Starts and Stops | Steer Clear 
State FarmŽ

[MUSIC PLAYING] 

(Text on screen)
Stars and Stops 

(IMAGE)
An animated car drives down 
an animated roadway. 
Next, we see an intersection from above. 
Multiple cars pass through the intersection in turn.

(Announcer: Male voice)
Learning to drive a car is also learning 
how to interact with other cars so you 
avoid crashes. Sudden starts and stops 
can be dangerous, resulting in loss of 
control over your car or even a crash. 
Taking charge of your starting and stopping 
habits is a huge way to lessen your 
chances of getting involved in a crash. 

(IMAGE)
We see two cars stopped at a traffic light.
When the light turns green, the rear car 
speeds up faster than the first car, hitting it. 
Then we see two cars driving, and when 
the first car slows down, it is hit by the 
car behind it. Next, we see a truck behind 
a car, and when the car stops suddenly, 
the truck struggles to stop. 

(Text on screen)
Acceleration

(Announcer: Male voice) 
Remember that quick acceleration 
could cause you to hit the car in front of you, 
while sudden stops may cause the car 
behind yours to crash into you. 
And remember that any larger vehicle 
traveling behind you, like a truck or a bus, 
will take longer to stop. 
Let's go over good stopping and starting 
techniques to ensure a smooth ride. 

(IMAGE)
A car is seen stopped at a red light. 
An image of a foot poised over a brake 
pedal is seen. The foot presses down 
and the car, seen below, accelerates. 
Then the foot lifts as the car approaches 
a stoplight and stops. 
Then an image of a disposable drink 
container is seen spilling its contents. 

(Announcer: Male voice) 
From an acceleration standpoint, 
remember that it doesn't take much pressure 
on the gas pedal for the car to accelerate. 
A nice smooth touch should be all it takes 
to get the car gradually build speed. 
If you need a bit more acceleration, 
gradually press down harder on the pedal. 
You don't want to press the pedal hard 
when you first start out. If you do, the 
car will jerk ahead, which won't be 
enjoyable for your passengers. 
 
(Text on screen)
Braking

(Announcer: Male voice) 
Good braking technique will not only 
be less stressful on you and your passengers. 
It will also prolong the life of your vehicle. 
When you brake, you use your right foot, 
which is the same for you use for the gas. 
Your heel should be on the floor so you 
can swivel your foot easily between 
the gas and the brake.  

(IMAGE)
The car is seen stopped at a red light. 
Then, we see an image of a foot moving 
from brake pedal to accelerator. 
The car is seen proceeding down the roadway, 
with the image of the foot and brake pedal 
seen above. The foot is seen moving up 
and down on the pedal to illustrate braking 
technique. The car is seen coming to a stop 
before a traffic cone. Then we see a checklist
appear above the car, with each line 
checked off in turn. 

(Announcer: Male voice)
When braking, apply a nice even 
touch on the brake pedal. 
Avoid slamming on the brakes 
unless you absolutely must come 
to a quick stop. Softly pressing on the 
brakes ensures a comfortable stop. 
Right at the end of your stop, about the 
last five feet, slowly ease off the brake pedal, 
and the car should come to a smooth stop. 
Using these techniques will ensure that you 
won't have the jerky motion that could 
result in passenger discomfort or possibly 
even failing the road portion of a driver's test. 

(Text on screen)
Using the Emergency Brake

(IMAGE)
A simplified model of the braking system 
is shown, and part of it is highlighted. 
Then we see the braking icon from the dashboard. 
Next, we see a car moving down a 
roadway from above. Two other cars 
are parked on the side. The moving car 
stops and begins backing into a parking 
space between the other cars, aiming 
to parallel park. It parks and then the 
parking brake icon appears above.
 
(Announcer: Male voice) 
Using the emergency brake. 
The primary brake system on your car is 
complex, and there are numerous ways it 
can fail-- some of them catastrophic. 
Of course, this is what the emergency brake 
was named for and the main reason 
for its implementation in every vehicle 
on the road. Whether you're driving or 
parking, get in the habit of using your 
emergency brake every once in a while 
to keep the parts moving and give 
your normal braking system a rest. 
In case you need to use your emergency 
brake in a real emergency, it'll be 
ready to act and could even save your life.  
 
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