Session 5 - Basic Maneuvering Tasks: Moderate Risk Driving Environment

Moderate Risk Environment

Consists of roadways with speed limits under 50 mph and controlled intersections (traffic flow controlled by stop signs or traffic lights) in urban, suburban, and rural settings. This is a very suitable environment for a beginner driver to practice identifying driving and environmental risks and learning to respond appropriately by adjusting speed or lane position.

Risk

The potential of gaining or losing something of value. Values (such as physical health, social status, emotional well-being, or financial wealth) can be gained or lost when taking a risk resulting from a given action or inaction, foreseen or unforeseen.

Risk

Can also be defined as the intentional interaction with uncertainty. Uncertainty is a potential, unpredictable, and uncontrollable outcome;

A consequence of action taken despite uncertainty.

Risk perception

The subjective judgment people make about the severity and probability of a risk, and may vary person to person. Any human endeavor carries some risk, but some are much riskier than others.

Possibility

the condition or fact of being possible. Latin origins of the word hint at ability. Also refers to something that "could happen", that is not precluded by the facts, but usually not probable.

Loss usually refers to

1. financial loss of not being able to work or replace a damaged vehicle,

2. loss of convenience of not having a vehicle to perform needed tasks such as grocery shopping etc.,

3. loss of time possibly spent in a hospital among other losses.

Damage

Refers to the damage of personal property such as vehicles or any other objects (fences, houses, signs, etc.) that may have been damaged during an accident.

Injury

Could include yourself as well as any passengers in your vehicle, anyone involved in other vehicles, pedestrians or bicyclists.

Determining Risk

Not only involves learning to become comfortable with the many tasks needed to drive the vehicle safely to your target destination, it also involves an individual's perceptions of risks they encounter and how they handle them.

Heuristic

A mental shortcut that helps us make decisions and judgments quickly without having to spend a lot of time researching and analyzing information.

*For example, when walking down the street, you see a piano tied to a rope above the sidewalk. Without a break in stride, you would likely choose to walk around that area instead of directly underneath the piano. Your intuition would tell you that walking under the piano could be dangerous, so you make a snap judgment to walk around the danger zone. You would probably not stop and assess the entire situation or calculate the probability of the piano falling on you or your chances of survival if that happened. You would use a ___ to make the decision quickly and without using much mental effort.

Emotional state

Research also shows that the ____ of the individual influences risk perceptions.

Risk assessment

An objective evaluation of risk - in which assumptions and uncertainties are clearly considered and presented.

Risk Acceptance

When you make an informed decision to take a particular risk.

Risk Compensation

A theory which suggests that people typically adjust their behavior in response to the perceived level of risk. In other words, they become more careful when they sense greater risk and less careful when they feel more protected.

Risk taking behavior

If you choose to drive or ride as a passenger, you have chosen to be involved in-

Some driving tasks (or more appropriately, driving behaviors) that increase the risk of being involved in an accident or increase the chance of injury, damage, or loss are:

• Speeding

• Failure to yield the right of way

• Driving under the influence

• Disregarding signs

• Following too closely

• Improper turns

• Lack of wearing a seat belt

• Distracted driving

Speeding and running off the road

The leading causes of crashes that kill teen drivers in Virginia, according to figures from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Driving too fast and losing control of their vehicles.

Statistics show that teen drivers are crashing and sometimes losing their lives because many are-

Failure to yield to the right of way

Can apply to other vehicles as well as bicyclists and pedestrians. Approximately 72 percent of fatal crashes occur at intersections without stop signs or traffic lights.

First to Stop (First to Arrive)

The first vehicle at the intersection goes through the intersection first.

Vehicle to the Right Goes First:

When two vehicles get to the intersection at the same time, the vehicle on the right goes first; it has the right-of-way.

Straight Traffic Goes First:

*If neither the basic rule or vehicle to the right rule apply:

When two vehicles are directly across from each other, and one is turning left, the one that is going straight goes first.

Black car

*Always yield to the car on your right when arriving at a intersection at the same time.

Two cars arrive at a four-way intersection at approximately the same time. The intersection is controlled by four stop signs.

Which car has the right away?

Driving Under the Influence.

Another driving behavior that increases the risk of being involved in an accident or increases the chance of injury, damage, or loss:

10,000

In fact, on average, over ____ people die each year in drunk-driving crashes.

.08

In every State, it is illegal to drive with a BAC of ___or higher, yet one person is killed in a drunk-driving crash every 53 minutes in the United States.

Take Steps to Prevent Drunk Driving

• If you will be drinking, plan on NOT driving. Plan your safe ride home before you start the party. Designate a sober driver ahead of time.

• If you become intoxicated, do not drive for any reason. Call a taxi, get an Uber or Lyft, call a sober friend or family member, use public transportation, etc.

• If someone you know has been drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel. Take their keys, take them home, or help them arrange a sober ride.

• If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact your local law enforcement. Your actions could help save someone's life.

.02%

• Some loss of judgment, relaxation, slight body warmth, altered mood

• Decline in visual functions (rapid tracking of a moving target), decline in ability to perform two tasks at the same time (divided attention)

.05%

• Exaggerated behavior, may have loss of small-muscle control (e.g., focusing your eyes), impaired judgment, usually good feeling, lowered alertness, release of inhibition

• Reduced coordination, reduced ability to track moving objects, difficulty steering, reduced response to emergency driving situations

.08%

• Muscle coordination becomes poor (e.g., balance, speech, vision, reaction time, and hearing), harder to detect danger, judgment, self-control, reasoning, and memory are impaired

• Concentration, short-term memory loss, speed control, reduced information processing capability (e.g., signal detection, visual search), impaired perception

.10%

• Clear deterioration of reaction time and control, slurred speech, poor coordination, and slowed thinking

• Reduced ability to maintain lane position and brake appropriately

.15%

• Far less muscle control than normal, vomiting may occur, major loss of balance

• Inability to handle any normal driving tasks

Disregarding a traffic sign or signal

Increases the risk of being involved in an accident. The other drivers on the road are assuming you plan to obey the traffic laws and stop.

Disregarding a Traffic Sign or Signal

• Ignoring a stop sign or traffic signal

• Turning right at a stop sign without completely coming to a stop

• Not stopping for a flashing red light

• Cutting through a parking lot to avoid stopping at a controlled intersection

Following too closely

Situations in which one vehicle is following another vehicle so closely that even if the 'following driver

Speed

What is the leading cause of teen crashes?

Evasive Maneuvers for Collision Avoidance

• To stop your vehicle, you must effectively use your brakes. All new vehicles have an Antilock Braking System (ABS) which prevents wheel lock-up and skidding.

• Turn your vehicle to avoid a collision more quickly than you can stop your vehicle.

• Speeding up or acclerating as an evasive maneuver

Proper Turns

Where there are no signs or lane markings to control turning, you should turn from the lane that is closest to the direction you want to go and turn into the lane closest to the one you came from. This way, you will cross the fewest lanes of traffic.

Right turns

Avoid swinging wide to the left before making the turn. If you swing wide, the driver behind you may think you are changing lanes or going to turn left and may try to pass you on the right. If you swing wide as you complete the turn, drivers who are in the far lane will not expect to see you there.

Left turns

Avoid cutting the corner so sharply that you run into someone approaching from the left. However, be sure to leave room for oncoming vehicles to turn left in front of you.

Multiple lanes turning

If there are signs or lane markings that allow for two or more turning lanes, stay in your lane during the turn.

Turning and Bicycles

State law and safety require special care when turning near bicyclists. Be aware of the position of bicyclists when turning. Never turn right immediately after passing a bicyclist. Yield to bicycles when turning as you would to any other road vehicle.

Unsafe passing

Includes both illegal passing and trying to pass another vehicle when there is not enough space to do so.

Do not pass unless you have enough space to return to the driving lane.

Do not count on other drivers to make room for you.

Before you return to the driving lane, be sure to leave enough room between yourself and the vehicle you have passed. When you can see both headlights of the vehicle you just passed in your rearview mirror, it is safe to return to the driving lane.

Maintain a steady speed or slow down.

When being passed, don't speed up.

Passing is unlawful and unsafe:

• on hills, curves, at intersections or railroad crossings, except on roads with two or more lanes of traffic moving in the same direction. It is dangerous to pass where a vehicle is likely to enter or cross the road

• off the pavement or shoulder of the road

• when a school bus is stopped to load or unload passengers on a public road (unless a physical barrier or unpaved median separates traffic going in either direction) or on a private road

• when a solid line marks the left side of your lane

• signs or lane markings indicate a no passing zone telling you that you cannot see far enough ahead to pass.

Shoulder

Never pass on the ____, whether it is paved or not. Other drivers will never expect you to be there and may pull off the road without looking.

Seat Belts

Reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent and light-truck occupants by 60 percent.

Distraction

Anything that takes your attention away from driving. Driver distractions may occur anytime and anywhere.

20 percent

Annually, driver distraction accounts for roughly ____ of all traffic crashes in Virginia.

$125

Holding a handheld personal communications device for any reason while driving is violation of the law and is punishable by a fine of ___ for a first offense and, for a second or subsequent offense, by a fine of $250.

$250

Holding a handheld personal communications device for any reason while driving IN A WORK ZONE is violation of the law and is punishable by a fine of

Fatigue

Physical or mental tiredness that can be caused by physical or mental strain, repetitive tasks, illness or lack of sleep. Just like alcohol and drugs, it impairs your vision and judgment.

Safe operation of a vehicle requires the following:

• The muscle strength to press the pedals and turn the steering wheel.

• The motor skills to effectively operate control devices.

• The ability to simultaneously focus on multiple physical and mental tasks.

• Enough vision to identify hazards and to read road signs.

• The ability to stay focused and alert.

Chronic health conditions that can affect your driving:

• Epilepsy or seizures

• Mental illness

• Memory disorders (like dementia)

• Acute diabetes

• Sleep disorders (like narcolepsy)

• Heart or lung problems

• Vision problems (like cataracts or macular degeneration)

• Muscle, joint, or neurological diseases

• Severe learning disability

To stay safe when driving, follow these basic rules:

• Don't drive if you are having symptoms.

• Work with your healthcare provider to keep your symptoms under control.

• Only take your medicines as prescribed.

• Wear a medical ID that is easily seen.

• Always wear a seat belt.

Short Term Mental and Physical Disabilities

Temporary illnesses and injuries can also adversely affect your driving ability. Your cognitive function may be impaired if you are not feeling well. Many common illnesses (like a cough, cold, infection or virus) can cause a "mental fog" - which can hinder your brain's ability to process information (both visual and auditory) and increase your reaction time.

Emotions

Can have a great effect on your driving safely. They can interfere with your ability to think, can create mental distractions, increase risk taking, create a lack of attention, and can interrupt the ability to process information.

Long-term mental or physical conditions

May impede their ability to safely operate a vehicle. These applicants may be required to submit a signed statement from their doctor certifying that they are able to drive safely.

Be aware that it is considered a crime to withhold information about a pre-existing medical condition or disability on your license application. Your driving privilege can be taken away if it is determined that your license was obtained under false pretenses.

Never risk more than you can afford to lose.

Getting a ticket for speeding or running a stop sign and having to pay the fines or deal with other consequences may deter you from repeating the same behavior.

Do not risk a lot for a little.

An example would be losing control of your vehicle around a sharp curve because you were distracted by your cell phone and the result was an accident with injuries to yourself. The risk of looking at the cell phone and crashing is not worth waiting until you can pull over and look at your cell.

Consider the odds and your situation.

Decide what you have control over and can change to make for a safer driving environment, such as obeying the traffic laws, speed limit, and wearing seat belts. Choose to make a safe decision for situations you do not have control over, such as the weather or bicyclists.

Risk compensation

A theory which suggests that people typically adjust their behavior in response to the perceived level of risk, becoming more careful where they sense greater risk and less careful if they feel more protected.

Developing Good Habits and Judgment

Learning the skills of decision making, gaining driving experience, and dealing with internal resistance are all skills needed to reduce driving risks.

Decision-Making

Something a driver is doing constantly, almost every minute they are driving.

In heavy traffic

-think ahead and plan an escape route so you know what spaces are available in case you need to avoid a hazard

Comfort zones

Routines that make people feel secure.

Make SEE iT a Habit

Will help you to develop good driving judgment and habits. It helps drivers organize information, as they are driving, into meaningful categories so decisions can be made easily and quickly. It is easy to use and applies to all roadway situations.

Driver becomes complacent

They are content with the way they drive and are not interested in changing anything about their driving.

The driver begins to operate at a habit level

Processing very little information of their surrounding environment. Their good driving habits have led to safe driving, and they begin to decline in their habits and not make the efforts they once made as new drivers.

Search

You need to constantly _____ your line of sight on your path of travel. You must be aware of the areas surrounding your vehicle and be aware of which areas are occupied by other vehicles or objects and which areas are free for you to use. This needs to be done continuously until you reach your destination.

Evaluate

The next step is to ____ the areas surrounding your vehicle and in your line of sight to determine which ones are open, closed, or changing. _____ if you need to change lane positions, move to an adjacent lane, or make any speed or steering adjustments in order to control or decrease a high-risk situation.

Execute

Once you are done evaluating which zones are open and closed, and which adjustments are needed, you will need to ____ your decision. Some of the adjustments include changing speeds or changing lane positions and then communicating to the other drivers on the road your intentions with turn signals, brake lights, etc.

Searching, evaluating, and executing

Will be repeated continuously until you have reached your destination.

7

The total of areas of operating space.

Vehicle Operating Space

1. Front

2. Left Front

3. Right Front

4. Rear

5. Left Rear

6. Right Rear

Open zone

What you aim for while driving to your destination. These are the areas that are clear of hazards and obstacles and as a result, you have a clear path of travel to your target area.

Closed zone

You will need to find an alternate path of travel to get to your destination. This could mean your line of sight is obstructed or limited; or there may be a hazard or obstacle such as a disabled vehicle, construction, pot hole, red light, etc. in your path of travel.

Changing zone

This zone is in transition of changing from an open zone to a closed zone or vice versa. An example of this would be a yellow traffic light, the lane was an open zone (a green light) and changing to a closed zone (a red light).

The goal is to reduce risks and the possibility of accidents by increasing the space between your vehicle and the risk.

When you find a zone to be closed or changing, make sure you evaluate the areas around your vehicle and search for all the possible open zones so you know all the possibilities you can use as alternate routes.

Checking their rear view mirror, sitting up straight, or driving with both hands on the wheel

What may a driver stop doing if they start driving at a habit level?

5-15 seconds ahead of your vehicle

The next area to search when widening the search area is ____.

Searching in this area allows you time to search for your escape routes. You will have time to make decisions and plan.

15-30 seconds ahead.

The last and widest range to search is ___.

This area allows enough time to search all the zones to determine which ones are open or closed. It gives you time to search for any hazards, such as disabled vehicles, construction, closed lanes, etc. and make a safe decision.

2-5 seconds

The immediate range is where your vehicle will be within ____.

This area requires immediate action without any time for decision making. You instantly react to the hazardous situation.

What to Look For:

• As you are driving you need to continuously search for any hazards or potential problems that may occur.

• You are looking for any new conditions or situations that may arise and increase your driving risks or hazardous consequences if you do not make the proper adjustments.

• Look for other vehicles that may give you a clue of a hazard ahead, such as decreasing speed, changing lane position, or changing lanes suddenly.

• Look for multiple vehicles with brake lights activated at once.

• Look for construction signs, lane closing signs, pot holes, pedestrians, bicyclists, disabled vehicles, etc. This is a very limited list - so be aware that anything obstructing your line of sight or path of travel could possibly increase driving risk or result in a hazardous situation.

How to Evaluate:

• As you are continuously searching, you will need to process all the incoming information and use it to decide if you need to make any adjustments as you are driving.

• You will be evaluating the incoming information to determine if there is any potential of being involved in an accident.

• You are evaluating if you need to adjust your speed, lane position or change lanes to increase your line of sight or to a clear path of travel.

• You will be constantly evaluating which zones are open, closed or changing to have an escape route if a sudden hazard occurs or to quickly know what your options are.

• You will be evaluating what other vehicles are doing to determine what adjustments you will need to make for yourself.

• As you process the incoming information and make the necessary decisions, keep in mind that no two situations are exactly the same and decisions need to be made pertaining to the current situation only.

• Evaluate the space in front and to the rear of your vehicle, these are areas you have more control over and make sure to keep adequate space between your car and the other vehicles.

He should slow down.

Larry, the driver of the yellow car, is traveling the speed limit on the highway. He sees a black car that is about to back out of a driveway onto the road.

What should Larry do?

Constantly searching their surroundings

The best way for a driver to reduce driving risk and avoid potential hazardous situations is to be prepared by-

IPDE

• Identify

• Predict

• Decide

• Execute

An acronym derived from the four main categories which are important to your driving performance and for minimizing collisions or crashes:

Predict

Anticipation is key to driving in order to survive. To _____ is to estimate the worst thing that something or somebody could do to you.

Identify

_____ the hazard and pick out hazards well ahead of your vehicle path. Do not pick out the ones that are just in front of your vehicle. There are signs, signals, roadway markings, and other warnings that can help to _____ a hazardous area.

Decide

This involves choosing the best way to deal with a driving problem.

Execute

Your prediction came true!! Now _____ the decision you've made, by whatever means that are necessary. This would require using the steering, brake, and accelerator controls, for preventing contact with the hazard.

Identify, Predict, Decide, and Execute (IPDE)

A process for creating a safe driving strategy which employs all the principles of defensive driving. It is an organized thinking and acting process that you can use while driving in any situation.

Go from one lane to the other as directly as possible without crossing lane lines or interfering with traffic.

*Once you have completed your turn and once it is safe to do so, you can change to another lane if you need to.

*Remember to always look and signal before changing lanes.

When making turns-

Right

To make a ____ turn, you should be in the lane closest to the curb

Three or four seconds, about 100 feet, ahead of the turn.

You should signal at least-

Left

To make a ___ turn, you should be in the furthest ___ lane possible, turning into the leftmost lane on the intersecting road, unless pavement markings lead you otherwise

Both vehicles should turn in front of each other so that the passenger sides of the vehicles are beside each other.

When two vehicles are approaching each other and signaling to turn left-

Stay in your lane during the turn.

If there are signs or lane markings that allow for two or more turning lanes-