This version has just been revised for 2008 and incorporates English and Spanish subtitles for all of the main video and bonus video lessons on Disc 1 and Disc 2 except for the Virtual Driver feature. This is a great feature for hearing-impaired students, fluent in either language.

 
Follow all the students (with a little help from their parents) as they learn all the basics of driving through seven interactive driving lessons. Watch and interact as they explore safety tips for normal driving conditions, investigate procedures for handling hazardous conditions, and receive information regarding drug and alcohol awareness. Helpful hints written out across the screen reinforce what is being spoken. Multiple choice quizzes at the end of every section test your teen's knowledge. Many Sections are explained further with the use of very high quality 3D animation that is viewable from 3 different angles that may be selected by the viewer.

 

To a new driver, nothing seems as daunting as merging into highway traffic. Merging, exiting, changing lanes, passing, and dealing with large vehicles on the highway are all discussed. Also covered are such topics as slow-poke driving, road rage, panic, speeding, tailgating, cell phones, defensive driving, wearing a seat belt, driving through construction zones, techniques to avoid highway hypnosis, and more. This 2-Disc program is a landmark achievement in the field of interactive learning DVDs. It contains a suite of features that are unparalleled in DVD production anywhere.

The DVD Disc 1 Includes:
How to use the DVD
This section functions as a guide for parents and teens, offering a brief overview of the Rules of the Road DVD set. It highlights the features found on each DVD and informs the viewer on how to use them.

 

Passing the Written Test
Before teens can ever put their car in 'drive', they must obtain their learner's permit. Ashley hosts this fast-paced section of the program designed to prepare teens for the written test portion of the driver's test. This section of the program, along with the signs index and included practice exams, will help teens pass the written test with relative ease.
Topics Covered: Types of Licenses, Seatbelts, Signs and Signals, Railroads and Pavement Markings, Speed Limits, Signaling, Turning, Following Distance, Right-of-Way Rules, Parking, Night Driving, Driving in Poor Conditions, How to respond to emergency vehicles, How to share the road with bicyclists, Appropriate use of the horn, How to report an accident, Explanation of zero tolerance laws.

 

Getting to Know Your Car
This lesson introduces you to the host, Ashley, and Adam, Kim, and Molly, three eager teens embarking on a journey toward obtaining their driver's licenses. Ashley and Adam's dad, John, is also introduced as he instructs Adam through his first driving lesson.
Topics Covered: Exterior Pre-Drive Tasks, Interior Pre-Drive Tasks, Mirror Setting, Seatbelt Safety, Warning Lights and Symbols, Vehicle Balance, Braking and Accelerating, Targets and Target Areas, Lane Positions.

 

Hitting the Road
This lesson follows Kim as she enters the roadway for the first time under the supervision of her mom, Michelle. Through Michelle's instruction and Ashley's informative sidebars, viewers learn how to enter the roadway, establish a safe following distance, approach intersections, and much more.
Topics Covered: Entering the Roadway, Following Distance, The Dangers of Speeding, Approaching Intersections, Wide Turns.

 

Residential & City Driving
During this lesson, you ride along with Molly and her dad, Mark, as they travel through low speed neighborhoods and on moderate risk multi-lane roadways. Mark guides Molly through many maneuvers including lane changes, specialized turns, and various types of parking. Ashley picks up where Mark leaves off by providing in-depth explanations on space management, 3-point turns, U-turns, and the direction your wheels should be turned when parking uphill and downhill with or without curbs. Ashley's vast driving knowledge is on full display as she offers a brilliant step-by-step parallel parking procedure.
Topics Covered: Space Management, Changing Lanes, Two-Point Turns, Three-Point Turns, U-Turns, Curb Parking, Angle and Perpendicular Parking, Parallel Parking, Direction of Wheels When Parking.

 

Expressway Driving
Adam and John begin this lesson by traveling on residential roads and working on approaching curves, hills and railroad crossings. Five minutes into the lesson, the focus shifts to expressway driving. While on the expressway, John instructs Adam on a number of topics including passing, exiting using weave lanes, and managing space to prevent getting boxed in by surrounding vehicles.
Topics Covered: Approaching Curves, Approaching Hills, Commentary Driving, Approaching Railroad Crossings and Bicyclists, Merging onto an Expressway, When to Increase Following Distance, Space Management
Passing, Expressway Driving Concerns, Dangers of Rubbernecking, Exiting an Expressway, The Importance of Staying Alert, Guidelines for Managing Space.

 

Drug & Alcohol Awareness
This 23-minute lesson on drug and alcohol awareness features Ashley speaking directly to Adam, Kim, and Molly about the negative effects of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. While talking to the teens, Ashley shows a series of related videos.

 

Driving in Hazardous Conditions
Ashley explores subpar driving conditions throughout this 7-minute lesson. She begins by discussing night driving and ways in which to make it safer. Then, she explains the importance of preparing for winter driving and provides tips on how to get around more safely when the roads are slippery. After discussing winter driving, she notes precautions to take when driving in rain and fog. Ashley concludes this lesson by giving tips on how to handle driving in hot temperatures.
Topics Covered: Night Driving, Winter Driving, Driving in Rain and Fog, Driving in Hot Temperatures.

 

Handling Vehicle Malfunctions
Ashley and two of the parent/teen combos reveal step-by-step procedures on how to respond to traction loss, tire blowouts, accelerator failure, engine failure, steering failure, and brake failure. While this lesson is just seven and a half minutes long, it includes a large volume of valuable material to help make teens safer and more prepared drivers.
Topics Covered: Traction Loss
Tire Blowout, Accelerator and Engine Failures, Steering Failure, Brake Failure.

 

Virtual Driver
The Virtual Driver simulates a behind-the-wheel experience for the student. This feature helps teach driver awareness as viewers are forced to pay very close attention to what's happening to the front and rear of the vehicle in preparation of answering some difficult questions. As Ashley takes the viewer for a ride, they must answer a total of 15 questions along the way.

 

Practice Exams
Rules of the Road includes eight interactive practice exams featuring 25 questions apiece. Each question is answered using the remote control for your DVD player. The DVD automatically scores each quiz and informs you whether you've passed at the end. All of our questions are nearly identical to ones you would see at the DMV. These quizzes provide a great way to test your knowledge of the material. Of course, if you need a refresher, you can watch the "Passing the Written Test" video which is also included on Disc 1.

 

Road Signs
The signs index includes 50 of the most common road signs you'll likely to encounter. This index allows you to view a realistic rendering of the sign along with its definition. Teens can use the index for reference and to test their knowledge of street signs prior to taking their written test.

The DVD Disc 2 Includes:
In-Car Lessons
Ashley introduces this video by stating the importance of parental involvement in teaching teens how to drive. She also previews the 9 in-car lessons and informs viewers that each lesson includes step-by-step procedures and checklists, and provides a minimum time frame in which to complete each lesson. All of the parents and teens in the program offer tips for parents watching the video. These tips include: setting good examples, avoiding yelling, asking questions relevant to the driving experience, minimizing distractions, and taking breaks. To conclude this video, Ashley provides notes on time requirements and gives some additional in-car suggestions.

 

Road Rage & Safety Tips
Ride alongside Ashley as she defines three types of road rage: quiet road rage, verbal road rage, and epic road rage. In addition to being defined, each type of road rage is also demonstrated on-screen. Ashley also discusses how to safely respond to aggressive drivers and provides tips on how to avoid angering others while you drive. Ashley is joined by her friends, Hassan and Danielle, and they discuss all of the dangerous driving activities they noticed on their short drive to the park. The purpose of this bonus feature is to inform young drivers on what to avoid as they drive.

 

Basic Car Maintenance & Emergency Tips
Ashley highlights the benefits of taking proper care of your vehicle. One section of this video focuses on tire maintenance. In this section, Ashley explains how to check tire pressure, how to check tire tread, and how to change a tire. In addition, she lists the dangers of uneven treadware. In another major section of this video, Ashley explains how to use jumper cables to jump start a dead battery. Ashley also reviews under-the- hood items that should be checked on a regular basis. Oil, windshield washer fluid, and engine coolant levels are all discussed.
An emergency room nurse informs teens on proper actions to take if they are the first to arrive at the scene of an accident. This short bonus feature provides information on how to care for injured persons.

 

Graphical Animations
Rules of the Road features numerous graphical animations to help reinforce complex driving maneuvers. In the sampling below, you'll see demonstrations of parallel parking, highway merging, determining the point of no return, and right-of-way rules.

 

Another highly requested feature for the new version was a learning guide to help assist teachers, parents, and driving instructors. By placing either Disc 1 or Disc 2 of Rules of the Road into a computer's DVD-ROM Drive, you can access nearly 100 pages of printable documents in PDF format. These documents are designed to assist parents with their teen's behind-the-wheel lessons. They include a checklist of tasks for the teen to perform as well as areas to comment on your teen's overall performance.

 

If you have read this far, it is obvious that this is the most complete and comprehensive Driver Education DVD interactive training available anywhere. Buy now and get the best training.