PSY 409a, November 21, 2005

My Seventh Outline of Assigned Readings

By Karis Amano

So What Are We Doing About It?

Dr. James, Leon, and Dr. Diane Nahl. Road Rage and Aggressive Driving; Steering Clear of Highway Warfare. New York: Prometheus Books, 2000. Pages 219-233.

Instructions for this activity are found at:

www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/eonj/leonpsy23/409a-g23-oral.htm

Instructor: Dr. Leon James

Concept I – NEXTEA

a) The National Economic Crossroads Transportation Efficiency Act of 1997, or NEXTEA, was proposed by the Department of Transportation as a way to promote actions against aggressive driving.

b) This act rewards states who utilize facilities that can lessen aggressive driving. These rewards are federal transportation funds to be used for the purpose of improving roads, educating the public about aggressive driving, and to help law enforcers crack down on these criminals (many driving behaviors are now considered to be misdemeanors or felonies) on the road. NEXTEA also tries to integrate more technology in driving by using Intelligent Transportation Systems, or ITS.

c) As we have seen in the past, rewarding is a better teaching method than punishment, therefore I believe that this act will be beneficial. If federal funds are paying for making roads safer, more of our tax money can be use by the military, education, healthcare, and welfare.

Concept II – Avoiding Confrontation

a) The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, has offered some suggestions if drivers are ever confronted in a traffic dispute.

b) Some suggestions listed in the book are:

1. Do not let your pride get the better of you by challenging opposing driver or staring them down.

2. Wearing your seatbelt will keep you in place incase you need to make quick maneuvers.

3. If possible, call authorities for help and provide helpful information like the type of car and license plate number

Being able to control your actions is the only way to avoid confrontation because you certainly cannot control others. Challenges just make situations harder and can lead to fatal, unnecessary consequences. In the beginning of chapter one of “Road Rage and Aggressive Driving,” there are many examples including, “A man was shot at after he had honked at another car who passed him.”

c) Avoiding confrontations may not be as easy for some at first but it can be the first step in safely leaving an accident scene. Just think, if everyone avoided hostile confrontation, how many less injuries we would have on the road.

Concept III – Spreading the Word

a) Educating the public of the importance of traffic safety is just as needed as punishing moving violators.

b) Toronto highway rangers conducted “roadside questionnaires” that would bring to the attention of those who take them, if they might be on the road to road rage. In California, billboards and public service announcements are used to remind drivers what actions they should be performing on the road.

c) I believe the media has a major influence on the public. Television programs, such as those displaying high speed car chases, show viewers the consequences of actions such as these. It is sad to see all those innocent people getting involved in chases just by being at the wrong place at the wrong time.