Presentation 2
By Mark Corpuz
Reference
# 8
Driving
Distracted: Theory and Facts (2002)
www.drdriving.org/articles/distracted.htm
Instructions Click
Here
- Multi
Tasking
- Concept:
Doing more than one thing at a time; focusing more while driving,
doing something else while driving
- EX:
While driving you talk on your cell phone, function the
stereo, put on make up, eat your meal, etc.
While doing any of these you become distracted from driving.
As the result of being distracted you have a high chance in
getting into a fatal accident. According
to Joseph Tessmer, NHTSA statistician, it is estimated that 20%-30%
of fatal accidents are due to distractions while driving.
- Cultural:
Technology has increased dramatically.
As a result there are more gadgets that can be installed into
vehicles. With the new
gadgets, people are not trained properly to use them which lead them to
be distracted more. People
also find it okay to multi task while driving because of what they see.
They watch TV shows and movies and see everyone multi task while
driving and they never see them get into any sort of accident.
So it is accepted.
- Psychological:
People don’t realize that training is needed to multi task.
They automatically think that they are able to multi task without
training. Also, people get
bored while driving especially in traffic.
So, why not do something else to kill time while driving.
- Driver’s
Education: It’s not
that multi tasking is the problem…it’s the fact that people are not
TRAINED properly to multi task. If
people are just trained to be familiar with the technology that they use
then they would not be distracted from driving.
For example, police officers are able to multi task because they
are trained to do so. They
can be on the radio, on the computer, and scanning the area while in
high speed. They do get into
accidents…but not that often because they have been trained to multi
task and they do it on a daily basis.
- Cell
Phone Use Can Impair Vision While Driving
- Concept:
Using cell phones while driving causes a decrease in the ability
to process peripheral vision creating a “tunnel vision”.
This causes reaction time to decrease 20%.
This study focused mostly on conversations that cause distraction
more so than dialing or holding the phone.
- EX:
While on the phone with someone and the conversation becomes
very interesting, you really get into it listening to every word
that is said. At the
same time you are not focused on your surroundings, only what you
see in front of you. You
then miss things like people swerving in front of you or sudden lane
changes. You’re
peripheral vision is altered because your mind is somewhere else.
- Cultural:
It is accepted that using the phone while driving is okay.
In fact, products are manufactured to help you use your cell
phone while driving. The
reason while cell phones were made in the first place was to enable
people to talk on the phone WHERE EVER you are.
- Psychological:
People don’t see the dangers of using the cell phone while
driving. They don’t
realize that conversing with someone on the phone distracts them from
the road. People think that
using a handset will keep them from getting distracted, but once you are
into a conversation…you are in a different place because your mind is
focused on what is being said.
- Driver’s
Education: As mentioned
earlier, people need to be trained properly.
People also have to know that it is the conversations that
distract them from driving and not so much the dialing or holding of the
handset. People need to
witness it for themselves how distracting it is to be on the cell phone.
Maybe they can participate in studies like the
Utah
studies to prove how distracting cell phone usage while driving is.
- The
New Curse: Cell-Phone Rage
- Concept:
People are getting fed up with cell phones.
The fact that everyone has one cause other’s to be annoyed.
People do not have proper cell phone etiquette.
- EX:
You are sitting in lecture and you hear someone’s phone go
off, it’s a nice little tune, you excuse it because you think it
is a mistake that the person forgot to turn off the ringer.
But then, the person answers the phone and starts talking
while the lecture continues. So
you become upset because the ringer interrupted your concentration
and that the person had the nerve to answer the phone and distract
others even more.
- Cultural:
Cell phones are a part of
society now. Everyone has
one. The fact that everyone
has a cell phone, they tend to personalize there phones to feel
different. They change the
covers, the color, the lights, and the ringers.
- Psychological:
People don’t realize that they irritate others when their phone
goes off in inappropriate places. It
is an automatic response for people to answer their phones when it
rings. The fact that
everyone has cell phones causes everyone to personalize their phones.
Everyone has different personalities so that reflects on what
kind of ring tones they like. To
them, they feel it is the coolest sound ever and that it matches them,
but others may find it the most annoying sound in the world.
- Driver’s
Education: This is
related to driving because people need to learn proper cell phone
etiquette. People
shouldn’t be using their phones in certain places like museums,
classes, etc. They
shouldn’t use phones while driving too unless trained.
So for education, people need to learn proper cell phone
etiquette as well as learn how to multi task while driving.
That way everyone will be able to live with cell phones.
- A
Nationwide Survey of Red Light Running
- Concept:
It is a research that was conducted summer of 1999.
They used telephone survey to collect data from 880 licensed
drivers from each of the 50 states and at least 18 years old.
This program was an effort to increase driver awareness of the
dangers and consequences of running red lights.
-
EX:
They would categorize the data by gender, parental status,
age, education, occupation, and urban size.
Overall, 55.8% reported running red lights; 19.4% ran at
least 1 red light in the past 10 intersections with traffic lights.
- Cultural:
65.1% of men admitted to running red lights/50.1% of women;
52.8% of parents admitted/65% non parents;
74.7% 18-25/72.7% 26-35/62.9% 36-45/55.9% 46-55/35.3% over 55;
more education = more likely to admit running red light;
68.8% unemployed reported most
- Psychological:
34.9% reported being in a rush;
11.8% reported being frustrated;
43.5% reported discourtesy of other drivers;
20.8% reported congestion; 12.7% reported other drivers not
following the law
- Driver’s
Education: People should
me informed on how dangerous it is to run red lights.
They should be shown certain incidents of accidents where people
crashed due to running red lights. Also,
people should be taught how to control feelings of being rushed and
frustrated. Because if they
can control both they can reduce the chances of running the red light.
- Drowsy
Drivers Endanger Public Health
- Concept:
Drivers susceptible to car crashes due to drowsiness behind the
wheel.
-
EX:
Sleep deprived or who worked all day, drive long
distances with no resting, drive during the night when they normally
would be asleep, take medication that causes drowsiness, drive after
drinking, drive alone, or travelers
- Cultural:
Some people are forced to work long hours and spend lots of time
on the road in traffic. Others
may only be able to get jobs that are at night.
For people who drive after drinking, it is viewed as okay because
they see it all the time when they go out.
- Psychological:
People don’t realize they
are too tired to drive. In
their mind all they want to do is get where they have to go, especially
if they’re tired. But the
down fall is that drowsiness causes reaction time to decrease.
You also lose focus in what you are doing in the first place.
The thought of being tired and drowsy also causes people to rush
home quicker so they don’t have to be on the road feeling that way.
Although, that is a bad combination…rushing home while drowsy.
- Driver’s
Education: People need
to learn how to put themselves in check.
Learn to determine whether or not they are suitable to drive.
If they must drive, they should learn ways to keep themselves up.
For example, rolling down the window, turning up the radio, or
even drinking some coffee. And
if worse comes to worse, they should learn to accept their condition and
pull over to the side so not to endanger their life or the life of
others.