Roadwise States New Mexico Driving lessons Starting, accelerating, steering & speed New Mexico driving lesson · Basic Driving Skills
Starting, accelerating, steering & speed A 3-minute lesson from the New Mexico course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Read time 3 minutes
Course unit Basic Driving Skills
Checkpoint questions 6
Source pages 17, 18 No manual can make you a safe driver; that takes instruction and practice. But the handbook gives basic habits for starting, accelerating, steering and watching your speed, and the test asks about them.
Know the rule
Check the owner's manual for how best to start your vehicle. Make sure the parking brake is on before you start.
Handbook p. 17 ↗ Know the rule
Manual transmission: it must not be in gear, and in some vehicles the clutch must be pressed. Automatic: put the shift selector in "park."
Handbook p. 17 ↗ Know the rule
Accelerate gradually and smoothly. Starting too fast can spin the drive wheels, especially on slippery surfaces, and make the vehicle slide.
Handbook p. 17 ↗ Know the rule
With a manual shift, practice the clutch and accelerator so the engine doesn't race or stall when shifting.
Handbook p. 17 ↗ Know the rule
Keep both hands firmly on opposite sides of the wheel in a balanced position, with knuckles outside the rim.
Handbook p. 17 ↗ Hands on the steering wheel, pictured as a clock face Know the rule
Look well down the road and to both sides, not just in front of your vehicle, so you can steer smoothly before you reach a situation.
Handbook p. 18 ↗ Know the rule
Turn sharp corners hand-over-hand. After the turn, straighten the wheel by hand; letting it slip through your fingers can be dangerous.
Handbook p. 18 ↗ Know the rule
Check your speedometer often. People judge speed poorly, especially after leaving high-speed roads for slower local roads.
Handbook p. 18 ↗ Put it into practice
You've just exited a 75 mph interstate onto a 30 mph town street. It will feel slow, so glance at the speedometer; you're probably going faster than you think.
A useful reminder Parking brake ON before you start the engine, and knuckles OUTSIDE the rim.
Check your understanding Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
What should you check before starting your vehicle? That the shift selector is in drive That the parking brake is released That the parking brake is on That the headlights are on Answer: That the parking brake is on
Make sure the parking brake is on before you start the vehicle.
Handbook p. 17 ↗ What can happen if you accelerate too quickly, especially on a slippery surface? The brakes can lock up The drive wheels can spin The engine can flood The steering can become stiff Answer: The drive wheels can spin
Trying to start too fast can cause the drive wheels to spin and the vehicle to slide, especially on slippery surfaces.
Handbook p. 17 ↗ Which hand position is described as one balanced way to hold the steering wheel? 11 and 1 o'clock 8 and 4 o'clock 10 and 2 o'clock 12 and 6 o'clock Answer: 10 and 2 o'clock
One balanced steering position is at the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock positions.
Handbook p. 17 ↗ What technique should you use to turn the wheel through a sharp corner? Locking your elbows and pushing Hand-over-hand Letting the wheel slip through your fingers One-handed steering only Answer: Hand-over-hand
When turning sharp corners, use the hand-over-hand technique.
Handbook p. 18 ↗ After completing a sharp turn, how should you straighten the steering wheel? By letting it spin back on its own By letting it slip through your fingers By pushing it with one palm By turning it back by hand Answer: By turning it back by hand
Straighten the wheel by hand after a turn; letting it slip through your fingers could be dangerous.
Handbook p. 18 ↗ For a manual-transmission vehicle, what must be true of the gear before starting the engine? It must be in reverse It must be in first gear It must not be in gear It must be in a high gear Answer: It must not be in gear
If the vehicle has a manual transmission, it must not be in gear (and the clutch may need to be depressed) before starting.
Handbook p. 17 ↗ Previous lesson Curb colors & traffic violation points Next lesson Stopping smoothly & scanning ahead More in Basic Driving Skills About the source Roadwise’s New Mexico course uses the driver handbook edition supplied with this study pack. This lesson cites source pages 17, 18. The linked PDF is a third-party mirror of the handbook, rather than a government-hosted page.
Open the handbook source PDF · View the source edition
For current application requirements, fees, appointments, and the format that applies to your age or license type, check New Mexico’s MVD. Roadwise provides study material and does not issue permits or licenses.
