PSY 409A – 9/12/2005

My First Outline of Assigned Readings

By Kristen Masuoka

“Improving Driving Safety”

 

 

Reference: Driving Lessons By J. Peter Rothe; The University of Alberta Press, 2002; Pages 10-19

 

Instructions for this activity are found at:

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

Instructor: Dr. Leon James

 

 

 

I.    3 Personal Sub-Systems

A. Health Sub-System – Both mental and physical health are very important in being a safe driver. 

      B.   Social Sub System – Social interaction with one another as drivers.  All of us are forced to share the road together in a safe and efficient manner.

      C. Cultural Sub-System – Cultural norms of driving greatly effect our actions on the road.  Effect our driving personalities.

 

 

II.   Improving Screening Systems for Driving

A.     Senior Drivers – Seniors have very high fatality rates.  Many due to age-related problems which effect their cognition.  Should be screened for visual attention.

B.     Young Drivers – Young drivers can be very dangerous because of their sensation-seeking tendency.  Causes reckless driving choices.  Predisposition for sensation-seeking can be studied in the brain’s limbic system. 

 

 

III.   Supporting Human Fallible Behavior

A.  Drowsy Driving – Sleepiness is a very serious problem in driving.  Drowsy driving is hard to avoid in this day and age.  Neuropsychologists and engineers have developed many effective alerting devices to keep drivers awake. 

B.   Handedness – Being right of left handed could greatly effect the way you drive.  Left-handers are much more likely to get into a car accident than right-handers.  Studies of differences in right and left-handers could ultimately help avoid such accidents.

 

 

 

 

My Home Page: www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/409af2005/masuoka/home.htm

 

The G23 Class Home Page: www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy23/classhome-g23.htm

 

Related Web Links:

  1. www.seniordrivers.org/home/toppage.cfm - Senior Driver website.
  2. www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/drowsy_driving1/Drowsy.html - Drowsy Driving and Automobile Crashes.
  3. www.drivehomesafe.com/ - Teen Driving Website Center.