Instructions for this activity are found at:

www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy25/g25-oral1.htm

Instructor: Dr. Leon James

Citation: Leon James and Diane Nahl (2000). Road Rage and Aggressive Driving: Steering Clear of Highway Warfare. (Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books). Reviewing pages 151 to 189.

I. Children, Adults, and Road Rage

1. Children do whatever their parents do, and they mimic what they hear from their parents, adults, and older kids

A. Their emotional reactions are shaped by coping adult feelings

B. Children soak up the norms of behavior in the environment

C. This is the how they pick up road rage

2. We need to help children develop emotional intelligence as future drivers by exhibiting appropriate behaviors in the car and holding them responsible for being safe passengers

A. Show them the behavior you and the community values as a passenger

B. Reward them for learning and using these behaviors

C. Adult drivers must teach their kids emotional intelligence from the earliest age possible

3. My Reaction

I think that this is a really good lesson to follow. It is common knowledge that children follow their parents or older siblings like shadow. My little brother used to copy everything I used to say, act the way I acted, and would be sad if I was sad. I think that children are extremely easy to mold and it would be successful if they were taught good driving behaviors at a young age. I think that if all parents worked with their children on reducing road rage then in the future generations the road will be safer.

II. Children Against Road Rage (CARR)

1. Children Against Road Rage was established in 1997

A. CARR workbook was an interactive Web site for collecting and promoting a driving psychology learning curriculum for children

B. A variety of anti-road rage awareness activities

2. CARR is a driving-psychology curriculum designed to contain and reverse the road rage epidemic. Children are encouraged to produce self- witnessing reports that detail their feelings, thoughts and actions, while on the road as pedestrians, cyclists, or passengers in cars and buses

3. Main goal is to involve children in training for emotional intelligence as future drivers.

4. I think that the Children Against Road Rage program is a great development. I think that if we make children more aware of the dangers or aggressive driving they will be less likely to exhibit aggressive behaviors. Also, the younger they are taught it will be less of a struggle to change bad habits. By having these activities it will not only teach the children but also make the adults more aware. This is a good thing because it allows us to get our children’s inputs in which we rarely do. Which will maybe push us to change our driving aggressive behavior.

III. Motorist to Motorist Communication

1. All drivers need to pay attention to one another in order to avoid collisions

A. To help with driving communication in the lat 1980s, the National Motorists Association proposed seven new motorist signals:

1. Apology: Hold two fingers in a V position , palm out

2. Slow down, Danger Ahead: Activate your break lights or extend your left arm and motion downward

3. Lane courtesy (Please Yield Left Lane): Turn the left directional light on and off, 4 to 6 blinks at a time. If the slower vehicle does not respond to the left turn signal, briefly flash your headlights to gain the attention of the other driver

4. Pull over for a problem: Point in the direction of the problem and then signal “thumbs down”

5. Light Problem (Check your Lights): Open and close your hand touching the thumb and fingertips together

6. Need Assistance: Make the sign of a T by crossing one hand above the other.

7. I Understand (Thank You): “Thumbs up” or “OK”

2. My Reaction

I think that these signals to help with communication while on the road is very helpful. I think that if everyone would learn these signals it will be very beneficial to all drivers. This is because it is impossible to read the mind’s of other drivers and difficult to hear even if their yelling. By having these signals you will be able to communicate with each other without confusion or having a collision.

IV. My Links

1. http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/signs_index.htm

This link is a really great site to go to!! There are links to traffic signs, markings, and signals. If you read through this you will become more educated on our streets and roadways and learn even more driver communication signals.

2. http://commdocs.house.gov/committees/trans/hpw105-34.000/hpw105- 34_0.HTM

This website goes into detail of the causes and dangers of road rage. It even shows that the county is getting involved with this issue. This website proves that road rage is a serious problem that needs to be put to an end.

3.http://www.caa.ca/english/automotive/auto%20tips/driving%20with%20childre n.html\

This site is just full of information and tips on how to drive with a child as a passenger. I think that this can help you if you have a child, or a younger sibling, or even if you ever or will ever drive with a child in your car.

My Homepage: http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leon/409af2006/alcover/alcover-home.htm

Class Homepage: http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy25/classhome-g25.htm