Psy 409A Outline 3

Discussions of Solutions in Generation 23

By Lida Atkinson

Instructions for this activity are found at:
www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy25/g25-oral1.htm
Instructor: Dr. Leon James

Citation:

Kristina Peltz (2005). My Understanding of Driving Psychology. Online at: http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leon/409af2005/peltz/peltz-409a-g23-report2.htm .

Michelle Ching (2005). My Understanding of Driving Psychology. Online at: http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leon/409af2005/ching/ching-409a-g23-report2.htm .

Concept 1: “A driving psychology curriculum could help end aggressive driving because it encompasses the whole driver; the affective, cognitive, and sensorimotor aspects of the individual, which all act together to determine driving behavior” according to Kristina Peltz

i. Affective – the belief that you own the road; it is yours by right changed to we all share the road.

ii. Cognitive – lack of care for other drivers; not understanding the risks changed to care for fellow drivers and pedestrians and careful assessment of risks

iii. Sensorimotor – bad habits formed; style of driving learned in childhood; lack of perceptions and inattention changed to good habits, style and increased perceptions, attention to driving.

Additional facts

i. DOT State of Hawaii

15-18 YEAR OLD HAWAII DRIVERS INVOLVED IN CRASHES
HUMAN FACTORS
YEAR	INATTENTION	MISJUDGMENT	FATIGUE	ALCOHOL	DRUGS	DISTRACTION
2001	442	306	68	38	0	2
2000	360	270	68	34	1	1
1999	491	311	66	40	2	5
1998	503	342	52	49	0	5
1997	594	333	75	32	2	13
1996	553	370	72	33	1	4
1995	733	450	83	27	2	11
1994	896	507	88	21	3	7
1993	951	538	84	24	1	7
1992	985	535	85	24	1	10
1991	992	520	101	30	3	19
1990	1242	739	98	31	0	8
1989	1345	698	95	37	0	15
1988	1380	807	114	55	1	15
1987	1272	709	85	45	0	12
1986	978	516	80	52	1	17

ii. DOT State of Hawaii

15-18 YEAR OLD HAWAII DRIVERS INVOLVED IN CRASHES
OTHER FACTORS
YEAR	EXCESSIVE SPEED	DISREGARD CONTROLS*	FAILURE TO YIELD	IMPROPER TURN	IMPROPER OVERTAKING	FOLLOWING TOO CLOSE
2001	210	32	130	18	4	72
2000	179	21	101	13	5	61
1999	227	34	139	16	8	88
1998	210	41	162	20	5	81
1997	243	51	168	23	13	99
1996	278	46	208	16	8	107
1995	286	50	269	28	23	176
1994	250	63	354	36	14	222
1993	299	64	376	41	17	263
1992	306	71	386	36	26	281
1991	301	60	427	41	22	279
1990	384	70	567	65	24	353
1989	321	95	558	51	27	372
1988	427	85	546	55	37	415
1987	433	66	463	64	35	331
1986	326	62	328	35	26	194

*SIGNALS, STOP SIGNS

Friends response

i. I interviewed my daughter Heather. She is an admitted practitioner of Road Rage. She understood the concept of the 3 fold-self and felt that it was probably a good psychological breakdown of a driver but was unwilling to change her 3 fold-self. She is somewhat proud of and empowered by her aggressive driving.

Concept 2: Inner power tools

“Which are techniques smart drivers, use to retrain their emotional intelligence by providing a means to restructure assessments of situations” according to Michelle Ching.

i. Inner Power Tools are techniques that change the rage response in drivers. They are used at the trigger point of a road rage event.

ii. Relaxation techniques – deep breathing and repetitive tasks reduce the fight or flight response

iii. mental reappraisal – attempting to find a different perspective to reduce frustration and empathize with others

Additional facts

i. Colorado State University, counseling psychologist Jerry Deffenbacher, PhD found that cognitive and relaxation techniques were equally effective

ii. In New York State in 1999, the University at Albany’s Center for Stress and Anxiety Disorders found that relaxation and cognitive techniques were effective a year after being taught

Friends response

i. Heather was familiar with these techniques and has had success using them in other areas of her life, but would not commit to using them in the car. She does not see her Road Rage as a problem. She is a very competent driver and she feels her rage stems from the masses of incompetent drivers.

Conclusion:

I believe the most successful solution to Road Rage is going to be a long-term solution. If we can instill the teachings in concept 1 and 2 into children early, we would have a greater chance to combat road rage later. Incorporating driver safety and skills training into the early education curriculums would be a good start. 37 out of 100 16-year-old drivers will have a police reported accident this year. That is more than 20% of the national average for all other drivers combined. Motor vehicle deaths account for half of all accidental deaths of 15 to 24, which is more than suicide, homicide and poisoning (includes drug overdoses) collectively. Billions are spent on the “war on drugs” and almost nothing on driver education. In order for real success in combating motor vehicle deaths, the priorities of our nation need to change.

Links:

http://www.hawaii.gov/dot/publicaffairs/drivered/teendrivingfactors.htm

This web page gives an overview of Drivers’ Education in Hawaii and statistics concerning teen drivers.

http://www.psychologymatters.org/roadrage.html

The APA’s web site outlines the current research on road rage.

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2005_August_24/ai_n14929863 This article discusses what AAA believes are the principal limitations of teen driving skills and what parents can do to improve their teen’s driver skills. The also offer an evaluation of a teen’s driving skills to its’ members.

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

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