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 190 to 215.

I. The Facts on Teenage Drivers

1. Car crashes kill more young people between the ages fifteen to twenty years old than any other causes

A. Most of these fatalities (8 out of 10) of inexperienced sixteen-year- old are the result of driving error

B. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a sixteen-year-old is 42% more likely to be involved in a crash than a 17-year-old

C. Nearly half of the sixteen-year-olds in the United States are licensed drivers

2. Young drivers are also more likely to exhibit risky behaviors

A. Inexperience combines with immaturity and risky driving practices to increases the fatal crashes of sixteen-year-old drivers

B. These crashes usually are due to speed and higher passenger occupancy rates (typically other teenagers).

C. Young people have difficulty resisting peer influence to take risks and show bravado.

3. My Feelings

I can definitely to relate to all of the information because I am only twenty one years old and can distinctly remember being sixteen. I could not wait to get my license and as soon as I did all I wanted to do was go cruising with my friends. I never really paid any attention to the road and would always push the limits of driving. This attitude resulted in an accident within the first week of my license and since than I have improved in driving. I think young teens need a huge wake up call that they are not immortal and they need to understand the responsibility that comes with a license. It took me to hit another car to get a wake-up call. Hopefully, future drivers can learn before needing a real-life experience.

II. Restriction on Teen Drivers

1. Because of these teenage dangers some states and countries have instituted a graduated licensing approach (supervises young drivers in progressively more difficult motoring experiences at a controlled pace): learner’s permit, intermediate or provisional license, and then full license

2. Also restrictions may include six months of crash-free, citation-free driving, zero tolerance of alcohol, no driving between midnight and 6 A.M. without authorization, color-coded provisional driver’s licenses, and successful completion of a driver education course

3. After New Zealand adopted a graduated licensing system, studies showed that the injury and fatality rate among young drivers decreased

4. My Opinion

I think that the graduated licensing system is a really good idea and breakthrough. I know that a lot of teens may object to it and feel that its unfair. But, I say it’s about time we try to make a change and hopefully it will be a success. I suppose that New Zealand is an example that it will.

III. Young Drivers and Aggression

1. Majority of young drivers swear and speed. Tailgating, dangerous lane switching, and running red lights are more common with younger drivers.

2. Young drivers include enjoying fantasies of violence, experience rage while driving and feel impatient and hostile.

3. The young drivers need to mature and do these two techniques:

A. Learn to be a supportive driver- we need to be more compassionate to other drivers, tolerate others mistakes, overlook, tolerate, and forget. Try not to get mad or upset.

B. Come out swinging positive- retain control of the vehicle and the situation. Take control with positive behaviors to yourself and others.

4. My Opinion

It is absolutely true that young drivers are more impatient. My friends and I compared to our parents are much more aggressive. Maybe this is due to the fact that older drivers have bigger things to fret over or maybe they just learned that traffic is inevitable. But, I do think as I am aging I am becoming more supportive to other drivers. I guess the only solution to this problem I simply experience.

IV. Three Links

1. http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/teenmvh.htm

This link is a straight forward document of facts of teenage driving. It lists the traffic accidents that they are involved in and shows the dangers of inexperience driving.

2. http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/duip/spotlite/teendrivers.htm

I think that this a great site for parents to read before their child receives their license. It talks more about the graduated drivers licensing systems. There is information on how to prevent injury and how teens can safely gain more driving experience.

3. http://www.teendriving.com/

This site was made for teens and adults to gain safety tips on driving. I think that this is a great read and include real-life personal teen experiences that others shared. There are a lot of great additional links on this site to go into and learn new things. Looking at this site will be really beneficial to drivers’ of any age.

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