Transcript Chapter 3 License to Drive
Chapter 3
Vision Age Coordination Hearing Size and Height Chronic Illness & disability Fatigue & Lack of sleep Illness Injury Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Many of your decisions made while driving are based on what you SEE.
Visual Acuity o Ability to see objects both near and far.
• 20/20 vision is normal Field of Vision o Area you can see directly in front of you, to both sides, and straight ahead
Field of Vision o o Central Vision • • The area in front of you where everything is clear Only about 3 degrees wide Peripheral Vision • • • Unfocused areas to the sides of your central vision 180 degrees Peripheral vision is reduced 25% at 30mph and almost 90% at 60mph
Depth Perception o Ability to judge the distance between two objects • i.e., following distance, stopping, ?
Color Vision o Ability to see color • i.e., signs & signals • Color blindness • Inability to differentiate between certain colors • Can still drive, but uses other visual cues
• • Pros More experienced Better at detecting potential hazards • • • Cons Decreased reaction time Poor eyesight Poor hearing
Older drivers may reduce their speed and try to avoid situations that require quicker reflexes
Determined by how quickly and efficiently you muscular and nervous systems can work together.
o Hand & Foot Coordination • i.e., steering, braking, accelerating, shifting gears Some people are naturally more coordinated than others, but with practice can develop good driving skills.
o Increase space cushioning and following distance
Hearing can tell us lots of things while driving o o Your ears detect sounds of potential hazards • • • • Horns Sirens Vehicles you cannot see Pedestrians Other instances Information obtained from hearing can be crucial in split second decisions
May limit a driver’s ability to comfortably or safely operate a motor vehicle.
o o o Too short Too tall Obese Make adjustments inside the car o o o Mirrors Seat Steering wheel o Pedals?
Thanks to technology, many can drive Chronic Illness o o Can control their conditions with medicine However, they shouldn’t drive while taking certain medications that affect their ability to drive Disabilities o Adapted vehicles to make accommodations o Given a license on a case-by-case basis
Can affect your reaction time and decision-making abilities Fatigue o o o mostly on long trips, but can be caused by a number of factors, such as boredom, eyestrain, poor ventilation, eating or drinking too much Sets in slowly Symptoms • • Physical • Drowsiness, blurred vision, double vision, slowed reactions, lack of coordination, and problems judging distance and speed Emotional • • Irritability inattentiveness
What can you do?
o Pull over o o Rest areas Eat lightly
Avoid driving at all costs o Illness makes you drowsy and/or inattentive o Injury can affect your ability to drive or affect reaction time
Causes o o o o Damaged exhaust Driving in an area with insufficient ventilation Starting vehicles in a garage with the door closed Smoking with the windows closed Symptoms o Headache, nausea, drowsiness, confusion, and/or loss of strength End result o o Unconsciousness Death
Anger Stress Anxiety, Excitement, & Depression Distractions
One of the most powerful emotions Aggressive mindset leads to aggressive driving Road Rage-action specifically targeted to another driver o Tailgating, yelling at other drivers, obscene gestures, blocking paths, assault
Causes of road rage o Hot temperatures o o Over-crowded roadways Set off by minor event that acts as the last straw • Person already under stress
Busy schedule Not enough sleep Personal problems at work, home, or school o Stress causes adrenaline rushes, muscle tension, increased breathing and heart rates, sweaty palms, headaches, and extreme fatigue.
Plan ahead to reduce stress o Allow extra time during rush hour or bad weather o o Map your route before leaving Call ahead if you are late
Major source of anxiety is driving in unfamiliar surroundings o Panic sets in and it is easy to miss or overlook critical information Being too excited can decrease your attention and increase your willingness to take risks.
Depression can affect your concentration and coordination Best thing to do is have someone else drive for you
Car stereos Cell Phones Passengers and Kids Smoking Pets Rubbernecking