in front must be. |
When Stopped in Traffic: Why? | Have escape route. |
Count 1-2-3 after vehicle ahead has started to move | Before starting the package car in motion, count one, two, three before the vehicle directly in front of the package car has started to move. This will automatically establish a space cushion and allow you to bring your eyes up to the driving scene ahead. |
Count 1-2-3 after vehicle ahead has started to move: Why? | Keeps you away from billboards. |
4 to 6 second following time for speeds up to 30 MPH, 6 to 8 seconds for speeds over 30 MPH | To calculate following distance, begin counting seconds when a vehicle ahead passes a stationary object. When the front of the package car passes that stationary object, that is your following time. Maintaining this distance gives you time to react if any changes occur on the road. |
4 to 6 second following time for speeds up to 30 MPH, 6-8 seconds for speeds over 30 MPH: Why? | Buys time. |
Eight to twelve seconds eye-lead time | Eight to twelve seconds ahead of the car is the depth at which my eyes should be most of the time while driving. To establish this lead time while driving, pick a stationary item in front of the package car and start counting seconds until the front of the package car reaches that item. The result is your eye lead time in seconds. This must be a maintained depth of vision, not a point to which you look occasionally. |
Eight to twelve seconds eye-lead time: Why? | Centers car in traffic lane. |
Scan steering wheels | Evaluate if parked cars are occupied. Occupied vehicles are hazardous because people can either exit the vehicle or begin to move the vehicle. Check this by scanning the steering wheels and driver seats of parked cars. If this is not possible, look for other “signs of life,” including front wheels turned out, break or tail lights on, or exhaust being produced. If you are unable to determine the status of a vehicle, treat it as if it was occupied. Use your horn to signal your approach at an appropriate time so that you can be heard, but also have time to maneuver if necessary. |
Scan steering wheels: Why? | Take path of least resistance. |
Stale Green Lights | A stale green light is a light that you did not see change, or has been green for a while, and you are not sure when it will change. Establish a point of decision between the front bumper of the package car and the stop line of the light. This point must be placed such that you can stop safely if the light turns yellow before you reach the point, and can continue safely if the light turns yellow after you reach the point. Where you place this point should be impacted by the road conditions, the weight and load of the package car, current weather conditions, and the speed you are traveling, all things which contribute to breaking distance. If the light changes to yellow after you have reached your decision point, you must proceed without hesitation or acceleration. |
Stale Green Lights: Why? | Smooth stops and turns. |
Eye Contact | Always establish eye to eye contact with pedestrians and vehicles of all kinds to eliminate uncertainty. Use your horn, lights, and signals to do this. The horn is the most used method, and can be used in multiple ways to best communicate, depending on the situation. Once eye-to-eye contact is established, it can be expected the that other person will act in a reasonable and predictable manner. |
Eye Contact: Why? | Establishes eye-to-eye contact. |
Pulling from Curb | The order from pulling from a curb is this: Turn on the traffic side turn signal, check your traffic side mirrors, look over your traffic side shoulder to clear your blind spot. When the traffic lane is clear, pull away from the curb. Do not deactivate the turn signal until your equipment is entirely into the traffic lane. |
Pulling from Curb: Why? | Communicate in traffic, horn, lights, signals. |
Use of Mirrors and Gauges | Check mirrors every 5 to 8 seconds to confirm lane position, evaluate traffic conditions, and find any mechanical problems. When traffic allows, substitute a mirror check with a check with a primary gauge on the dashboard, including oil, water, and the ammeter. Never go mirror to mirror, gauge to gauge, mirror to gauge, or gauge to mirror. |
Use of Mirrors and Gauges: Why? | Keeps eyes ahead of car. |
List 10 Point Commentary in order. | Clearing intersections When stopped in traffic Count 1-2-3 after vehicle ahead has started to move 4 to 6 second following time for speeds under 30 MPH, 6 to 8 seconds for speeds over 30 MPH 8 to 12 seconds eye lead time Scan steering wheels Stale green lights Eye contact Pulling from Curb Use of mirrors and gauges |