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Requirements January 1957 until September 1961

Be of legal age to drive a car and meet all other legal requirements of your state.

1. Carefully examine and check the conditions of the following safety features:

(a) Windshield wipers.
(b) Adjustment of rearview mirror.
(c) Highlights for all headlight switch positions.
(d) Elevation and focus of headlight beams.
(e) Tail and stop lights.
(f)  Windshield and rear window visibility.
(g) “Play” in steering wheel.
(h) Adjustment of brakes.
(I) Tires.

2. (a) List ten important things in your local or state Motor Vehicle Regulations.

(b) Give the necessary qualifications (including age) before a person can legally drive a car in your state.

3. Explain how the use of intoxicating liquor increases motor accidents, as, for example, in its effect on the driver’s vision, judgment and coordination.

4. A driver on dry road, with brakes in good condition, sees danger ahead. Tell how many feet he requires to stop his car going 20 miles an hour; 40 miles; 60 miles.

5. Visit a traffic court (or traffic session of court) or interview a highway traffic officer, and make a report on at least two accident cases. Tell from evidence what driving and safety rules were violated and how accidents could have been prevented. 

6. (a) List at least six sound driving practices which make for safety and courtesy on the road.

(b) List at least four important characteristics of a good driver.

(c) Demonstrate hand signals, using both single hand position and three position systems; explaining their meaning.

7. Explain:

(a) Purpose of clutch, gearshift, accelerator, choke, and brakes; describe briefly how each works.

(b) How to stop car on wet or icy road.

(c) What to do when end skids to right; to left.

(d) What to do when you first notice the shining stop light on the rear of car ahead.

8. Change a tire. 

9. (a) Star engine; put car in gear; shift gears.

(b) Come smoothly to a full stop from a speed of 30 miles an hour.

(c) Make right and left turns from proper traffic lanes, giving proper signals at proper time.

(d) Park in a 20 foot space.

(e) Start a car after stopping on an upgrade (away from curb); park on an upgrade and on a downgrade. Show how to drive down a steep hill OR show how to get out of sand, mud or snow.

(f) Turn around in order to go in opposite direction between lines or markers 25 feet apart.

10. Show ability to stop a car going at a speed of 20 miles per hour so that nose of car fits into a chalk-marked U-shaped box 5 feet wide.  Bumpers should be over front line of the box and tires inside of side lines.

Requirements September 1961 until November 1969

1. Do the following to demonstrate your knowledge of car care for safety maintenance:

(a) Check operation of all exterior lights ( high and low beam, stop lights, license plate light, taillights)

(b) Check operation of all interior warning-light indicators (turn indicators, instrument panel, high-beam warning light, and others)

(c) Locate and change a fuse on the light or horn circuit.

(d) Check a windshield wiper blade by smear-and-clear test.

(e) Adjust rearview mirror of mirrors to obtain maximum vision when seated at the wheel. Demonstrate width of blind area to left rear at a distance of 20 feet from the rear of the car.

(f) With stopped car, check break pedal with full pressure to determine wheather the distance pedal travels is greater than halfway. Then hold full pressure for 30 seconds or more to make sure that no further pedal movement occurs.

2. At a service station, inspect tires for inside or outside defects. Examine the tires on a car (preferably the family car), including the spare, for safe condition. Check pressure with a gauge. Check once a week for a month and submit record. Explain conditions found, their meaning and correction when required.

3. Be prepared to explain or answer questions about the seriousness and the size of the traffic accident problem in the United States, your state, and your community. Visit your police department, sheriff’s office, or state highway patrol and get information on at least two serious accident cases. From the evidence, tell what driving and safety rules were violated and how these accidents might have been prevented.

4. Do the following:

(a) Demonstrate six ways in which a passenger can contribute to the safe operatio of a car in which he is riding and explain what you will do when you find yourself in a car being driven in a reckless manner.

(b) Using a bicycle, demonstrate four safe practices common to bicycle and automobile driving such as hand signals, pedestrian courtesy, and traveling in traffic.

(c) Obtain the driver license manual of your state. Point out to your merit badge counselor the requirements you must meet to obtain a driver’s license.

(d) Draw the shapes of six basic traffic signs and explain the meaning of each.

5. Do one:

(a) Observe, study, and prepare a report on one important community activity for traffic safety.

(b) Report on a traffic safety project in which you participated with your troop or post.

(c) Report on an individual project that you carried out in promoting traffic safety.

6. With stakes, mark off the distances required for reaction time and breaking distance necessary to stop a car traveling 60 miles per hour on dry pavement. Discuss additional allowances that bad weather and road conditions would require.

7. On a car (preferably the family car) point out:

(a) At least three locations at which desirable safety equipment or features are – or should be – present to reduce the chance of death or injury in case of an accident such as seat belts, safety door latches, and locks, and padded dash and visors.

(b) At lest ten items of supplemental safety equipment which are – or should be – present for accident prevention. Explain the value, proper use, and maintenance of each.