Session Number: 1
Lesson Title: Graduated Driver’s License & The Highway Transportation System
Session Goals:
1. Determine the importance of the Graduated Licensing Program in New York State, along with all of
its important rules, requirements and restrictions.
2. Classify risk factors present in the Highway Transportation System and why attitude is important to
driving.
3. Explain the elements of the Smith System/SIPDE and apply to various driving situations.
4. Determine which lane position is appropriate for driving circumstances.
What will students know?
1. The three parts of the HTS, how to manage risk, how the GDL law works in New York State, and how
attitude can affect driving.
2. Steps in the SIPDE process and to the Smith System and how to implement them.
3. Lane positions and how to use them to separate, stabilize, and compromise space.
What will students be able to do?
1.1 Determine whether various risks are driver-contributed, vehicle- contributed, or roadway-contributed.
1.2 Determine how attitude can affect driving.
2. Use SIPDE/Smith System to determine an appropriate visual lead time and following distance based
on speed, environmental factors, weather conditions.
3. Adjust driving behaviors and habits as needed to adapt to the driving conditions present in rural,
urban, suburban, and multi-lane settings.
Assessment – Evidence that the student has achieved the desired goals & learning
Goal 1: Quiz
- Students match the 3 phases of the Graduated Driver License Law.
Classifying Risk Factors Activity
- Students classify provided risk factors into driver-contributed, vehicle-contributed,
roadway contributed.
- With a partner, or individually, students brainstorm 3 more risk factors in each category
and share out with the class.
Goal 2: Vision Activity #1 Options
Brainstorm
- Divide class into small groups to discuss how vehicle speed, physical environment, and
weather conditions affect visual space and following distance.
- Each group has a provided scenario:
o Sharing the roadway
o Driving environment
o Current weather/roadway conditions
- Students determine how to establish safe visual space and following distance.
- Students share their scenario and the visual space and following distance they determined
was adequate based on the scenario.
Following Distance Activity
- Student walks from the back of the room to a marker at the front of the room.
- Class calls out how many seconds it will take to reach the marker.
- When student walks, count off 1001, 1002, 1003, etc. until student reaches marker.
- Class compares estimates with actual times.
- Repeat with different students walking at different paces.
Vision Activity #2 – Zone Control Activity
- With driving situations projected on the board, students determine whether zones are
open or closed.
Goal 3: Lane Position Activity
- Given specific driving situations, students will determine the appropriate lane position.
Lane Position Quiz
- Given 5 driving situations, students will correctly identify the lane position necessary to
avoid a conflict through separation, stabilization, and compromising.
Key Vocabulary & Topics for this Lesson
- HTS -Highway Transportation System
- Risk
- Graduated Driver’s License
- New York State Point System
- License Revocation
- License Suspension
Presentation – (90 minutes)
List the lesson components in order noting number of minutes for each
Lesson Component Time to Complete Component
Course Introduction 20 minutes
Graduated Driver License Matching 10 minutes
Purpose of the Highway Transportation System
(HTS) 2 minutes
HTS Environment 2 minutes
HTS and Vehicles 2 minutes
HTS and Drivers 2 minutes
Learning Activity 8 minutes
What makes up the HTS? 2 minutes
Discussion 8 minutes
Driving Skills 1 minute
Motor Mania 10 minutes
Sobering Statistics 5 minutes
HTS Regulations 3 minutes
Responsibilities of Driving 3 minutes
Risks of Driving 3 minutes
Causes of Risk 3 minutes
Review 6 minutes
NYS Driving Permit Restrictions 3 minutes
Methods to get a Senior License 3 minutes
New York State Point System 3 minutes
Supplemental Resources:
Listing of Lesson References
1. CCC crew using horse team for road construction, Giffor Pinchot National Forest, Washington.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CCC_crew_using_horse_teams_for_road_construction,_Gi
fford_Pinchot_National_Forest,_Washington_(3254487160).jpg
2. Good Roads Movement. https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/2133
3. Federal Highway Administration Research and Technology. From 1916 to 1939: The Federal-
State Partnership at Work.
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/96summer/p96su7.cfm
4. History of the US Highway System: From Dirt Paths to Superhighways.
http://www.gbcnet.com/ushighways/history/history_main.html
5. A Brief History of Zoning and Highway Construction in America.
https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2016/7/27/history-of-zoning-and-highway-construction-in-
america
6. America on the Move. https://amhistory.si.edu/onthemove/themes/story_86_4.html
7. National Highway System (United States).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Highway_System_(United_States)
8. Goofy Motor Mania. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdgVcGjzgR4
9. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: Fatality Statistics Teenagers 2016.
http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/teenagers/fatalityfacts/teenagers
10. Johnson, M.L.; Crabb, O.; Opfer, A.A.; and Theil, R. (2000). 10 th Edition. Drive Right: You are
the driver. Glenvile, Illinois: Scott Foresman.
11. Amazon.com. Don’t Drink and Drive, Under 21 Zero Tolerance Sign, 24” X 18”.
https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Drink-Drive-Under-Tolerance/dp/B00895W7IQ
12. New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Driver’s Manual.
https://dmv.ny.gov/brochure/mv21.pdf
