Module 7 Teacher Notes

Module 7: Topic 1 Distracted Driving Distractionsare anything inside or outside of the vehicle that takes the driver’s focus away from driving. Distraction Visual Manual Cognitive 1. Critical Driving Behaviors: Attending to the path of travel Maintaining a line of sight Allowing time and space needed to make speed and position adjustments Coordinating driving skills Eye-hand coordination, selecting pedal and controlling pedal pressure, procedural tasks, repetitive actions, etc. 2. Consequences of Divided Attention: Missed brake lights Missed traffic sign or signals Not seeing an animal or pedestrian Drifting out of the lane position Running off the road Inattentive blindness: The brain is overloaded with input Impossible for the brain to pay attention to every input it encounters You see what you expect to see The object blends and is not obvious 3. What do you think are the riskiest teen driving distractions? 4. Do you know? You are 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash if you are texting. Drivers who send and receive text messages take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds out of every 6 seconds while texting. At 55 miles per hour, this means that the driver is traveling the length of a football field, including the end zones, without looking at the road. 5. How can children create distractions for the driver? 6. How can pets create distractions for the driver? 7. What is the law in VA? Under 18 and bus drivers No cell phones – hands free or handheld - secondary law No texting – primary law GET THE WORD OUT What can you do to help other teens reduce distractions while driving? Module 7: Topic 2 Driver Performance and Driver Fatigue How many hours of sleep do you get during week day nights? How many hours of sleep do you think you need? 3. Effects of Fatigue: Impairs reaction time, judgment, and vision Impairs senses and abilities - may not see objects clearly or in a timely manner May miss critical information – signs, lights and sounds Takes longer to process information or make decisions 4. Some Facts: 103 million people admit to have fallen asleep at the wheel Drivers may experience “heavy lids” (short bursts of sleep) or fall asleep for longer periods increasing the chance of a collision dramatically. The NHTSA estimates that 100,000 police-reported crashes a year are the result of drowsy driving. Sleepiness and driving is a dangerous combination. It can impair drivers by causing slower reaction times, vision impairment, lapses in judgment and delays is processing information. Studies show that being awake for more than 20 hours is equivalent to a 0.08% BAC (blood alcohol concentration) . 5. Causes of Fatigue: Physical strain (hard work) Mental strain (stress) Monotonous tasks (long driving trips) Illness Lack of sleep Sun glare Overeating Riding in a warm passenger compartment 6. Warning Signs of Fatigue: Heavy eyelids Yawning repeatedly or rubbing eyes Daydreaming Trouble remembering miles driven Trouble keeping head up Drifting from lane, following too closely or hitting a shoulder rumble strip Restless and irritable 7. Three Types of Fatigue: The first is lack of rest or sleep . The second is operational fatigue, brought on by driving long hours in heavy traffic or adverse weather conditions. The third is the personal circadian rhythm fatigue. Circadian rhythm is the body's natural "down time". It affects nearly everyone between 1 and 5 p.m. and around normal bedtime. 8. Preventing Drowsiness Behind the Wheel: Get adequate sleep – 8 to 9 hours Prepare route to identify total distance, stopping points, and other logistics Drive with a passenger Avoid medications that cause drowsiness 9. Maintaining Your Alertness: Wear sunglasses Avoid heavy foods Be aware of “down time” during the day Drive with a passenger and take turns Take periodic breaks Take a nap if needed Consume caffeine – but do not rely on it 10. THIS DOES NOT WORK: “Toughing it out” Playing the radio loudly Driving at a faster or slower speed Chewing gum Opening the windows 11. Preventative Actions: Take a break for a few minutes before you start to drive Take a quiet, less congested route home Drive at a reduced speed Increase your following distance to allow more time to respond Be well-rested before starting out Don’t overextend yourself Determine a reasonable distance in advance and stop driving when you have reached your limit Start driving again in the morning when you are well rested It is better to take an extra day to arrive at your destination safely than to take the chance of not arriving at all. Keep your eyes moving When driving, avoid staring at a fixed position, as this will make you drowsy Force your eyes to scan; use orderly visual search patterns to keep your eyes moving and your mind alert. Avoid leaning forward Leaning forward and/or resting on your steering wheel will hinder your ability to control your vehicle properly. The more relaxed position of leaning forward often leads to a person dosing or falling asleep while driving. Let in fresh air Ventilate your vehicle, open the window for fresh air or set the air vents to open and allow outside air to refresh the air in the vehicle. 12. Roadway Design to Help Fight Fatigue: Rumble strips are designed to arouse sleepy drivers before they drive off the road. People who have driven over a rumble strip in the past could personalize the risk, and even seeing the strips on the highway in the future could repeatedly remind people of the message. The strips are useful as alerting devices, but they will not protect drivers who continue to drive while drowsy. Module 7: Topic 3 Effects of Emotions 1. How do you think your emotions can effect your driving? 2. General Effects of Emotions: Interfere with your ability to think Create mental distractions Create inattentiveness Can cause you to act out your emotions Increase risk taking Create a lack of concentration Interrupt the ability to process information 3. Physical Effects of Emotions: Heartbeat increases Breathing quickens Digestion slows Palms sweat Feeling of exhaustion Physical stress 4. Control Your Emotions on the Road: Identify situations that cause emotional stress Expect other drivers to make mistakes Understand that emotions are contagious Delay driving when upset or ask someone else to drive 5. Dealing with Passengers and Emotions: Take responsibility for passenger safety Do not let peer pressure allow you to take more risk Do not get into an argument with other passengers 6. Reduce Driving Stress: Leave plenty of time Drive posted speed limit Minimize distractions Don’t drive when angry, upset or overly tired Alter schedule to avoid peak drive times Know where you are going Relax and concentrate on driving Be polite Module 7: Topic 4 Aggressive Driving 1. Have you ever seen aggressive driving on the road? What did it look like? 2. Aggressive Driving: Occurs when a driver operates a vehicle in a pushy or bold manner, without regard for others’ safety Examples of aggressive driving include: Exceeding the speed limit Following too closely Failing to obey traffic controls Making improper turns and maneuvers 3. Road Rage: Occurs when a driver uses the vehicle or some other weapon to threaten or cause harm to another roadway user in response to a traffic incident with the intent to harm others. Road rage is an escalation of emotions generally ignited by aggressive driving behaviors. Examples of road rage include: Throwing objects at a vehicle Yelling at a specific roadway user Attempting to ram another vehicle 4. Types of Aggression: Verbal aggression : yelling, cussing, gesturing, honking, insulting (aggressive driving) Quiet aggression : complaining, rushing, competing, resisting by not letting others in (aggressive driving) Epic aggression: cutting off, blocking, chasing, physically fighting, shooting (road rage) 5. Avoid Triggering Aggression in other drivers: Keep a safe following distance Don’t cut off other drivers Give others space to merge Keep right except to pass Do not drive in passing lane Use turn signals Avoid rude gestures Use horn sparingly Based on our lesson, answer the following questions: Name two causes of fatigue. Name two effects of fatigue. What can you do to prevent drowsiness before a trip? What are two general effects of emotions? What is the difference between aggressive driving and road rage? What are some ways to reduce stress when driving? What should you do when confronted by an aggressive driver?