Module 12

Driver
Responsibility

12

Acknowledgements
Special thanks go to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Transportation,
Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Texas Transportation Institute (www.looklearnlive.org), Texas
Department of State Health Services, Texas Department of Insurance, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, Montana Office of Public Instruction, Virginia Department of Education, AAA Foundation for Traffic
Safety for use of their photo library, and Fred Mottola, National Institute for Driver Behavior (Zone Control Principles, including targeting, visual lead, and reference points).
The information provided herein is accurate and current pursuant to the Program of Organized Instruction for Driver Education and Traffic Safety adopted by rule on February 2009.

Prior to starting the Parent Taught Driver Education Model Program Course 101,
you must receive your students Parent Taught Packet from the Texas
Department of Public Safety. To receive the packet, the parent must submit the
application (DL92 Request For a Parent Taught Packet). Each student should
be registered separately with the Texas Department of Public Safety for the
Parent Taught Driver Education Program. You can locate the application on the
following web site:
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/internetforms/Forms/DL-92.pdf

Copyright Notice The materials are copyrighted and trademarked as the property of the Texas Education
Agency (TEA) and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of TEA, except under the
following conditions:
1. Texas public school districts, charter schools, licensed driver education schools, Department of Public
Safetys Parent Taught Program instructors, and Education Service Centers may reproduce and use
copies of the Materials and Related Materials for the districts and schools educational use without
obtaining permission from TEA.
2. Residents of the state of Texas may reproduce and use copies of the Materials and Related Materials for
individual personal use only without obtaining written permission of TEA. However, prior to starting the
Parent Taught Driver Education Model Program Course 101, you must receive your students Parent
Taught Packet from the Texas Department of Public Safety. To receive the packet, the parent must submit
the application (DL92 Request For a Parent Taught Packet). Each student should be registered
separately with the Texas Department of Public Safety for the Parent Taught Driver Education Program.
3. Any portion reproduced must be reproduced in its entirety and remain unedited, unaltered and unchanged
in any way.
4. No monetary charge can be made for the reproduced materials or any document containing them;
however, a reasonable charge to cover only the cost of reproduction and distribution may be charged.
Private entities or persons located in Texas that are not Texas public school districts, Texas Education Service
Centers, Department of Public Safetys Parent Taught Program instructors or Texas charter schools or any entity,
whether public or private, educational or non-educational, located outside the state of Texas MUST obtain written
approval from TEA and will be required to enter into a license agreement that may involve the payment of a
licensing fee or a royalty. For information contact: Office of Intellectual Property, Texas Education Agency, 1701 N.
Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701-1494; phone 512-463-9270 or 512-463-9713; email: copyrights@tea.state.tx.us.

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Module 12: Personal Responsibility (Minimum 2 hours)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Instructional Objectives .. 4

Comprehensive Classroom Progress Assessment . 5

Driver Licensing .... 6

In-Car Progress Assessment ... 11

Driving Plan 12

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Instructional Objectives
The student legally and responsibly performs Personal Responsibility reduced-risk
driving practices in the Highway Transportation System (HTS) by utilizing the
knowledge, skills, and experiences of the Driver Education and Traffic Safety Program,
obtaining and using a driver license, and continuing the lifelong learning process of
reduced-risk driving practices.

Comprehensive Classroom Progress Assessment. The student reduces risk

by legally and responsibly completing a Progress Assessment to evaluate
classroom knowledge and understanding and measure progress (mastery
equals 70% or above) legally and responsibly.

Driver Licensing. The student reduces risks by legally and responsibly

applying the knowledge, understanding, skills, and experiences of the Driver
Education and Traffic Safety program, and obtaining and using a driver license
legally and responsibly.

In-Car Progress Assessment. The student reduces risk by legally and

responsibly utilizing baseline and progress assessment tools to evaluate and
improve behind-the-wheel skill level (mastery equals 70% or above).
Driving Plan. The student formulates a Driving Plan to endorse and promote
lifelong legal and responsible reduced-risk driving practices in the Highway
Transportation System (HTS).

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Comprehensive Classroom Progress Assessment

Assessment tool criteria and measurement

standards.

Discuss results of the assessment with

instructor and relate scores to classroom
knowledge and understanding.

COMPREHENSIVE
ASSESSMENT

Utilize the scored assessment tool to

evaluate and improve classroom
knowledge and understanding.

To achieve mastery of Module 12: Driver

Responsibility, the student must score 70% or
above on the classroom progress assessment.
The student may want to discuss the results of
the scored Progress Assessment tool with the
instructor. The student should utilize the scored
assessment tool to improve classroom
knowledge and understanding.

The Module 12: Driver Responsibility

classroom progress assessment can be
located in the Modules Classroom
Progress Assessment Booklet.

Construction and congestion on U.S. Highway

77 in Brownsville. Kevin Stillman/TxDOT
4/26/2006

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Driver Licensing

Participating in the Highway

Transportation System is a privilege with
risk, responsibilities, obligations, and
potential consequences requiring the
knowledge, understanding, and application
of legal and responsible reduced-risk
driving practices.

How Texas Driver Education and Traffic

Safety provides a novice driver the
foundation of knowledge, understanding,
skills, and experiences necessary for the
novice driver and parent, guardian, or
adult mentor to launch and continue the
lifelong learning process of legal and
responsible reduced-risk driving practices
in the Highway Transportation System.

Risk is inherent to participation in the Highway

Transportation System. Risk (potential or
immediate), in driving, is the possibility of
having a conflict that results in a crash or
collision. Lack of risk awareness is a major
factor in the number of traffic crashes.

Accept personal responsibility for reducedrisk driving practices.

Accept the social responsibility of driving

whereby teens can make a difference in
their own lives, the lives of others including
vulnerable roadway users, in the economy
and in the environment by applying the
values of safety, economy, and civility to
the driving task.

Procedures and required documents to

obtain a Texas driver license and
insurance discount.

Job opportunities created by the HTS

including becoming a Driver Education
and Traffic Safety instructor.

Additional driver education and traffic

safety courses that a driver should
complete to continue the lifelong learning
process of reduced-risk driving practices.

A novice driver recognizes driver and traffic

safety education as a foundation assisting the
student and parent/mentor to continue the lifelong learning process of reduced risk driving.
Participating in the Highway Transportation
System is a privilege, responsibilities,
obligations, and potential consequences
requiring knowledge, understanding, and
application of legal and reduced-risk driving
practices.

To reduce this risk to a manageable amount, a

driver must acquire the knowledge and
understanding of reduced-risk driving practices.
The driver must also practice application of this
knowledge and understanding to continue the
life-long learning process of legal and reducerisk driving practices while driving. The amount
of risk a driver can manage has dependence
upon the amount of meaningful experience of
the driver.
Driving is a privilege. A privilege is an
opportunity granted to a person. A driver has
moral, legal, and mental accountability to driving
practices to utilize the knowledge,
understanding, skills, and experiences. A driver
has the responsibility of driving a vehicle
utilizing reduced-risk driving practices in the
Highway Transportation System without conflict
with other roadway users or the roadway.
If a driver encounters conflict with other
roadway users or the roadway and
consequences occur, the driver has the
obligation of driving to accept the consequences
and be morally and financially responsible. If a
driver cannot drive without habitual conflicts, the
privilege may be suspended or revoked.

Reduce risks by legally and responsibly

applying the knowledge, understanding,
skills, and experiences of the Driver
Education and Traffic Safety program,
obtaining, and using a driver license
legally and responsibly.

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Driver Licensing
Risk Management

Every roadway user operating in the HTS must

accept personal responsibility for reduced risk
driving practices. Each driver has to accept the
responsibility for utilizing the risk reduction
skills.

Drivers should question events/

actions.
Drivers should evaluate actions
and consequences.
Drivers do not perceive they are
at risk when driving.

To continue a lifelong learning process of legal

and responsible reduced-risk driving practices
in the HTS, a person must know and
understand the characteristics of risk:

Always present from other highway users,

the roadway and the vehicle you are
driving

Perceived differs from actual - people do

not identify risk when it is actually there

Perceived risk (differs from actual risk -perceived risk is what a person thinks is
the risk)

Actual risk (actual risk is the accurate

portrayal of the risk - driving experience
may bring the estimation of perceived risk
and closer to the actual risk).

Is shared by all drivers, pedestrians,

bicyclists

Can be changed - based on our perception

of risk, what we see and the decisions we
make on what to do with our vehicle

Can be analyzed - by making the best

choice available based on the clues we
have

Can be altered - some situations present

more risk than others. Drivers must
evaluate risk and consequences

Increase time to respond to threats through

position and speed adjustments
Increase vehicle control through position
and speed adjustments
Separate the elements involved through
speed and/or position adjustment
Combinations can influence the level of
risk
Risk can be altered by adjustments to
these elements

After completion of the Texas Driver

Education and Traffic Safety program, a
novice driver who is sixteen years old and has
met all state requirements is eligible to apply for
a provisional drivers license.
State requirements:

Risk Perception

Space needs of the vehicle and/or the

maneuver to be made

Speed and time intervals - to reduce risk

present

Roadway conditions - flat or crowned, type

of surface, good shoulders, etc.

Other roadway user actions - hardest to

evaluate

Evaluation of risk present at the time the

maneuver is made
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Completion of Texas Driver Education and

Traffic Safety Program (Driver Education)
Verification of Enrollment and Attendance school enrollment and attendance as a
condition of licensing a student to operate
a motor vehicle applies to persons under
18 years of age unless a high school
diploma or its equivalent has been
obtained. The Texas Department of Public
Safety requires that students who have
not obtained a high school diploma or its
equivalent must be enrolled in a public,
home, or private school and meet specific
enrollment conditions to obtain a license.
Meet all graduated licensing requirements

Driver Licensing
Forms to take to the Driver License Office
upon completion of the required classroom
hours and to obtain an Instruction Permit:

Check with the Texas Department of

Public Safety for more information:
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/

Application for Texas Driver License, DL14A

DE-964 Instruction Permit Portion (parent
taught students will receive this form at the
DPS office)
Fee for Instruction Permit Issuance
Proof of Liability Insurance
Students Birth Certificate
Proof of Social Security Number
Verification of Enrollment and Attendance
Form and students school transcript or
report card

Texas Department of Public Safety 5805

North Lamar Blvd. Austin, Texas 787524422
P O Box 4087
Austin, Texas 78773-0001
(512) 424-2000

In order to obtain an unrestricted provisional

driver license, the following documents
must be presented upon returning to the
Driver License Office.

Instruction Permit
Verification of Enrollment and Attendance
Form and students school transcript or report card
DE-964 Driver License Portion (The official
state document to obtain a drivers license and
insurance discount) (parent taught students
will receive this form at the DPS office)

20-Hour Log
Proof of Liability Insurance
Fee for Instruction Permit Issuance

Photo Courtesy AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

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Highway Transportation System Agencies

Agencies Involved in the Highway
Transportation System (HTS)

Police Department

Sheriff Department

Many federal, state, and local government

agencies help regulate the HTS. The federal
government has established the National
Highway Safety Act with a set of traffic safety
guidelines. Federal, state, and local
governments in turn enforce these national
guidelines. The Department of Education
assures that new drivers have the essential
knowledge and skills to drive safely.

Court system

Highway worker

Driver education instructor

Traffic safety instructor

Laws are passed to improve driver

safety and are placed in the Texas
Traffic Laws.

Enforcement agencies help to assure

that laws are obeyed.

The Department of Public Safety

assures that safe driver and vehicle
standards are maintained.

Courts decide whether drivers charged

with violating he laws are guilty or innocent
of endangering self or others.

Highway traffic engineers plan, build, and

maintain the complex system of
roadways.

Job opportunities created by the HTS

includes:

Vehicle operation

Passenger assistance

Vehicle assembly and maintenance

Planning, engineering, and construction

Safety and the environment

Environmentalists

Systems engineers

Computer scientists

Communications engineers

Engineering

Electronics

Communications

Systems integration

Department of Public Safety

Department of Transportation
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HTS Agencies

HTS Agencies Information on lawmaking and judicial systems.

Texas Legislature http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/

Texas Judicial System

http://www.courts.state.tx.us

Supreme Court of Texas

Court of Appeals of Texas
Courts of Appeals
Justice of the Peace

Maintenance work creates a

detour on FM 3423. Stan A.
Williams/TxDOT 7/24/2006

HTS Agencies Information on engineering, education, and enforcement systems.

Texas Department of Transportation
Texas Education Agency

http://www.txdot.state.tx.us/

http://www.tea.state.tx.us

Enforcement
Criminal Justice Division (CJD)
Texas Department of Public Safety
Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse

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http://www.governor.state.tx.us/d
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/
http://www.tabc.state.tx.us/default.htm#
http://www.tcada.state.tx.us/

In-Car Progress Assessment

In-Car Progress Assessment Tool located in Module 13: In-Car Instruction
The student reduces risk by legally and responsibly utilizing baseline and progress assessment tools to
evaluate and improve behind-the-wheel skill level (mastery equals 70% or above). The student is
assessed with a In-Car Progress Assessment Tool while demonstrating the ability to:

perform pre-drive tasks including pre-start and pre-drive maintenance procedures performed
prior to and after entering the vehicle;

utilize occupant protection and correct posture, seating, steering wheel, and hand positions;

locate, identify, and respond appropriately to vehicle symbols (alert and warning);

utilize vehicle devices (control, information, safety, communication, convenience, and comfort);

perform starting tasks including engine starting, engine operation, and starting-maintenance
procedures;

describe vehicle operating space;

perform vehicle operation and control tasks to accelerate, decelerate, steer (straight, right, and
left), move forward, back, turn (left and right), perform lateral and turnabout maneuvers, stop,
and park at various speeds;

perform blindspot and mirror checks;

perform multi-task performances utilizing countermeasure to compensate for divided attention;

sustain visual attention and communicate while executing vehicle maneuvers;

utilize a space management system; and

perform post-drive tasks including stopping, engine shut-down, post-drive maintenance, exiting
including a visual check to ensure that all passengers especially children and animals are out of
the vehicle, and securing procedures.

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Driving Plan
A Driving Plan incorporates the Knowledge and Skills of Module 12: Driver Responsibility into a
Driving Plan whereby the student may utilize the Driving Plan to develop and sustain legal and
responsible reduced-risk driving practices. When describing a Driving Plan, the student will use the
information learned from Module 2: Driver Preparation to develop a positive driving culture as it relates
to Safety, Economy, and Civility.
Safety or the reduction of risk or injury. Legal and responsible reduced risk driving practices.
Economy or the reduction in the use of our environmental resources. Consumer responsibility,
conservation, environmental protection, and litter prevention.
Civility or the increase in polite and respectful actsShare the Road. Sharing the roadway with other
roadway users including but not limited to motorcyclists, bicyclists, pedestrians, trucks, work zone/
construction workers, animals, trains, etc.

The student will describe his/her Driving Plan in Student Workbook.

Driving Plan Structure:
Safety: I will use the information I learned in Module 12 : Driver Responsibility to develop legal and
responsible reduced risk driving practices by (student completes statement)
Economy: I will use the information I learned in Module 12: Driver Responsibility to conserve our
environmental resources and develop environmentally friendly driving practices by (student
completes statement)
Civility: I will use the information I learned in Module 12: Driver Responsibility to develop courteous
driving behaviors to share the roadways with other roadway users by (student completes statement)

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