Vital Info for New Drivers - Alabama's New Laws

Hi, and congratulations again if you have obtained your permanent driver's license.

The information contained in this post is from the Alabama Driver's Manual 2026

Please take the time necessary to read through the following educational data from

the manual as of 2026. I realize that only some of the specific descriptions of driving behavior may apply, yet there is good and helpful instruction, nonetheless. You probably

don't need a lot of coaching, but to be sure, in this manual, Chapter 4, you may find some

description of driving behavior that does apply. We, at EDII want to transform ordinary

drivers into expert drivers. These instructions and counseling are part of a method to

accomplish that end.

CHAPTER 4

THE DRIVER

Accident records show that over 90 percent of the highway crashes are

caused by driver error, lack of knowledge, inattention, physical or mental

condition, improper attitude or faulty judgment.

Any professional driver will tell you that it takes much more than basic

skills to make a good driver. After learning and mastering the basics, a driver

must continue to study the fine points of good driving and those physical and

mental conditions that affect driving.

YOUR PERSONALITY AFFECTS YOUR DRIVING

If you are worried, distracted, or if your mind is preoccupied, you cannot count on being sufficiently alert to drive safely. Home troubles, quarrels, misunderstandings, financial worries, serious illness in the family, personal fears, or over-confidence make you far more likely to have an accident. They can make you temporarily accident-prone. Strong emotions can work the same way. Persons who have just had violent arguments or who are angry or in grief need some time to cool off, or to adjust before they drive. Taking it out behind the wheel on streets or highways is very poor judgment and can prove an expensive way to expend emotions. Worry and safe driving do not mix. If worried, ill, nervous, frightened, angry, or depressed, let someone else drive. As a well-adjusted person, you are more likely to make a good driver, partly because you are inclined to recognize that traffic situations require fair sharing of the road. You act, not merely from your personal point of view, but from the point of view of all street and highway users. You have developed social responsibility. There is something about getting behind the wheel and in control of the power, speed, and bulk of a car that reveals the type of individual you are. You can soon see whether you are inclined to be a bully, a thoughtless lawbreaker, and a self-centered lane-staler, or whether you are reliable, courteous, and sportsmanlike. Whether a younger or an older driver, if you are psychologically and emotionally mature, your driving reflects your readiness to share the road in the interest of traffic safety. Good driving attitudes and sound actions reflect mental and emotional maturity.

Concentration is one of the most important elements of safe driving. The driver’s seat is no place for daydreaming, mental napping, window shopping, scenic viewing, or distracting conversation. Lack of concentration can dull a person’s powers of observation and cause an accident that could have been avoided. Driving an automobile is a full-time job.

HOW TO AVOID REAR END COLLISIONS

Most rear-end collisions are caused by following too closely. The space easiest to control is the space ahead of your vehicle. This space cushion is called “following distance.” You must consider the speed of the traffic, the condition of the highway and allow yourself enough following distance to stop if necessary. For years, the rule-of-thumb formula for following distance was one car length for every ten miles per hour. Recently, a new formula was introduced which is even more positive and easier to apply, the “two-second rule.”The following chart illustrates why the two-second rule is more readily adaptable for today's drivers and allows for a safer following distance. To use the two-second rule, choose a fixed object on the road ahead (such as a sign post, tree, overpass, bridge abutment, etc.). When the vehicle ahead passes that object, begin to count “One thousand one, one thousand two.” If you reach the same object before you finish saying “one thousand two,” you are following too closely and should gradually slow down until you’ve reached the safe following distance. The two-second rule applies to good and bad weather conditions. If the road and weather conditions are not good, increase your following distance to a four or five second count. The increased following limit also applies if you are driving vehicles with longer lengths than cars. You must also watch for brake lights on the vehicle ahead and be alert for diminishing distances between your car and the one ahead. If you see brake lights or notice the following distance getting less, shift your foot to the brake pedal promptly so you are ready to stop if necessary.

STOPPING DISTANCE

The distance required to stop your car is important in determining a safe driving speed. The chart below may be used as a guide, but actual stopping distances depend upon many factors.• Mental and physical reaction time of the driver.• Type and condition of the pavement. There is a great difference between rough, dry concrete and slippery brick or smooth asphalt.

These are a few of the key tips and rules EDII and the State of Alabama's Driver's Manual can present to you for your review. There are more.

For our complete Expert Driving Skills book, go to Amazon or Barnes and Noble or Smashwords and look up The Careful vs. The Careless Driver. AKA The Predictive vs. The Undertrained Driver.