Driver Education

Course Description

This course prepares new drivers to operate vehicles safely and responsibly. Students learn essential driving skills, traffic laws, hazard recognition, and strategies for avoiding distractions. Emphasis is placed on decision-making, defensive driving, and sharing the roadway with all users. Perceptual practice and classroom instruction build the knowledge and confidence needed for safe driving through 30 hours of in-class driver education.

Course Big Ideas

Developing the skills, knowledge, and mindset to operate a vehicle safely and responsibly.
Understanding traffic rules, recognizing hazards, and learning strategies to avoid distractions.
Emphasizing sound judgment, proactive decision-making, and defensive driving techniques to prevent accidents.
Building driving confidence through classroom instruction, perceptual exercises, and hands-on learning in a structured 30-hour program.

Course Essential Questions

What are the requirements for each level of the Graduated Driver License (GDL) procedures in PA?
Why is understanding signs, signals, and road markings imperative to safety when driving?
Why are basic driving skills essential for ensuring safety and responsibility on the road?
How decision making is an imperative skill when it comes to driving automobiles?

Course Competencies

Identify and explain the requirements, restrictions, and progression for each level of Pennsylvania’s Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) system.
Recognize and interpret the meanings of traffic signs, signals, and road markings according to state and federal standards.
Evaluate how mastering basic driving skills contributes to overall road safety and driver responsibility.
Analyze common driving scenarios to identify potential hazards and select safe, responsible actions.

Course Assessments

Summative Assessment
Formative Assessment
Teacher-Created Materials

Course Units

Unit 1: Licensing Procedures

Standards

Know

Understanding/Key Learning

Do

Identify the age, documentation, and requirements needed to apply for a Pennsylvania Learner’s Permit.
Explain the necessary prerequisites, such as holding a Learner’s Permit for a specific period and completing required supervised driving hours.
Describe the steps involved in the application process, including scheduling and passing the road skills test.
Understand the role of the Junior Driver’s License within Pennsylvania’s Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) system aimed at promoting safe driving practices.
Describe the requirements/restrictions associated with obtaining an Adult Driver's License in Pennsylvania.
Identify the available driver's license options for Pennsylvania residents.

Unit Essential Questions

Lesson Essential Questions

Materials/Resources

Vocabulary

Assessments

Unit 2: Signals, Signs, and Pavement Markings

Standards

Know

Understanding/Key Learning

Do

Unit Essential Questions

Lesson Essential Questions

Materials/Resources

Vocabulary

Assessments

Unit 3: Learning to Drive

Standards

PA Content and Performance Expectations for Driver Education

14.2.A Identify and describe the pre-trip inspection outside the vehicle [Visual inspection of vehicle (e.g., wheels, body, lights), Visual inspection of surroundings (e.g., front, sides, back)].
14.2.B Identify and describe the pre-trip preparation inside the vehicle [Car door locks, Key in ignition, Seating position, Mirror settings (enhanced/traditional), Communications controls (e.g., turn signals, high/low beams, flashers), Safety devices (e.g., wipers, seat belt adjustments, head restraint), Comfort/climate controls (e.g., heater, air conditioning, defroster), Hand position on steering wheel].
14.2.D Describe and explain the proper application of basic driving skills [Staying in driving line, Starting from a stop, Accelerating, Managing intersections, Recognizing when to brake, Making a left turn into traffic, Making right turns, Driving in reverse, Making lane changes (e.g., multiple-lane roadways, merge/exit situations, passing vehicles), Selecting a sufficient gap to enter traffic #14.
14.2.E Identify post-trip procedures [Securing the vehicle (e.g., place in park, set parking brake, remove keys, Exiting the vehicle (e.g., open door safely, face traffic when exiting, lock doors).
14.3.A Describe perception as a mental process that is selective and can be improved (Visual functions: focal, useful field of vision, peripheral, depth, Projected path of travel, Scanning environment, and staying in driving lane).
14.3 B Describe visual search categories for identifying risk situations (Restrictions to path of travel, Restrictions to sightline, Traffic controls, Highway characteristics/conditions, Other highway users).
14.3 C Identify traffic situations and develop avoidance strategies (Judging speed going around a curve, Searching for sufficient gap before pulling out from a driveway or stop sign, Reducing crash potential by adjusting speed, lane position and appropriate communication (e.g., turn signals), Recognizing a stopped vehicle, Changing speed and/or direction to avoid conflicts with sightline and path of travel restrictions, Judging speed and distances of on-coming traffic, Making correct decisions at intersections by managing time and space, Applying basic driving skills to city, rural and expressway driving in various weather and roadway conditions).
14.3.D Analyze the need for divided visual and mental attention from path of travel to driving tasks, then back to path of travel for brief periods of time (Searching from path of travel to signs, symbols and markings, Searching from path of travel for intersection problems, Searching from path of travel to new entry lane when turning left or right, Searching from path of travel to instrument panel for speed and vehicle information, Searching from path of travel to vehicle accessories for appropriate operation).
14.4.A Identify and know a model of decision-making [(Stop-Think-Go, SIPDE (Search, Identify, Predict, Decide and Execute), IPDE (Identify, Predict, Decide and Execute), SEE (Search, Evaluate, Execute)].
14.4.C Identify how emotions affect driver decisions (Depression/Sadness, Elation, Anger, Road Rage, Fear)
14.4.D Describe the characteristics of the aggressive driver (High Speed, Erratic vehicle movements, Gestures, Vocal outbursts).
14.4.E Identify appropriate responses to the aggressive driver (Eye contact avoidance, Emotional detachment, Speed adjustment, Lane adjustment).
14.5.A Describe hazardous conditions and their effects on vision, motion and steering control tasks while driving (Snow, Rain, Fog, Sleet/ice, Hydroplaning, Traction loss).
14.5.B Identify challenges of night driving and appropriate responses to them (Reduced visibility, Eye fatigue, Overdriving headlights).
14.5.C Identify the dangers of vehicle malfunctions [Warning indicators (e.g., dashboard, smoke, sounds), Failures (e.g., tires, brakes, steering), Stuck accelerator, Engine stalls, Loss of headlights or forward vision due to vehicle malfunction].
14.5.D Identify the dangers of sudden emergencies (High water, Vehicle crossing centerline, Vehicle not yielding at intersection, Vehicle running off roadway, Traction loss to front tires, Traction loss to rear tires).
14.6.G Identify types of fatigue and how to combat their effects [Mental and physical types (e.g., boredom, eye strain, drowsiness), Symptoms (e.g., slowed response time, daydreaming, heavy eyes), Methods to delay fatigue (e.g., exit and walk around the vehicle every two hours, pull over and take a nap, stop for a bathroom/snack break).

Know

What specifics should be looked for when completing a vehicle inspection.
Basic driving skills such as braking, accelerating, and turning.
Where should students specifically look when driving a vehicle.
Not making eye contact and ignoring other drivers' gestures with aggressive behavior.
The different hazardous conditions on the road that tires contact while driving.
Preparation for sudden driving emergencies like brake failure, a stuck accelerator, and engine stall.
Realizing you’re too tired to drive and what to do.

Understanding/Key Learning

Importance of completing a vehicle inspection. Conducting a thorough pre-drive vehicle inspection is essential to ensure that a vehicle is safe, reliable, and road-ready.
Developing strong basic driving skills provides the foundation for all safe and responsible driving.
Effective scanning and searching techniques enable drivers to anticipate potential hazards before they become dangerous.
Recognizing and safely responding to aggressive drivers is a vital defensive driving skill.
Hazardous driving conditions—such as rain, snow, ice, fog, or heavy traffic—require drivers to adjust their behavior and techniques.
Sudden driving emergencies, like tire blowouts, brake failure, or an unexpected obstacle, demand calm, quick, and controlled responses.
Driver fatigue severely impairs reaction time, judgment, and focus.

Do

How to complete the pre-trip inspection outside the vehicle (tires, body, paint).
Staying in the driving lane, starting from a stop, accelerating, managing intersections, recognizing when to brake, making a left/right turn into traffic, driving in reverse, and making lane changes.
Securing the vehicle (place in park, set parking brake).
What to look at when driving (visual focus, field of vision, perception, depth, scanning environment).
Judging speed when traveling around curves, pulling out in intersections.
Be able to use decision-making processes when it comes to driving [SIPDE (Search, Identify, Predict, Decide and Execute), SEE (Search, Evaluate, Execute)].
Understand how a student's emotional status influences driving (highs, lows, anger, happiness).
Identify how to interact with an aggressive driver (avoid eye contact, speed/lane adjustment).
Identify challenges of different types of driving conditions (snow, rain, fog, hydroplaning).
Recognize the challenges of night driving and safety concerns (reduced visibility, fatigue, overdriving headlights).
Awareness of dangers of vehicle malfunctions, failures (tires, accelerator, brakes, steering).
How environmental factors influence driving (high water, not yielding, running off roadway).
Understand the types of fatigue (eye strain, drowsiness, slowed response time, daydreaming, heavy eyes) and efforts to create a safe environment (walk around vehicle, quick nap).

Unit Essential Questions

Why is conducting a thorough pre-trip inspection outside a vehicle critical for safety and vehicle performance?
How does perception influence a driver’s ability to make safe and accurate decisions on the road?
How do effective observation and decision-making skills help drivers recognize and respond to potential hazards on the road?
How do emotions such as anger, fear, sadness, or excitement influence a driver’s judgment, reaction time, and overall decision-making?

Lesson Essential Questions

What are the main goals of performing a pre-trip inspection before driving?
What are the key visual functions used in driving (focal, peripheral, depth, useful field of vision)?
How can a driver reduce crash potential when approaching curves, intersections, or stopped vehicles?
How do different emotions (anger, fear, sadness, excitement) influence perception, focus, and reaction time while driving?

Materials/Resources

Vocabulary

Assessments

Unit 4: Driving Record Information

Standards

PA Content and Performance Expectations for Driver Education

14.4.G Analyze the consequences of high-risk driver actions and human error (vehicular crashes, injury or death, civil liability, property damage, financial loss, Pennsylvania Point System, fines, loss of license).
14.6.A Know legal aspects of alcohol and other drug use (Just saying “No” to alcoholic beverages and other drugs, terms and meanings associated with drinking and driving, penalties when intoxicated, implied consent, zero tolerance).
14.6.C Define and analyze the problem of driving under the influence (significance of problem, consequences, solutions).
14.6.D Identify and analyze the physiological and psychological effects of alcohol on the driver (process of alcohol entering and exiting from the body, how alcohol affects people differently, changes to the central nervous system).
14.6.E Identify and analyze the physiological and psychological effects of drugs [types (i.e., over-the-counter, prescription, controlled substances), How drugs affect people differently, changes to the central nervous system].
14.6.F Identify and analyze how alcohol and other drugs affect driving performance (impaired judgment and reasoning, visual impairment, slower motor skills, increased response time, soss of reality).

Know

The essential information that must be exchanged between drivers after a vehicle collision, including names, addresses, phone numbers, driver’s license numbers, vehicle registration details, and insurance information.
The potential consequences of accumulating points on a Pennsylvania driver’s license, including increased insurance premiums, mandatory driver improvement courses, license suspension or revocation, and legal penalties.
How alcohol and other impairing substances affect the human body across multiple domains: mentally (impaired judgment and decision-making), physically (reduced coordination and motor skills), physiologically (slowed reaction times, altered vision, and balance), and psychologically (increased risk-taking, mood changes, and reduced focus).

Understanding/Key Learning

Explain Pennsylvania’s driver’s license point system, including how points are assigned for specific traffic violations and how accumulating points can result in penalties such as license suspension, increased insurance rates, or mandatory driver improvement courses.
Describe appropriate and lawful procedures for interacting with law enforcement during a traffic stop or roadside encounter.
Explain how alcohol, drugs (both legal and illegal), and other impairing substances affect the body’s ability to operate a vehicle safely.

Do

How to interact with other drivers in the case of a vehicle crash.
How to appropriately interact with police.
Make positive decisions in regards to alcohol/drugs when in social situations with friends.
The importance of just saying “no” and how to be a positive influence on peers.
Understand how alcohol and other drugs affect driving performance and why it is not safe to combine.

Unit Essential Questions

Lesson Essential Questions

Materials/Resources

Vocabulary

Assessments

Unit 5: Laws and Related Issues

Standards

PA Content and Performance Expectations for Driver Education

14.1.B Identify and explain laws that relate to the responsible use of a vehicle (vehicle registration, insurance regulations, vehicle/emissions inspection, seat belts, child safety seats, passengers in pickup trucks).
14.4.B Identify and describe concerns when sharing the roadway (motorized vehicles, non-motorized vehicles, commercial/large vehicles, pedestrians, animals).
14.4.F. Identify driver distractions and the appropriate responses to them [within the vehicle (e.g., passengers and pets, food and drinks, cell phones and other electronics), outside the vehicle (e.g., construction zones, people, accident and emergency vehicles].

Know

Understanding/Key Learning

Do

Understand why it is necessary to have vehicle insurance.
How to adjust a seat belt across the chest and over the hips.
Having a voice to ensure all passengers are wearing seat belts in your vehicle.
Properly interacting with delivery vehicles, downed trees, pedestrians, cyclists, and every potential obstruction blocking a partial or full driving lane.
Have the knowledge and skills to focus on the road while driving.