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USAID Evasive Driving Training

NOTES
MODULE 1

Evasive Driving- Overview


Effective vehicle control will not only allow you to drive more safely, it will also
enable you to avoid unexpected situations you may encounter on the road.
Ultimately, being able to control your vehicle could be the difference between life
and death.
-USAID

It is important to understand what evasive driving is and what it isnt.


Although the training covered here is designed to help you in a situation
where you are intending to evade someone with hostile intent, they will serve
to make you a better everyday driver.

Training Focus
Though the proper application of the principles you will be exposed to in this
training will enable you to drive a car more quickly, the focus will be on driver
precision and vehicular control, rather than speed.
Components of the Driving System:

Vehicle
Environment
Driver

These three components to the driving system, the vehicle, the environment,
and the driver, each play an important role in moving your car efficiently down
the road.
Through the presentation of principles and controlled exercises, we will see how
dynamics influence your vehicles handling.
In this module we will address:

Vehicle Dynamics
Cornering and Steering
Breaking
Driving in Reverse

Evasive Driving- Vehicle Dynamics


The key to controlling a vehicle is to understand the forces acting on it and how
each of them affects the vehicles operation.
-USAID
Vehicle Dynamics Defined:

The physical forces influencing a moving vehicle and their effects on its
operation.

There are ONLY THREE THINGS a vehicle can do:

Accelerate
Break
Turn

In theory, you can do all three of the above things at the same time, but for optimal
performance these three inputs must be done separately.

As a simplified example, consider a dollar. Lets say we have a dollar to spend. This
dollar represents 100% of a vehicles capabilities. We can spend thirty-three cents on
each of the handling inputs, or ten cents on breaking and another ten cents on
turning, which leaves us with eighty cents for acceleration. We can never spend
more money than we have. If we attempt to ask too much from our vehicle then
none of the handling inputs will perform the way we want and expect them too. It is
far more efficient to ask for one-hundred percent from each acceleration, breaking,
and turning in sequential successions.

Vehicle Weight Shifts


One thing that all three handling inputs have in common is that they cause weight
transfer which in one way or another impacts the cars handling.
Positive Weight Shift

More of the weight is over the front wheels of the vehicle


o An example would be when you are breaking in a straight line.

Negative Weight Shift

More of the weight is over the rear wheels of the vehicle


o An example would be accelerating in a straight line
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Neutral Balance

The vehicles weight is evenly distributed over the front and rear wheels
o An example would be driving at a constant speed in a straight line.

Evasive Driving- Cornering and Steering


Limiting the time your vehicle spends turning will enable you to maximize the
efficiency of the car in curves.
-USAID
Concepts
Ocular Driving:

Looking where you would like the vehicle to go


o Achieved by keeping your head up and looking down the road; around
the corner for example, and not at the ground directly in front of your
vehicle.

Apex Driving:

The act of driving through a corner in a way that minimizes the time the
vehicle spends cornering.
Consists of 1. Entry Point, 2. Apex, and 3. Exit point.

Over Steer:

The vehicles turning radius is smaller than you intend


o When you are attempting a corner and the vehicle is diving into the
corner at a faster rate than you intended it to. This is often exemplified
with the rear end of the car sliding out in a skid.

Under Steer:

The vehicles turning radius is wider than you intend.


o When you are attempting a corner and the front wheels are pointed in
the direction that you would like to go, but the car continues to plow
forward.

Steering Inputs
Steering Types:

Hand-over-hand
Shuffling
Crossover (fixed hand)

Shuffle Steering should be used for most general purpose driving.


During the Shuffle Steer technique, you do not remove your hands from the steering
wheel.
The steering inputs should be nice and smooth, not jerky. This keeps the vehicle
from jumping and bobbing around.
If you accelerate during a turn, it opens your turning radius.
If you decelerate during a turn, it closes your turning radius.
When you are in a turn, you should be looking at your exit and looking at where you
want to go, as opposed to tunnel vision and looking right in front of or directly in
front of the vehicle.

Steering Considerations for SUVs

Larger and heavier vehicle


Higher center of gravity
Vehicle must be operated at reduced speeds
Smooth steering inputs

Consistent Fundamentals of Evasive Driving:


The fundamentals of evasive driving remain the same regardless of the type of
vehicle driven.

Break before the turn


No breaking or accelerating in turns (nothing but turning inside the obstacle)
Accelerate out of turns
Smooth hand placement, no abrupt steering inputs
Look at your exit from the turn, look at where you want to go

Smooth is Fast!

Evasive Driving- Breaking


One of the surest ways to keep yourself safe in a vehicle is to make sure you stop
it before hitting anything.
-USAID

Braking Terminology:

Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)


o A system in a vehicle that prevents the wheels from locking up. This
permits the driver to keep using steering inputs despite emergency
braking situations. ABS allows the tires to continue rolling, so that the
driver can continue to steer and control the car while it slows down.
Threshold Braking
o A technique of braking used in cars without ABS to achieve similar
results. The driver applies the brakes and releases just before the point
of lock up, and immediately re-applies and repeats the process until
the vehicle has decelerated the desired amount.
Stab and Jab
o Is a method of braking before a corner that transfers the weight of the
vehicle forward, creating a positive weigh shift, which increases
traction on the front wheels before a turn, increasing the cars ability to
carry speed through the corner.

Evasive Driving- Driving in Reverse


Ensuring you are comfortable driving in reverse will greatly increase your chances
of successfully avoiding or removing yourself from hazardous situations on the
road.
-USAID

Palm Steering

Using the palm of your hand to provide steering inputs to your vehicle
o Palm steering should only be used for reverse driving. It is too easy to
have your palm slip off of the steering wheel when you are using it to
steer while facing forward, which could result in an accident.

Reverse Driving Guidelines

Physically look behind yourself, out your read windows to see where you are
going. Always primarily use your rear window as though it were your
windshield. Refrain from using your rear view mirrors as much as possible.
Use a Palm on the top (12 Oclock position) of the steering wheel to add
steering inputs
Spot your turning point
Back in
Look forward
Switch directions
Look where you are going
Head out

Evasive Driving- Serpentine Exercise


This exercise exposes you to the skills needed to avoid surprise situations you may
encounter while driving.
-USAID

Conduct this exercise moving both forwards and in reverse.


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A series of nice, smooth steering actions around a series of cones in a


serpentine manner.
You want to avoid all jerky actions as you do not want to cause your vehicle
to roll over.
When backing in reverse, as soon as one of your obstacles disappears, begin
steering in the opposite direction.

USAID Evasive Driving Training


NOTES
MODULE 2
Evasive Driving- Practical Examples
The following sequences demonstrate how the skills learned in the controlled
exercises work together and enable the driver to safely manage emergency
situations on the road.
-USAID
Backing out of an Ambush
Points to Remember:

When backing away from a threat, do not stop until the initial threat no
longer poses immediate danger.
To help ensure your vehicle maintains traction and doesnt become stuck
when making any emergency maneuver, make every effort to ensure your
vehicle stays on the roadway. Refrain from leaving the pavement.
In a situation that requires you to drive in reverse, remember to check traffic,
and if needed, change lanes so you are driving with traffic.

One Car Roadblock Ramming


Points to Remember:

Using your vehicles headlight as an aiming point will help ensure that your
vehicle makes solid contact with the blocking vehicle and maximum energy
transfer.
Aim towards the rear axle of the blocking vehicle.
Approach at from 5-15 mph.
Power through the blocking vehicle at 5-15mph. This will help ensure that
your vehicles airbags do not deploy and its fuel delivery system continues to
operate.
If there is an option, choose to ram the rear of the vehicle. It is lighter and
easier to move.

Two Vehicle Roadblock Ramming


Points to Remember:

Align your car so that it splits the blocking vehicles down the middle
Power through the blocking vehicle at 5-15mph. This will help ensure that
your vehicles airbags do not deploy and its fuel delivery system continues to
operate.
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Once clear of the roadblock, continue driving to a safe location.

Evasive Driving - Overall Guidelines

Above all else drive within your limits (always drive in control)
Fluid steering inputs
Proper hand positioning
Look where you would like the vehicle to go
Keep your head up
Driving through a curve in a manner that minimizes the time the vehicle
spends turning
Smooth is Fast!

What

to Focus on (When someone is behind you):


Watching your mirrors
Do not let them get next to you
Do not let them pass you

Evasive Driving Conclusions


The combination of proper technique, smooth inputs, and driving within your
limits will help ensure you are able to respond to any threat you may encounter
on the road.
-USAID

To sum it all up, evasive driving does not necessarily mean driving fast.
What to Remember:

Proper Technique
Smooth Inputs
Drive within your limits

Staying vigilant will help you avoid situations that could be potentially dangerous
or life threatening.

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