Children's Self-Witnessing Reports as Road Users
The Young Ones
Introduction: It's all about.....
bad driving. Are you a bad driver, think you're a bad driver, think you're a good driver when you're actually a bad one, or really are a good driver? Well if you are, this is the place to be. First off, I will briefly go over what self-witnessing is and how to perform it, so all you bad drivers can become good drivers and those that are good can improve even more. Next, I'll give you a look at my experience with self-witnessing and my feelings on it. Then I'll go on to summarize a prior generational student's report and tell you my experience with trying to train a child in self-witnessing and my results, so you can train a youngen to become a good driver in the future. And finally I will give you, you future Traffic Psychology 459 students, some of my opinions of this process.
Back to TOP
Self-Witnessing: An Explanation
What is self-witnessing? Well, it's a technique developed by Dr. Driving that can be used by anyone, a driver, passenger, pedestrian, cyclist, whoever. It's a method in which an individual keeps track of his/her feelings (affective), thoughts (cognitive), and actions (sensorimotor) toward driving/drivers. There are two ways of performing this technique. The first and best way is with a tape recorder. As you are driving, keep the recorder running as you verbally explain your innermost thoughts of the things going on around you. Whatever you are thinking or whatever pops into your mind, just say it. It may seem a little funny at first, you know talking to yourself, but it's a great way to clear your mind. If you don't know where to start, here are some questions that may help you get going. There are also some examples of self-witnessing from Dr. Driving that may help. The second and a little more difficult method is to use a note pad. I wouldn't really recommend this method because it is difficult to write all your thoughts down on a piece of paper, while driving, without putting yourself and others in danger. Also if you decide to write your thoughts down as you reach your destination, you probably won't remember all that has occurred. Well, after you have collected all your information, you can replay the tape and analyze all that has happened. After that, you can decide if there is anything you want to correct or make changes to. You've taken the first step in a "Three-step Program for a Healthier, More Zestful Traffic Life." Part of the make over process to correct your bad driving habits. By just looking at this report and others like this, you've started the process to becoming a better, correct, safe driver.
Back to TOP
Self-Witnessing: My Experiences
For my own self-witnessing experience, I am going to use a tape recorder, because it's more efficient and safer. And because this is my first personal experience with it, I am only going to perform it on a short distance drive, my house to my girlfriend's house, Hawaii Kai to Kahala.
Well, this was quite the ride. As soon as I began driving and hit the main highway, I began making comments like crazy. What seemed to bother me the most was people changing lanes or turning without using their blinkers. I would be making comments like "Thanks for signaling!" or "Signal you a-hole!" while at the same time looking at them with an angry expression. It bothers me because I think it is inconsiderate of that person to not let others know that they are going to be changing lanes or will be making a turn. It is safer to put on their signal, it lets others know what they are doing and helps to prevent accidents. Plus, how hard is it to turn it on, it should be automatic. I should know, I never used to turn on my blinker. But now I do, all the time, even when there are no other cars. After seeing how upset it made me when others didn't use their blinker, it would be hypocritical of me to get mad when I didn't do it myself. Plus I realized how much safer it is when you do it, cars don't come zooming toward your rear end and you don't get any angry faces looking at you.
Another thing that seemed to bother me was speeding. I don't speed, or at least try not to, I only go at the fastest 5-10 mph over the speed limit only if there are other cars going the same. I noticed from the tape, that anytime there was someone speeding and they were driving recklessly, weaving in and out of traffic trying to get by everyone, and they were trying to pass me, I would say stuff like "You ain't gonna get by me, I'm gonna jail you in". And then I would be laughing quietly to myself for what I did. I guess now when I think about what I did, I see it was bad, because it means now I am driving recklessly and putting others in danger. But I can't help it sometimes, I just don't like it when people speed. When people speed, they are being reckless, putting themselves and others lives in danger. They are only thinking of themselves, that they have to get there or else. If they need to get to a destination at a certain time, leave a little bit earlier. Also, you save more lives, causing less accidents by not speeding.
Another thing which made me upset was when other drivers wouldn't say thank you or wave when you let them cut into your lane, merge on to the freeway, turn, whatever. Anytime I let another driver go, I expect an acknowledgment. It's common courtesy. Anytime they didn't acknowledge me I would say things like "You're welcome a-hole" while at the same time making an upset expression and waving at them, hoping they see me. Come on, do they think they can just go, that the space just opened up right next to them because they wanted to change lane. No, the car next to you is giving you the space so you can change. They're doing it because the are courteous drivers. And they deserve to be thanked. People should do it because it's courteous and it makes people happy. Otherwise they may get upset and behave irrationally.
Back to TOP
So I noticed some things that other drivers did recklessly, and it bothered me a great deal. I also wondered why they did these things? Is it because they want to, or is it because they don't consciously know they are doing these things? Whatever it is, they need to be made aware of it and correct them. Yet I also noticed some things I did recklessly as a driver too, and that really bothers me. I noticed that I would disobey some of the most basic, simple laws. For instance, I noticed I wouldn't come to a complete stop at a stop sign. This really bothered me because I told myself a long time ago that I would always come to a complete stop, yet I still don't. I already got into two minor fender benders because I didn't completely stop. It's kind of frustrating to see that even an accident doesn't make me obey the sign. I mean if I always come to a complete stop, I'll prevent accidents like the ones I had and be more a more safe driver, a responsible driver. I have to look at my faulty actions and inattention-vs-correct actions and alertness.
I also noticed that I would get angry a lot, upset because of the recklessness of the other drivers. This bothers me because being angry can cloud my sense of judgement. It may make me do reckless things when I am trying to prevent them in the first place. I have to come up with more constructive ways to displace my anger, so I can keep a straight mind and do the right things. Maybe I should start making those animal sounds like Dr. Driving says.
Another thing I noticed that bothers me is the comments I make. If anyone performed a reckless act, I would say, "It's gotta be a woman driver, or an old person." I would even catch myself saying some ethnic things. Why would I be saying stuff like this? I know it is wrong and that it can get me into a lot of trouble, but yet I still say it. I have to learn not to do it, but it is imbedded in my brain. This one will take some time to correct, but with constant exercising, I believe it will be done.
I also noticed that I would rarely ever stop at a stoplight when it turned yellow. Again I don't know why I do it, I'm not in a rush, yet I still do it. This is very reckless, I know. I endanger the lives of others by accelerating and going through the intersection. There may be a time when I don't make it and cause an accident, take a life. I hope that never occurs. I even have a friend who went through a yellow light too late and caused an accident. I'm trying not to do this anymore. I only go through the yellow lights if I am already in the intersection when it turns. Otherwise I will stop.
Collecting data in this manner was an experience. To hear all the things I say, to be able to analyze it and see what I'm doing wrong and try to correct it. It was fun and I believe everyone should try it at least once to analyze their behaviors and get on the track to correcting all their reckless behaviors and become better drivers. I discovered many things about me, that there are many things I do wrong as a driver. And that I become a different person behind the wheel, a little more aggressive. I realized that my thoughts and feelings can greatly influence the way I behave behind the wheel. That I can perform reckless acts even though I am unaware of it and consciously don't want to do it. I have to get my feelings and thoughts under control, only then will my actions be under my full control. And only when I have them under control will I begin to have a healthier, more zestful traffic life.
Back to TOP
Child Self-Witnessing: Teaching Them
In order to gain some understanding of how to train a child in self-witnessing, I previewed the report of Cara Lucey. Her report was well written and it was very interesting to read her personal experiences with self-witnessing. It was interesting to see how impatient she would become, how her personality would change while in the car. It was also helpful to read her section on child self-witnessing. Which gave me a better idea of how to do this part. Her comments on the difficulties she encountered and her recommendations for the future were also very helpful and insightful.
A very helpful report and an excellant source to look at if you are going to be doing some personal or child self-witnessing.
For my training of a child to self-witness, I have chosen the only child I could get to help me, my next door neighbors' son. His name is Bobby and he is 8 years old. I decided it would be easiest to self-witness as passengers in a car while his father drove him to soccer practice. Before we even got into the car, I had to think of what kind of questions to ask him. I didn't want him to just answer with only yes and no, but I couldn't ask him too complicated questions that he wouldn't understand. So begins my training.
As soon as it was time to leave, the first thing I wanted to see was whether he had been told about seatbelt safety. So when we entered the car, I didn't put on my seatbelt. He immediately noticed this and told me to put mine on. I also wondered why he went into the backseat, when the front seat was open? So first I asked him why he put on his seatbelt. He told me because if he didn't and they got into an accident, he may get hurt. Then I asked him why he went into the backseat, and he said it was safer. I also noticed that he always locked the doors as soon as everyone was inside. Again he said it was so no one would accidentally fall out and so strangers couldn't get in.
I then asked him who taught him these things and he said his parents. I was impressed that he knew all these things and was glad that his parents took the initiative to teach him these things. Being curious, I then asked him about crossing the streets. He told me to wait for the walk signal to appear, look both ways, and stay in the crosswalks. Wow! I was impressed he knew so much about safety, but was glad that he did.
The next thing I was intrerested in was speeding. I asked him if it was okay to speed? He said no because you might get into an accident and will get a speeding ticket. Then I asked him, "What about the other drivers who are speeding?". He said they are bad because they are breaking the law. Again this was told to him by his parents. Then I asked him about ambulances, what he thought about them speeding? He said it was okay because it was an emergency. This led to another question, I asked him what if his father was in an emergency, would it be okay for him to speed? This one confused him a little and he wasn't quite sure how to answer it. But I told him it was okay if he didn't know the answer because I wasn't quite sure of the correct answer myself.
Another thing that interested me was what he thought about signaling. He said you should always signal, but when I asked him why, he said because his parents always do it. That's good, but I also told him it was so others knew what you were going to do.
And lastly, I was interested in what he thought about people in the back of trucks. He said it was dangerous because someone could fall out and get hurt or if they are in an accident they will fly out and get hurt.
This was a very fun part to do. It gave me the chance to learn what children know about driving and safety. I talked a lot after with his parents about self-witnessing. I told them how they themselves could do it, even though they are very safe drivers, it can help them to be better drivers. I was also happy at the fact that they are teaching him about these things. It is good to know that some of the next generation may be more educated about these things. The only problems that seemed to arise was how to keep things on the same level as the child. It was difficult at times to elaborate on what I was trying to say so he would understand. Also keeping his attention was at times difficult because this was a topic he didn't seem to be too interested in. I guess maybe using a little older child may help, but it's also good to try and educate the young ones, they seem to learn and remember more at a younger age. Also making the questions more related to the child so they will be interested. Maybe rewarding him/her for their participation. It's up to the next trainees to come up with innovative ways to do this.
Back to TOP
Recommendations: For the Future
This is a very important tool in teaching children as well as adults the importance of healthy driving. It's important because it allows the individual to grow and be a more responsible person in the car, at home, wherever. This method can be made more available by teaching it in the classroom. Introducing it in the elementary schools is a good idea because they are more willing to learn and remember things they are told. It is also good to have it in the upper school levels to prepare them for the outside driving world. It may also be a good idea to make it a part of the driving or permit test. It should also be adopted by the parents because they too can learn something from this technique. And if the parents use this technique, so too will their children or they can at least tell them about it.
Future generations can think of ways to get it introduced into the school system. They can maybe start with the A+ program as a way to see if it will work. They could even just spread the word around by telling their friends about this technique. Maybe starting up small groups to help teach people who are interested about it. There are infinite ways to pursue to spread the method of self-witnessing. It is up to them to decide on the best and brightest ways to do it so everyone will approve and welcome it. Future students, make Dr.James proud.
Back to TOP
Epilogue: Finally...
This was a very eye opening report to do. I learned many things about the way I think other drivers act and why they do the things they do. I also learned a lot about the way I feel and act when I drive, yet I still don't understand why I do some of the things I do. It was also interesting to see how I used to feel and act before to the way I feel and act now. I used to be a very aggressive driver, but after taking this class and doing this report, my driving style has changed. I am now more responsible and safe. I also never really thought much about how my actions could have affected others and am glad that I changed them for the better. It's important to understand your inner feelings, to see that there are ways in which you can improve. I have much to improve on in my driving, but at least I've started the process. It's something everyone should do, it's for the better, for you and for everyone.
e-mail me